(Profit-Multiplying Revelation #2)
Have you ever spent hours and days showing buyers listings around your community…only to discover (to your shock!) that they bought with another agent?
Or worked your tail off for a listing presentation, only to find-out the owners listed with their “cousin Bucky who just got his license”, or used some other lame excuse to work with a less-qualified agent?
It’s likely you’ve experienced frustrations like these more than once…and if you haven’t it’s only a matter of time before you do.
It’s also one of the most humbling feelings you’ll ever have – insulting, infuriating and humiliating!
Listen…you’re not a professional tour guide for buyers, and you’re not a professional “song and dance” entertainer for listing prospects who had no intention of working with you in the first place.
But it happens for most agents.
And the reason it happens is because you’re not creating your own “personal real estate market” to serve – THEN, qualifying their motivation and capability to complete a transaction when the time arises.
Agents who have learned and implemented the system you’re now learning almost never work with disloyal, unmotivated or unqualified clients. They understand the value of their time and capabilities, but more importantly…
They Understand The Importance Of Creating Such a Deep
Relationship with Their “House List”, They Can Pick And
Choose Who Becomes Their Client!
Imagine having a list of people so large and so close, you can make a $7-Figure real estate income working with them alone?
In my last article, Article 2, you learned that the first step in effective marketing is to prioritize your marketing efforts and money according to the quality of the “list” most likely to respond and do business with you.
That’s why I told you the “most profitable asset” of your business is not your car or your cell phone or your laptop computer…it’s the group of people who know you…know of you…and are most inclined to welcome your marketing, refer your services and do business with you again and again.
You’ll remember I call this your “House List”.
But the list alone is not enough. Once you have the list, you need to nurture and cultivate it so that you are the “captive agent” for real estate services to this group.
That’s how you generate massive quantities of new clients, referrals, word of mouth and repeat business in your practice.
So today, I’m going to talk to you about how to become that “captive agent” with the second part of this 3-part “success equation.” It’s…
Profit-Multiplying Revelation #2:
Create Consistent, Personal, and Welcomed and Valued Contact That Distinguishes YOU From Other Agents…to the small, high-potential group of people (your “House List”) most likely to send you new business.
Here’s an important revelation: There’s a huge difference between “mass-marketing with stay-in-contact programs,” and nurturing a deep relationship… a relationship essential for becoming the stand-out choice for real estate services.
Staying in contact is nice (certainly better than nothing) and you may think you’re being effective, but if you expect to create the kind of relationship that will compel people to respond and do business with you need a whole lot more.
The only way to gain dominant market share and become the one (and only) agent your house list thinks of when they think “real estate” is by…
Marketing NARROW and DEEP.
What do I mean by marketing “narrow and deep”?
Marketing “narrow” focuses all your time, energy and money on only those who are most predisposed to work with you. It’s about market selection.
You only have so much money to spend on your marketing, so why not spend it on the “market” that’s most likely to respond and maximize your return on dollars spent?
That market is the topic we covered in article 2…your personally-created “house list.”
Now…what do I mean by marketing “deep”?
Most agents completely underestimate the “type” of contact required to cultivate relationships and be the stand-out agent for generating business.
It’s incredibly easy once you understand it. The secret to success with this process is…
Consistent, Personal, and Welcomed and Valued
Contact That Distinguishes YOU from Other Agents
For As Long As You Practice Real Estate…
Let’s dive into marketing “deep” and its 3 components. Here’s what you want to think about when marketing your services (especially to your house list):
Component #1: What do I mean by “Consistent”?
According to the Direct Marketing Association, the “optimum” time period to make contact with anyone is about every 21 days. This means you should plan on establishing a contact program that’s delivered to your house list every three to four weeks.
Not a calendar every year. Not a recipe card every quarter. Not a “canned” agency-slick newsletter or post card every 2 months.
Monthly at the latest.
Now…there’s another important point I want to make about “consistency.” It’s important for you to recognize that…
The Results of Your Contact are
Cumulative Over Time
The quality of your house list, farm or other contact list increases with cumulative contact. This means that they become more responsive over time, and your contact program becomes more and more profitable the longer you do it.
