All Forum Posts by: Alison M.

Bumping up.  So far we have vehicle signs, people with logo tee-shirts, and yard signs in front of houses in addition to mailings.  I know there have to be some other ideas out there!  Anyone?

Thanks @James Wise .  How do you find each of these work for you?  Can you trace any acquisitions back to your signs, people, and car magnets?  Thanks~!

I was having a discussion with a partner today about new ways to market, and I said I'd put the question to the group.  

We feel like we've got the postcards/letters/mailers covered and want to branch out. Where else do people see good ROI for their marketing dollars in big-city locations?

Hi Ryan, I agree with what many of our colleagues here have said, especially Dev Horn. That first contact with a nervous, possibly distressed potential seller is critically important, IMO, and whoever is answering should have some real skin in the game. 

*  I've used PatLive and it cost me a fortune, and I did not get a single deal from a call they answered.  

*I've used a VA who came highly recommended but somehow I didn't close a single deal that she initially answered, either.

*You mentioned a relative who retired from sales - if it were me, I'd at least have a conversation with him and see if you can work out a trial period for him to answer the phone.  That could be a great temporary solution until you go full-time.

I now answer my own phone.  Besides getting the phone to ring in the first place, I don't think here is anything more important in this business.   One more tip - call some of the bandit signs you see around your town and note how they answer their phones.  I have my kids do it from the car when we pass a sign, with our "my grandmother needs to sell her house" routine.   It's a great way to see what the competition is up to!

OK @Rick H.

Hi Andry, I completely agree with what Dev said above.  I also recommend and use Trello, a free web site that lets you organize your leads in a visual way and create a sales pipeline arrangement if you like.   I have no affiliation with Trello, I just really like it and it's different than anything else out there.  Alison

Since this is a topic that comes up often I'll chime in with a Public Service Announcement reminder:   While response rate is important, the metric that really matters is how many deals you close rather than how many calls you get.  I've gotten huge response rates from some mailers that didn't yield a single deal, and vice versa.  

I am in the DC market which is also extremely competitive.  

In my experience a real buyer is someone who is willing to get to the house quickly after you've brought it to him or her, who can produce proof of funds immediately without hemming and hawing about it, and who can make a decision about whether to buy or not quickly.  A real buyer will not string you along or waste your time.  If your deal is good, they want to have a good relationship with you.   A real buyer wants to be easy to work with. 

In a competitive market you can also ask for a non-refundable EMD and that will weed out some tire-kickers.

@Ned Carey  hit the nail on the head.  No one is going to call you up and say "Let me sell you my $500k house for $250k!".    Within certain geographic parameters you need to find the problems that need solving, add value to the seller and then negotiate your deal. 

The angry message is much easier to face  if you use a voice-to-text transcription service so they come as readable e-mails rather than irate voices.  I can just skim the transcription and delete it if I see it's venting.  

I use YouMail but there are others I'm sure.  I've been very happy with YouMail and it is inexpensive.