1. business and industrial
2. advertising and marketing
3. telemarketing

"How to Use Little Known Real Estate Marketing
Secrets No One Else Will Tell You…To Close More
Transactions In A Month Than You Now Close All
Year!"
"I’ve got four listing appointments this week and three set for
next week! I've never had so many appointments and so much
confidence walking in a listing! I've also got more good quality
buyers than ever before too!" - Jim Estes, Coldwell Banker –
Buyer Ads that Will Have Your
Phone Ringing Off the Hook
This is another way to use free reports and "free recorded messages". The basics are similar to
the other free reports strategies, you're just aiming at renters. The objective is to stimulate
interest and also agitate them just a little bit about the fact they're wasting money on rent - when
they could be owning.
You place one of these ads in a local newspaper, penny saver or your homes magazine and the
results will follow. I've seen agents generate as many as 50-100 calls in a single weekend with
these ads. The publications they used varied from market to market, but the ad worked virtually
everywhere it ran.
Also a quick point about the second ad. You'll notice it's editorially formatted. It looks kind of like a
news article. In newspaper (outside of the classified section) ads that look like news will pull as
much as 300%-500% better than ads that look like ads.
Positioning is Absolutely Crucial!
In planning your advertising strategy, another major key to consider is the position of your ads
within a given publication. I've seen the exact same ad pull 2 calls one weekend. The very next
weekend in the same publication (positioned correctly) it pulled 47 responses... again same ad,
same publication, same everything, just different positioning.
So consider these things when planning your next ad placement strategies. Also, I would suggest
that you refer to your course materials for a much deeper explanation and for more examples and
case studies. These two ads are just the beginning - but a good beginning they are!
AD#1
Free Report Reveals How to Stop Paying Rent Forever and Own a Home of Your Own!
Washington, DC - A free report has just been released that shares startling new ways to stop
paying rent and own a home of your own. Call Toll-Free 1-800-xxx-xxxx, Recording # xxxx, 24
hrs, for a recorded message and a free copy of this report. Call to find out what your landlord is
hoping you will never read about!
AD#2
Who Else Wants to Stop Paying Rent Forever
and Own a Home of Your Own Instead?
Quit Paying Your Landlord's Mortgage! Everytime You Write a Rent Check You're Putting a
Flaming Torch to Your Money...There is a Better Way!
Your town, State – Mary and John were in
awe. The feelings they had were hard to
describe. They could hardly believe they were
actually moving into a home of their very own.
They watched from the sidewalk as the
movers loaded their last piece of furniture into
the moving van. They were finally getting out
of that cramped little apartment they lived in
for the last four-and-a-half years. They hopped
in the car and Mary felt butterflies in her
stomach as she said, "Let’s go home."
A few minutes later they rounded the corner
and Mary caught a glimpse. When it came
into full view, she began to tear up and think
back to all the times they put off the idea of
buying, thinking they couldn’t afford it. That's
when Jimmy, their four year old, asked from
the back seat, "When are we going to get
there
Mommy?" She turned, leaned her head back
and said, "We’re home sweetie. We’re home."
The garage door opened and they happily
eased the car in. As the car stopped Mary
remembered all the times she prayed
for a way to get out of that small cramped
apartment. All that changed one day when
Mary was browsing through a local paper and
noticed an article offering a free report
entitled, "How to Stop Paying Rent Forever
and Own a Home of Your Own!"
Out of curiosity she decided to call for the
free report. A couple days later it arrived in
the mail, and as she read it she could hardly
believe it. A new feeling of hope and
excitement shot through her. The details in
the report revealed options she and John
didn’t know existed. The report explained
ways of owning that only required a small
down payment and low income requirements.
That was the beginning.
Just three weeks after getting the report
John and Mary were moving into their very
own home. They did it! And with far less
money than they imagined. To get a copy of
this revealing report call the recorded
information line below. Call now to discover
what your landlord hopes you will never read.
Call Toll-Free 1-800-xxx-xxxx, Recording # xxxx, 24 hrs, for a
Recorded Message and Your FREE Report.
How to Get 300% to 500% More Sign Calls That
Go Straight to You…Not a Receptionist!
What’s the key? Again, just like everything else in your marketing, make it easy and inviting
for your prospect to call you. Recorded Info / 24 Hours is the perfect hook! We’ve seen
agents go from 8-10 sign calls a month to 30-50 calls by putting this simple message on a
sign rider.
For Recorded Information – 24 Hours
Toll-Free 1-800-XXX-XXXX ID# 2100
Sign riders are a good source for generating calls. They won’t produce as many calls as your
homes magazines and other sources, but the calls you get will be high quality leads. You’ll
get good quality drive-by callers and you’ll also get the neighbor who’s been thinking about
selling. Plus, an added benefit of the rider is it makes your sellers happy. It’s a constant
reminder that you are giving them 24-hour-a-day advertising.
There are several points to consider with sign riders. The first is visibility. Like one agent told
us, "The most important thing about my riders is that they get noticed. I want everyone who
drives by to see the 24-hour recorded information sign. That’s why I printed it on both sides of
the rider, I mount it on top of my sign, and I also decided to get the larger riders so they
would be easy to see. I used to have 8x24 inch riders, but since I have a 30 inch width sign I
decide to change to 12x30 inch riders. Now they are a lot easier to see. And the response
has been significantly better."
To summarize the key points:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Have the recorded information message printed on both sides of your rider
Get as large of a rider as your signs will accommodate (12x30 if possible)
Be sure to include 24-Hour and Recorded Information (examples follow)
Mount the rider on top of your sign
Position your sign for maximum visibility
Example proportioned the same as a 12x30 inch rider:
You can use any sign rider source you choose to get your riders done. The prices vary from
$5 to $15 depending on the material used for the rider and the quantity you order. If you don’t
have a source, here are two sources that have done good work for our clients in the past:
•
•
Aztec Marketing Company in Austin, TX 800-252-8134
Sam’s Signs in Atlanta, GA 800-451-9878
Call to get a quote from each one and go with whoever you feel most comfortable. Both of
these companies refer to this style of rider as "hotline riders".
