Real Estate Marketing Blog

Dear Fellow Real Estate Professional,

Hello! I’m Richard Brown, president of ReaMark. I have been in direct marketing for over 30 years, with the last 18 years helping professionals like you substantially increase their listings, sales and, ultimately, their income.

There has never been a better time to increase your business with a regular contact strategy to anyone who knows you and can refer clients. All signs are pointing to a steady rise in the real estate business since interest rates are at record lows. In addition, inventory of homes are still low so listings are being sold quickly and for top dollar.

Each year I personally take hundreds of customer calls and the same question keeps coming up time and time again: “Rick, what works best? How can I make more money?”

So, last week I sat down, got away from the kids, and really thought about all of the success stories, trials and errors that Realtors have shared with me over the past two years. To help answer their question, I had to come up with several of my own:

• With all being equal why are some realtors more successful than others?
• What does actually work?
• What has been proven time and time again to be the Golden Truth’s of success?
• What makes a top agent?
• How can my business survive when I have less money to spend because I am making less money?

One glaring fact I couldn’t ignore is that my business only makes money if the programs we recommend to you make you money. After much thought, I came up with four things you should be doing if you are serious about increasing your yearly income.

1. You MUST reach out to your past client contact list at least every month
Over 50% of your business should come from referrals. If you are not mailing your contact list you are losing money. You contact list should includes anyone who knows you, your friends or your family. The larger the list the more successful you will be. You really need to sit down and put this lists into a workable database.

2. Mail Just Listed/ Just Sold / Market updates and Open House Postcards
Announce your success! Since referrals are the largest part of your business and you want to build up your contact list, these marketing postcards are the second most effective tool at your disposal. You should mail the entire neighborhood and also your current contact list. If your budget is strained these could be part of your planned monthly but for better results you should be doing these mailings in addition to your contacts.

3. Track your results over time
The beauty of direct marketing is that is affordable and trackable. If you have 400 contacts then you could be mailing them twelve times per year for as little as 47 cents each or $188 per month. One sale and you pay for the entire year.

4. Become known as a specialist of your farm
A business with no prospects will die. You need a reliable consistent source of leads. Since most consumers perceive all real estate professionals to be pretty much the same, you must find ways to differentiate yourself. I get calls every day from customers thanking me two years later telling me that they now get 50% plus of all listings in their neighborhood. Walk your neighborhood twice per year with door hangers or notepads, submit articles to your local paper, become an advertising sponsor on a community podcast, create a neighborhood newsletter of community events or post educational videos about the local real estate market to your social media.

I feel great about sharing these strategies with you for a very simple reason: if we can help you become more successful in your business then ReaMark will be more successful in our business! Call one of our Marketing specialists today at 1-800-932-2957 and we will help you develop a plan to meet your budgets and sales goals.

I hope this letter has been helpful and has either confirmed what you are already doing or inspired you to call us. I am always available to help.  Please don’t hesitate to call me directly.

Best Regards,

Richard J. Brown
President,
ReaMark

Successful agents and real estate brokers are often successful because they are in a constant search to do things better, more efficiently, and more effectively. This includes marketing. Some have found success in using internet marketing. Others swear by Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM). Still, others have discovered just how powerful the combination of EDDM and online marketing can be. Using EDDM and internet marketing together can create a lead generating machine!

Benefits of EDDM & Digital Marketing

In these days where credible information has increasing value, about 56% of people believe that a printed piece is more trustworthy than other forms of advertising. Additionally, 70% of us find direct mail more personal than digital communication. EDDM can also target a specific neighborhood or zip code you may be farming. With Americans receiving less mail each day, your printed piece will stand out more. These six aspects can supercharge your online efforts.

1. Promote your website, listings, blogs, and social media through EDDM
Make sure each printed piece includes how prospects can connect with you online at their convenience.

