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Todd Davis' Blog

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Marketing or Techno-Babble?

Todd Davis, Real Estate Pro in Tulsa
Written by Todd Davis, Real Estate Professional in Tulsa
November 19, 2008 6:03 PM in Market Conditions  |  USA
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I was answering a question about "inexpensive" marketing ideas, and I was hit with a number of responses that confused me. Well, not confused, shocked more rightly.

It seems to me that with all the suggestions made...email another card, send a post card... beg relatives and friends (COI) for leads, blog, and add yet another website (that no one will ever see), mostly revolved around the computer to get leads.

 

Most of these ideas are PASSIVE, SIT ON YOUR HANDS, MARKETING. With the exception of asking family for leads...that just doesn't work that well or often. 
 

Old school used to say "belly to belly" is the way to the bank. So haven't we all gotten a little too filled with techno-babble, whiz-bang gizmos and social sites?

 

Oh my gosh - put a little face to face in the mix. Meet people - go and find them, knock on doors, beat your competition with FSBOs by...get this...visiting them! Find other business people and network with them! Find out what they do...care about them....develop a relationship...join a referral club...and get pre-qualified referrals!

 

I have mentioned Gold Star Clubs before...referral marketing WORKS. It takes the investment of your personal time. Yes, it takes a little money - but the return on the investment is pure GOLD and it comes FAST! And much less costly than all of the "free" website you can fill in the blanks for. Having a website and people FINDING it, are very, very different things...and usually costs money!

 

Get away from the computer as your primary source of business...reach out and shake someone’s hand!

 

Regards,

Todd

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Comments

By Michael J Kelly,CIPS,CRS,SRES,  Wed Nov 19 2008, 20:25
There's an old salesperson's credo, "See the people!" I attended a "social Networking" meeting and folks all exclaimed how their blog did this or featured this "cute"idea or highlighted a local hotspot or event. I don't mind blogging, we are doing it now! However, every manager's nightmare would be to hear his entire office has now decided to abandoned calling on fsbos,expireds,knocking on door, open houses, for "social networking" vis a vi a blog! I think folks should grab Gary Keller's new book "Shift" and get the mental mindset this market requires and get into "uncomfortable". High Tech but HIGH TOUCH!
By Dp2,  Thu Nov 20 2008, 00:43
You need both approaches. Some ppl will never do the face-to-face thing, and others will never do the computer thing. It's a personality and/or life-style thing.

Personally, I prefer doing the computer thing, because I can multitask, and I can take my time to do my due diligence. I don't feel pressured to make a decision too fast, and doing it this way helps to save some gas (it's a green thing--in more ways than one).
By Todd Davis,  Fri Nov 21 2008, 19:13
Excellent comment, Michael. I haven't picked up his new book - but I loved the "Millionaire Agent"!

Dp2...you're probably going broke if you sell real estate for a living...alas
By Dp2,  Sat Nov 22 2008, 03:21
Todd, I thank you for your concern, and I'm fine.

Also, I suspect you've mistakenly assumed I'm an agent. Again, I'm not a realtor/broker. I'm a buyer, and I know hundreds of buyers like me. I realize you prefer face-to-face interactions, I respect that, and I know other buyers who prefer this too. I didn't intend to suggest that one method is better than another; rather, I--a buyer--intended to inform you that some of us prefer to do the computer thing (as I alluded to earlier).
By Todd Davis,  Sat Nov 22 2008, 15:20
Ahhh...That explains a lot! With buyers...after I meet with them in my office and listen to what they want, why they want it (like a young couple says they want a 4 bedroom when a 3 bedroom really will work), and I get to know them...I send listings to them to review. When they have found a couple of the BEST homes, we schedule a time to see them. Usually 2 or 3, at a time ,maybe after work, lunchtime,or even before work.

For you, the buyer...Computer work is exactly what you should be doing. Hopefully you're working with a agent to get the best homes to you for your review.

Its saddens me when I hear from a disgruntled buyer that, before me, an agent select the homes to see, tossed them into the car, and dragged them around for hours looking at anything and everything...and most of the which were not even close to what they wanted.

I hope you're being taken care of Dp2.

Much success!
Todd

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