Real Estate Marketing Blog

It’s that time of year again. Yes, it’s time to start handing out your 2019 real estate marketing calendars. As you already know, handing out free calendars with your agency’s branding prominently displayed is one of the most effective, and budget-friendly, tactics in your overall marketing strategy.

A Proven Solution

In an age when so much emphasis is put on digital marketing, which is of course vital to your overall marketing approach, it’s easy to neglect the classic, time-proven marketing tools. Although it might seem counterintuitive in this digital age, paper calendars are still extremely popular with consumers, and the industry has seen impressive growth over the last decade. Surveys have shown that the average household has at least three calendars in use, of different types, including wall calendars, magnetic calendars, most often attached to the refrigerator, and desk calendars.

Further, consumer research has shown that 82% of people love receiving a free calendar, and that 70% of those consumers will consider doing business with the companies they get them from.

Reasons Paper Calendars Are Effective

Part of the reason that paper calendars are still so popular is simply because they are low tech. People often feel overwhelmed by the amount of digital information they’re surrounded by each day, so its something of an escape to use a simple, familiar calendar. Plus they add an aesthetic appeal that can’t be achieved with digital calendars, one that everyone who enters a room can enjoy, and they can be personalized in an observable way.

Bottom line, the customer appreciates a free gift, and it’s a practical one they can use every day in the home, the workplace, or even their car. Real estate marketing calendars work, and they should have a place in every agency’s marketing strategy.

Tips For Designing A Real Estate Marketing Calendar

As with any marketing tactic there are ways to ensure you’re getting the maximum out of your calendars. Here are a few things to remember:

• Get them out sooner rather than later. Although it might seem like if you start handing out 2019 calendars months before the New Year that people will misplace them and not use them, it’s just not true. The majority of people will keep their free calendars until they need them, and they tend to keep the first ones they receive, so it’s important to start handing them out early.
• Make sure your agency’s info is noticeable. It’s tempting to keep your business’s banner small and at the bottom of the calendar page so as not to interfere with the function and aesthetics, but the whole point is to make people notice you. Make sure your message stands out.
• Make sure your contact information is correct. A real estate marketing calendar is no place to let typos slip through. People will be using them for a year, and giving referrals from them, so make sure your displayed info is accurate before ordering.

Order your calendars and start giving them away now, and you’ll enjoy the benefits till the end of 2019, and beyond!

Marketing activities during the weeks leading up to the back to school rush offer real estate professionals excellent content ideas for connecting with your farm. Real estate agents who publish monthly or quarterly newsletters will want to use some of the same strategies online retailers use to attract attention to their products and services.

Attract Kids to Influence Adults

One thing marketing gurus recommend is getting the kids involved. Since school is all about the kids, focus some content on their needs during this time. For example, if you are using a newsletter template, consider adding campus diagrams (or photos) that show the layout of the school grounds in the customization sections.

Suggest parents and their children take the diagram with them when they visit the school as a way to familiarize themselves with key areas – the nurses station, administration office, lockers, cafeteria, water fountains and vending areas. This is especially important for children attending a new school this fall.

Partner With Bloggers and Social Influencers

Another successful tactic marketing agencies use is to get some help from well-established bloggers who understand the excitement and stress that surround the back to school period. Agents who have an online presence – and, who doesn’t these days, right? – know the value of combining different media channels to promote local properties.

This time of year, along with highlighting homes on the market near neighborhood schools, invite a guest blogger to write a piece about transitioning from summertime schedules to school day routines for your online blog. Then, promote the piece across your other social sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Remember to check with your local paper to see if they might be willing to post the blog – with the author’s approval, of course – and include your blog address in your print media, such as newsletters, postcards, flyers, and direct mail pieces.

Highlight Local Mark-Downs

Everyone loves a bargain. Double the pleasure by marketing recently reduced, deeply discounted property information and back to school free tax day notices at the same time. At last count, 18 states offer a tax break on school-related purchases. This is a great way to show prospects you want to help them get the most value out of every hard earned penny.