2. Gather prospects by offering a newsletter both digitally and through the mail
Provide a sign-up for a quarterly newsletter through your online marketing. Give readers a choice of a direct mail or digital edition. ReaMark offers a variety of easy to compile printed newsletters that can be digitized.

3. Provide easy access to more information
Use EDDM to “tease” more information that may be on your website. “See how much houses are selling for in your neighborhood by visiting us at our website”. “Compare your home to our current online listings”.

4. Gather leads through incentives
Use calendars or other promotional items as an incentive
“Sign up for a complimentary 2018 calendar online today!” “Get a free home evaluation by signing up online today.”

5. Position yourself as the real estate expert
Use EDDM to promote your willingness to answer real estate related questions on your social media. This will spur discussion on a variety of topics with you serving as the expert. Use it to promote your blog if you have one.

6. Create leads through an online contest promoted through EDDM
Create a contest that is promoted both online and through EDDM. Use the emails you gather to build your contact list.

At ReaMark, our team of real estate marketing professionals can help you with EDDM pieces that can effectively funnel people to your web presence. Choose from calendars, postcards, door hangars, magnetic business cards, even seed packets! Make the most of all your available marketing options with a combination of online and direct mail marketing with the help of ReaMark.

If you work in a competitive real estate market (and who doesn’t!), you have to make the most of your resources. You should try to get the most out of each lead, every prospect, and each listing. Sure, you would like to turn a listing into a sale, but with the right real estate marketing products, you can also turn a great listing into new business. At ReaMark, we can help! Here some some terrific, proven ways to maximize a single listing and turn it into more business.

“Just Listed” postcards – These build your brand in a target area using some of your best photos of the listing. Promote learning more on the website or encourage contacting the listing agent. It also demonstrates both the agent and the market are active.

Quarterly Newsletter – By highlighting the property in a quarterly newsletter, you can draw attention to an area you are farming and encourage readers to get a free market update. It is also a good place to include testimonials.

Door Hangers – Door hangers are a cost effective way to show off a special listing. Remember, like so many of our products, our door hangers are customizable!

Even after a property is sold, you can still use it to build business with the following ReaMark products:

“Just Sold” postcards – Highlight just how quickly a property sold and include a testimonial from the seller. Include a call to action inviting readers to find out more about recently sold homes in the area by visiting your website or calling the agent for a free home evaluation.

Thank You Cards – Send thank you cards to the seller with the additional mission of asking them for a testimonial and referrals of friends or family who might be thinking of buying or selling.

Contact ReaMark today and talk with with a customer service rep and one of our professional designers. We’ll help you select powerful real estate marketing products that will work to build leads, listings and sales! Effective real estate marketing and promotion is what we do! Real estate season is upon us and now is the time to make the most of it at ReaMark.

It varies across the country, but generally, recent signs indicate that this could be a very lucrative “real estate season.” Buyers and sellers may have been hibernating for months, but they are about to become active with the spring weather and the recent news of increasing interest rates. This is going to move many prospects into the market on their own. How will you know they will come to you? A creative and timely real estate marketing plan may be your ticket to a supercharged real estate season. ReaMark is here to help!

Products Designed for You and Your Market

Let your prospects know you understand what they’re thinking with postcards that show “Recently Listed” and “Recently Sold” properties. Offer them something they may perceive as value like “Get Your Free Property Evaluation”. You can even make them aware of trends like “Property Values are Rising Rapidly.”

Your Spring postcard real estate marketing plan may also include helpful and timely items like magnetic baseball season schedules, gardening and home maintenance and improvement tips. You can provide reminders about holidays like Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day. The opportunities are almost endless, and our professionals can help.

A real estate marketing plan that includes Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) can be a powerful tool in farming desired areas. At ReaMark, we can not only help you choose a marketing program and materials, but can assist you with free custom design. We then can print and even mail your items. This is touching your prospects literally where they live and it has been proven to generate leads, listings and sales. Perhaps best of all, you now have an opportunity to get one free postcard for every five you purchase, and two for every ten. This can set you up for success for a complete year!