How to Target Renters and
Get Them to Respond
This strategy is similar to some of the strategies I explained in listing articles concerning the
use of educational reports. It involves direct mailing renters with a series of postcards and
letters designed to generate an inquiry for a free educational report. Once the prospect
inquires, you launch a plan for consistently following-up until your prospects convert.
One of our agents who focuses purely on buyer agency told us, "Since I don’t carry any
listings I have to aggressively market for buyers and this approach has worked great. Every
mailing I get 2%-5% response for the free report.
I call them first, to confirm their address and kind of warm them up a little bit. I mail them the
report. Then I follow up by phone three days later to see if I can get them to take the next
step. If they are a little defensive, I try to put them at ease so they’ll be receptive to me later.
Then I put them in my contact manager and follow up with them until they do something."
He also explained, "Every time I mail them a letter or call them on the phone I have
something to offer them. I offer to help them get financed. If their credit is bad, I offer to help
them get it cleaned up. If they want to look for a particular kind of home, I offer to send them
a list of properties in their range. The main thing is I let them know that I’m available to be of
service and I try to make them feel at ease."
How effective has this approach been for our agent? He’s doing an average of six to eight
transactions a month with it! He does this nine months a year, then he takes three months off
and relaxes. Not a bad lifestyle…huh?
So the keys to the approach are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Mail renters a series of postcards and letters offering a free report (course materials)
Once they respond for the report, call, confirm their address, and begin warming up
Mail the report
Follow up by phone three days later
Follow up every ten to thirty days depending on their buying temperature
Be consistent in your follow up until they do something
Every time you follow up have some service to offer
In every communication strive to make them feel at ease
One of the key things to understand with this strategy is: It’s a longer term strategy. Plus, it’s
purely a numbers game. When you mail 500 renters a postcard or letter, 10-20 of them will
respond for the report. Then with good consistent follow up 30%-40% will convert over the
next six months.
Some will convert quickly, while others will take more time and consistent follow-up. So over
six months, three to eight prospects will ultimately convert to transactions. If you mail 500
renters every month and you consistently follow-up with every lead, ultimately you will be
producing between three and eight transactions every month from this one strategy. The
biggest key is consistency of follow-up and the willingness to pay the price of six months to
make it happen.
A 6-Step Mailing Program for Renters
With this mailing program you alternate mailing renters an "article" one month (examples in
your course materials), a letter the second, an "article" the third and so on. There are three
letters and three "articles" for a total of six months. At the end of six months you simply start
over at month one and repeat the process. This mailing approach can be done over and over
because the renter market is constantly shifting and changing. Plus, after repeated exposure
the likelihood of getting a renter to respond increases significantly.
Another consideration is that you may want to carry this process out on an every-other-month
basis. Depending on how aggressively you want to cultivate the renter market, you may find it
more appropriate to implement a toned-down version of the process outline in your course
materials. Whatever the case, if you work the system, the system will produce.
All of these materials are on the diskette that comes with your course. Each "article" is an
editorially formatted ad that you should print, fold and tear an edge along the top of the ad,
and photocopy it on another sheet of paper. This will make it look like you found an article for
your renter prospect to read. Then write (or pay someone to write) with a blue felt tip pen, a
quick note above the "article" and sign your name. For example, "Mr. Smith, I thought you
might like to read this. John"
If you personalize it with "Mr. Smith" it costs a little bit more, but the response rates will be
significantly better. Also, I would recommend that you refresh your memory concerning the A
pile, B pile theory of Gary Halbert’s. It’s a direct mail fundamental!
In order to consistently get the response rates you need to make this strategy work with peak
effectiveness, every "little thing" like personalizing your mailer is very important. Plus, once
you have a system where other people prepare your mailings, it doesn’t take any more of
your time to make it "personal". But the rewards will be increased response rates, better
conversion rates and more commission checks cashed!
How to Use Free Reports the Right Way...
You'll Explode Your Listing Inventory
How would you like to have a list of 300 prospects that each month, when you mailed them a
letter, you got anywhere from 8 to 12 of them to list with you. Sound impossible? It’s not. Not
if the prospects you’re mailing have indicated an interest in selling at some point in the near
future. How do you get a list like that? By using the free "educational report" strategy that I’m
going to explain.
One of our agents explains it like this, "I advertise an offer for a free educational report about
how to sell your home quickly and for more money. It works really well when I run the free
report ads right along with my listings in the homes magazine. The caller who requests the
report is obviously thinking about selling. It may not be today or even next month, but I have
them in my database and I can mail them a letter once a month to stay in touch. My database
is growing, I now have about 300 prospects who’ve requested reports in the last eight
months, and each month I mail all 300 of them a letter. Generally I will get 12-15 calls, 10-12
appointments, and I close over 90% of them with the listing presentation you showed me."
Not bad huh? This is how you target market. By getting prospects to raise their hand and tell
you they are interested in information about selling, you identify them. They are part of the
"active market". Now you can target them every month until they respond to your message.
Most of the agents we work with, if they did any mailings prior to this strategy, would get
dismal results at best. Agents would average maybe a half percent and that’s if they were
lucky. Most of our agents used to get such bad results from their direct mail that they simply
stopped doing it. This approach changes that. Why? Because the prospects you are mailing
have elevated themselves to a new level. They have told you something about themselves.
Now, is every one of your prospects going to respond? No. But your response rates will be
excellent and very profitable, if you consistently follow through.
Understand it takes a little time and consistent effort. The listing leads you get with this
strategy will be A, B and C prospects. Some will want you to come out for a listing
appointment right away, but those are the minority. The majority of your prospects are
responding in the early part of their "thinking about selling" process. Which is perfect because
you capture them before any other agent has an opportunity to get their hooks into them.
