Inspiring stories from another Agent CEO

Do you need motivation to stick with your long-term marketing strategy? Frustrated that some of your leads and prospects aren't converting as quickly as you want?

Stay patient, and stay persistent. And take inspiration from the email below from a fellow Agent CEO, who saw success in her first year but has seen business really take off lately - all with prospects who she originally met several months ago!


Sent: Monday, February 27, 2006
Subject: UPDATE ON MY HV REFERRALS

HI COURTNEY,

JUST WANTED TO DROP YOU A LINE AND TELL YOU...IT'S WORKING! I'VE BEEN WITH HOUSEVALUES/JUSTLISTED A YEAR NOW AND IT'S PAID FOR ITSELF SO FAR. THEN THIS MONTH THINGS ARE EXPLODING. I HAD AN INQUIRY ABOUT 8 MONTHS AGO FROM A FELLOW THAT WAS ACTUALLY BUYING A LARGE HOME ON A GOLF COURSE. HE JUST WANTED TO KNOW THAT WHAT HE WAS PAYING, (HE WAS CLOSING ESCROW THE NEXT DAY) WAS A GOOD PRICE. UNFORTUNATELY, I GAVE HIM THE COMPS AND THEY WERE LOWER, BUT HE CLOSED. I SUGGESTED THAT HE KEEP AN EYE ON WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS DOING BY LETTING ME SEND LISTINGS.

SO FOR THE PAST 8 MONTHS, I'VE BEEN SENDING LISTINGS TO HIM. WE TOUCH BASE EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE BY PHONE, BUT NOT OFTEN. THEN HE CALLS ME AND SAYS THEY'RE MOVING TO ANOTHER AREA AND NEED TO PUT THEIR HOUSE ON THE MARKET. THIS HAS ALL BEEN DONE VIA EMAIL OR SNAIL MAIL. I'VE STILL NEVER MET THE MAN. THEY ARE NO LONGER IN THE HOME. I LISTED THE HOUSE AT $1,175,000 AND GOT A SIGN CALL FROM SOMEONE THAT OFFERED $1,100,000. OFFER WAS ACCEPTED AND NOW I HAVE A $700,000 HOUSE LISTED FROM THE BUYER.

TODAY, I'M TAKING AN OFFER ON THIS HOME, AND ANOTHER AGENT IS ALSO BRINGING IN AN OFFER. THEY WILL BE PRESENTED TONIGHT. NOT A BAD MONTH'S WORK. MEANWHILE, THE NEIGHBOR DOWN THE STREET AT THE GOLF COURSE CALLED ME FOR AN INTERVIEW. HIS HOME SHOULD BE IN THE $1,300,000. PRICE RANGE. I LOVE IT! WISH ME LUCK.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR GREAT HELP. YOU'VE BEEN WONDERFUL AND I COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU. I HOPE EVERY HOUSEVALUES AGENT GETS THE SUPPORT I'VE GOTTEN FROM YOU. NOT ONLY ARE YOU A BIG HELP, BUT I THINK WE'VE FORMED A BOND AS WELL. HOPE YOU'LL GET TO COME TO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TO VISIT US SOON.

THANKS AGAIN. CAROL

New Market? No Problem.

Alexander Chandler, an Agent CEO from Brants Realtors in Fort Worth, Texas, decided in August of 2005 to gain more of a presence on the Internet and re-establish his business. Throughout his career in real estate he has relocated to three different markets and had to build his client base from scratch with each move.

“I ran a high-volume business in my last market and wanted to recreate that in my current market. With this system in place, I had a full pipeline in just months, whereas before it would’ve taken two to three years to grow!”

While HouseValues and JustListed provide him with Internet-based leads and tools to grow them, he keeps his name in front of home buyers and sellers through his HomePages Web site (www.homepages.com/alexanderchandler).

“I’m able to incorporate HomePages into my overall marketing strategy where prospects are also reached through print materials, direct mailers, and campaigns.”

He receives several listing appointments each month by referring leads to his HomePages Web site. He sets prospects up on email campaigns to keep in touch with them as his pipeline increases.

“The featured home ads on HomePages helps to strengthen my listing presentation. When setting an appointment over the phone, I invite potential home sellers to look up their listed home. Before ever meeting in person they are able to see how their home will appear on the site. I just converted a FSBO this way.”