Contact Us for Help With Your Real Estate Marketing Plan Today!

Contact ReaMark today and talk to one of our customer service specialists. Tell them what’s going on in your market and ask for suggestions. They can help you design your entire plan. Feeling confident? Make your own selections from our wide selection of marketing and promotional products right online. Reach out more efficiently and effectively than your competition this real estate season with the help of ReaMark!

If you haven’t yet ordered your print marketing postcards for your real estate business, get ready to. EDDM (every door direct mail) postcards can generate mountains of customer leads for you and your agency. Your biggest challenge will be how to organize your new call list!

EDDM is a service provided by the USPS where you can have your postcards delivered to every door on a route without having to put a name or address on it. When you combine this service with ReaMark’s print marketing postcards, that’s a winning combination too good to pass up. When you order your custom postcards or pre-designed postcards at ReaMark, be sure to include the following for best results.

1. Your Professional Photo

Homebuyers and sellers like to see whom they will be spending their time with. When you include your professional photo on your postcard, new customers will be able to see that you’re professional and friendly looking. For the best photos, hire a professional photographer. Selfies won’t deliver the professional lighting and other effects you’ll need.

2. Knowledge About the Area

Buyers and sellers like to know they’re working with someone who is familiar with the area. Prove that you’re a “local” by including some pertinent information about the neighborhood, such as information about a local house that just sold, or trends in the local real estate market.

3. A Line About Your Expertise

Don’t forget to include something about what makes you the expert. Under your name, mention how many years you’ve been in the real estate business or any certifications or awards you have. This will tell buyers and sellers that when they work with you, they’re working with an expert.

3. Lots of Color

Your postcard should be bright and colorful. Remember that it won’t be the only thing your potential customers receive in the mail that day, so you want it to really stand out. Use images with lots of color and positive imagery to entice recipients to read it.

4. All Your Contact Information

Be sure to include all your contact information; not just your phone number. Remember that different people prefer different ways to contact professionals. Some may prefer text, others email and still others like calling on the phone. Let your customer decide by including all the ways they can get in touch with you.

Print marketing postcards and real estate newsletters are made even better when you remember these essential elements to include. Get your postcards today at RealMark.

Whether you have been in the business for awhile or have just become a licensed real estate agent, you already know that the real estate industry is constantly changing. Local and national economic trends, politics, and even the weather can have a profound and immediate effect on the number of houses that sell and the amount of income you earn.

The most successful agents in the real estate business have learned to combat these influences with effective marketing strategies to maintain relationships with current and past clients as they consistently generate and develop new business prospects. If you are ready to make 2017 your best year ever, these smart marketing tips will help you take maximum advantage of those time-tested marketing strategies to expand your business and keep it growing, year after year.

The Importance of Establishing & Maintaining Regular Contact

Growing your business requires careful nurturing of your relationship with all current and past clients and any new prospective clients that you come into contact with. This is done most effectively by establishing and maintaining a program that uses regular points of contact to help your name and brand become so familiar to them that they will instantly think of you whenever they or someone they know mentions buying or selling a home.

Contact Ideas That Your Clients & Prospects Will Welcome 

In order to be effective, any methods that you use for contacting your clients and prospective clients has to be both welcome and useful. Cold calls are annoying and most unsolicited email is never opened by the recipient. This is why it makes sense to instead choose a quality direct mail program that provides information and items of value to the recipient.

To do this effectively, look around your market area and determine what information might be most helpful to the residents who live there. Then use this knowledge to design a targeted, customized direct mail program that will specifically appeal to the area. For example, if many of the residents follow a particular sports team, a schedule of those sporting events is an idea for one such mailing, which you would schedule to send out shortly before the team’s season begins.

