Do You Plan To Prosper?
One of the things Realtors aren’t known for (including most all entrepreneurs) is planning. We’re the type of folks that live by our gut and dive in head first (“I’ll deal with things as they come up.”)
Frankly, I think this is one of our greatest strengths. Unfortunately, it’s also a main contributor to the short “lifespans” of so many agents. So, let’s make planning your prosperity a painless process…
Marketing is of critical importance to the sustainability and profitability of your real estate business. Obviously, it’s not something to neglect or deal with “as it comes up” or when the pipeline has run dry.
Here’s a simple 7 step process used in Guerrilla Marketing to make planning your marketing a quick and easy task that you can complete in a few minutes.
Grab a sheet of paper…
1. What’s your marketing’s purpose?
Keeping in mind that the purpose of marketing is to create an action, what is the very first action you want prospects to take when they receive your marketing?
Some examples would be making a phone call or visiting a website.
2. How will people benefit?
Now, folks don’t go taking action all willy-nilly like. Folks tend to act with intent. More often than not, the intent is to solve a problem or move closer to a goal.
It’s pretty clear then that you need to let your prospects know how they’ll benefit by taking the desired action. Communicate the benefits of taking that first action (not of doing business with you) and you’ll find your response rates racing skywards.
3. Who do you want to act?
“Anyone who’s looking for a home” is a typical answer agents give when I ask who they want to do business with. Does that include the hobo living under the bridge or the fella with a 240 credit score? Probably not.
As you can see, it’s important to be clear about who you want to do business with (your target market). The more specific you are in who you target the more effective and profitable your mafrketing will be.
Some examples would be graduates of Arizona State University’s College of Architecture and Design or members of your local veterans association.
4. What makes you different?
Where your answer to the previous question denotes you invest your resources talking to, your answer clarifies what you talk about, your niche or “position.”
Some examples would be eco-friendly homes, central corridor condos, or a “no hassle listing” 😉
5. What’s your professional personality?
Personality can often be more attractive than the benefits you provide. Every business has one, including yours (whether you know it or not). It comes through in your marketing copy, design, dress and demeanor.
Think of Jet Blue’s personality versus United. Nike versus Skechers. Outback Steakhouse versus Ruth’s Chris.
6. How will you reach people?
There are hundreds of ways to reach out and deliver your marketing message. Some work better than others, and some work better with one target markets than with others.
You can download a list of 100 marketing weapons here.
Which ones will you use? Select only a few intially, then as you master those you can add more.
7. How much will you invest?
Yeah, you have to to invest something (cheapskates don’t get far in business) but you have more than mere money at your disposal – time, energy, imagaination, and dollars.
Write this down as a percentage of projected profits and in hours per week.
There you have it… your 7-step Guerrilla Marketing plan and the answer to any excuse as to why you haven’t planned to prosper.
What challeneges have kept you from not planning your marketing?