Now you simply have to consistently stay in touch with them until they are ready.
I have another suggestion. If you don’t have the ability to stay in touch with a large number of
prospects consistently I suggest you invest in a contact management program. Goldmine,
Act, Top Producer, On-Line Agent, Agent 2000... whatever. You need to have something in
place that will help you quickly and easily stay in touch with lots of prospects. To make this
particular strategy effective it's crucial to stay in touch. A good contact manager will help you
do that.
How Much Is It Worth to Stay In Touch?
You’ve generated a prospect who will eventually list with someone. The cost of staying in
touch with that prospect once a month for the next year, if necessary, is about $8. Now,
according to Craig Proctor’s organization, 79% of their prospects list within the first six
months. But let’s be conservative and say only one in ten of these prospects lists their home
in the next year. Again remember, this prospect requested an educational report about how
to sell their home quickly and for the most money. They are thinking about selling! But let's
say only one in ten does something in the next year. That means a single listing would cost
you $80 to generate. Ten prospects x a year’s follow up cost = cost of generating one listing
(10 x $8 = $80).
Would you invest $80 for a good listing? What’s the cost if you don’t spend the $80 to stay in
touch? One of your competitors cashes the check!
With this strategy, look at the bigger picture. This is a longer-term strategy that could position
you to be very dominant in your market. By capturing prospects early in the process, you
close-out your competition as long as you consistently stay in touch. And all you need to stay
in touch is a "personal" letter once a month until they list. It’s pretty simple! But…it takes a
little bit of work to get the system set up so it doesn’t take you any time to follow through.
If you had to personally write a letter to 300 prospects a month it would be far too
cumbersome to ever work long term. Again, you need to automate the process with a contact
manager.
Your need these tools so you can personalize every letter you send to prospects. You don’t
want to send them cold, impersonal letters. That’s not staying in touch. Staying in touch
requires a "personal touch."
Steps to Successfully Using Free Educational Reports In Your Marketing
Our agent mailing 300 prospects per month had some additional insights she explained,
"When I mail the report out, I wait three days and then I follow up by phone. I’m very gentle
and service-oriented, but I’m still looking for an appointment if possible. If I get it great. If not,
I let them know I will be staying in touch and if there is any way I can be of service, I want
them to feel comfortable calling me. Then I put them in the database and mail them a followup letter every month. With my database growing like it is, I now stage my mailings so that
only one fourth of my prospects get mailed each week. This way every prospect gets a letter
once a month. And by doing it this way, it enables me to follow-up by phone, too. I follow up
by phone a few days after I mail them a letter. But, I only do this every other month because
that’s about as much as my prospects seem to feel comfortable with."
The steps to success as our agents outlined them are:
1. Use the free educational report ads that are included in your direct response ad
kit
2. Run your free report ads along with your listings in your homes magazines or
newspaper
3. Understand the strategy is a longer-term strategy that takes a little time.
4. Build your database of prospects
5. Mail them the follow-up materials (included in your course materials) every month
6. Follow-up (using scripts from your course materials) a few days after you send
the report
7. Follow-up by phone, every other month, a few days after you send a letter
Make your prospects an offer, give them a reason to pick up the phone to call you. Make
them feel comfortable. Close your letters and follow-up calls in a very service- minded way.
Try to disarm them and make them feel totally at ease.
If you can get your prospects to begin an ongoing dialog with you, you’re in. You own their
business. By serving them at this high level you effectively shut out the competition. You
have what Jack Trout, author of "Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind," refers to as
"complete mind-share." When that prospect thinks real estate the first and only name that
comes to mind is yours!
In Conclusion
This strategy is just the beginning of what you can do with this system. It’s virtually unlimited
the number of things you can do, when you begin to think both strategically and tactically. I’ve
given you one powerful tactical strategy and our course materials give you virtually all the
follow-up materials to support them. But I hope you will begin to look at the bigger picture and
see the underlying principles that make this system so effective.
"How to Completely Dominate Your Competition,
Win the Listing 95% of the Time or More, and Do it
All With Incredible Ease...Even If You're
Competing with the Top Agent in Your Market!"
The Ultimate Listing Presentation!
Dear Fellow Real Estate Professional,
When you walk into a listing appointment are you fired up with anticipation? Do you know beyond
any doubt that you'll walk out of that home with the listing?
Let me restate it. If you were going up against the number one agent in your market...how would
you feel? Would you be ready to take them on head-to-head, nose-to-nose?
Well, read through the following listing presentations and imagine yourself using the tools our
agents use. Then come back and answer these questions!
"It was the heat of intense competition!"
The listing was the most appealing home in the area. He was given twenty minutes with the
homeowners and if he didn’t impress them, the listing was going to the largest company in his
area. His competitor was a firm that did over $375 million in transactions the previous year. So
our agent was up against pretty stiff odds.
Describing the evening of his presentation Michael explained, "I had prepared for the
presentation just like you told me to. I did a recording describing the home. I prepared a brochure
for fax-on-demand. I had my cell phone..."
"I was ready!"
"When I arrived, I was quickly let in. The homeowners seemed in a hurry. They wanted to get
going because they said they had plans later that evening. But I think they had already decided
they were going to give the listing to the other company.
"So I opened up with, ‘Folks I’ve set up this new system specifically for you and your home. It’s a
system that gives you 24-hour-a-day advertising and it generates hundreds of sales leads! Here’s
how it works. I advertise your home with a big bold call-to-action ad. It tells prospects to call for
recorded information and fax-on-demand information anytime, 24 hours a day. Prospects dial in
to hear a recorded description of your home and the best part is when they connect, I get their
name, address, and phone number automatically – 100% of the time, whether they leave it or not!
So I can follow up on every possible lead! Absolutely nothing slips through the cracks! Let me
show you how it works! Grab the phone and dial this number.’