“If you want to start a career in real estate or enhance your existing business, while bringing it into this century via the Internet, there is no better system in place than this one!”

Read more of Alexander's story here.

"Persistence is essential!"

Les Brown, an Agent CEO in Clifton, Colorado, has developed strong work ethics over the years, which serve him well in this industry.

“In sales, basic principles never change. Only the methods of selling change. In today’s market, you must become informed and learn the job very well, especially in real estate. Persistence is essential!”

He feels that to be successful “you must be consistent and find a system that works for you.” And he did just that when he decided to join JustListed!

Seventy percent of his residential business last year came from JustListed leads. He sold $634,700 in homes and earned $19,041 in commissions from the system.

“If you work hard and learn what you are doing you can do anything you set out to do!”

Read more of Les's story here.

Making more money with a seller to buyer shift

Many new agents start their real estate careers by focusing on buyers, then ultimately gain the confidence and experience to start taking listings. But have you ever heard of an agent who switched from sellers back to buyers, with a significant increase in income?

Catherine Gortner, an Agent CEO in San Jose, California, did just that. It's a great story, with lots of best practices to learn from. Check out a summary of her conference call earlier this week with HouseValues and more than 1,000 call participants.

Ever wonder how to get more customer testimonials? How long you should wait for a response from an Internet lead? Whether phone or in-person follow-up is best with your customers?

Read on!


Featured Speaker: Catherine Gortner, San Jose, CA
Moderator: Raymond Gravelle, Distance Learning Specialist

Raymond: Catherine, last year you opened your own brokerage after only being in real estate for one year. How is that going?
Catherine: Very well. My commissions have been over $300,000 each year and 31% is due to HouseValues and JustListed. My partner, whom I met at a HouseValues seminar, is also doing well and his wife will be joining us as soon as she is licensed. Together we closed $17 million last year.

Raymond: What is happening in the greater San Jose market?
Catherine: It had been a seller’s market the last two years. It has now changed to a balanced market and the number of listings and transactions are way down. It’s very competitive.

Raymond: What are you doing differently to stay successful with these changes?
Catherine: We shifted our focus to buyer leads. I also examined my expenses. I emphasize the HouseValues and JustListed systems more because of the high return on investment. Still, the slowdown and competition can be discouraging at times.

Raymond: What do you do when you get discouraged?
Catherine: What makes a difference is how I react when I get discouraged. I don’t deny it but acknowledge it to myself. Then I can get back on track with phone calls, for example. Action overcomes the negative feeling.

Raymond: Tell us about your follow-up system.
Catherine: I respect their need for distance at first and follow the five steps, emailing first. I send out substantial information so they can learn about me in the privacy of their home. I use testimonials, so others are telling them about me. Testimonials are a goldmine! I ask for testimonials from all my clients. You can see them at http://www.cgprop.us/I send everyone a pre-listing or buyer packet. I got two listings for $2 million each from sellers who chose me because of my packet. I assign all my prospects to the email campaign and I mail postcards monthly. I call when I get an activity reminder. If they don’t answer I leave a message offering more service. I’ll add that I’d appreciate the opportunity to interview with them if they will be selling soon.

Raymond: What’s included in the packet?
Catherine: I use the HouseValues or JustListed folders. On the left side is the printed CMA I emailed and a property profile of their home. On the right side is a letter on HouseValues letterhead, home staging ideas, testimonials, my resume, how we market the home – about 15 pages. I have a similar packet for buyers.

Raymond: What are on the postcards you mail each month?
Catherine: They are “Best of the Bay” series. Last month for Valentine’s Day it was the most romantic restaurants. They are oversized, colorful, and my photo and contact information are on both sides. Prospects keep them and find them valuable.

Question & Answer

Question: What steps do you take to get a listing?
Catherine: I use a two-step process. The first visit is to build rapport. I ask them to show me around their home and I take notes, ask questions, and show enthusiasm. I ask if they want me to suggest things they could do to improve the value. The second visit is the listing presentation.

Question: How long does it take to get responses from the leads?
Catherine: Most people won’t respond until they need you, so don’t get discouraged. I’ve found they search online very early in the process and can take six months or more. I just got a listing from a lead that was two years old.

