| You advertise your individual listings, but are you | | | | to find all you can learn about your new listing... or |
| properly marketing your own services? Since you're | | | | about another agent's listing that your customer |
| one of about one million Realtors working in the U.S. | | | | wants to buy. |
| today, you won't have much of a career if you sit | | | | You might love learning all about neighborhoods so |
| back and wait until customers and clients stumble | | | | you can give potential buyers a complete rundown |
| over you. | | | | on services and recreational opportunities available. |
| You're going to have to pull them in yourself! | | | | Certain tasks are required with the job, but your |
| The first step is to consider why you are special. | | | | customers might not know that. The market analysis |
| Think about all you do for your customers and clients. | | | | might fall into that category. What else? |
| You may very well offer something that others don't. | | | | Look at how your competitors are advertising. What |
| For instance: | | | | do they stress? |
| - You may speak a second language. | | | | Probably nothing at all! Most Realtors merely say "I'm |
| - You might offer an airport pick-up service | | | | here," without giving a customer a single reason why |
| - Maybe you supply your clients with photo t-shirts | | | | they should be chosen over any other agent. |
| that advertise their listing. | | | | That means you can advertise a service that |
| - Perhaps you offer extensive virtual tours | | | | everyone gives and still look like you're the only one |
| - You might even offer advice for solving some of | | | | offering it! |
| your clients' pressing problems - like getting their | | | | Copywriting legend tells the story of how one writer |
| property clean and ready for sale. | | | | took a faltering beer brewing company to the #1 |
| Does every other agent in your market do all of the | | | | position in the U.S. merely by explaining the brewing |
| same things? And if they do, do they do those | | | | process. It was exactly the same brewing process |
| things as well as you do them? | | | | that everyone used, but no one else had mentioned |
| The answer is probably no. A lot of agents are trying | | | | it. While he didn't say it, the public assumed that this |
| to skim by with doing as little as possible. I know | | | | company was the only one to use quality materials |
| that's not you, because if you weren't trying to | | | | and exacting methods such as he described. |
| make a better living and a better life for yourself you | | | | When their sales started to skyrocket the other |
| wouldn't be reading articles about marketing. | | | | brewers wanted to let the public know that they |
| Begin by making lists of the services you perform. | | | | used the same methods, but knew they would |
| Make one for your buyers and one for your sellers. | | | | merely look like copycats if they started shouting |
| While you're at it, highlight those tasks that are the | | | | "Me too!" |
| most fun. | | | | So here's your "assignment" for the day: First think |
| Other agents used to groan and roll their eyes when | | | | about what you do that might be considered an |
| I said I enjoyed doing a market analysis. Most people | | | | extra service. Then think about what everyone does |
| don't, but I like playing with numbers, so I thought it | | | | that you do exceptionally well and your competitors |
| was fun. I expect that made me do a better than | | | | aren't mentioning. |
| average job. Wouldn't you agree? | | | | Then decide how you can work those items in to |
| You might love research... digging into County records | | | | your self-promotion marketing. |
