Ever needed enough space to park 100 cars? That’s roughly the amount of space available inside a 12,000-square-foot luxury home. Now let’s throw in crystal chandeliers, a few fireplaces, custom cabinetry, a gym, a game room and a lot the size of two football fields. Type up a listing, slap on a price tag and get that house on the market. Piece of cake, right?
Not quite.
The Herculean task of finding qualified buyers for high-end properties is as difficult as it is rewarding. The blood, sweat and tears (and dollars) that go into each transaction could easily give way to feelings of despair. But arrive at a closing or settlement and see the achievement boost your stature in the luxury real estate market.
It’s time to make the odds work in your favor, which means it’s time to set aside the conventional approach and elevate your listing’s profile.
Fly a banner for the manor: Since bigger is better, avoid pictures the size of postage stamps. Large, high-quality listing display photos — appearing both online and in glossy magazines — present a more eye-catching first look at your luxury property.
Mind your mail: Once your listing is polished to perfection in print, be sure to take advantage of direct mail to get the magazine in the hands of the right audience. Who is the right audience, you ask?
High-end home seekers: The right audience is affluent and qualified; and not every media source is equal when it comes to building trust and reaching this demographic. The market research experts at Nielsen, for example, determined magazines are top dog in the trust-building department.
Inroads in the old country: Remember to reach out to our neighbors across the pond. According to the National Association of Realtors, 20 percent of all international buyers in 2012 came from Western Europe.
Say “ni hao” to Asia: Hello, China! The NAR found 39 percent of all international buyers in 2012 came from Asia. Your listing plans should include a gateway to these up-and-coming global players.
Looking for the total package? Find out how your local Homes & Land publisher can tailor the right combination of advertising to fit your specific goals. Be sure to ask about the Estates & Homes section for high-end properties, and our international partnership with The Wall Street Journal.
What is your customer’s real estate search experience like? Do you find viewing websites on a smartphone or tablet frustrating? If you are scrolling or panning side to side to see the whole page, your customers are as well. That’s because most websites are behind the curve when it comes to functioning on smartphones and tablets. It requires a design change that until recently wasn’t available. For the real estate agent, a website with responsive web design meets the needs of a growing mobile audience – and increases visibility.
2013 has been declared the year of Responsive Web Design (RWD) by technology news sources like Mashable.com. Meaning, more and more websites will be implementing this design to adjust to the many devices used today. The increasing use of mobile web access demands it.
Mobile Experience Drives Action
Mobile browsing is fast outpacing desktop browsing. At the same time, more than 80% of people are disappointed with their mobile browsing experience and would use their smartphones more if it improved (source: smashingmagazine.com). How a real estate site behaves on a mobile device is crucial to how much viewers use it – and that affects the likelihood of them contacting you.
As an agent, it benefits you if buyers and sellers have an enjoyable and satisfying web search experience that is smooth and complete. A website that isn’t mobile friendly risks losing traffic and ultimately business. Statistics prove it. 91% of people in the U.S. have their mobile device within reach all day, every day. 70% of mobile searches result in action within 1 hour (Source: Mobile Marketing Association). Think about that for a second. Are you benefitting from these on-the-go action takers?
How it Works
The content on a PC screen hasn’t transferred very well to a smartphone or tablet until now. Responsive Web Design, a term only recently coined in 2010, means that no matter what device you are using, smartphone, tablet, or desktop, the image adjusts according to the screen size of the device it’s being viewed on. Your clients need and expect full functionality on their mobile device just as they would get on a desktop. Responsive web design allows for that and enables easy reading and navigating.
Digital Engagement Leads to You
To view a good example of a real estate search site with responsive design, take a look at HomesAndLand.com. Homes & Land is a leader in technologysolutions that support its advertisers. The recently completed makeover of the website improves both the desktop and mobile user experience. With faster page load times and easier navigation, buyers can quickly and easily search and view real estate listings and have the same experience whether they’re on a desktop, tablet or smartphone. Larger property photos easily display on both smartphones and tablets, encouraging the viewer to stay engaged. That translates to them being on the site longer because it delivers what they need and want. Agents gain greater exposure as a result. If prospects can find you easily while they are mobile, that’s a good thing.
In a survey conducted in late 2012, 63% of Homes & Land’s readers indicated they are likely to drive by a listing after seeing it in the magazine. 72% also said they would then find that same property online. Many buyers out for a Sunday drive, looking at houses or open houses, now have full website functionality on their mobile device thanks to HomesAndLand.com’s use of RWD.
People use mobile devices for both work and play. So, by all means, if play means looking at houses on their tablet, who are we to stop them or frustrate them with a poor viewing experience? For serious house hunters, responsive web design means getting what they want when they need it. Real estate sites with responsive design provide a satisfying experience for buyers and sellers, which can mean more leads for you. Perhaps you’ll be getting more requests for a showing while they are sitting in front of your listing.
There is an overwhelming amount of information about the “best practices” of marketing. Classes are taught about it, books are written, and coaches pitch their programs. One of the most important tenets of marketing, and often the most forgotten, is that successful marketing requires patience and persistence.