We hope these three marketing tips inspire you to create award winning back to school campaigns. ReaMark offers hundreds of beautiful, customizable marketing solutions to help you build relationships. We also offer a wide area of soft-sell promotional items to keep your brand in front of neighborhood residents all year-round including magnetic school memo boards and refrigerator magnets.

Most people love sports. Those who play the game and those who watch from the sidelines want to be connected with one another. If you want to make an impression with the ultimate sports fan, promote the home team! Let fan loyalty work to your advantage and give you a way to stay top-of-mind.

Be a Reliable Source of Information

If you’re looking to attract fans who want to be close to their favorite teams, offer them the information they need in terms of game schedules, practice times, and local meet and greets where they can interact with their favorite players. Providing potential buyers with the right information is essential if you want to close the sale. Sports fans want to support their team in any way they can. If they live close by, many will want to attend games as often as possible. Use your newsletter to cross-promote with other local businesses who may be offering incentives, such as season tickets, or admission to an event that is sponsored by the team.

Help Make Tailgating Easier

Provide your sports fans with recipes or ideas for throwing a great tailgate party. Tailgate parties are always fun and it gives fans a chance to gather together to show the team they are there to cheer them on. As a realtor, you can sponsor a tailgate party. Hand out recipe cards for the best in tailgating foods. Give participants game schedules and encourage them to set up future tailgate parties well in advance. Sports teams get excited when they see this type of support and, in some areas, may even stop by.

When you want to attract the sports fans, you do so by giving them the things they need to make supporting their team easier. The key is to show potential buyers that you are just as big a fan as they are! Show your team spirit! Keep a few extra team schedules in your car and hand them out whenever you notice a tried and true fan. Odds are they already know the schedule, but with one of yours, they will get to know you too!

2018 season schedules are now available for Football, Hockey, Baseball and NASCAR. We offer a variety of sizes including business cards and full magnets. Order now before the season begins!

While email remains one of the most cost-effective ways to communicate with your clients, there’s danger in solely relying on it to get your marketing messages across. Most industries send emails, and the frequency is giving consumers a severe case of email fatigue. Consider the following four reasons why it’s better to create a postcard or a newsletter to help your potential buyers avoid email overload.

1. Consumers Are Savvy

Few of your buyers are rushing to check their email because they know that most of the information they’ll find in their Inbox simply isn’t relevant to them. There’s a good chance a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ sale is likely to be repeated again next week, so where’s the urgency? When you want to send out information that is actually important (e.g., a change in your phone number or your office has moved to a new address), you should use at multiple different avenues to really catch people’s attention. We have several neighborhood marketing postcard designs you can use to communicate important details to your farm.

2. It’s Too Easy to Hit Delete

Holding a physical item in your hands is more difficult to discard than an email. With emails, it’s as easy as clicking on all unread messages and then moving them to the trash folder. But, sending out a postcard or a newsletter encourages buyers to scan information. Touch creates a tactile memory. Delivering your real estate marketing messages via something physical means they’re experiencing a different medium, which can cause them to be more open to what’s inside.

3. You Want to Make an Impression

Real estate newsletters and postcards allow a little more creativity than email does when it comes to making an impression on your clients. So, when you have a new agent join the team, you now have a chance to introduce them to your farm with a little bit of gusto. From fancy calligraphy to heavy stock paper; there are plenty of ways we can help you go the extra mile. Plus, people are much more willing to open a piece of mail that’s been hand-addressed to them than they are another impersonal email.

4. You Want to Establish an Emotional Connection

Postcards and newsletters are a good way to establish a rapport with clients. You can make them themed or tell a (somewhat) serialized story about how the market is doing. You can make them funny, brief, or picturesque. It’s these little extras that you do that can help you distinguish yourself from your competition so you can tempt more people to your side.

ReaMark can help you find the postcard and newsletter templates you need to ensure that buyers will remember you. Our postcards and newsletters can be seamlessly worked into your marketing campaign, so you can give yourself the best chance of sales success!

Mailbox photo by Xavier Massa on Unsplash

An effective newsletter provides enhanced communication and connection with your clients. It bridges the gap between marketing and establishing lasting relationships with customers. As the warmer months of the year roll around, real estate agents will want to send out newsletters that touch on various summer marketing topics to ensure they stay connected with their targeted farms. Let’s explore five of these topics.

