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Archive for the ‘Junk Drawer’ Category

As little as five years ago, a typical campaign would have included a postcard direct mailing to a qualified* list, a half page ad in the local paper and maybe some spot radio or tv.

Today, we have to do more with less. We need to do it faster…and we need to be adaptive.

The accepted practice of sending out 5,000 postcards to people to qualified* prospects in your area won’t improve your results. Not only because the of the state of market but because our true target is much smaller.

No longer are we marketing to 55+.  We are now marketing to 55+ with specific INTERESTS and theme preferences.

Lakefront people are different from moutainbiking people. City people are different from suburbanites. You may grab a stray from time to time but for the most part – your buyers are looking for a place with people who are just like them.

So market it that way.

You can spend $1.00 per unit to dump junk mail on 5,000 strangers or you can spend $10 per unit to market to 100  likely buyers.  Which do you think will give you a better chance of success in the long run?

*After 15 years of doing this, I’m still trying to figure out how you can find 5,000 people in a general metro area that are “qualified” and alike enough to do this.

Yikes! October is upon us (sorry for the posting gap…I’ve been busy – and I don’t mean to sound like a jerk by saying that).

We’ve got another month in the fall sales season before we all pack it up for the winter Now is the time to get your planning for 2010. (Face it, if you haven’t figured out what you’re going to do to close out the year, you’re throwing darts at a wall.)

Why not take the winter to get your marketing & media house in order? In particular, pay some attention to social media such as Twitter, Facebook & YouTube and how to put them to use for you.

I remember when I built my first builder website in 1998.  Everyone (including the builder) didn’t think that this was going to amount to much because “all of our leads come our Sunday ad & yard signs”.

Things have changed…no?

Today’s next new thing is social media. Creating and using networks to promote your business (passively) and cost effectively. Leverage your connections and your friends connections to keep you top of mind when they’re in the market for a new home.

Creating a facebook and twitter account will take you less than 20 minutes.

Why not get started today?