This can be difficult for impatient real estate agents who want to see instant leads from short-term efforts. However, studies show consistent contact turns prospects into clients and generates a second wave of upcoming business. Your goal as an agent is to make sure prospects that are in the researching stage become convinced that you are the agent to contact when they are ready. Win them over through a well thought out marketing plan and determination.
It’s a well-known fact that real estate is a constantly flowing and changing business, as evident by the current market and the ups and downs experienced over the past decade. Successful agents, and anyone who advertises for that matter, grew their business during these cycles by staying in front of potential customers with the following three objectives.
Raise Your Visibility in the Market
Reach your target audience everywhere they might look. To be effective, reach them through multiple avenues: your website or blog, real estate search sites, social media, print advertising, and don’t forget direct mail. Yes, a combination of online and offline methods is best. Magazines and direct mail put you in front of prospects, eliminating the need for them to search for you. Simply asking for their business can make an impression upon a potential seller and resonate with them down the road.
Your goal is to be so high on the visibility scale that people immediately think of you when they think about real estate. In his book, The Millionaire Real Estate Agent, Gary Keller said, “…buyers and sellers seem to have room in their minds for only one or two real estate agents. In the battle for real estate consumer mind share, you’re either first or second or you’re out of contention… So the big question and challenge is how to win those first two positions of real estate mind share with enough people.”
Earn Your Prospect’s Trust
Advertising when others are not can make you appear more stable than your competitors. How and where you advertise impacts whether or not you receive serious consideration. The real estate market, as an indicator of the overall economy, has been in the news so much lately that people are paying attention. All real estate is local, right? So where is the best place for people to get local market information? It should be you. Use market reports, testimonials and real estate niche magazines to provide information and enhance credibility. Consumers trust magazine advertisements and content over all other sources of media. Add to that word of mouth referrals and you’ve covered both the front end (credible advertising) and the back-end (happy customers) to explain why they should choose you. The more consistently prospects see you and your message, the more likely they are to trust and respond.
Stay Top-Of-Mind
To be effective, implement your plan no matter what the market is doing. That may involve budgeting ahead. When the market is hot, you need that contact to prevent your competitors from stealing your visibility and therefore market share. When the market cools, the consistency is even more important. If prospects stop seeing you, they stop thinking of you. When others have put their marketing on hold, you’ll have gained attention and remain top-of-mind when things pick up.
This graph of time-honored statistics shows us that the decision to act is made not after 2 or 3 encounters, but after many, repetitive exposures. If you’ve ever engaged in a marketing campaign to promote your business, you probably have seen this to be true. If you haven’t reached your target audience at least 5 times, you may have quit too soon to win them over.
Go the distance. Often we’re tempted to give up without realizing how close we are to reaching our goal. An inspirational scene from the hit movie Facing the Giants illustrates that we often create our own limitations based on what we see and not on our true potential.
Every step you take toward increasing your visibility, gaining trust, and holding that top-of-mind spot brings you one step closer to increased prosperity. Don’t lose your hard-earned visibility. Elevate your presence and remember patience and persistence will pay off!
Contact your Homes & Land marketing partner today to learn how Homes & Land’s integrated offerings can help you with your marketing strategy.
One day Patti Ketcham was visiting her mother in the home where Patti grew up and her Mother said, “Oh, I keep meaning to tell you. I get these cards from this nice neighbor down the street about the value of my house. I have kept them all for years, so if you ever need them, you know where they are.” Patti Ketcham has sold real estate in Florida for more than 30 years. She also teaches and does agent training statewide. Yet, her own mother suggested she seek the advice of a “nice neighbor and Realtor!”
This is an interesting phenomenon that plagues many Realtors — their Sphere of Influence (SOI) does not think of them as a Realtor of choice. They will call on strangers rather than family or close friends to help them with a real estate transaction. How can you make sure your friends, family, and acquaintances remember not only what you do, but know how well you do it?
Keep these 4 steps in mind as you circle back and revisit your inner circles.
Make sure your sphere of influence knows what you do. Remember to ASK for the business. You cannot garner their trust and support if you fail to ask for the job. Many people have no idea how a Realtor is paid for their time and service. Talk to your SOI about the process and let them know you want referrals.
Secure new leads in your circles outside of real estate. Make a list of everyone you know: lawyers, teachers, dry-cleaners, friends and family. Use that list daily to nurture those relationships.You already have a core group in the places you frequent on a regular basis — the gym, your book club, your volunteer activities. Make sure this group knows you want and need their referrals.
In “How to Win Friends and Influence People”, Dale Carnegie said, “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” Get to know those in your sphere of influence a little deeper. Ask questions that could help you help them later on. People will feel good about the conversation (and therefore you) because you listened.
Family and friends also should be viewed this way – you can train them to think of you beyond the normal role they see you in, as relative, team parent, committee member, etc. Look for opportunity to educate them on the topic of real estate.