"Bob, the husband, dialed my hotline number and entered the extension. As he began listening
his eyes got bigger, he reached over and started to elbow his wife, and said, ‘honey, listen it’s our
property!’ As they squeezed together my cell phone notification went off. I handed it to Bob and
said, ‘Now here’s the best part.’
"It was awesome because Bob was staring at his ‘unlisted’ phone number, the one he just dialed
from fifteen seconds ago! Then I told him, ‘Whenever someone calls and listens to the
advertisement describing your home, my system automatically notifies me in 15-20 seconds, with
their phone number, name and address and the fact that they've inquired about your home. So I
can call them back right away, while their interest is at a peak.’
Their heads started bobbing and
nodding like a doggie toy in the
back of a car window!
"Bob and his wife started to nod, scooted up to the edge of their seats, and really began tuning
into everything I said. Then, as the recording finished, I said, ‘Here’s another great benefit. Press
three and enter your fax number.’ He did. Ten seconds later the fax machine in Bob’s home office
clicked on. It was so cool."
"After the system faxed my two-page brochure, Bob and his wife seemed to relax. They seemed
to forget they were in a hurry and started to ask questions. We talked about my marketing plan
and they could clearly see I had an advantage. Even though my competitor was huge, Bob and
his wife understood the value of timing. They understood the importance of reaching the prospect
while their interest was at a peak. Without this system, I don’t think I could have got Bob and his
wife to slow down and listen."
Really picture it! Isn’t this an awesome story? Michael stopped them dead in their tracks! Without
this powerful demonstration it’s likely they would have nodded and smiled for 15-20 minutes, then
showed him the door! You’ve been there. You know that feeling! Instead he walked away with the
nicest listing in the entire area! Now let’s take it a step further…
Their eyes get as big as pancakes
when you WOW them with this!
Kevin (who now does over 100 transactions a year), like the other agent, he prepares a recording
of his prospective seller's property. Then he briefly explains, "Most agents are available 40 hours
a week. My business is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week! Dial this number and enter this
extension."
After his soon-to-be-clients dial, they're pleasantly surprised because again it's an advertisement
for their property! Then Kevin's cell phone notification goes off. He hands it to them. As they look
at the phone number, again, they are amazed...it's their phone number, the one they just dialed
from 20 seconds ago!
Here's the clincher...
Kevin follows with, "Now press zero." They do. Six seconds later, his cell phone rings. He
answers and the sellers are talking to him from six feet away. He then says, "Anyone, anytime,
anywhere can call my recorded info line to get more details about your home and immediately
reach me to set up a showing. My system works 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help me
sell your home. Other agents give you 40 hours a week. That's why I do a better job of selling
homes than other agents." Then softly with a smile he says, "So who do you want to list with?"
Twenty minutes later he leaves with their listing.
Understand Kevin doesn't work 24 hours a day. In fact, he shuts his cell phone off after 6:00 in
the evening. He's explaining how his system takes care of business 24 hours a day.
Now you fire your final cannon! Here’s where
you pound your competitors into dust with...
Both these presentations are incredibly powerful, but it’s not done! Now you show your sellers
page after page after page of detailed call reports.
One agent explained, "When I follow your presentation to the letter, it’s enough to close the listing
95 percent of the time. But when I show them a stack of call reports with names, addresses, and
phone numbers of hundreds of callers, they are in awe. If they’re the slightest bit skeptical during
my presentation, now there’s no way they can dispute what I’m saying. I’ve just given them
concrete written proof that I’m generating 150-200 calls a month or more! Compared to the
average agent who gets maybe 20."
Now let me ask, do you think you could close a few more listings with this presentation? Does this
seem like it would add impact and help swing a few more of those close ones? You know which
ones I'm talking about. The ones you feel were almost ready to swing your way, but a week or so
later you see a competitor's sign in their yard!
This is your chance to add incredible power and impact to your presentation and win the listing
95% of the time or more! If these ideas make sense take a closer look... investigate...
"This is the best listing tool I've ever used. People are in awe when I go to a listing and they hear
a recorded description of their home already done! I'm already a step ahead of my competition!"
Beverly Frazier, RE/MAX Realty Select, Naples, FL
“How A Simple Classified Ad Formula
Can Have You Closing Multiple Transactions
Every Single Month...and All it Takes is 30-45 Days
to Get the Train Rolling!”
The Lowly Classified Ad Has Some Agents Earning
Six-Figures Year After Year...While Other Agents Complain
They’re a Waste of Money…Who’s Right?
Read This Amazingly Simple Formula…
Then You Decide…
Dear Friend,
You're about to to be introduced to a formula that is so simple, so common sense, yet so powerful
in it's implications that you actually need to be careful. It's a formula that (when applied correctly)
can have your phone ringing off the hook! And the best part is within a matter of days you can
profit!
It's almost shameful (but lucky for you and me) that all too often agents overlook the massive
profit potential of classified ads. They either view them as necessary to keep sellers happy, run
boring useless ads that don't produce calls or they simply don't use them at all.
Well, I'm going to let you in on a very important secret. Classifieds can be (dollar for dollar) the
most profitable advertising source in your marketing arsenal. The key is how you approach
them. To make classified ads work you have to apply a simple concept a trainer friend of mine
teaches. He says, "All you need to do is find out what people want and need and make it easy for
them to get it."
Makes sense doesn't it? "Find out what people want and need and make it easy for them to get
it!" Well in a minute we will look at classified ads and talk about how to do exactly that, but first
there are...
Three Reasons Every Agent
Should Love Classified Ads
There are three main things about classified ads agents should love - besides the fact they can
make you a whole lot of money!
First, they are generally inexpensive to run - relative to display ads.
Second, they are quick and easy to test. You can place an ad on Thursday. It hits the paper over
the weekend. And by Monday or Tuesday you've got real measurable results.
Third, and probably most importantly, they produce really good, quality leads. Prospects you
produce with classified ads are ready to act now!
Think about it! It makes sense that classified leads would be of good quality because people
looking through the classifieds are LOOKING!
