Last week Homes & Land had our Annual Business Conference where we were fortunate enough to have New York Times Best Selling Author Stefan Swanepoel as our keynote speaker.

Stefan presented findings from his latest book “Surviving Your Serengeti: 7 Skills to Master Business & Life,” where he uses animals from the plains of Africa as metaphors for personality traits and survival skills we use every day.

Is your greatest strength creativity under pressure?

Adaptable people-skills?

Or fluid communication abilities?

A couple years ago Stefan noticed how different animals used similar traits to survive in their environment too.

All of us have a “primary animal” – or set of skills we rely on in our personal and business lives.

Mine is the Communicating Elephant. I’m a good listener and good communicator and I do rely heavily on my communication abilities as a writer, marketer, and friend.

At the conference, Stefan told this incredible story about the elephants he witnessed in Africa. They have several different sounds they make with their trunks to communicate with the herd, their children, and interestingly – in mourning when a pack member has died.

The elephants stomp on the ground, which can be heard for 10 miles or more, calling the rest of the pack to join them in a somber “song” marking the passing of one of the herd.

When you know your animal – and the animal for those closest to you – it can help you understand yourself and how you interact with others.

More importantly, it can help you better understand your bosses, co-workers, clients, friends & family members by knowing what their strengths are and how they relate to the world.

Stefan worked with psychologists to develop an online quiz to determine your primary animal. Take it here.

The story Stefan unfolds in his book is an incredible journey into the Serengeti in Africa, and into your own psyche. It’s definitely worth reading! Pick up a copy here.

And tell us what animal you are.

TALLAHASSEE, FL (April 11, 2012) – One of the most anticipated seasons of ABC’s hit series, The Bachelorette, begins airing Monday, May 14. For the first time, the series was filmed outside the Los Angeles market. This season was filmed on the east coast near Bachelorette Emily Maynard’s home in Charlotte, NC. The show selected a luxury home in the area that contains all the touches and amenities associated with luxury living.

Viewers can now get a sneak peek both inside and outside the home from Homes & Land. While the home will be featured in the April Homes & Land of Union and Anson Counties Magazine, more extensive views are available online at www.FaceBook.com/HomesAndLand.

The 12,000 sq.ft. home is listed for sale by Mirium Peters of the real estate company of Peters and Associates. This downright dreamy estate is located in the Evermay gated community and sits on over five acres. With 5 bedrooms, 7 full bathrooms and 3 half baths, the 25 bachelors have plenty of room. This home was built in 2006 and has a Mecklenburg County tax value of approximately $5 million.

The European style house has a stucco and stone exterior with a four car garage, elevator and ballroom. The outdoor kitchen, pool and estate grounds provide plenty of room for the guys to relax between dates with Ms. Maynard.

Filming for the show wrapped up this week, so whether you want a sneak peek or may be interested in buying this $5.9 million estate you can take a behind the scenes tour at www.FaceBook.com/HomesAndLand.

About Homes & Land
For over 39 years, Homes & Land is the leader in providing quality real estate information to its readers through 40 million locally distributed magazines and its real estate website. Learn more at www.HomesandLand.com.

With all of the hype around digital marketing, it can sometimes feel like you are behind the times as a professional if you use print marketing, but it still has distinct benefits digital marketing simply cannot deliver.

1. Use Your Home-Field Advantage – With the current trend of increased support of local businesses, this is your time to really network within your community. A great way to do that is through print marketing.

2. Give Your Customers a Little Extra Attention – Send your customers, whether longtime or new, a little something in the mail now and again. Let them know that you appreciate their business and remind them of upcoming sales, discounts, and specials.

3. Introduce an Entirely New Target Market to Your Company – There’s no debate that there is a different set of people who only stay abreast of things through digital and online means and those who prefer the “old-fashioned” way—physical books, newspapers, magazines—to using modern technology. So, instead of choosing one method over another, why not use both?

