Localize to SEOize

Serious marketers in real estate are zeroing in on their local market and generating strong sales results from this strategy. Review Teresa Boardman's blog site for an example of a sales producing localized blog. Simple, clean, transparent, and accessible (folksy). Many Realtors I consult invariably refute this strategy by saying, "Why would I limit my geographical area? I'll do a transaction practically anywhere."
Of course. But keep in mind that laser-targeting your marketing area has two important benefits that naturally increase your overall marketing efforts, plus generally not diminishing the possibility of missing an opportunity.
Here's why: (1) Strictly from a 'prospects' viewpoint, a realtor who specializes in an area is going to be perceived to be the expert in that area. The more you zero-in on your target area (say, include short video's or photos in your blog or website that feature your local haunts and secrets that 'only the locals know for sure') the more the prospects will return to your site. The more they return, the more they develop a relationship with you, and the more likely they will call you to do business.
(2) Better local site content is rewarded by the search engines, and thus your site will generate more 'organic' traffic and ultimately help develop more of what happens in #1 above. Do you know what your SEO traffic patterns are? Do you know where your visitors are originating from? Do you know where they visit on your site, the most popular pages, how long they stay? Visit www.google.com/analytics to learn how to access a free site-traffic analytics service.
(3) Trust is developed when you are perceived as an expert, and your trusted relationship will carry you into other markets, beyond your imagination.
(4) Teresa has a few additional thoughts (pardon the monkey-cam):

Time Is Money - Marketing in 2008

Inman News, one of the best real estate channels of news, marketing, and technology information, has a new video from their recent gathering in New York that is worth watching.

ListingCard.Net is the fastest and easiest system for generating affordable flyers for your listings anywhere. We receive emails from agents who boast that they completed their ListingCard design in less than 8 minutes. Since we print and ship with a few days, that is an efficient use of time!

Key Points: The 80/20 Rule for Home Prices

Eighteen months ago we listened to a leading Economist from Stewart Title tell the audience that "In this new market sellers are going to have to sober up..." to the new price reality if they are going to sell their home in a reasonable timeframe. At the time we knew it to be true, but we were still drunk with the upswing of home prices and basically in denial.

What is interesting is the lower market today is broken into two levels, 80% of homes that are overpriced, and the 20% that are priced correctly to sell. In the mind of the buyer, the margin that separates an attractive price to "out of the ballpark" is thin, yet very distinct. The home price cannot be close to the "In the market" price, it has to be all-the-way "In the market".

For example, our neighbor across the street finally found a buyer after being listed for over 9 months. But it took a 20% price reduction during month 8 to make it happen. This seemed extreme until the realtor explained, "The first 17% drop in price was the owner accepting the distinction that their listing was 'On the market' and had to become 'In the market' if they wanted it to sell. The last 3% was typical negotiation."

We checked with our old neighbors who lamented, "It was frankly many months of disbelief before we realized that our home was not worth what we'd hoped. We're still disappointed about the market, but quite happy our home finally sold, and believe it was the right price."

This notion of "On the market" versus "In the market" is important to convey to sellers, and the fine line that separates them. It requires that you study the market and evaluate prices every day to best understand how to properly price the home. A careful analysis of price and condition versus the comps will tell the story.

2008 Cutting-Edge Marketing - Drive-By Text Msg

It is cold outside. Or, it's raining.
Or, perhaps you just don't feel like getting out of your car to pull the flyer from the flyer box. But you really want to know more about the house.
As a prospect looking for property information you have no choice. You have to exit the car and grab a flyer.
The three links below are part of a new technology offered to realtors that connects prospects looking for information about a house to their cell phone. The benefits for prospects are convenience, but the benefits to realtors are huge.
Watch the video below and click on the links to learn how this new service is just one more example of how technology is once again transforming the real estate marketing world. (Just like the "print-on-demand technology behind the ListingCards, of course!)