Don’t short-circuit your success by quitting.
If you don’t have monthly contact, your relationship never gets the traction needed to harvest business from these folks…not to mention you want to be there the very minute anyone on your list is thinking of selling – or knows of someone thinking of selling – so they can use or refer your services.
Does this make sense?
Component #2: What do I mean by “Personal”?
What I’m about to tell you goes against all conventional “wisdom” in the so-called “snooty” professional circles, including real estate.
Somehow…somewhere…our industry adopted the idea that a stuffy “professional” image – making people think you’re a hoity-toity “big cheese” – is appealing to people. After all, that’s what your clients want in a REALTOR®, right?
Nothing could be further from the truth!
Sure you want to be as competent as a brain surgeon in your field. And you don’t want to “look” like a homeless person selling real estate.
But I’m talking about something else – I’m talking about your “positioning” in the eyes of your prospects and clients.
Answer this question: which do you feel would be more personal, more touching, and make you want to hire a service-provider: a personal, hand-written note sent by a good friend who you know is a true expert, or a 4-color glossy brochure by some “agent” or “company”?
People don’t do business with “companies”…they don’t do business with “professional robots”…they do business with other PEOPLE.
Become a “person.” Drop the snooty image and get down on the carpet with ma, pa and the kids (figuratively, of course)…and watch people gravitate to you.
How do you become more “personal” yet still look “competent” as well?
Let’s look at a few examples you can use right now in your business (I’m not trying to “pitch” here, but this is the best example I know).
This one is right out of the Service For Life!® Prospecting and Referral Marketing System for REALTORS®.
First we engineered Service For Life!® to “look” like it came right off your personal computer…like you spent the time and energy to research these helpful articles…like you spent the time to write it.
You are seen as the “expert” helping your clients – not some obvious “newsletter mill.” This is the best way to “position” you as a true expert with your reader’s best intentions at heart.
Second, you want your contact to look as personal as a birthday card from your beloved Grandma. So we “package” Service For Life!® with a very “down-home” looking approach. Remember this…
Personal-Looking Mail Gets Opened…
“Junk Mail” Goes Into The Trash!
If it doesn’t get opened first and foremost, it certainly isn’t going to get read or acted upon – and you’ve wasted your money.
Agents resist this look at first, thinking it won’t “reflect” their haughty image. But we’ve tested this warm, personal look against dozens of “slick” newsletters in all kinds of markets…and Service For Life!® out-pulled clients…
300 to 800 Percent Better!
This means 3 to 8 TIMES more profitable for you than anything else.
Third, we engineered Service For Life!® with unique “psychological triggers” specifically designed to bond with people and deepen the relationship.
Nothing connects people to you more then when you actually recognize them in your marketing. We’ve created specially-tested language that recognizes your clients and bonds them to you.
And we highlight areas where you can show your appreciation of your clients – another important trigger.
We also supply each issue with specially-tested “teasers” for your readers to receive helpful consumer information – another bonding tool that “positions” you as a stand-out professional – and gets you a quality lead before any other agent.
Component #3: What do I mean by “Welcomed and Valued”?
Do you think people welcome being pressured?
Do you think people welcome being “sold?”
Do you honestly believe people don’t see the “sales motives” of your current marketing – whether it’s an ad, recipe card or market analysis?
Your contact must be something that is welcomed and valued by the recipient on its own merit.
By this I mean it must contain information that is engaging, informative, helpful and seen as valuable in the eyes of your reader – whether it’s a farming tool, and ad, or regular contact to your house list.
Sending out a “market update,” recipe card or soft-content 4-color newsletter is not valuable and generally goes from the mailbox into the trash.
Why? Because it overtly carries a “sales motive.”
Your contact needs to grab them by the lapels and proclaim…
“Here’s something that’s personal and fun to read,
and can help you in lots of areas in your life.”
Providing people genuine value creates a dynamic that sets you clearly apart from other agents. It’s called “subtle obligation.”
What is “subtle obligation”?
Our society dictates that when anyone gives you something of true value, or does a favor for you…you’re “culturally obligated” to reciprocate to them – to return the favor in some way.