Other useful ideas to use for maintaining regular points of contact include, gardening seeds or tips in the spring, home repair tips in the summer, and local school schedules and information in the fall. As the year winds down, a beautiful wall or magnetic calendar is a wonderful gift that is certain to be kept and used throughout the coming year.

For additional ideas and helpful assistance in setting up the best possible direct mail campaign to give your business a well-deserved boost in 2017, contact Reamark today. As a proven leader in the real estate marketing products business, Reamark’s order consultants are specially trained to help you select and develop a marketing campaign that will be welcomed and remembered by all your current and past clients, while also helping to attract and hold the attention of prospective clients.

Everybody is in search of the tips and tricks that will make their real estate marketing more effective. At ReaMark, we’ve spent the last 16 years working with over 35,000 real estate professionals. They have tried our products and made suggestions. We continue to create products and designs annually to make strategies more and more efficient.

Through the years, we’ve learned that are three basic marketing tricks that you should be using.

1. Be Consistent. There is a basic principle of branding that suggests that consumers need to see your name at least seven times before it makes an impact. This easily explains why some agents who “try something” once or twice and don’t see immediate results will continue to struggle. Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean you need to purchase seven different products or marketing pieces. It does mean that marketing pieces like realtor notepads that keep your name visible to a prospect have added value. Build your brand, build your name recognition.
2. Add Value. Many real estate professionals send generic messages to prospects that really don’t add value. Instead, show them a house in the neighborhood that recently sold, include an upcoming sports schedule or add a community calendar in your newsletter. Add value and your prospects will notice.
3. Include a Call to Action. The most well written message can fall flat if it is not followed up with a call to action. That call to action may include “call us for a free home evaluation”, “learn more about programs for first time home buyers” or dozens of other ideas. ReaMark offers a wide choice of postcards that convey the message you want to get across. Make sure you ask prospects to do something, otherwise they won’t!

There is a lot of noise out there about marketing in real estate today. It is our experience that consistency, adding value, and creating a compelling call to action will provide the results you desire. If you would like the help of professionals with experience in marketing in the real estate industry, contact the team at ReaMark. We look forward to assisting you.

There may be no better time of the year to improve your brand and increase visibility than with our 4th of July real estate postcards, newsletters, magnets and notepads. This is a terrific family-focused holiday that families throughout the nation celebrate together. By ordering these promotional items now, you can be in the forefront of this special holiday, demonstrating your sense of community and patriotism.

Each of our 4th of July specialties comes with free professional design services from our talented and creative team at ReaMark.

4th of July Real Estate Postcards

Choose from one or more of our 40 designs of real estate postcards for the 4th of July holiday. Select as few as 100 cards of each design with a 300 postcard minimum. All of our cards are full color on the front and your choice of black & white or full color on the back. Postcards are available in standard and jumbo sizes and right now when you order any 5 styles of postcards from us, you get the sixth one FREE!

4th of July Real Estate Newsletters

Right now you can save 15% on a choice of 4 page real estate 4th of July Newsletters full of useful information for homeowners, a recipe, and 2 large areas where you can customize, perhaps including local fireworks locations and times. Choose to customize your newsletters in black & white or full color.

Real Estate Magnets for the 4th of July

Order from a selection of 53 magnet designs including 4th of July calendar magnets that span from July 2016 to July 2017. These magnets are sure to provide long-lasting in-home visibility. Magnets are available in three sizes and convey your professionalism.

Notepads for the 4th of July

Our 25 and 50 sheet 4th of July notepads are available in low minimums and can be easily mailed in standard #10 envelopes. Choose from one of our pre-designed notepads or we can customize notepads just for you! This is a useful item your prospects and customers are sure to appreciate!

Now is the time to fire up your sales for the summer with our 4th of July real estate postcards, newsletters, magnets and notepads from ReaMark. Order yours today and save!

We are rapidly approaching peak of “real estate season” and there is still time to make the most of it with proven, real estate promotional products from ReaMark. We specialize in Realtor marketing and promotional materials that get results. Here are three attention-getting real estate marketing products to increase your leads and listings this spring.