Family Fun

There’s nothing better than cooling off in the pool after a long day at work. Real estate agents can highlight specific properties and neighborhoods with pools when communicating with clients who live in their targeted farms. From pool maintenance tips to the importance of pool safety; there are many ways to touch on family activities and water fun.

Backyard Entertaining

Who doesn’t love roasting marshmallows by an open fire pit on a cool summer night? Or throwing a BBQ potluck party? With this in mind, real estate agents will want to include a bulleted list of ways to enjoy fun with friends and family in their summer newsletters. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• S’Mores Hacks
• DIY Backyard Movie Night
• Easy Recipes for Entertaining
• DIY Backyard Games

Self-Improvement

Summertime is the perfect opportunity to get out and about and get in shape. Real estate agents can use this time of the year to highlight certain walking paths and parks in and near the farms they are targeting. They can also provide a section of tips outlining the reasons to stay hydrated during the summertime when exercising in the heat.

Local Discounts

Consumers love catching a good deal, and they love people who share deals with them even more. Establishing long-term relationships with clients becomes much easier when real estate agents include a section in their newsletters that showcase the best summer deals and discounts from local businesses. This an effective way to cross-promote your services with other local businesses!

Vacation

Whether it be a two-week vacation or a two-day short getaway, summer is a time of the year when many families choose to leave their homes and get away from the hustle and bustle of their everyday lives. While away on vacation, though, these families want to rest assured their homes are going to be safe and secure. With this in mind, real estate agents will want to include a section in their newsletters that identify local resources that can be used to keep the home safe and secure while away having fun. From neighborhood watch programs that correlate with the farms they are targeting to local stores that sell video camera systems, there are plenty of security tips to detail in a newsletter.

ReaMark has a great selection of newsletter templates. With more than 60 options to choose from, we can help you build your client base and increase sales. We also have seasonal promotional items like hand fans, grilling and entertaining recipe postcards and seed packets for summer planting.

Take advantage of our anniversary sale to maximize your summer savings. Use code WEB50 to receive:
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There is absolutely nothing wrong with real estate professionals taking advantage of digital marketing and social media opportunities. Many have found success in their online efforts and should continue to do so. Real estate agents and brokers shouldn’t, however, ignore proven real estate marketing strategies have consistently produced results across the country. Here is why and how you can grab the attention of real estate prospects using direct mail pieces.

WHY Use Direct Mail in this Digital Era?

The answer is pretty simple: Because it works. You should also understand, however, why it works.

• You can target your market. Direct mail allows you to target specific neighborhoods or zip codes to “farm”. There is less waste than “broadcasting” your message.
• It reaches prospects at home. This lets the person receiving your piece know you are interested in them and their real estate goals.
• You can “own” this vehicle in reaching prospects. Some agents never use direct mail marketing. This provides a marketing opportunity you can drive a truck through. You may be able to own direct mail marketing for real estate in your community.
• They are tangible. Direct marketing pieces are perceived to have more value and their messages carry more weight. This can help position you as a stable, trusted source.
• Pieces can have a long shelf life. Direct mail pieces like calendars, sports schedules, recipes, and motivational or scenic cards can stay in a home for an extended period of time, often on display where they may be seen by others.

HOW to Use Direct Mail in Real Estate

Direct mail is a versatile way to reach real estate prospects, giving you plenty of options on how to use it.

• Use EDDM to reach prospects. Every Door Direct Marketing is the perfect way to reach every home is your specific target area. It is a great way to introduce yourself and your services.
• Create an annual direct mail marketing plan. When your prospect gets a new recipe, decorating or home improvement tip every other month, it builds your brand and name recognition. You are providing prospects with something of value.
• Send out Just Sold or Just Listed postcards. Who isn’t interested in what a neighbor’s house is listed or sold for? When combined with a free home valuation offer, these informative cards often turn up multiple leads.
• Use to promote your digital marketing efforts. Use direct mail pieces to reinforce your online media by promoting your website and social media. Include your email address for prospects to sign up for a newsletter or enter a contest.

