Jun
30
Real Estate Ads: The 10 Things You Must Know about Creating Killer Ads
Filed Under Real Estate Copywriting | Leave a Comment
Imagine…by the end of this post, you will be a more effective real estate ad writer, all because you learned ten very important concepts.
See, writng clear, concise and compelling real estate ads follows clear, concise and compelling thoughts. Say what you want to say, then write it as simply as possible. So, keep in mind these ten basic tips.
1. Appeal to the audience. Ask yourself: “Is this compelling to them? Do they care?” (In a minute I’ll explain to you why this is so crucial.)
2. Write in a conversational tone, as if you were writing a letter to a friend.
3. Create powerful stories that are simple, unexpected, concrete, credible and emotional. I can’t emphasize this enough.
4. Use gender-neutral language, preferably “you,” because “you” is perhaps the most powerful word in the English language.
5. Use short, simple, easy-to-understand words and sentences. Fragments are okay, especially online.
6. Use the active voice. Passive: The house was sold by Joyce. Active: Joyce sold the house.
7. Use the present tense and imperative mood. “Buy now.” “Do this.”
8. Use crisp, lively verbs. “Joyce climbed the fence.” “Darlene wept.”
9. Avoid weak constructions. There are. It is.
10. Avoid wordy, clever and worn-out phrases.
Naturally, the first one is the most important. That’s why you should never stop learning about your target audience. Know them like the back of your hand .
This will take patience. But it will pay off in the long run when you can skillfully and systematically punch their hot button in each ad.
Give these tips a shot and let me know how you do. Okay?
If you like what you read, subscribe to the Real Estate Marketing Blog.
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Jun
19
Eliminate This Behavior and Become More Effective
Filed Under Real Estate Prospecting Ideas, Real Estate Sales Tips | Leave a Comment
Has this happened to you recently: you tend to become desperate in tight times by trying to aggressively pin down real estate buyers?
But did you know that removing pressure from the sales process will actually cause you to win more listings and prospects and sell more homes?
That’s right. A sales approach where you create pressure-free conversations with buyers is more effective.
However, to do that it’s essential that you eliminate behaviors and language that buyers can perceive as “aggressive.”
We all know what these are — continual e-mail and voicemail “followups” in which agents try to pin down the status of a potential real estate buyer– is one common example.
[And of course it's becoming more and more difficult to nail down a potential buyer in this market.]
The problem is that prospects react to aggressive–or perhaps we should say “overaggressive”–sales behaviors by withdrawing and evading us.
In fact, what you have to do instead of being passive or aggressive is this: you have to take the “middle ground” by being authentically unassuming, yet effective–and that this is the most stress-free and effective way to sell.
What do I mean by “authentically unassuming, yet effective”?
How to Discover a Whole New Effectiveness
For starters you have to shift away from assuming that every buyer is a fit for your any of your listings.
It’s sort of like the legal concept of “being innocent until proven guilty.”
You can’t afford to make any assumptions about “fit” until your conversation with the buyer indicates that you two mutually arrived at that conclusion.
The aggressiveness that turns off buyer sets in when you assume, every time you pick up the phone, that you have a solution for them.
Your tone of voice and language gives them that message long before they’ve even had a chance to agree that you have the home that they want.
But if you can manage to find that middle ground of not assuming anything while also communicating in a low-key, unassuming manner, you’ll discover a whole new effectiveness you could never have imagined.
Flawed Logic
Can prospects sense when you’re assuming too much? Sure they can–because most of us have been conditioned to present or talk about our solution as a way to engage prospects so they’ll reveal their problems to us.
But that logic is completely flawed.
When you launch into your speal to someone who doesn’t trust you yet, all you do is allow them to pigeonhole you as a stereotyped “salesperson.”
How to Become Unassuming but Effective
First, learn to start conversations by focusing 100 percent on generating discussions around your prospects’ problems, rather than pitching your listing inventory the second you hear an opening.
Second, learn to begin those conversations by converting the benefits of your homes into problems that your homes will actually solve.
Third, after you and your prospects have identified a desires or needs, you can then engage in a discussion about whether meeting those needs is a priority.
It’s only at that point that prospects have finally given you implicit permission to share your inventory with them.
Jumping in with solutions prematurely will only land you back in the trap of being perceived as “aggressive.”
What Do You Think?
Have you found yourself having to get aggressive? Do you approach this market differently since buyers have tightened the purse strings? Or are you in one of these bubble-proof markets?
Let me know what you think.
And if you like what you read, subscribe to the real estate marketing blog by email or news feed.
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Jun
17
What Do Journalism and Real Estate Prospecting Have In Common?
Filed Under Real Estate Prospecting Ideas | Leave a Comment
Prospecting has a lot in common with journalism.
For instance, journalists are always approaching strangers. They’re always asking a lot of questions. And they’re interested in learning the truth.
And, just like in journalism, a good prospector has to understand the 5W’s: Who/What/When/Where/Why (with a little How thrown in there).
Who are your prospects? Your prospects are people from all walks of life. They can be the warm market, or your circle of influence, meaning your friends, family, relatives, co-workers, and everyone you know that you already have a relationship with. Prospects can also be referrals, or personal recommendations from someone else.
What do you want to do with your prospects? Here is where setting clearly defined goals is very helpful. Know what you want out of your prospecting efforts: How many appointments? How many listings? How many referrals?
When is the right time to gather prospects? Anytime. Walking out to your mailbox. Shopping for food. Mailing a package at the post office. Mingling at the neighborhood block party.
You don’t have to be a nuisance. But you do have to have your antennas on. Be ready.
Where do you find prospects? As mentioned above, prospects can be found right in front of you within your circle of influence – the people you already know.
You can ask for prospects from both the people you already know, and also from the prospects who end up declining your offer. The people who turn down your business can be a good source of referrals. If they say, “No”, then you simply say something like, “Thank you for your time. Do you know of anyone else who might be interested in buying or selling a home?”
Why are you prospecting? Are you just doing it because your broker told you too? Or are you doing it because your leads have dried up? Ask the opposite to dig deeper: Why aren’t I prospecting? Do I have a solid business? Do I not want more?
How do you get prospects? This is probably the most important question of them all. As I said, prospecting is an art that takes practice, so it helps to start by setting goals that are measurable, realistic, and achievable. Know what you want and when you want it and do something every day to work towards getting it. Practicing means knowing what you are going to say to your prospects before it happens by using a script, and then eventually becoming comfortable and confident enough that you don’t need the script anymore.
And it is up to you to walk away from prospects who aren’t ready. Like the recent Baylor survey on real estate lead generation indicated, identify potential clients. We don’t want to beg or plead them to join with us – we want to grab those who are enthusiastic, ready, and willing to be on a winning team.
Did you find this article useful? If so, leave a comment. And if you like what you read, subscribe to the Real Estate Marketing Blog.
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