People Don't Browse the
Classifieds for Entertainment
They look through the classifieds because they have a purpose. And the vast majority of leads
you produce with classifieds are ready to do something soon!
In fact, some of the best sources for your classified ads are those free newspapers that get
distributed throughout communities.
In my neighborhood, for example, there is a free paper that gets thrown on my driveway every
other day. It used to irritate me because I had to pick it up and 99% of the time I just tossed it in
the trash. But you know, an interesting thing happened when my wife and I started shopping for
our current home. I started picking those crazy things up and looking through the classified ads!
Now let me ask you...do you think that's a common experience?
From our agents' experiences, I can assure you it is! It's a very common, if not universal fact,
when someone is looking for information, they tend to look in the quickest easiest sources
available to them.
Yeah I know the Internet is changing the game but let me tell you something. Nothing is easier for
prospects than classified ads. And I should know because I've got T1 Internet access and I can
search things at blazing speed over the Internet, but I still turned to the classified ads first!
And if you really think about, I'll bet that's the way most people in your market are too! Even with
high speed access and the ability to search the Internet quickly, prospects still tend to prefer the
classified ads.
And again, from our agents' experiences, classifieds work incredibly well...when done correctly!
Now...How to Use Classifieds
Ads to Create Massive Profit!
There are four key components to successful classified ads:
•
•
•
•
An Attention getting headline.
Copy that generates Interest.
A message that creates Desire.
A compelling call to Action.
You may recognize this as the age old AIDA formula... Attention, Interest, Desire, Action. It's
been used for over 100 years and an interesting thing is it still works! Why? Because it's a
fundamental and fundamentals will always work.
Now let's look at each component in turn and then give you clear examples you can apply to your
classified ads.
ATTENTION - The key with attention is to get "relevant" attention. You want to telegraph a
headline that speaks directly to the prospect you're interested in. For example, if you have a
$350,000 listing you don't really care to attract the attention of prospects who can only afford a
$125,000 home. You want to call out to those who are truly looking for a $350,000 home.
EXAMPLE:
"Elegant Home in Gated Community"
The words "elegant" and "gated community" imply a higher-end property and will tend to flag
down a more suitable prospect for you.
Too many agents try to use cute or tricky headlines to get people to notice them. This is a
mistake because you may get attention but you're actually less likely to reach the prospects you
really want to reach. So be selective with your words and target your ideal prospect.
INTEREST - In your ads, highlight the most compelling benefits (notice I said benefits and not
features) of the property. Point out the sumptuous master bath with sunken whirlpool tub...talk
about how affordable the home is...give your prospect information about the
neighborhood...capture their interest!
EXAMPLE:
Gorgeous home on private lot with
lots of nice trees, great neighborhood!
The things that will interest them most are the emotional benefits of the home you're offering.
You're not selling bricks and lumber. You're selling the pride of ownership, safety and security for
their family, and any one of of a hundred other "emotional" benefits. Which leads to desire...
DESIRE - To create "desire" you have to accentuate and build on the "emotional" benefits.
Prospects never buy based on logic. They always buy emotionally and then justify the purchase
with logic.
So in your effort to draw them out and get them to respond, you have to strike emotional cords.
Throughout your copy you need to fill it with emotional words like: spacious, striking, stunning,
lavish, charming, scenic, dramatic, comfortable, quiet street, cozy, all new and hundreds of other
powerful emotion- provoking words and phrases.
EXAMPLE:
Charming home in quiet neighborhood, all
new flooring, spacious kitchen, lots of trees,
an amazing bargain at $229,500.
For a list of the 303 most powerful emotion provoking words for advertising copy get a copy of
John Caples book "How to Make Your Advertising Make Money". Caples is a true master of the
written word and this book will help you craft ads that will pull like gangbusters!
ACTION - Now here's where we get to the nitty gritty! It's all fine and good to get their attention,
stimulate interest, even provoke a little desire, but if you don't get them to take action...you've got
nothing!
So...now it's time to tell them what to do! You've got to get them up off their backsides and get
them to take action. How do you do that? Well let's go back to what my trainer friend says, "Find
out what people want and need and make it easy for them to get it."
The Single Greatest Factor to Success With
this Strategy is...MAKE iT EASY!
Now let's think about this together. What do prospects really want? Once you've gotten their
attention, interest, desire...what do they really want?
They want more information... so let's make it EASY for them to get it!
How?
This is the single biggest secret of many many top producing agents I know! And it's so simple!
Offer a "Recorded Information Hotline" for them to call anytime 24 hours a day! This way they
can call for "recorded info" (without the threat of being hounded by a salesperson) to get what
they want!
Again, "Find out what people want and need and make it EASY for them to get it!" That's what
you're doing with a "Free Recorded Message" line!
EXAMPLE:
For a Free Recorded Message 24 Hours
Call Toll-Free 1-800-555-5555 ID# 5555
OK, we've covered the AIDA formula. Now I want to give you a couple closing thoughts on
classifieds and then give you a number of clear examples you can model in your own classified
ads.
Understand that with classified ads you are competing for your prospect's attention, so most
things you can do to help draw attention to your ad are worthwhile, like boxes, bolding, reverse
type, quotes around your headline...things that will make your ad stand out from the others.
But here's a caution...remember to remain relevant. Don't try to use cutesy tricks to dupe
someone into noticing you. This is their largest investment we're talking about. This is not the
time to try to be humorous or to use trite worn-out phrases that don't mean anything to prospects
anymore.
So use the AIDA formula...use formatting elements to stand out from the rest and go for it.
Classifieds are a great way to make your phone ring constantly with interested new prospects
every day of the week.