Question: How do you get people to write you a testimonial?
Catherine: I ask them for the favor and sometimes I have to ask several times. I may remind them about the things I did for them but the letters are in their own words. Most will send me an email.

Question: Which is most important, hand delivery or phone follow-up?
Catherine: They are both important. Hand deliver first to try to meet them and provide good service and follow up with a phone call.

Question: How many testimonials do you put in your packet?
Catherine: I have three to six testimonials in my packet. I also update the testimonials on my Web site often.

Read more about Catherine's success story here.

Proof that you CAN teach success!

Jim Hylton has spent 30+ years of his life as a teacher. That is until July 2004 when he decided to start a second career in real estate. Through his industry research he found that most people today are searching the Internet to buy or sell their home.

When a friend told him about how HouseValues and JustListed provide online seller and buyer leads, he became a subscriber. He has already closed 15-20 transactions and earned $60,000-$70,000 in gross commissions through this system.

After he attended a class to learn how to incorporate his client base into the Market Leader system, he knew this system was really working! Jim recalls, “The agents who went about getting clients the traditional way had an average of a dozen names in their database. In comparison, my average was 150 active prospects all generated from online leads through HouseValues and JustListed.”

Jim is now marketing his business online with his own Web site on HomePages.com. “All my listing presentations are done on my laptop. I walk the home seller through my site where they can view their listed home and specifics about their property. I show them how buyers search for homes and learn more about nearby commercial spots.”

The tools provided through HouseValues and JustListed combined with his own Web site further enhance his exposure with buyers and sellers. “It takes time for my clients to buy or sell a home, but they often choose me because my name remains in front of them on a consistent basis.”

Read more of Jim's story here.

More sellers in less time

Douglas Cox reaches more home sellers with less effort and time spent since joining HouseValues. “I subscribed to this system as a way to help maximize revenue and free up more time to do what I do best and that is to sell,” Douglas said.

“This system delivers enough value to more than pay for itself,” he said. “In less than a year I’ve closed seven transactions and earned $80,850 in commissions from HouseValues.”

Douglas benefits from having a HouseValues personal coach. “My coach advises me on which marketing tools to use to get the most results from the system.”

The contact management database works particularly well for him. “It allows me to keep my name in front of more sellers through automated notification when leads come through and reminders of when to follow-up with prospects.

Recently he began marketing himself as a Showcase Agent online on HomePages. “Home buyers are directed to my Web site, where they can view my listings of homes for sale,” he said. “Buyers can also search for nearby locations such as schools and grocery stores in the neighborhood, which really adds to the experience.”

Above all Douglas believes, “It’s a multitude of things you do in real estate to be successful. My clients are becoming more Internet savvy and this system provides me with the technology necessary to connect with the modern seller and effectively market my business.”

Read more about Douglas's story here.

A top producer in just seven months

Seven months into her real estate career, Carolyn Greer was recognized as a top producer at her company.

“The majority of my customer base comes from HouseValues and JustListed,” Carolyn said. “The systems provide buyer and seller leads which eliminate the amount of time spent answering phones to get prospects.”

Last year, her total commissions from HouseValues and JustListed amounted to 90 percent of her business.

“The possibilities for this system are endless,” Carolyn said. “I already have nine homes listed, two sold, and three purchased through my HouseValues and JustListed pipelines.”

The contact management system helps her stay on top of leads. “This tool allows me to build an ongoing database to maintain relationships with buyers and sellers.”

She considers this system to offer much more than just leads. She learns valuable new skills by attending seminars and working with her personal coach.

Carolyn credits her recent success as a team effort with HouseValues and JustListed. “It takes a team approach to using this system to generate maximum results.”

Read more about Carolyn here.

Converting a 16-month-old lead

This email from an Agent CEO is proof that there's really no such thing as a bad lead, or a lead that takes too long to convert. If you're persistent and patient, and have the right tools, you can make it happen!


Dear Mark,

Just a note to let you know about our latest listing, which is a 16 month old HouseValues lead.

When the lead came in, the "requestor" asked that no contact be made with her mother who
stilled lived in the house. Looked like mom would be moving to a care facility and the family
would be selling her home. Well, we did as she asked and actually was able to establish a
nice rapport with this daughter but when it came to list, another daughter chose "a friend" to
list them.