It’s time to redefine the benefits and usefulness of print media. It may not be hot, new thing in modern marketing, but it has stayed around so long for a reason.

Original Article

Clay Lehman is the grand prize winner of a free iPad in Homes & Land’s national QR Code contest. A real estate agent with Keller Williams of Kerrville (TX), Clay was one of thousands of entries from real estate agents and consumers nationwide.

The contest was designed to encourage QR code usage – inviting consumers and agents to scan the code printed in the magazine and fill out the entry form with their smartphone.

“QR Codes are the latest innovation in real estate marketing,” said Clay. “And Homes & Land makes it easy to include a QR Code in your print ad. In fact, I advertise with Homes & Land because of their state-of-the-art technologies to promote listings.”

Congratulations Clay!

Pictured left to right is Lisa Rodgriguez, agent; Martha Strickland, office secretary; Clay Lehman, agent (seated); Jason Patrick, agent; Dawn Lee Graves, publisher, Homes & Land of the Texas Hill Country and Arthur Mandry, agent.

We also give you a choice as to where and how to display your listings within your Facebook account. You can post listings individually on your Profile page, or include all your inventory on a dedicated “My Listings” tab on your Business Page.

Now you have a third option. From the same “Social Syndication” section of the Homes & Land Control Panel, advertisers can choose to post select listings on their Business Page wall. This way your new listings are shared with everyone who “likes” your page – instantly.

Here’s How

Are you thinking about doing more volunteer work, helping the needy in your community, but not sure where to turn? Here’s a website that identifies both short-term and long-term volunteer opportunities. Go to www.VolunteerMatch.org.

According to Google, “mobile went mainstream in 2011” with increased smartphone and tablet usage – which means your listings not only have to be online to reach consumers, they have to be mobile-accessible too.

Nielsen reports that 44% of US mobile customers are using smartphones – up from 18% in 2010. With thousands more consumers having instant access to the Internet, it’s no wonder mobile browsing has increased 45% in the past year – not to mention the huge influx of Internet traffic from tablets (up 440% according to Google).

In fact, Google states “It’s not just that more people are using smartphones and tablets (though the numbers are skyrocketing at an accelerating pace)—it’s that a huge, and fast-growing base of smartphone users, now expect to engage with businesses on mobile.”

This is true for home shoppers too. HomesAndLand.com has seen an 186% increase in mobile traffic in the past year. That’s why mobile-enabled websites are included in our marketing package. Advertisers receive personal websites that are automatically formatted for smartphones and tablets at no additional charge. Which means no additional work for you to put your listings online – or on-mobile.

Last month Bernice Ross, a Realtor and one of Inman.com’s best columnists, declared that Micromarketing is the hot real estate marketing trend for 2012. Ms. Ross described micromarketing as “old-fashioned farming with a 21^st Century twist.”

Micromarketing means marketing to an area where the residents’ demographics, lifestyle, and recreational pursuits match your own interests and expertise. Perhaps you target residences around a large recreational lake where people buy second homes or retire. This appeals to you because you are an agent who a. lives on the lake and b. owns a boat and likes to fish.

Ms. Ross uses AustinLakefrontProperties.com as an example of a micromarketing website, as opposed to a more common and generic URL like www.Realtorsname.com. You should also use micromarketing to enhance Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and promote your social media efforts.

Ms. Ross reports that “agents who are having the best luck with this approach have integrated their print marketing efforts with their online marketing efforts.”

If micromarketing intrigues you, consider using Homes & Land’s Integrated Marketing Package. Your Homes & Land Publisher can help you reach a micromarket using direct mail. A Homes & Land ad is also a great place to promote your Facebook page and blog. In addition, we feature QR codes that link to a video promoting your micromarket.

With the Homes & Land package you receive a website that can be branded as a micromarket (e.g., AustinLakeFrontProperties.com). You can also backlink your Homes & Land site to your current website for enhanced SEO.

As usual, Homes & Land is ahead of the marketing curve.

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

#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.