Get Professional Assistance

For 18 years, ReaMark has been creating effective direct mail, marketing, and promotional pieces specifically to help real estate professionals grow their businesses. Our marketing professionals can help you choose items to help you reach your goals. Our design department will help you build your brand and help you turn prospects into leads and leads into sales. Contact ReaMark today and put the power of direct mail marketing to work for you!

If you’ve been involved in real estate for any length of time, you’ve experienced the rising impact digital marketing has had on the industry. Initially, some veteran agents and brokers may have been reluctant to embrace digital marketing and social media. Now, of course, many use social media and content marketing strategies like blogs and articles to help promote their business.

If you want to create a high powered real estate marketing strategy in the new year, you should consider creating a more balanced print and digital content marketing mix.

The Goal of Content Marketing

The goal of content marketing is two-fold. First, you want to funnel leads and prospects to you by providing valuable and useful content. This can be done through tips, tricks, the latest real estate news, and even updates on real estate that may be available in your target market or that which has just sold. Secondly, the information you provide can position you as an expert and trusted resource for real estate for your target market. The goal is that when they are in the market to buy or sell, they are more likely to reach out to you.

The challenge is to get the attention of potential leads in the first place. This can be accomplished to some degree by promoting your content on social media. It can also be done by using effective search engine optimization (SEO) strategies. As you know, however, real estate is an extremely competitive business and SEO takes specific skills and can be time-consuming.

The answer is pushing visitors to your content through print, including direct mail.

Postcards, newsletters, and promotional materials to promote your web presence can bring a whole new set of eyes to your digital marketing efforts. Tempt prospects to your website or blog with invitations to “Learn what your home is currently worth”, “Discover 10 ways to save on your next mortgage” or “See what homes are selling for in your neighborhood”. Of course, these direct mail pieces would include your web address or the address of a landing page designed specifically for that promotional piece.

At ReaMark, we can help you develop a more balanced digital/print marketing mix that can supercharge your digital marketing efforts. We can also help you better target your market with EDDM (Every Door Direct Mail) strategies that are proven effective.

Contact ReaMark today and learn about our buy five get one free and buy 10 get two free special offer postcard program. Inject new energy into your digital content marketing plan with print marketing materials from ReaMark!

Virtually every successful real estate professional has learned the value of goal setting. Much of this goal setting revolves around sales and income. It can be valuable, however, to set goals on other aspects of real estate like the number of leads or prospects generated in a month. It can also be important to set goals for and track real estate marketing efforts.

At ReaMark, we specialize specifically in real estate related marketing and promotional pieces. Through the years, one of our most popular programs has been our real estate postcards. Real estate marketing postcards reach consumers directly in their homes and can be targeted neighborhood by neighborhood. They have repeatedly been proven to be an effective real estate marketing tool. But having the proper goals and expectations is important for postcard mailing campaigns. Here are some tips for goal setting when developing your postcard mailing campaign.

Setting Proper Expectations

It is widely accepted in direct mail marketing that a 2% response rate is successful. While on the surface that may seem minimal, consider the impact. A 2% response rate could potentially translate into 20 solid leads and prospects. That can turn into a significant return on investment.

You should be aware, however, that response rate will be impacted by a variety of factors. If your postcard includes a free offer, it may get a better response than if it is more passive. If you are new to real estate, your response may not be as high as someone who already is known in a community or neighborhood.

Be Consistent

The best way to build your brand and increase lead generation is through consistency. ReaMark can help you accomplish that through a wide selection of timely real estate postcards and a program that gives you a free design for every 5 deigns purchased and two free postcards for every 10 purchased. Reaching consumers every month or every other month builds familiarity and name recognition.

Be Patient

Remember, you are building your business. Many of our postcard designs are designed to provide helpful information, tips, or timely reminders. While your potential prospects will appreciate the information and view you favorably, many will not immediately respond. After all, the percentage of people who are in the market to buy or sell real estate at any given moment is relatively small. Your campaign, however, can eventually bring leads into the marketplace and more importantly, keep your name front and center when they do.