We were disappointed but "on to the next one" was our thought...we kept the daughter on a drip campaign and even sent a blast e-mail to our database about her listing hoping we might have a buyer for it.

Well, 90 days passed, the house had been significantly overpriced and didn't sell. The "requestor" e-mailed us again for an updated cma and we were delighted--it was like hearing from an old friend! 2 weeks later, she has power of attorney and we listed the home at our price - $70K under their initial list price.


So, what do we know...
1. people/clients/customers/consumers are often just beginning to think about the process when they come into the system and need info
2. a quick response to them is critical and if you can reach them by phone--you're ahead of the game.
3. being consistent and persistent pays off--even if we hadn't listed her home, we're sure we would have received referrals from her just from the service we provide

We look at our database and with having many, many leads that are that old or more, we look forward with great anticipation to a windfall of business this year!

Two new montras for the new year: Abundance Abounds! and Keep Moving Forward!

Take care,
Cher and Rhonda

Technology leads to success

After just over one full year of using HouseValues and JustListed, Jeffrey Egdell received a top award from his company for his large increase in sales. "Any award is always a big accomplishment. With a market that is down, to receive an award for increasing sales, I owe much of my success to HouseValues and JustListed."

Unlike lead generation companies he has tried in the past, he saw immediate results with this system. In just over a year, he completed 38 transactions worth over $100,000 in commissions.

He has already listed more homes this year than he did during the same period last year. "I've received a large variety of listings, ranging from high-dollar homes to starter houses."

Jeffrey comments on how this system helps him efficiently run his business. "The contact management database provides automatic follow-up and reminds me when to contact prospects," he said. "The email campaigns and newsletters help me to reach more prospects and save time since they are created and implemented for me."

Business was good before, but it really started booming with the introduction of HomePages. "I have had both buyers and sellers choose to work with me simply because of my easy to use website: www.HomePages.com/Michigan."

For Jeffrey, not only has business increased, but he now enjoys more free time. "It has helped free up more time for family, which you can't put a price on."

Read more of Jeffrey's story here.

An offer a week...

Merribeth Hall, an Agent CEO from Dollars and Sense Realty in Avon, Indiana, was looking to expand her business. She decided the Internet was the best source for getting leads and subscribed to JustListed.

"This system has been phenomenal! I closed six transactions and grossed $35,000 in commissions in my first six months with JustListed."

Her career has its ups and downs, but business has been steady since JustListed. "I now average writing an offer a week on a home," she said. "It's a numbers game and while an offer is not a guarantee of a sale, this system provides me the leads necessary to stay in the game."

Much of her success comes from using the tools this system provides. "Automated emails send out new listings to active prospects in my database, which saves time." She also benefits further by using the pre-designed templates and sales packets when corresponding with home buyers.

Overall, her quality of life has improved. Along with her real estate company, she owns a mortgage business. "JustListed made it possible for my husband to quit his job and take over the mortgage side of business. We spend more time together as a result and business is stronger today than ever before."

Read more of Merribeth's story here.

New to real estate, and already successful

Mary Kruelskie, a new Agent CEO from Century 21 Link Realty in Brandon, Florida, recalls the first few months of her real estate career. "I tried all the traditional ways to generate business and was struggling to get leads."

She subscribed to HouseValues after reading agent testimonials on how the system increased their business. She knew the system was working within two months of joining when she already had two listings.

"Within in my first year, I generated five listings, eight transactions, and earned $56,000 in commissions from HouseValues!"

When asked how HouseValues has impacted her business she replied, "Fifty percent of my listings and 60 percent of my transactions came from HouseValues leads. I generated a total of 10 listings, 23 transactions, and $138,000 in commissions from all business last year."

Mary benefits from the marketing tools the system provides.

"The follow-up email campaigns allow me to provide valuable information and stay in contact with home sellers on a consistent basis," she said.

In addition, she uses the pre-listing packets when meeting clients face-to-face.

"This system has been phenomenal," Mary exclaimed. "I anticipate even bigger results from HouseValues this upcoming year."

Read more of Mary's story here.

Increase your commissions as the neighborhood expert

With all the competition in today’s real estate market, it’s essential for agents to stand out from other agents in the neighborhood to achieve greater success. Here are some of the ways in which agents position themselves as neighborhood experts to win customers and new business.

