Luxury Clues

Punta Mita, Nayarit, MX

A balinece concept that incorporates the best Mexico has to offer. This gracious hacienda overlooks a bluff directly into the bay of Banderas. Lush water features at to the uniqueness of this home, along with the extensive wood-work and Palapas that add an unparalellic richness and comfort.

Listing provided by Point2

The Seven Secrets for Creating a Winning Real Estate Marketing Campaign

You're probably advertising, but are you really marketing? Many Most real estate agents advertise, but very few have effective marketing campaigns. If you want to increase the profits from your real estate business, focusing on marketing, rather than advertising, is the key. 

1. It's about the customer--not about you! Today’s clients seek relationship and trust. They want to “try before they buy.” Potato chip marketing is about uncovering their needs, building trusting relationships, and providing service before expecting people to do business with you.   

2.  Target market: When you ask most agents who their clients are, their response is, “Anyone who wants to buy or sell a home.” In contrast, effective marketing always targets a specific group. Your message must match the audience. For example, if you were marketing a luxury penthouse, your message would be quite different from the message for first time buyers.

3.  Decide which media your clients prefer. This is age dependent. Older clients like print. Younger clients prefer digital communication. You must also decide the purpose of your piece as well as the message you want to send. Will you offer a special report or a checklist of pitfalls to avoid? To obtain the information, do they leave a message on your 800 number or can they download the item from your website?

4. Research your target market’s wants and needs: To generate leads, you must know what makes your target market tick. Search for commonalities. Make it about them. This means doing your research before you begin your marketing campaign. For example, are members of your target market concerned about schools, down payment, or neighborhood safety? As you go through this process, keep in mind that you’re not in the real estate business; you are in the problem solving business. The better you are at solving problems and at providing value, the better your business will be.

5.  Develop a hook: A “hook” is a headline or hot button. Because we’re constantly bombarded with advertising, it’s important to cut through the clutter. You only have one or two seconds to grab your reader’s attention. The Reticular Activating System (RAS) is the brain’s screening mechanism for what receives attention. While your subconscious can process up to a billion bits of information, you can only consciously pay attention to about 15 bits. A great hook cuts through the clutter and captures their attention. Some examples are, “Save up to $100,000 on Your Next Mortgage!” or “Avoid the Seven Most Expensive Mistakes Sellers Make.”

6. Keep it simple: The best ad copy is written at the 7th or 8th grade level. Use headlines, bullet points, short paragraphs, and speak to your readers as if you were joining them for a cup of coffee. 

7.  Include a call to action: What differentiates advertising from marketing is a call to action. Prospects are begging to be lead! Remember, they want to try before they buy. On the other hand, they don’t want to talk to you. Make it safe for them to contact you by creating a free hotline where they can order a special report or a checklist that will help them with their sale or purchase. You can also make the same offer on-line. 

Ultimately, service is at the heart of attraction. We are paid according to the value we give. Get excited about creating value for your clients and being the resource to solve their problems. When you approach your business with a give-to-get mindset, you’ll never want for business.

Posted by Bernice Ross, author of Real Estate Dough Negotiation--the most exciting real estate game ever--even more fun than Monopoly(R)!