Proof That Marketing Pays

Proof That Marketing Pays!

My friend and my publisher, Peg Silloway, is going to be on the radio this Saturday January 30th beginning at 5:05PM. The live interview is on Talkin Pets Radio

Here's your chance to call in with questions about your cats. Can we keep the board lit up?

Peg is scheduled for the first 30-60 minutes. If there are too many calls, they might have to keep her on longer.

Toll free call in number: 866-606-TALK (866-606-8255)

Website - Listen online: http://talkinpets.com

Via Peg Silloway (The Silloway Press):

I realize I'm preaching to the choir on this one - the concept that it pays to market is not new to the real estate professionals that hang out in the Rain. But I got positive proof just yesterday that letting people know what you do is the first and maybe most important step to building your business.

You probably know by know that I wrote a book - The Cat Lover's Book of Days - and several folks on Active Rain have said nice things about it. (Yes, I'm talking about you, Russel and Jim!) But to meet my definition of success for this book I needed to reach a wider audience, so I chose to work with a PR professional to get the word out. She drew up a list of target media, we prepared a press release, and started to spread the news.

And it worked! In a matter of a couple of weeks we've sent review copies of the book to radio stations, magazines, and websites. Yesterday I got confirmation that I'll be interviewed on a national radio talk show, "Talkin' Pets" with Jon Patch, on this Saturday! It's going to be great fun and I would love it if Rainers called in with questions or comments. Here are the details:

"Talkin' Pets" with Jon Patch - 5:00 p.m. EST - Saturday, January 30, 2010

Toll free call in number: 866-606-TALK (866-606-8255)

Website - you can listen online: http://talkinpets.com

The show runs from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, and I'm scheduled to be on during the first 1/2 to 1 hour. To find an AM station near you that carries the program, go the website and click on the "Station Info" button on the left.

Please call and say "Hi!" - I'd love to hear the friendly voices of Active Rain. This Saturday. 5:00 p.m. Fun!

Accelerated Marketing – aka Auction – Sellers Need Options!

In today's market, a professional real estate agent owes it to the seller to consider and present all options for selling a home, especially when it has been on the market for a while.

There's a popular perception that "Auction" = "Distressed Property." That's a holdover from the Depression and the downturn of the 1980's, but no more true today than the idea that direct mail is the only way to advertise. In reality, "Auction" can mean "Non-contingent, cash deal, no closing costs, commissions protected." Doesn't that sound better? Bidders at an auction know they are going to pay only what they have to and are comfortable with, and sellers know they will get the best price possible. The point is, a creative and qualified auction company can create a buying audience of qualified buyers, build interest, and create urgency.

It's not unusual to see four houses on the same street for sale, all about the same. It's hard to sell in this situation as buyers play one against the other. But suppose three of the houses have realtor signs out front, and the fourth has an auction sign. That house is proclaiming it will be sold at a specific time on a specific date. As a potential buyer, why would you not come to that sale? We humans love to get a better deal, and "Auction" says we have a chance at doing better than bargaining with the owners of the other three houses.

In fact, that's exactly what happened yesterday. As you can see, there are several real estate signs including one auction sign for three properties. Yesterday morning we held the auction and two of the three properties sold.

Many Realtors® are not familiar with the options available with auctions, and so don't offer them to their clients as an alternative. Auctions allow you to customize terms and conditions the way you and your seller want them, and there are different types of auctions to choose from. Why not put the auction tool in your real estate toolbox?

Accelerated Marketing for a Decelerated Market

Is there anyone out there who hasn't felt the change? That engine that was roaring ever onward and upward ran out of gas, and now we're coasting. Okay, we have a different market, but that doesn't mean we can't still get people to look at and buy houses.

You might remember my earlier experience with what I call "Accelerated Marketing." Yes, it's an auction, but it's more than that. Case in point – yesterday on Stevenson Road in Baltimore. We decided to apply Accelerated Marketing to this wonderful stone rancher, along with five other properties, all scheduled for January 10. January in Baltimore can bring anything from balmy sun to slushy snow; we ended up in between with a kind of raw, overcast day.

You can imagine how delighted I was, then, to see a crowd of at least 60 people show up for the walk-through and auction on Stevenson. There were several bidders, and even though we did not reach a level that met the buyer's reserve, I still count the event as a success. Many more people saw the house than ever before, and people who are willing and able buyers know about it now having taken the time to walk through. For this house and the other four, I was careful to set low expectations with the owners – we went into the day with the expectation that none of the properties would sell. When your goal is exposure and activity, the sale becomes a bonus.

What happened with the other five properties that had their own Accelerated Marketing events? As we expected, the turnouts varied at Milford Road, Strathmore Towers, Old Post, Griffin Way, and Autumn Frost. But we still had good success and then some - two of the five sold! There are two more events tomorrow, one in country-like Havre de Grace and another in picturesque Dickeyville. Then we wrap up this series on Tuesday at Clarks Lane.

I'm feeling very positive about this way of marketing real estate. As we do more of these I'll be talking again the advantages for both the seller and the agent. I see it as a win-win in a time when we hear too many lose-lose stories.