http://drivebuytech.com/
http://www.cellsigns.com/
http://www.smarteragent.com/

Marketing 2008: Reputation Management

Right when you've experienced the latest and greatest tool from Google, they have a new tool that strikes at the heart of the marketing 'issue du jour' for 2008 - reputation management.
With the incredible power of the Internet comes the incredible damage that can occur when something malicious is said about you that may cause harm.
Many websites today offer a feedback system reflecting a customers experience with you and your company which could have a very positive or negative effect. The Google Alert system will notify immediately when a comment has been made or somebody has said something about you.
Go to: http://www.google.com/alerts
Several feedback sites that provide this feedback service are:
http://www.agentscoreboard.com
http://www.homethinking.com
http://incredibleagents.com
http://www.epinions.com
What is interesting to note: When the ListingCard.Net site was featured in Realtor magazine the endorsement provided a vast conversation over the Internet that we tracked with the Google Alert system. We are fortunately that it was overwhelmingly positive and gave us great confidence about the ListingCard marketing product.

For 2008: 'Catfish Networking' with ListingCards

Networking has two levels of participation: the 'observer' networker, and the 'activator' networker.
The 'activator' is the person who participates, connects, and makes the most of the networking situation. They are the opposite of the 'observer' networker, and always seem to be the life of the party.
I greatly admired this skill until I asked an expert 'activator' networker, how does she do it?
Her name is Roxanne Kelemen, Team Leader at Keller Williams Realty in Carlsbad, California. Roxy is the most astounding 'activator' networker on this planet. (Seriously.)
She explained that it is a mindset she embraces at every moment she is in her 'activator' role. What she keeps in her mind is the Catfish.
"A what?" I asked.
Roxy explained, "In certain fish breeding and farming ponds it was discovered that left to themselves fish will slowly meander around the pond and grow up to become bland tasting and less appealing at the fish markets."
"However, when a single catfish is introduced into the pond, the fish pick up speed, grow up stronger, taste better, look more healthy, and are a better product altogether.
(Knowing that my mind was picturing the concept of nip and tuck, survival of the fittest, etc., she continued...)
"I simply become the catfish. My presence in a networking environment lifts the room to an entirely new and exciting level of connectedness, productivity and performance."
As for the Listingcards, Roxanne says they are the perfect networking tool. Her recommendation:
Just before the meeting starts, circle the room and make sure everyone in the room is given a ListingCard. Do it quickly, without hesitation. Say, "Hi! Here is important infomation, Hi! Here is important information, Hi! Here is important information. Etc. Etc. It will create a buzz in the room! Do it every time, at every meeting.
In today's Real Estate marketplace with so many homes available for sale, you have to remind your associates and friends that your properties are still available, so they won't forget about yours!
Raise your networking effectiveness to a whole new level in 2008 with ListingCards. Go to: www.ListingCard.Net and order your's today!

For 2008: Save Money With ListingCards

Here's a simple idea that can save you money.

Each time you reorder your business cards you pay $75 to $150, without giving it a second thought. Each time you order listing flyers you pay another $40 to $75. That is (potentially) $160 per month.

May we suggest that next time, order ListingCards in lieu of your listing flyers and use them as both business cards and listing flyers.

A set of 500 ListingCards are $79, plus you receive FREE Shipping.
In this case this is a savings of at least $80.

In 2008, saving money is critical. Using innovative marketing tools in your business is imperative. So, let's rethink paying this duplicate expense with business cards and listing flyers, and review the options.
The ListingCard is:

1. A 'two-fer' - A business card and listing flyer rolled into one handy shirt pocket size. It's like you buy one, and get one free.

2. Perfect for displaying around the office or at your property. Prospects take them, put them in their pocket, pull them out and they still look great leaving a lasting positive impression.

3. Great conversation starter since they are one-of-a-kind.

4. Feature the property you are trying to sell. Which means every time you hand out your ListingCard you can easily engage in a conversation about your listed property.

5. Feature your contact information, including your portrait and company logo.

6. Sellers just LOVE the ListingCards since it is the first marketing tool that really helps them to personally promote their property. (Doesn't it make sense to have the sellers be your "Secret Sales Force"?)

In today's market you must be a good steward of your money. Over-spending is not an option.

Order your ListingCards today. Click on: http://www.listingcard.net/