Following are some examples you can model to use in your classifieds:
Classified Ad Examples
"THINKING ABOUT OWNING IN FLORISSANT?" - Terrific home
on a quiet street, low down payment, Free Recorded Message
24 Hrs. Toll-Free 1-800-555-5555 Recording #5555 ABC Realty
"CONTEMPORARY HOME ON 2.7 ACRES" - Minutes to shopping,
low down payment, only $1,237/month, beautiful home, sumptuous
Jacuzzi tub in master, nice quiet area. Call now for a Free Recorded
Message Toll-Free 1-800-555-5555 Recording #5555 ABC Realty
"STOP PAYING RENT TODAY!" - You may be able to "own" for
what you pay in rent right now! Free list of homes, easy financing,
under $900/mo, sent to you every week. Free Recorded Message
Toll-Free 1-800-555-5555. Recording #5555. ABC Realty
"THINKING ABOUT SELLING?" Find out what your home is
worth by comparing recent home sales in your area! Call for a
FREE list of recent sales in your neighborhood. Free Recorded
Message 1-800-555-5555 Recording #5555. ABC Realty
"NEWLY BUILT WITH SUPER-EASY FINANCING" low down payment only $1,057/mo. 3 bdrm, 2 bath on quiet cul-de-sac, beautifully
landscaped with nice trees. Call now for a Free Recorded Message
24 Hrs. Toll-Free 1-800-555-5555 Recording #5555 ABC Realty
"7.3 LUSH ROLLING ACRES" - Spectacular home, incredible view
$187,500 with 100% financing available. Free Recorded Message 24 Hrs. Toll-Free 1-800-555-5555 Recording #5555 ABC Realty
"EXCLUSIVE AREA WITH 2-3 ACRE LOTS!" – Terrific homes!
Gorgeous lots! Secluded area, most under $200,000. Call for a
FREE list of available properties. Free Recorded Message 24 Hrs.
Call Toll-Free 1-800-555-5555. Recording #5555. ABC Realty
"SHOP FOR A HOME THE EASY WAY - WITH ABSOLUTELY
NO SALES PRESSURE!" FREE list of homes for sale in your
desired price range sent to you each week. Complete with
addresses! Call for a Free Recorded Message Toll-Free 24 Hrs.
1-800-555-5555. Recording #5555. ABC Realty
One last final recap. First get attention, second stimulate interest, third create desire with
emotion-filled words and descriptions, then fourth, prompt your prospect to act. And the best way
to get them to act is to MAKE IT EASY for them to respond with a Free Recorded Information
response hotline!
Now go to it...put these classified ideas to work and go make a carload of money! My very best
to you in your business-building.
How to Create 300%-500% More
Quality Inbound Leads While Slashing
Advertising Costs 40%-50%!
I’m going to show you a way you can take any ad source you're currently using and get 300%500% more quality inbound leads out of that source without your ad costing you a single penny
more!
Have you ever wondered why more people don’t pick up the phone and call? Or why they call
your competitor instead of you?
Well, it’s not because they aren’t good prospects. And it’s not because they aren’t ready to do
something. The reason is you make it hard for them to call you!
Now I realize this may be hard to take but let me explain.
Think about it. Prospects are shy. They’re intimidated. Even the best prospects have a natural
built-in sales resistance!
To illustrate let me ask you, what’s your perception of the word "salesperson"? Even though you
and I are in the profession of "selling", if you’re like I am your sales resistance starts to well-up
just thinking about the word "salesperson".
Think about the last time you were in a furniture store and the "salesperson" strode up and said,
"Welcome to ABC Furniture. How can I be of service today?" What was your response?
If you’re like 98% of every person living, you said, "Oh, I’m just looking". When you and I know
darned good and well you wanted a sofa, in a certain style, with a certain color fabric and so on.
But you said, "I’m just looking". Why? It’s because everyone has been hounded, pressured and
"sold" until they’re blue in the face!
So let me ask again, what’s your perception of a "salesperson"?
Well, guess what? The prospects you are trying to entice into calling feel the exact same way!
They have sales resistance! When they get a telemarketer calling in the middle of their dinner
they hang up the phone too!
To bring the point home, when those same prospects see your ad, that requires them to pick up
the phone to talk with a "salesperson", here’s the painful truth - they put it off!
The Deadliest Sales
Sin of Them All!
The deadliest thing you can do to a good prospect is encourage them to put it off. If you
encourage your prospects to put off the buying decision you’ll never bring them to the closing
table!
You’re probably thinking, "I would never encourage a prospect to put the decision off!"
Well, that’s exactly what your ads are doing! Your ads are building barriers that encourage
prospects to put it off, instead of making it easy and inviting for them to take the next step to get
information!
Make It Easy and Inviting for Prospects
to Get Information from You!
Your prospects need to feel comfortable responding if you’re ever going to get the maximum
response from your ads, mailers, postcards or whatever!
So how do you do that?
By offering "Free Recorded Information – 24 Hours A Day!" It works like magic!
Offer your prospects the opportunity to hear a "recorded verbal tour" of your most popular models
along with all the features, amenities and attractions of your new community.
When they call, they hear a visually descriptive message that heightens their senses. It paints
vivid mental pictures of them luxuriating in the benefits of your new community! The recording has
them "seeing" the model home and "experiencing" the walk through. The more they listen, the
more their excitement and anticipation builds! Now they’re positioned perfectly for one of your
sales staff to follow-up.
It takes away your prospect’s sales resistance, makes it easy, inviting and comfortable to
respond, and when they call – you have your lead!
Think about it! Let’s say you had a product you were interested in. Which would you rather do,
call and get "Joe Salesman" on the phone or call and listen to a descriptive recorded message
that gave you some of the benefits and then enabled you to have a brochure faxed or mailed to
you?
According to the Direct Marketing Association, 83% of all consumers would prefer the second
choice. 83% - over 4 out of 5 people would prefer to call for recorded information to begin the
entire process getting a little information, before talking with a salesperson.
Here’s another point about those prospects who got information before talking to a salesperson.
91% said they would be more likely to do business with those companies that offered to provide
information first.
What does it tell you? It says the prospects of your market want information, service and benefits
– not a sales pitch!
So how do you give it to them?