Contact Our Professionals for Assistance

We invite you to contact our marketing professionals at ReaMark to assist you with your real estate postcard marketing campaign. We can even help with EDDM and custom graphic designs. Let us help you reach your real estate marketing goals at ReaMark.

One of the truly effective ways to reach leads and build sales in real estate is by building relationships with your target market. One of the easiest ways to do this is through a direct mail newsletter filled with helpful information about real estate, mortgages, homeowner maintenance tips, recipes, and more. A well constructed, consistently delivered newsletter helps build your brand and deliver your message. It also demonstrates you are in touch with your potential prospects and helps build trust.

If you are considering sending a  Spring newsletter to your farm, here are five timely homeowner tips to include.

1. Gardening Tips
   Of course, the Spring is a perfect time to talk about gardening. Including tips about either flower or vegetable gardening is an effective, attention-getting real estate marketing strategy that appeals to many.
2. Spring Cleaning Tricks 
   Include tips on how to make Spring cleaning easier or safer using natural homemade cleaning products. Discuss the benefits of less clutter and the fresh feeling of a freshly scrubbed home.
3. Helpful Home Maintenance Strategies
   The Spring is the time to visually inspect your home after the colder weather and take steps to keep it well-maintained. This includes clearing the area around your outdoor A/C unit, cleaning gutters, picking up your yard, inspecting the roof, changing HVAC filters, and more.
4. Steps to Take for Severe Weather SafetyThe spring is tornado and thunderstorm season throughout much of the country and supplying some reminders about severe weather safety can be well received. Explain the difference between watches and warnings, where the safest place in a home can be during a tornado, and even provide some severe weather safe driving tips.
5. Spring Break and/or Summer Travel Ideas
   Many families get cabin fever during the cold weather season and the thought of planning a trip is often very welcome. Be sure to include some destination ideas, packing tips, and money saving strategies.

ReaMark newsletters are chock full of timely information and are designed to be sent throughout the year. They also provide enough space so you can customize your newsletter to best fit your area, your image, and to build your brand. Newsletters are available in black and white or full color and in a half-fold or tri-fold series. We have sold over 10 million newsletters to real estate agents and brokers just like you! Start building relationships with your target market the easy, proven way through ReaMark real estate marketing newsletters.

There may be a variety of reasons you entered the real estate business. You may enjoy working with people, you may like the freedom and flexibility a career in real estate can offer, and you may even appreciate the financial rewards. It’s not likely, however, that you entered real estate because you love marketing and advertising. Nevertheless, marketing is a critical component of a successful real estate career.

At ReaMark, we specialize in real estate marketing products and in helping real estate professionals just like you put together marketing plans that work. Here are some tips to help you put together a yearly marketing plan.

1. Build your marketing program seasonally, around events and holidays. Consider Spring time change reminders for February, free home evaluations in March at the beginning of real estate season, and football season in August/September. Of course, the holidays at the end of the year are perfect for greeting cards and calendars.
2. Finance your plan sufficiently. Make sure you have enough “fuel” to build that fire you are trying to create.
3. Use a variety of tools. While you’ll want to invest in promotional and direct mail items, you’ll also want to include low to no cost strategies like social media, email, and getting involved in community and charitable events. Marketing is all about visibility and consistency.
4. Use your marketing plan to build your brand. Make sure your marketing efforts deliver your core message consistently using the same colors, logo, and font. Ask yourself how you want prospects and clients to perceive you and build upon that.
5. Know who your target market is. While many agents feel their market is “everybody”, that is simply not practical unless you have unlimited time and resources. Target a demographic and/or area and go after it. Of course, that doesn’t mean you’ll turn down business that comes to you but make sure your annual marketing plan is targeted to your audience.

At ReaMark, we can help you construct the foundation of an annual marketing plan with promotional items, newsletters, postcards, sports schedules, and more. These items can make sure you stay in front of your target market consistently. We make our graphics team available so you can build your brand in a visually appealing way. We can even help you farm specific neighborhoods through Every Door Direct Marketing (EDDM). Act now and take advantage of our buy five and get one or buy 10 and get two free postcard special.

Remember, people usually don’t plan to fail, they fail to plan. Create your annual real estate marketing plan today with the help of ReaMark!