Provide Value to the Neighborhood
Gerald Richards delivers a valuable neighborhood booklet that includes his brand and full contact information to increase his market presence.

“I did a survey of the entire sub-division and found out who did what -- babysitting, lawn care, etc. -- and made a booklet to pass out to all the neighbors,” Gerald says. “It works great and I update it every six months. The neighborhood likes it and I almost have the entire sub-division locked up.”

Lend a Hand
Cindy Larson positions herself as the neighborhood expert through her exceptional service, which enhances her neighborhood online marketing strategy. She offers this advice on the HouseValues MasterMind Forum:

“Do neighborhood yard sales! Place professional yard sale signs with your name on them, with arrows directing people to the location. On the day of the sale visit each yard sale and bring a dozen donuts or bagels. Go to every other yard sale in the area and introduce yourself. Hand out cards and calendars or pads when you do. I organize this two times a year for my neighborhood.”

She adds, “I perform many services for my clients and they love this one. I start advertising in my newsletter and emails two months out for the one I organize. Then throughout the year people will call me and ask me to help them with a yard sale. It costs me 15 bucks for the ad and the personal relationships are priceless.”

Sign, Seal, Deliver – They’re Yours
Here's my personal advice:

Print up postcards that include your personal Web address and send them out to the neighborhood With local listings, school information and neighborhood data available on your Web site, prospects will be able to get all the information they need on your Web site. Why would they ask anyone else to help them buy or sell a home?

Strong, innovative marketing is the difference between so-so success and stellar results. Your exceptional marketing and services, from yard sales to maps and more, will naturally appeal to buyers and sellers in the neighborhoods you work. When you stand out from the competition as the neighborhood expert, you dramatically improve the likelihood that they’ll choose you to buy or sell a home.

Success in San Diego

I'm in San Diego today teaching my newest seminar for real estate agents, entitled "Strike It Rich Online." It's all about helping agents make the most of their Internet marketing strategy to win more listings and do more business with Web-savvy home buyers and sellers.

Wanted to share one story about Duetta Bellamy, an Agent CEO with Coldwell Banker Residential right here in San Diego. Duetta was looking for the most cost-effective way to run her real estate business, and found exactly what she needed when she joined HouseValues.

“I signed up with HouseValues because I saw the commercials on television and thought they were very effective — more professional than I could afford to do myself,” Duetta said. “And with HouseValues delivering a guaranteed number of exclusive leads every month, I knew it would provide a smarter way for me to generate business.”

Duetta quickly found that HouseValues streamlines her marketing processes, which saves her money. “With HouseValues and JustListed I don’t have to spend a lot of money on direct-mail postcards and other farming techniques. I receive my leads from HouseValues and JustListed, as well as open houses and referrals. This gives me all the leads I need.”

The HouseValues follow-up tools make it easy for her to keep in touch with prospects. “I appreciate the automatic emails, newsletters and home listings. I often receive replies from prospects requesting more photos and information. That opens the door for me to offer my services.”

Duetta added, “HouseValues is a wonderful program, and I have referred many other agents in my company and other companies. My first deal paid for my entire year in the program and subsequent deals helped me earn the Rookie of the Year Award for Coldwell Banker."

Read more about Duetta here, or find other success stories at the Agent Success Network. Want to tell your success story to other Agent CEO's? Email me at agentceo@hotmail.com.

New links worth sharing

I've updated some of the links on the right-hand side of this page, including a few blogs that I read on a regular basis and some Realtor blogs I think are particularly well done. I will add to and modify this list as I find more, so check them out often for something new and interesting. You never know where you'll find your next great marketing or sales tip!

And if you know of a good blog I should know about or share, or if you have a blog you want me to promote, just let me know! Add your blog as a comment below, or email me at agentceo@hotmail.com and I'll take a look!

Managing customers for success

Inman News published a great article today about prospect management best practices, with lots of great tips from HouseValues as well. Agent CEOs who already use Market Leader to manage their prospects will recognize manyof these tips, but every agent should be using some of this advice to manage a wider pipeline of future business. If you're not effectively planning for the business you want to close months from now, how will you ever get there?