By setting up your Response Hotline! We’ve been teaching this method of advertising and
marketing with 24-hour recorded information for over eight years now.
We’ve worked with thousands of builders, lenders and Realtors from all across the country and
our number one goal has been to help our clients increase their marketing effectiveness with
recorded information, as a "2-step" marketing method.
We’ve been showing these professionals how to use a simple recorded message system to grow
their businesses by quantum leaps! And it’s absolutely amazing to see the affect this simple
strategy can have on a builder’s bottom line.
The approach of simply shifting from pushing a prospect to call a "salesperson" to enticing your
prospect to call for "recorded information" has increased our clients lead generation effectiveness
as much as 300%-500%! And…
When They Call, You
Have Your Lead!
The biggest benefit of this approach is integrating it with our high-tech, yet incredibly simple
Response Hotline call-capture technology. It’s called Provantage. It’s a technology that utilizes a
sophisticated Caller ID system called Automatic Number Identification or ANI for short.
ANI captures the phone number 100% of the time! All calls (even unlisted numbers) that come
through our system are recorded and captured. No number can be blocked! And yes! It’s perfectly
legal, moral, ethical -- even with the new Do Not Call Rules -- and your customers will love using
it!
When a prospect calls for "recorded info" from one of your ads we can page you, "the consultant"
with the phone number and a four-digit code identifying the exact property they are interested in –
all within 20-30 seconds!
Or if you prefer, the system can automatically fax you an up-to-the-second update anytime 24hours a day. Or you can even get your leads directly off our Internet web site. All the information
is up-to-the-second.
Now You Get Names and Addresses Too!
As a FREE Added Benefit!
An advantage of our call reports (via fax or web) is about 65% of the phone numbers have an
accurate name and address - our data source is updated daily from over 450 different sites
around the country. Clients report less than 1% of their mail gets returned! That’s over 99%
accuracy! This is amazingly powerful for building a database of prospects for a mailing list! I could
go on for about an hour on this one benefit alone, but I won’t. Back to the pager! The biggest
advantage of the pager is you can follow-up in a matter of minutes.
So you, "the consultant," get paged or text messaged on your cell phone with the phone number
of the prospect and a four-digit code. The phone number enables you to call your prospect back
quickly! Then, the four-digit code enables you to know what information your prospect requested
and the ad that caused them to call you.
With that information it’s easy for you to follow-up and begin a dialog with your prospect.Now this
part is critical. Here’s where I’m always asked, "What does the prospect thinkwhen you call back?
Are they upset you have their phone number?"
The answer is yes - if you "high-pressure" them! But if you approach it correctly they love it and
you deeply position yourself as someone who wants to be of service.
An Unbelievably Simple, Yet
POWERFUL Follow-Up Script!
For example here’s how a Realtor of ours does it. He calls back and says, "Hello this is Jim Miller
with XYZ Realty. A few minutes ago you called my recorded information line and got information
about the home on Elm Street we’re advertising in the homes magazine. I know you weren’t
expecting me to call you back, but I wanted to call for a couple reasons. First, I wanted to thank
you for calling about the home on Elm Street, I appreciate your interest. But second, I wanted to
tell you a little more about the home because in 45-60 seconds I couldn’t really tell you everything
about it. Would it be OK if I told you a little bit more about it?"
He does four things with this approach that are universal and would work in just about any
setting. First, he identifies with them. Second, he appreciates them. Third, he demonstrates he
wants to serve. Fourth, he is respectful and asks permission to continue. If they don’t want him to,
he ends the conversation. If they want him to continue, he starts building rapport!
How Well Does This Work?
Our agent tells us that out of a hundred calls he gets 99% of the callers to talk with him and begin
the sales dialoging process!
Is it effective?
Well, last year he made over $250,000 using this technology! The year before he made about
$75,000 without using our technology. You be the judge…is it effective? I’d say so! But then
again, I’m biased.
How to Make Your Homes Magazines
Produce Profit...Not Just Pacify Sellers
Most agents I talk to, who advertise in homes magazines, feel it's a necessary evil of the
business. They feel like it's just something they do to keep their sellers happy. Well, listen up!
If it's not producing a profit...you cut it from the "payroll"...PERIOD!
Bottom-line is every piece of marketing you put out, every sales letter you mail, every
postcard you send has to cost-justify itself. You should view your marketing like a
salesperson. Either your "salesperson" produces a clear measurable profit or you fire them.
You wouldn't employ a salesperson who was a drain on your cash flow...so why do it with an
ad source.
Frankly, doing something to pacify a seller makes no sense and does not serve your clients
at the highest level. Everything you do should have a real and meaningful benefit to your
clients. So now I'm going to show you how to fire the lazy "salesperson" (the underperforming homes magazine) and hire a new more aggressive "salesperson" (a homes
magazine done the right way) that will bring prospects flooding through your doors!
Homes Magazines are a Great "Salesperson" Done Right
When I tell you this, you may balk at it. But frankly, the single most potent lead generation
source for our agents has been their local homes magazines.
I know this is contrary to what most agents experience without this service. Like one agent
said, “I was completely fed up with the response I used to get from my homes magazines. I
considered stopping them all together, but I thought I needed to keep running the ads to
make my sellers happy. Then, when you suggested that I change my homes magazine ads
and make them look like your examples, I couldn’t believe it. The response was amazing! I
got 18 calls the very first day my ad came out. And what’s even better is the fourth lead I got
from the system closed about three weeks later. Now I love my homes magazines, but I
honestly don’t think I will ever advertise in them again without this service.”
You simply wouldn’t believe the number of times we’ve heard the same thing from agents
everywhere. Homes magazines, when displayed like our example, produce exceptional
results. It’s not uncommon to see an agent’s calls go from 10-15 calls a month, to 100-150
calls.
Another nice thing about homes magazines is they actually produce both buyer and seller
leads. The ratio is about four to one. Our agents have found that for every four buyer leads
you generate from your homes magazine ad, you’ll generally produce one listing lead.