1) Custom Door Hangers

Our custom door hangers are an economical and effective way to farm your neighborhood. Our real estate door hangers come in full-color and are guaranteed to get noticed by prospects as they return home. Since they are fully customizable, they can carry your specific message. We also have stock door hangers that can ship exceptionally quickly and start as low as 12 cents each. Be sure to ask about our two sizes of door hanger bags to add additional “goodies” to hang on doors.

2) Real Estate Notepads

You can save 20% right now when you order notepads from ReaMark. Real estate notepads can be customized with your name, logo and contact information. Spring is the terrific time for these notepads to help with spring cleaning “to do” lists. Choose from a selection of styles including full-color notepads, peel and stick your business card upon notepads or have your business card imprinted on a magnet with a notepad. Our magnet notepads are sure to find their way right on the refrigerator! Your information is visible with each use. Hurry and save 20% on your choice of real estate notepads this spring.

3) Seed Packets

What better way to add a burst of color to your neighborhood. Our seed packets come in a choice of four styles. The “Thank You” seed packet is a great way to says thanks to previous clients, or even to thank prospects for an initial meeting. Our “Where Memories Grow” seed packets are a wildflower seed mix and are a nice way to remind clients and prospects of your services. Forget-me-not seeds are placed in our “Where Memories Grow” seed packets and are a nice way to welcome spring. Our “Put Down Roots With Us” seed packets are proving to be a popular way to market to your farm. These are also a perfect promotional handout for open houses, home-shows or to handout at the corner coffee shop. Grow your business this spring with seed packets from ReaMark!

Want more ideas? Browse our thousands of Realtor marketing and promotional products from calendars and real estate postcards to cookbooks and imprinted pens. We offer professional design services at no charge on most products. Energize your marketing efforts this spring with our wide-range of real estate promotional products from ReaMark.

Focusing on consumer perception and relationship building before a need arises has never been more important than it is today. In the same way that you hand out business cards and extend your hand to people you meet in person, your real estate marketing campaign is an introduction that creates a lasting first impression.

If your current lead generation efforts aren’t working for you, maybe you need a new lens. Ask yourself these three questions to find out if it’s time to revise your marketing strategy.

Are you creating value with your real estate marketing tools?

Most real estate professionals invest in marketing campaigns during the lean times, but if that is your primary strategy you’re missing opportunities.

Statistics show almost two thirds of people looking to sell or purchase a home engage the first realtor they call. Keeping your name in front of potential clients is critical for success. SOLD postcards mailed on a monthly or quarterly schedule ensure your name is visible when the time is right for new buyers.

Is your plan for success on an “as-time-permits” basis?

You’re busy – professional development conferences, showing properties, staffing an open-house event. No matter how busy you are, carve out time to write a detailed twelve-month touch-point marketing plan, similar to the one we’ve laid out.

Don’t have a plan yet? Get your calendar out and schedule your contacts. Consistency builds recognition – and brand recognition creates recall. When a need arises, your brand will be the first one that comes to mind.

Outline times, dates and target demographics for mailing thank you cards, calendars, postcards and newsletters. Consider social media timing and frequency, too.

Is your message clear and concise?

Remember those irritating late night infomercials where the host keeps repeating over and over, “But, that’s not all!” Although the strategy was annoying, it worked because an emotional pitch to keep listening led to a clear call to action. Your goal should be to lead the reader toward your purpose with engaging content that creates value; then tell them what their next step should be. A great example of a call to action might be, “Call today to find out how much your home is worth!”

Right now, while it’s on your mind, grab your pen and paper and make an outline for developing your real estate marketing campaign. Follow-up postcards are a cost effective tool to put you on the road to success to building relationships and generating leads for the future. Browse through our selection of promotional real estate tools to select your style, then contact us to get started!