Read the article for free the rest of today, or use your Inman subscription for access tomorrow (Wednesday) and moving forward. I've included some of the key sections below:

"You want to be the first agent in contact with the home buyer or seller. You want to follow up quickly. And you want to stay in touch – frequently."

Since the average person researches real estate online 12 to 18 months before closing, managing customer relationships is a key element of success for brokerage companies and sales agents.

HouseValues also offers a customer relationship management tool, Market Leader. Agents who subscribe to Market Leader also have access to training sessions, teleconferences and coaching sessions.

"If they (the prospect) are not buying for many months, they still want to hear from you," Heinz said.

One of the best practices his company teaches is to send useful information, not sales pitches, to prospects, the marketing director said, echoing comments made by many real estate agents.

Market Leader sends e-mail messages to prospects at regular intervals as directed by the agent, Heinz said. "You want to put yourself in front of someone and be direct – 'I am ready to help you put your home on the market when you are ready.'"

However, Heinz cautioned, it's important not to be intrusive. Another best practice: Let the consumer stay in control.

"Let them drive the timeline," Heinz said. As prospects do their research and amass the information they need to make decisions, they will decide when it's time for action.

Another best practice: "Make yourself an expert on the neighborhood," Heinz said. Advice about local businesses, local vendors, schools, nightlife, weather and any number of things can make an agent stand out, he said.

In addition to sending out e-mails to prospects at regular intervals, the Market Leader system provides templated letters for follow-up via U.S. mail and call scripts for telephone calls, Heinz said.

Also, HouseValues subscribers can create their own Web sites with a template, he said. "Agents can offer mapping, directories of local businesses, where the parks are, restaurants, on a Web site that features their name and contact information. It's very easy for agents to set up. We do most of the work for them," Heinz said.

Patience pays off

Congratulations to Christopher Cassin, an Agent CEO who's seeing significant success lately. What a great start to 2006!

Here's Christopher's success story in his own words, as told to other Agent CEO's on the HouseValues Mastermind Forum:

I know many of you out there are wondering when the system will pay off for you. Well....until a month ago I was also in this boat. To make a long, looong story short I closed escrow today and delivered the keys and closing gift to my very happy JustListed buyers.

The bonus on this deal is a 3% buyer’s commission on a $480,000 home. These were people who came into my Market Leader database in November 2005. They were already working with a Realtor, but this person "didn't have time to show them more than 5 homes". Well I did have the time and three months later many parties to this transaction are extremly happy.

I have been a HouseValues member since May 14, 2005. I work the system the way it was set up and do have running dialog with at least 10 or so folks who eventually will purchase - hopefully through me. I owe a lot of my success to the Mastermind Forum and the many contributions from folks too numerous to mention.

The system does work. Patience is a definite requirement, but if you work the system and utilize the many suggestions on this forum the sky is the limit!!!

"HomePages was my close"

What are you using in your listing presentations to win more listings? How are you proving to prospective clients that your marketing plan for their home will help their home sell quickly, and for the best price? How are you differentiating yourself and your marketing plan from that of other agents?

Don Allard has a pretty good strategy, that is working for both him and others. I've seen many examples lately of how a marketing strategy with HomePages.com is helping agents win more listings. But more generally, your customers want to know that you're a tech-savvy agent, who will feature their home on the Internet - where the vast majority of home shoppers are these days anyway.

Here's a short success story from Don. Think about what your Internet marketing strategy looks like, and how you're using it to win more business.


Posted by: Don Allard
Post subject: "HomePages was my close"

I just returned from a listing presentation. HomePages was my close. I sold them on the buyers select neighborhood first and homes second. They loved the thought of folks being able to view the neighborhood before they move. Also, the premier/featured home aspect. I have the domain www.maptwincitieshomes.com which I posted on Craigslist. The result has been additional sessions on my Web site.

From prospect to listing in two years

Just got an email from Judy Motley, an Agent CEO who does a fantastic job managing her pipeline of prospective customers. She just heard back from a prospect she first met two years ago, who is ready to list his house. They'd exchanged emails off and on during that time, but met late this week and the house is now listed - with Judy!

A long-term approach to your prospect management plan definitely pays off. If your prospect isn't ready to buy or sell right away, tell them you're ready when they're ready, and just check in from time to time. For Internet consumers, that's what they want, and as Judy's example above shows, those prospects will reward you with their business!

