Here is a recent article from REALTOR Magazine.

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4 Ways to Ramp Up Your
MARKETING
Learn how to better connect with buyers and get more leads flowing in.
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey
GIVE YOUR Marketing is essential to generate a steady stream “Share” buttons on your Web site and blog can
of buyer clients for your real estate business. But do help encourage viral marketing or friend-of-friend
MARKETING you have a good handle on how well your marketing marketing. That’s when others pass along the
A REBOOT strategy is working? message to friends, extending your reach," Silver
Do you know where to invest your time and says. (Try www.sharethis.com to set it up.)
Take your marketing to money? Is your message generating the biggest
the next level. REBAC's impact? And, most important, are others spreading 2. HAVE A BUSINESS EXCHANGE. Get referrals
new “Real Estate your message, too? Savvy marketers know the best flowing by joining a business networking group,
Marketing Reboot” marketing is the kind that moves others to serve as suggests Dominic Cardone, ABR®, GREEN, a broker
course will give you your promoters and extend your reach. with Keller Williams Real Estate in Media, Pa., and
great ideas for adding The Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC) an instructor for REBAC’s "Real Estate Marketing
new twists to traditional offers several courses that will help you stay on Reboot" course.
marketing strategies. top of marketing trends. The courses are offered Cardone says 40 percent of his business’s referrals
And this month, REBAC as electives toward the Accredited Buyer’s come from his involvement in Business Networking
rolls out “Generation Representative (ABR®) designation, which equips you International (www.bni.com). He meets weekly with
Buy,” a course that'll with the knowledge and skills you need to win more a local BNI chapter, which is composed of one
help you tailor your business and better serve buyer clients. representative from each of 30 or so businesses—an
communications to Here are just four of the tactics REBAC instructors electrician, a doctor, a lawyer, and so on. The group's
different generations. teach to help you improve your marketing reach. main purpose is to exchange business referrals.
Both courses are offered “There’s no cold calling. It’s only referrals,”
as electives toward 1. BE AN INFORMATION SOURCE. More buyers Cardone says. Chapters of these groups are found
the Accredited Buyer’s than ever are going online. Nine out of 10 recent nationwide (LeTip, www.letip.com, is a similar group).
Representative (ABR®) buyers, in the 2009 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
designation. REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 3. GET ON TARGET. One marketing message
said they used the Internet in their home search. doesn’t fit all. Buyers of different age groups often
For more information, Analyzing local housing statistics, spotlighting communicate differently, and knowing how to tailor
visit REBAC.net. properties for sale, sharing community news, and your message can make it more effective, says Mark
answering common questions about the homebuying Given, ABR®, SRES®, GREEN, a speaker and trainer
process can help you deepen your relationship with with Mark Given Seminars LLC and real estate pro
potential clients and build trust, says Richard Silver, with Wilkie Real Estate Inc. in Rocky Mount, N.C.
With an ABR® designation,
ABR®, of Bosley Real Estate Ltd. in Toronto, Ontario. REBAC’s new course, “Generation Buy,” breaks
you gain valuable education “Be the person who has quality information and down Gen Y, Gen X, baby boomers, and matures to
that elevates your skills who is willing to share it,” says Silver, who recently help you learn how to better market to these groups.
and knowledge in working presented the REBAC webinar “New Marketing For example, baby boomers and matures often
with buyers. You also Models for Finding Buyer Clients” (available for play- prefer personal-touch marketing, such as face-to-
receive ongoing specialized back in the member's only section at REBAC.net) face visits, phone calls, and handwritten thank you
information, programs, and who helped develop curriculum for REBAC. notes, whereas younger buyers often prefer more
and updates that keep you “And make sure that information is good enough technology-driven communications, via Web sites,
abreast of the latest issues that they’ll then want to share it with their friends.” social media, or text messaging, says Given, an
and trends, and access to Silver uses the Internet to cast a wide net with instructor for the “Generation Buy” course.
members-only marketing his marketing. He has a breaking news site
tools that provide yet another (www.downtowntorontonews.com), which compiles
competitive advantage real-time Twitter feeds of community news and events. 4. INTEGRATE YOUR PERSONAL INTERESTS.
He also has a blog at www.torontoism.com, to answer Get creative in finding new ways to connect with
to your business.
commonly asked questions, such as “when is the buyers, such as through a hobby or personal interest.
best time to buy?” or “what are the up-and-coming Silver has found that many buyers share his interest
areas?” He points prospective clients to the blog for in the environment. Recently, he began offering
more information. biodegradable leaf bags imprinted with his name,
On social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter phone number, and Web site address. People all
and LinkedIn, Silver syndicates his blog and connects across the community use the bags when they
with buyers in a more personal way. He also uses clean up their yards. “It’s like having a For Sale
YouTube for video blogging and client testimonials. sign on every lawn,” he says.
(Remember, get others to promote you, too!)
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16 REALTOR ® JUNE 2010 www.REALTOR.org/realtormag