For example…when you open a door for someone, they’re more likely to open another door for you. Send a birthday card to a friend, and you can bet your bottom-dollar they’ll send one to you on your birthday.
So when you’re giving helpful, useable and entertaining tips and information every month…making people’s lives easier and more enjoyable…with whom do you think they’ll want to reciprocate?
YOU!
So how do you make your content so irresistible, so compelling…readers cannot escape reading it? Here are a few ideas I’ve used…
We “structure” Service For Life!® to look a bit like a “tabloid” format. Why? Because tabloids have the highest readership of any publication.
No, we don’t exploit scandalous material, but we do use emotionally-charged headlines to grab reader’s attention.
Next, we use compelling, hard content. Most newsletters use soft, wishy-washy content that peaks no emotional reaction from readers.
We use “how-to” hard content that gives readers truly useable information and resources they can act upon to improve their lives.
Next, we use special involvement devices designed to capture attention and engage the reader. The longer someone spends with your newsletter, the more likely they will be to act on it.
Remember, if your contact doesn’t get opened and read, it’s never going to bring you clients.
Finally, You Need To Distinguish Yourself From
Every Other Agent in the Market…
Your contact must demonstrate that you are knowledgeable and competent in your profession. But no one’s going to believe you tooting your own horn.
So you must give indisputable evidence…PROOF of your competency and all the reasons why people should do business with you. How?
Make yourself an “expert” by becoming an authority on important real estate topics. For example…
In Service For Life!® every issue has an important “Q&A” section where we answer important real estate questions for clients (in your voice).
Next, we give you pre-written Consumer Awareness Reports – some as long as 12 pages – all designed to make you a stand-out authority and convert leads to clients automatically.
The reports also tell people what they get when they do business with you. They demonstrate your competence and give your services credibility by outlining all the step-by-step ways you help your clients when they buy or sell with you.
We also provide areas for you to use believable testimonials about your services from past clients. And gather and use believable endorsements (quotes about you) from already-respected leaders or figures in your industry or community.
The bottom line: Your “professional image” holds no influence over people. People don’t respond to what you say – but they will be positively influenced when you demonstrate your authority in real estate and prove your competency.
Does all this seem a little overwhelming to you?
I hope this article gave you an appreciation for the “type” of contact required to capture market share and be the stand-out REALTOR® in your market. I’ve watched this simple process turn “average” agents into multi-millionaires.
Marketing “narrow and deep” makes you beneficially unique to your prospects and clients. It tells people you’re different. It tells people that YOU are the stand-out choice for real estate services.
But it can be a bit overwhelming to do it all yourself.
See…the reason why I created the Service For Life!® Prospecting and Referral Generating System was because I believe it’s your job to practice real estate, not create or write marketing content.
I created it so you wouldn’t even have to “think” about all the elements at play…you won’t need to research and write your own articles, create involvement devices, client recognition and appreciation, referral programming, answers to real estate questions or consumer reports – you can just transfer my 32 years of marketing expertise and copywriting right into your practice.
No one else has captured all these important elements into one marketing tool. Some have tried, but because they don’t understand all the elements, they produce second-rate knock-offs.
And you suffer.
But I’m not here to “sell” you. I’m here to reveal the essential elements that can take your career to new heights – to simplify your business and transform it into a lasting, enjoyable career.
It’s easier than you think once you get started.
Today’s Action Plan:
Take a look at a Service For Life!® issues just as an example. If you don’t have one, just click on the “See A Sample” button in the menu bar above-left.
Even though it’s just one issue (and insert), you’ll see examples of every element we talked about in this article: “tabloid” headlines to capture attention; useable, “how-to” hard content; involvement devices; client appreciation; client recognition; referral programming; real estate Q&A; and special reports – all designed to bond people to you and demonstrate your competence and expertise in real estate.
There’s nothing like it anywhere, and, best of all, it’s all done FOR you.
But we’re not finished…
Coming Up Next…
There is one more “Profit-Multiplying Revelation” we’re going to cover in Part I of my articles.
Use it and you can harvest more clients in a month than you now get in a year. Ignore it…and the profits from all your “contact” and marketing efforts so far will vanish like a thief in the night.
Keep an eye-out, it’s coming in a few days…