Top 10 Tips for Sellers

Today’s sellers may face challenging conditions in many markets, but that doesn’t mean choosing to sell is a bad idea. There are many reasons to sell and most are good ones. Here are ten tips to help you on your way to getting your home sold.

Read the Full Story Here.

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Quality Photography and Your Marketing

by Rob Wicker

When you are marketing what to most Americans is their biggest financial asset, you need to do it right. Columnist Phoebe Chongchua explains how great photography can help you sell homes. http://bit.ly/wcRTJs

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Financial Advice for Renters Looking to Buy

The New York Times recently published financial advice for renters looking to buy a home: pay your rent on time.

Credit reporting companies are starting to include payment histories in credit scores – which may help first-time homebuyers who have not established credit through traditional sources. It may also help consumers who have lost homes to foreclosure rebuild their credit.

These days, everyone can use a little help boosting their credit score so
share this article with your clients and prospects.

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Filed under Interesting Takes, mortgages

Timing Your Elevator Pitch

from Idea Transplant

Often there is little time to do your elevator pitch. Seth Godin said the other day that no one has ever bought anything in an elevator: in other words a very short elevator pitch consisting of 2 sentences with hollow buzz words is not going to excite anyone.

Instead, you need to add more specifics to intrigue the prospect to invite you to another occasion where there is more time to discuss your services.

But sometimes, elevator pitches become less effective when you take too much time. You start adding details and providing facts, which takes the energy out of your presentation and requires time to close the deal. There is a dip between the perfect short pitch, and the full-length 25 minute story. Do not get stopped in the middle, it is better to keep it short.

Sample Pitches:

  • “I’m a real estate agent concentrating on historic homes like the Betton Hills neighborhood in mid-town.”
  • “I help people figure out why exactly their house is not selling, how can they get it sold, and if they like, I will even sell it for them.”
    [from Real Estate Agent Alliance:]

The key is to keep it short, succinct and say something of interest to the prospect.

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Top Five Blog Posts for 2011

In 2011 we shared over 130 real estate marketing ideas, tutorials and information. Here are the top five most viewed:

#5. 7 Steps For Writing Effective Ad Copy
In today’s market, it can be difficult to attract qualified buyers. Print advertising is an effective way to generate leads—if you give buyers the information they are looking for.

#4. What is a QR Code Anyway?
There is a lot of buzz in the real estate industry about QR codes. But what is a QR code and how does it work? And – how should you use them to better connect with prospects?
This short video explains.

#3. Ad Design Challenge: To Starburst Or Not To Starburst
Starbursts are one of those graphic elements included in ads to call attention to specific qualities about a home. They do the job – but they’re overused. Nothing clutters an ad (or screams “used-cars”) more than a page full of starbursts and small photos.
There is another way. Lots of them in fact.

#2. Choose Your Words Wisely
That’s what a study at the University of Guelph in Ontario found from analyzing the wording of more than 20,000 listings. According to the research, a listing’s phrasing affected sales price and the length of time it was on the market.

#1. Coke vs. Pepsi – A Marketing Case Study
The Cola Wars are fierce. Coke, the perennial leader in beverage sales, is still at the top of the class. And Diet Coke just passed Pepsi to take the number two spot. Pepsi has held that number two spot for many years – so what happened?
Pepsi has been closely watched by marketers because of the innovative social media strategy it rolled out at the beginning of 2010.

We look forward to bringing you even more insight and inspiration in 2012.
Happy New Year from Homes & Land!

P.S. The top posts from 2010 are also worth reading.

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Effective Advertising & Design

by Rob Wicker

Homes & Land works hard to make sure you get the best possible response from your marketing. To that end, we’ve created a website devoted to effective advertising and design. Short videos cover topics like How To Write Ad Copy That Works, How to Win Listings, and Effective Branding Techniques. To find out how you can maximize your advertising investment, visit www.HomesAndLand.com/Design

 

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Create A To-Do List That Works

by Rob Wicker

It’s almost the New Year, a time to reflect on how to make our lives more productive. One thing to consider is using a To-Do List that actually yields results. Wall Street Journal columinst Sue Shellenbarger reflects on why some To-Do Lists are ineffecive, and she reviews new software applications that can help you stay on task in 2012.  http://on.wsj.com/tlhicj

 

 

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