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Real Estate Marketing 10 Ways To Improve Your Marketing In 2006
ew Year's. A time to twice as many clients as last
reflect on the past while year? To venture out on your own?
planning for the future.
To increase the size of your farm
area? Whatever it is, define it
In the spirit of New Year's, I've ... on paper and in your mind. It
put together this guide to help should be with you every working
you prepare for a new year of day of 2006.
marketing. So without further
ado, here are ten ways that you 2. Set achievable goals.
-- as a real estate agent -- can
improve your marketing in 2006. Incremental goals are important,
because they give you something
1. Clarify our objectives. to work for (and achieve) along
the path to your overall
What are you primary business objective. Be specific and
objectives for 2006, and how does realistic when setting your
your marketing program support goals. Instead of saying "I want
those objectives? If you have no to increase my business during
idea, you've got work to do. If the first part of the year" ...
you have a rough idea, you need say "I want to gain six new
to refine it. clients by March 15."
Without an overall objective, Be specific, and you'll know
you're shooting arrows at a bunch exactly what you must do. Be
of random targets. Your chances realistic, and you'll have a
of success will be greater if you greater chance of achieving the
shoot your arrows at the same goal -- and enjoying the morale
target. boost that comes from it.
Is your overall objective to have 3. Learn something new.
Make it a point to learn Taking notes about your clients
something new several times makes the follow-up process
throughout the new year. Learn easier and more effective. If you
something new about your farm have a file on each client, you
area and the people in it. Learn can dip into it for specific
a new technology that can help information when sending your
you work smarter. Learn a new follow-up emails. And nothing
marketing tactic. makes people feel special like
being remembered!
Combine these lessons with the
goal-setting from #2. For 5. Buy a book (and read it).
instance, maybe you'll set a goal
to learn about one new technology To improve your marketing, you
per quarter -- electronic must become a lifelong student.
newsletters in February, websites So make it a point to read at
in May, digital cameras in least one new marketing book in
August, etc. 2006. I know you're busy, but
look at it this way. If a book
4. Take notes (or better notes) runs 500 pages, and you give
on each client. yourself all year to read it,
that's less than a
Perhaps you've heard that page-and-a-half per day. Hey,
referrals account for the with a rate like that, why not
majority of real estate business. make it four books?
It's true, if you have a good
follow-up program. Because 6. Get motivated ... again.
nothing generates referrals like
good service and proper Repetition can drain your
follow-up. motivation. So as you move into
the new year, revisit your your marketing.
initial reasons for becoming a
real estate agent. What were your If you have a website, add some
dreams then? What drew you to the helpful new content, or maybe
profession? Remind yourself of organize the existing content. If
those reasons, and focus on them. you use direct mail, make it a
The dream justifies the routine. point to build a stronger offer
Sometimes you just have to remind for your postcards. One
yourself what the dream was in improvement per item ... you can
the first place. do it!
7. Look backward while planning 9. Ask for help.
forward.
Marketing can be a lot of work.
Marketing sometimes means making So don't try to do it all
mistakes. And that's okay, as yourself. That's a fast track to
long as you learn from them. exhaustion. Ask for help when you
Going into the new year, take a need it. That might mean hiring a
moment to look back. What have professional for certain aspects
you learned this year? How can of your marketing, or just
you apply those lessons to your seeking help from a
marketing as you move forward? marketing-minded friend.
8. Improve one thing about 10. Reward yourself.
everything.
Got a new client as the result of
This year, make it a point to a direct mail campaign? Treat
improve at least one thing about yourself to a nice dinner. Heck,
everything. In other words, find order an expensive bottle of wine
a way to improve each part of while you're at it. Don't be shy
about celebrating your success. think you can best accomplish.
The point is to improve the
If you work hard and gain individual parts of your
something as a result of that marketing program in order to
hard work, you deserve a reward. strengthen the program as a
Achieving goals without being whole. It's about growth and
rewarded will reduce your development.
motivation to achieve similar
goals in the future. So break out I hope these ideas help you
the bubbly once in a while. It's prepare for the new year, and I
okay ... really. wish you every success going
forward.
You don't have to apply all ten
of these tactics to your Copyright 2006, Brandon Cornett.
marketing. Just pick the ones you
About the Author:
Brandon Cornett has worked as a marketing manager for a direct mail company serving real estate agents since 1986. He now dedicates his time to helping real estate professionals improve their marketing. His Modern Guide to Real Estate Marketing and his free newsletter are available at: http://www.ArmingYourFarming.com
Source: www.isnare.com
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