PAULA'S SOUTHAMPTON BLOG

HOW DO YOU  MARKET  YOURSELF IN TODAY'S CHAOS??

We are in a shifting real estate market in most parts of this country---Our customary ways of doing things may not even work anymore. We don't have the same ways of reaching the public as we once did...not so long ago!

So  many changes in social media at the moment are making it almost impossible to get the word out to those who we used to be able to reach in a nano-second.  Facebook has lost its appeal to many who are fearful of abuse in the personal information arena. Twitter has a problem right now as well and although you may not use Twitter for advertising, it is symbolic of the disintegration of social media, right before our eyes!

The public, it seems has become so wary of ALL social media that we are witnessing a ".com" moment according to some in the world of finance. The stocks of these giant social media platforms are racing to the bottom as FB lost upwards of $190B in value this past week!

A SHIFT HAS TAKEN PLACE AND WE DON'T KNOW WHERE IT IS TAKING US

So, we all now know that the Internet as a whole is in flux right now. What it means is far from easy to tell. 

I can see that the likes of Z, T and R have all been struggling to get their share of  $$ from agents who no longer feel like they want to sink thousands of dollars into a system that is not functioning as well as it did just 3-4 months ago. How does one keep feeding the monster if it is not generating what it did in the past? And it is not getting any better from I have read on Bloomberg today: "The US Housing Market Looks Headed for It's Biggest Slowdown In Years"

Jonathan Miller is the accountant for Douglas Elliman and his brilliant "Housing Notes" newsletter is something I rely on week to week for up-to-date real estate information. He is stating the obvious: Prices MUST adjust before we see an improvement in sales...and that goes for most places in the U.S.

I HAVE A NEW APPROACH THAT IS OLDER THAN DIRT

It has not been easy but I have learned that the more physical contact I can get with the public the better off I am in terms of being remembered. I hand out cards and give a point of personal acknowledgement to each and every person I come in contact with--And they do remember me! This one simple thing is making a difference for me--this and all the other things I did many years ago to get my business rolling again. 

"I can't seem to get my business going"-- "I'm not doing enough business!"; "I  just lost another buyer to another agent!"; or "I lost another listing to another agent!"---

The truth is, they lost these clients/customers to those who are doing the right things!

I am NOT an expert; just someone who has learned the ropes---through ACTIVERAIN and years of experience, and keeping an open mind to marketing ideas! The single most important thing I have done is "catch up!"....If you  haven't been on top of the latest ways to get your name out there in the real estate market, begin today to do those things!

Today's real estate market does not care if you are doing the right things---it does not care if you can't seem to get new leads from your current website. Most large companies could care less if you are blogging or if you are taking advantage of SEO on your profile and on your listings!..and the market for SURE does not care about whether or not your face showed up on Z,T or R!!!

Other agents are doing things you may not know about---learn what is out there for you to take advantage of.      

YOU ARE MERELY A FACE AND THAT IS IT IF YOU ARE ONLY USING ZILLOW !     

No one out there really knows who you are--At the most you are a face and profile that may or may not ever get read by the buying and selling public.

Paying to get your face shown where it does not necessarily belong is the lowest form of marketing! It really is a no-brain-er to pay a big company to put your face on listings--It's just a very risky investment because when the market goes south, where does your money go and what do you get for that investment? 

Creative research and in-depth knowledge about past markets will help you to see that you need to be out there in the real world doing the things that will get you attention---good attention, not questionable attention as you may get from the big websites that are taking your hard earned money!

GOOD PUBLIC EXPOSURE IS THE KEY--IN PERSON OR IN PRINT!

But the more exposure, the better your chances of getting people to think of you for real estate. Make videos and Real Estate Shows---Those are easily shared on You-tube and Facebook....Create a BUZZ; be controversial!!

If print ads still work, do them; just pick your places CAREFULLY! Track your results and go by that the next time you want to spend money on a print ad...find the best exposure and always use your website URL for more exposure!

Also make sure you use the holiday time for publishing a print ad--that is when there is down time and therefore time for the public to pick up a paper or a magazine and read it--There you are! If you have the right tag line, a great property to advertise and a positive message to the public, it will work wonders!!

POSITIVE MESSAGES, INCLUDED IN PRINT ADS ARE MOST EFFECTIVE 

Use tag lines like: 

• Now THIS is a real value! Make sure to see it before it is gone!
• Here is an opportunity to own an ageless property; a home for generations to come!
• How many times have you MISSED the property of your dreams? Don't let it happen this time!
• Good price, great views and the BEST house on the Street! (or in the city, village or town)

This will give you an idea of how to properly get your positive message out there to the public--They will respond and they may just buy it!

Create your own website; especially if you work for a large company--this can expand your exposure and it gives you the right platform to present your blog or other reports and articles that are important to today's market. 

Write a newsletter monthly or bi-monthly with the latest news on your market---keep it short and to the point---easy to read is key! Send it to ALL of your customer/client base.You may even subscribe to a newsletter such as  "Housing Notes" as I show above...It is a treasure trove of information, and you CAN send it on to your client base or a customer you are trying to sell.

One of the best vehicles to use to keep in touch with your client/customer base is to email them a market report that has just been released. Make sure there is a headline that will grab their attention so that they don't just delete.

You can expound on the sales and inventory information as well, in your message or greeting. Keep it short and to the point and make sure you tell them you hope they are prospering!! 

KEEP UP!

Keep your name out there in front of people---anywhere you can and at every opportunity, include your website information.  ...And don't forget the tried and true: Signs, Open Houses, and anything else you have done in the past that works for you in your area! Open houses are good way to get public exposure--do more of them--advertise them and BE THERE!

Just remember that every agent right now is fighting over the fewer buyers and walking away from the overpriced listings that sellers are known to insist upon. Other agents ARE becoming expert at SEO (search engine optimization) in their ads and websites. Other agents ARE making You Tube videos and virtual tours......you NEED to be there doing that too. If you have not been doing it--start now to learn the ropes. Go for it! 

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO LOSE???