How to find more buyers in a slowing market

Heading into her third year of being in business for herself, San Jose-area real estate agent Catherine Gortner credits Internet leads for generating over 30% of her business from 2004 to 2005. By shifting her focus from sellers to buyers, this $300,000 a year producer is finding ways to capitalize on the opportunities revealed by a market slowdown.

Catherine will be the featured speaker on the next HouseValues Mastermind Call on Thursday, February 23, at 7:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. Pacific time. Want to join the call? Just call toll-free at 877-450-0088 to get the call-in number and passcode. You’ll be glad you did!

Free guerilla marketing strategies

I’ll admit it, the first time I heard the term “guerilla marketing”, I thought it referred to something very different. But it’s not really about advertising to big apes. It’s actually far more interesting, and something every Agent CEO can use to make their business more efficient and successful, and also stand out from their competition.

Guerilla Marketing means finding successful, out-of-the-box ways of promoting your business to prospective customers. It usually means ignoring some of the traditional advertising sources available to competitors, and instead finding new channels that break through to your prospects. That means avoiding things like newspapers, direct mail, and other advertising that most of your competitors already use, and instead trying new strategies that make your prospects stand up and take notice.

There are a lot of great guerilla marketing ideas specifically for real estate agents, available for free, right here. Download the report today, and try a couple in your business. Then tell me how it went.

Have a guerilla idea of your own you want to share? Post it here, or email me at agentceo@hotmail.com.

Great success!

Persistence equals results for Chicago agent

Below is an email from Bill Barnes, an Agent CEO with RE/MAX City in Chicago. He's doing what it takes to build his business for the long haul, and has a strong understanding of how to work his leads to be successful. Keep up the great work Bill!


Mark-

It was good to see you at the seminar. Sorry, I left early for a listing appointment, but I did take the listing on the spot!

The real surprise came the next morning when I received two early morning voice-mails. One was from a HomePages buyer. She and her fiancee are moving here from Virginia. We'll do our first showings Friday. With one official month in existence, HomePages is starting to produce results!!

And finally, I'm happy to report that the other voice-mail was my first HouseValues listing! It's a guy who contacted me in late September by email, told me he had fired two different Realtors and asked for credentials and what I would do different. I replied that I was surprised that neither Realtor had told him he was priced twelve to eighteen thousand higher than the highest sold in his entire town!

I went to his house, sat with him and his wife, and told them that as much as I would like to take the listing now, they were headed into a slow season in a slow market and that their best bet was to wait until Spring to achieve their desired price. This gentleman was my second voice-mail!

Great way to start the day!!

You've always told me it would start to happen, and as frustrating as it has been at times, I've had to remind myself that you are not handing me SALES, you are giving me LEADS. Some are sincere, some are re-financing, some are doing "what-ifs", and some are probably nosy neighbors. It's how I handle them that makes the difference.

The first one's the hardest. Now I need to review what I've been doing and fine tune it to create regular conversions. I believe that HouseValues is as good as your ability to utilize it. Thank you for your help and support.

Bill Barnes
RE/MAX City
Chicago... and the World

Jump-start 2006 with a free business plan

This morning I wrote in my latest column for Realty Times about several suggestions agents nationwide can use to have their best year ever in 2006. In the column I offered a free copy of my 2006 business plan guide to anyone who sent me an email.

I've been overwhelmed with requests, and am so excited to hear from agents all over the country who are hungry to get their business humming this year!

If you'd like a copy for yourself, please email me at agentceo@hotmail.com. I'd love to hear from you!

Claudia

Great contextual marketing (and customers too)

Someone on the RealTalk forum earlier today had a fantastic suggestion about marketing to prospective customers at the local latte stand. She posted a flyer at the drive-up window offering anyone who listed their home with her a $100 gift certificate for coffee.

That's a great creative & contextual offer. You know that 100% of the drivers are interested in coffee. And the vast majority of visitors to independent coffee stands are local.

My guess is that this agent gets a lot of calls from prospective customers just because they think her offer is cool. They might not be ready to sell their house just yet, but they just met a very creative real estate agent who clearly has smart marketing ideas. Not a big stretch to assume that same marketing savvy would be put to work on their home...