Remember to network and SHARE, SHARE, SHARE your knowledge. Give freely of good information. Publish your expertise so your SOI can follow and share. Talk with your sphere about the current market. For instance: reduced interest rates, first time homebuyer incentives, and new homeowner’s insurance discounts.
DON’T FORGET your network outside your area. Share the referral or relocation process with them.
Network and share, but don’t over-use your personal social media with your business posts. A great attention getter every now and then announcing a special closing or a new listing is fine for reminding them of what you do; but, use a separate account for daily marketing of your business.
THANK YOU! Thank you can never be said too much. Gratitude is a powerful tool and should be used constantly. Write a note to thank friends and family for referrals – especially them. This reinforces your professional image in their mind over the casual relationship that is so familiar.
A closing thank you gift to your clients is not only an appropriate gesture; it also reinforces a positive lasting impression with them. They will remember you for future business or refer you to their sphere of influence.
Above all, enjoy the process. It can take time, but when you make an effort to contact even a small portion of your SOI every day and ask for their referrals, you will begin to see new leads generated. Maybe your mother will even remember to refer you!
For More Information
Contact: Marjorie Schoelles
Marketing@homesandland.com
(850) 575-0189
Cutting Edge Technology Powers Enhanced Website
Tallahassee, Fla (March 12, 2013) – Homes & Land has launched a fresh new face and design to the HomesAndLand.com website. With the goal of enhancing consumer experience, Homes & Land has adapted Responsive Web Design (RWD) to assure optimal site display on desktop, tablet and mobile phones. Increased page speed, improved listing page layouts and connecting with real estate experts are also areas that have seen impressive upgrades.
Consumers will notice a faster speed in loading search results and larger property photos. New technology auto-populates the viewer’s location, allows for multiple area location searches and displays listing search results on a street map powered by Google. A “Personal Favorites” feature allows for quick access to saved listings. Real estate articles, market conditions, and now home improvement information complete the well-rounded real estate HomesAndLand.com website. Upgrades have also been made to neighborhood, schools, and sales data layout.
“The new design provides for easier viewing and a more enjoyable experience for the consumer as well as greater exposure for our advertisers” said Richard Ramsay, Chief Technology Officer for Homes & Land. Agents and their listings are prominently featured, providing more benefit to advertisers and consumers with an easier format for contact.
For More Information
Contact: Marjorie Schoelles
Marketing@HomesAndLand.com
(850) 575-0189
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (February 14, 2013) – Homes & Land announces results of a recent readership survey conducted on HomesAndLand.com, targeting Homes & Land Magazine readers. The survey was conducted by BowStern, a leading marketing firm, during the fourth quarter of 2012. Questions included general demographics, home ownership/sale, reading habits/preferences, as well as marketing and technology.
Survey feedback aligned with existing national data indicating consumers trust magazine advertising more than other media sources. An overwhelming 83% of readers indicated they are likely to select a company or contact a professional appearing in Homes & Land Magazine.
Bill Shue, CEO of Homes & Land remarked, “Conducting a survey of our magazine readers illustrates niche print is an excellent media for driving consumers from print magazine to online. We are firm believers that combining online with print is key for marketing your business, using magazines to build trust, with online providing the utility of action.”
Demographic data from the survey shows Homes & Land readers are predominantly married, with higher than average incomes and education, and over 60% living in the local market area. Seventy-one percent of respondents indicated they read Homes & Land frequently (6-13 times/year) with 63% actively planning to buy or sell; 33% intend to do so within six months. Respondents clearly indicated they want specific content and articles addressing market conditions, community and neighborhood information and home improvement ideas.
Homes & Land is unique in delivering a niche market product that meets the interests and needs of home sellers and buyers. Please contact us for a summary of the survey.
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Homes & Land Affiliates, LLC is a franchise organization that publishes magazines across the United States and Canada. Headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida, Homes & Land has been serving real estate professionals and home buyers and sellers since 1973. In addition to Homes & Land Magazine, the company also publishes Home Guide, Rental Guide, and Estates & Homes magazines. Homes & Land is a leading resource of real estate information through HomesAndLand.com with over 1.2 million unique visitors monthly. View the website or magazine for real estate information.
People are eagerly seeking information on their local real estate market, trends and opportunities.
“54% are actively looking to buy and sell, with 34% wanting to learn more about the local real estate market.”*
According to Statistics Brain, people who make clear resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don’t.
Why are these statistics and information so important? If you resolve to be remembered by those looking to buy and sell, you will need to be visible to them frequently.
Now is the perfect time to try new ways to expand your reach and be remembered.
The average attention span of people has dwindled from 12 seconds in 2000 to 8 seconds in 2012
About 7% of people also forget their own birthday
Are you ready to make a clear resolution to be remembered? Homes & Land offers multiple services to help you be remembered. Commit to using these easy to use tools throughout the year.
Homes & Land advertisers benefit from a Personal Website at no additional charge. This is a great way for you to promote your inventory and link to other websites. Contact your local publisher to learn how you can benefit from an AdEssential website.
Advertising works when the right people see it. Targeted Mailings of Homes & Land magazine ensure that you and your listings are seen by people actively buying and selling real estate.
