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future.
In the spirit of New Year's, I've put together this guide to
help you prepare for a new year of marketing. So without further
ado, here are ten ways that you -- as a real estate agent -- can
improve your marketing in 2006.
1. Clarify our objectives.
What are you primary business objectives for 2006, and how does
your marketing program support those objectives? If you have no
idea, you've got work to do. If you have a rough idea, you need
to refine it.
Without an overall objective, you're shooting arrows at a bunch
of random targets. Your chances of success will be greater if
you shoot your arrows at the same target.
Is your overall objective to have twice as many clients as last
year? To venture out on your own? To increase the size of your
farm area? Whatever it is, define it ... on paper and in your
mind. It should be with you every working day of 2006.
2. Set achievable goals.
Incremental goals are important, because they give you something
to work for (and achieve) along the path to your overall
objective. Be specific and realistic when setting your goals.
Instead of saying "I want to increase my business during the
first part of the year" ... say "I want to gain six new clients
by March 15."
Be specific, and you'll know exactly what you must do. Be
realistic, and you'll have a greater chance of achieving the
goal -- and enjoying the morale boost that comes from it.
3. Learn something new.
Make it a point to learn something new several times throughout
the new year. Learn something new about your farm area and the
people in it. Learn a new technology that can help you work
smarter. Learn a new marketing tactic.
Combine these lessons with the goal-setting from #2. For
instance, maybe you'll set a goal to learn about one new
technology per quarter -- electronic newsletters in February,
websites in May, digital cameras in August, etc.
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Do you ever feel like you re constantly running around, trying to get your marketing materials put together and out the door? Are you frazzled by the marketing process, and driving your writer, designer, or printer absolutely nuts? Is your plan to just pick one new idea every now and then to implement? Or are you constantly hopping on the latest marketing idea, and throwing away your time and money with your efforts?
You re not alone; most small businesses have the same approach to marketing. The result is marketing that s not cohesive; it s marketing using the push-and-pray method - ..
4. Take notes (or better notes) on each client.
Perhaps you've heard that referrals account for the majority of
real estate business. It's true, if you have a good follow-up
program. Because nothing generates referrals like good service
and proper follow-up.
Taking notes about your clients makes the follow-up process
easier and more effective. If you have a file on each client,
you can dip into it for specific information when sending your
follow-up emails. And nothing makes people feel special like
being remembered!
5. Buy a book (and read it).
To improve your marketing, you must become a lifelong student.
So make it a point to read at least one new marketing book in
2006. I know you're busy, but look at it this way. If a book
runs 500 pages, and you give yourself all year to read it,
that's less than a page-and-a-half per day. Hey, with a rate
like that, why not make it four books?
6. Get motivated ... again.
Repetition can drain your motivation. So as you move into the
new year, revisit your initial reasons for becoming a real
estate agent. What were your dreams then? What drew you to the
profession? Remind yourself of those reasons, and focus on them.
The dream justifies the routine. Sometimes you just have to
remind yourself what the dream was in the first place.
7. Look backward while planning forward.
Marketing sometimes means making mistakes. And that's okay, as
long as you learn from them. Going into the new year, take a
moment to look back. What have you learned this year? How can
you apply those lessons to your marketing as you move forward?
8. Improve one thing about everything.
This year, make it a point to improve at least one thing about
everything. In other words, find a way to improve each part of
your marketing.
If you have a website, add some helpful new content, or maybe
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Accountability and ROI for Marketing
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By George Schildge
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organize the existing content. If you use direct mail, make it a
point to build a stronger offer for your postcards. One
improvement per item ... you can do it!
9. Ask for help.
Marketing can be a lot of work. So don't try to do it all
yourself. That's a fast track to exhaustion. Ask for help when
you need it. That might mean hiring a professional for certain
aspects of your marketing, or just seeking help from a
marketing-minded friend.
10. Reward yourself.
Got a new client as the result of a direct mail campaign? Treat
yourself to a nice dinner. Heck, order an expensive bottle of
wine while you're at it. Don't be shy about celebrating your
success.
If you work hard and gain something as a result of that hard
work, you deserve a reward. Achieving goals without being
rewarded will reduce your motivation to achieve similar goals in
the future. So break out the bubbly once in a while. It's okay
... really.
Conclusion
You don't have to apply all ten of these tactics to your
marketing. Just pick the ones you think you can best accomplish.
The point is to improve the individual parts of your marketing
program in order to strengthen the program as a whole. It's
about growth and development.
I hope these ideas help you prepare for the new year, and I wish
you every success going forward.
About the author:
Brandon Cornett has worked as a marketing manager for a direct
mail company serving real estate agents since 1986. His
href="http://www.armingyourfarming.com/products/book.php"
target="_blank">Modern Guide to Real Estate Marketing and
his free newsletter are available at:
href="http://www.ArmingYourFarming.com"> http://www.armingyourfarm
ing.com.
Brandon CornettReal Estate Marketing -- 10 Ways to Improve Your Marketing in 2006
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