In Issue 08 of Elite Agent we had six experts provide their top tips for 2016 in our special feature 30 top business boosting ideas. Here are the top five from Carl Quested of Agentmail.
- SPEAK LIKE A HUMAN IN PERSON AND IN YOUR MARKETING
Don’t talk in real estate talk! Focus on language that engages with your audience and that is relevant to them. Remember, only three per cent of the market are buying or selling, which means your message needs to be broader to appeal and engage with everyone. Avoid using complex language or real estate jargon. Your job is not to sell your expertise; it’s to create a connection, a conversation.
Use a tool like hemingwayapp.com, which ensures your writing is at a level that your entire audience can read. Aim for about sixth grade.
Read your text out loud, remove any words that are not needed and revise anything that doesn’t flow. - UNDERSTAND THE 11/7/4 RULE
Google conducted a survey called ‘zero moment of truth’ which found that people made buying decisions long before they even made their first contact with you. The 11/7/4 rule refers to 11 touch-points, seven hours’ worth of content, across four platforms. And you can’t do one without the others! You can’t simply drop a flyer 11 times to one person and think you have earned the right to their business. If they throw them away each time, you have probably only engaged for 30 seconds. Focusing on mixed media platforms – video, direct mail, phone calls, podcasts and more – will ensure you chew through those seven hours more quickly, while creating multiple touch-points on different platforms. - IT’S OK TO MIX BUSINESS AND PLEASURE
People buy from people, and you are a person first, agent second. Share with your audience what you are passionate about, what you stand for and what you like to do for fun. You will connect on a deeper level with people when they get to see the real you, rather than the real estate you. If you are a goof, bring that into your videos. If you’re a keen sports person, sponsor those local clubs, share content about them and be passionate about it. If you stand for a cause, don’t be afraid to let this shine too. There’s a saying that if you stand for nothing, you’ll fall for everything. Let people know what you stand for. - DON’T LET GOOD DESIGN GET IN THE WAY OF GREAT COPY
Pretty designs will get attention; but if the message is poor, or cut short, you’re done. Good design alone will not cause people to take action. The worst thing I see is when someone creates a layout first, and then decides after that how many words can fit in the allotted space. Your message needs to stand front and centre when it comes to any marketing campaign. Having said that, don’t skimp on decent design, as this can also create disconnect. To improve your skills, The Copywriter’s Handbook by Robert Bly and The Ultimate Sales Letter by Dan Kennedy are great starting points. And for design, simply Google ‘Principles of design’ and you will be greeted by some great articles and infographics. - CONTINUE THE YEAR WITH THE SAME ‘BANG’ YOU STARTED WITH
So many agents start the year with a bang; they get the first newsletter out and plan to do a monthly phone call and weekly letterbox drops. And by the time the next newsletter rolls around, the enthusiasm has waned, the budget is gone and newsletter idea gets canned. Your audience are watching what you do to determine whether they can rely on you. Consistent marketing, in every area, is vital. This doesn’t just mean posting on Facebook every week.
It also applies to networking, functions, sponsorships and more. If you’re going to commit to any marketing endeavour, work out what it will cost to do it for 12 months and ensure you can stick to it for that long.
Special Offer: Elite Agent readers who mention this article will receive a 10 per cent discount on any telemarketing campaign, valid until 1 February 2016.
