I had a coaching call the other day with a good Realtor friend of mine worried about losing market share. She perceived that she was losing her grip on the neighborhood she used to live in. She had lived in that neighborhood for 6, 7, 8 years, something like that, and her sign showed up in more yards than any one else. And in 2020 she moved in to her dream new construction home 15 minutes away.
When she lived in the old neighborhood, she relied on face-to-face contact, walking the dog, stopping the car to chat, community events. And she saw a lot of these neighbors at school events ... one of her kiddos is now in college & the other is a junior in high school, so the school thing is losing oxygen. She is facing empty nester syndrome - and the kid connection has always fed her business - and she moved neighborhoods.
The previous plan wasn't much of a plan (it was not in writing), it was good old fashioned organic I-live-here real estate. And that works when you live there.
She needed a plan, a new plan.
I reminded her that there are thousands of Realtors across the country who dominate neighborhoods they do not live in, we just need a plan.
We need to shift from I live here & see you all the time & know what your kids are up to ... to I have a marketing plan that works.
Let's get your name popping up in front of them all the time ... a system.
Here is the plan we are outlining & tweaking:
First, check with your title company to see what they have to offer.
April 30 appreciation party ... go big, have fun! Call everyone before & after.
geo-target Facebook ad campaign, set budget at $50/month
narrow the 1200 doors down to owner-occupied only (title company will help with this task), result list of 500 door ----> monthly postcard campaign on auto-pilot, this is a numbers game, must commit to 1, 2, 3 years ... budget & commit & auto-pilot - thank.io, mailbox power, sendout cards, etc.
send just sold postcard out NOW to the 500
mail April paper shredding event (she rents a shred truck for the neighborhood) invite out NOW; order a small number of 2022 calendars now & hand them out at this event
July / August - mail branded football schedule magnets $300
November - mail 500 magnetic calendars $300
EVERY FRIDAY - send 3 personalized photo cards - Postagram, SimplyCards, sincerely.com
Call sphere & past clients in the neighborhood every quarter ... right now invite them to the April shred event
What is your marketing plan? What is your farm plan? Is it simply organic? Is it in writing? Do you have a calendar you follow? What do you do each week for your database & farm? each month? What is the plan, what parts are on auto-pilot, which parts simply need your discipline to execute? System & the discipline to stick with it is the key here ... and you need both ... system without discipline is like really good pasta without sauce, a fabulous car without gas, a new outfit & no party to attend.
It's all about a plan & a system & your discipline. If discipline is your weak spot, then auto-pilot is your friend. I have a monthly magazine that goes out to my A+ peeps, it's on auto-pilot ... set it & forget it, occasionally add a name or two to the list because they send me an email reminding me to do so.
Plans & systems help mature your business, feed your pipeline, nurture your database, save your valuable time. Other Realtors will come & go in your preferred neighborhood, but the one with a long-term plan & system is going to dominate. Don't worry about the temporary setbacks ... get a long-term plan in place, work the plan, & love on your people from every angle possible.
And congratulations on the new home, well done!