Now this ratio could be improved by the strategy you employ on follow-up. If you gently dig a
little, you’ll find that a high percentage of your buyer prospects also have a home to sell. So
like I said before, virtually everything about this entire group of strategies hinges on one
thing: how effectively you follow-up, more on that in Section 5 of your course materials.
For now, let’s answer the question: How do we bring prospects flooding in the door with
homes magazines? Answer: By formatting your ad like our example on the following page.
Ad Formatting Example
Free Recorded Information - 24 Hours a Day!
Call Toll-Free 1-800-xxx-xxxx
then enter the RECORDING number below the property to hear a recorded description
Maryville, 3 BR, 2 BA, Nice
Trees, Private Fenced Yard!
Benton, 4 BR, 3 BA, Cathedral
Ceilings, Cozy Fireplace
Lakewood, 3 BR, 2 BA, Open
and Spacious, Secluded Yard
Enter Recording # 2001
Enter Recording #2101
Enter Recording #2201
Lakewood, 4 BR, 2 BA, Gourmet
Trenton, 3 BR, 2 BA,
Quiet Safe Neighborhood
Top 10 School District Nationwide!
Kitchen, Elegant Master Bath
Enter Recording #2301
Enter Recording #2401
Trenton, 4 BR, 3 BA,
Enter Recording #2501
Trenton, 5 BR, 3 BA,
Golf Course Community
Enter Recording #2601
Hillsboro, 3 BR, 2 BA,
Ideal Separate Guest Quarters
Enter Recording #2901
Your Picture and Office Information Here
If You Don’t Have Any Inventory
I would like to make a suggestion. If you don’t have any inventory, borrow some! Pick some
of the nicest inventory in your office and advertise it. Other agents don’t mind. It’s free
advertising. And the whole idea here is simply to generate prospects. It’s all about talking to
people interested in buying or selling real estate. And if you don’t have any inventory, this is a
great way to start.
Now quickly, before I break apart this ad format and explain why it’s so effective, I have a
question for you. What is the purpose of your ad? Is it to keep your name out there? Is it to
create a good image? Or is it to make your phone ring?
In our opinion the number one goal of your ad should be to make your phone ring… to
generate prospects. All the other reasons are secondary. Yes, they are benefits of
advertising, but they shouldn’t be the goal. The goal, your entire focus, should be to make
your phone ring.
If you focus on getting prospects to respond, your image and name recognition will benefit
greatly too - as a natural side benefit of making the phone ring! So they go hand-in-hand, but
your focus has to be on getting prospects to respond.
OK, now let’s talk about this ad format.
Why Does this Example Work So Well?
Because it’s unique. This type of format will get a prospect’s attention, which is your first
major step. Once you’ve gotten their attention, then fire your biggest bullet immediately! Give
them your most compelling reason to call you in your headline! Because…
Headlines are 90% Of Your Ad’s Effectiveness
Your headline is crucial! That’s why you should minimize your banner and put it at the
bottom. The top of the page is for your headline and your headline should be the most
compelling reason for a prospect to pick up the phone to call you, which is “Recorded
Information - 24 Hours.”
“Recorded Information - 24 Hours”
If you want prospects to call, the most noticeable thing about your ad should be “recorded
info” and “24-hours”. This precise wording is important. It takes away sales resistance and
you make it extremely convenient for your prospect to call…and again, that’s the goal. Next…
Minimize Your Ad Copy
If you tell prospects everything in your copy, what do they need you for? The reason you
minimize ad copy is to give your prospects a reason to call. By giving them the area,
bedrooms, baths and a couple emotional words (words that provoke an emotional response)
you entice them without giving away the farm. By leaving everything else out of the copy, you
give them a compelling reason to call…curiosity!
How to Slash Marketing Costs
By 30%-50% Instantly
Imagine being able to track every single response you get from every single ad you run –
with pinpoint accuracy! You know exactly which ad, which publication, which headline, which
offer, right down to the very last detail, caused your prospect to pick up the phone to call you.
Your finger is on the pulse of your marketing with precision! There’s no chance for human
error! It happens every single time! A prospect calls – you track everything! You know where
every last call comes from!
What would this do for you?
It would give you the ability to slice and dice! You would quit spending money on ads that
don’t produce and focus exclusively on those ads that do produce! You could cut every ad
source that was under-performing and you could increase your presence in those
publications or sources that generated more quality response!
That’s called "Massive Upside Leverage"! It’s taking the money you are already spending and
leveraging it to produce a greater response! It’s like taking your money out of a bank account
that’s slugging along at 3% interest and putting it into an incredibly secure high yield
investment that generates you 200% annually for the next ten years!
The power and upside potential is staggering! But, it all depends on your
ability to track your response, then improve your approach.
If you’re like most builders I know you try to do this already, but it’s very difficult if not
impossible. You get calls that no one records. Or they take a message but never ask what
caused the caller to respond. And it happens time and time again no matter how much you
try to prevent it. Sometimes even you take a call and don’t ask…am I right?
Looking at the situation, it’s frustrating! You want to know where your advertising dollars are
best invested but all you have is a vague, hazy hunch "about" or "of" what’s producing. You
know if you spend X amount of dollars, the phone keeps ringing. Without the ability to track
and measure accurately, you just continue to throw mud against the wall and hope some
continues to stick.
THERE IS A BETTER WAY!
What if you had a way that every time you ran an ad you knew with pinpoint precision and
accuracy EXACTLY how many leads it produced? Again, if you knew exactly how many calls
each source generated you could shave and trim marginal or under-performing ad sources
out of your budget and focus more heavily on things that were more profitable.
What’s the effect?
Let’s look at an example. If you were advertising in four sources that all cost about the same
and found: Publication #1 generates 8 calls a month // Publication #2 generates 29 calls a
month // Publication #3 generates 7 calls a month // Publication #4 generates 37 calls a
month what would you do?
First you would look at the conversion rates before you did anything drastic because the
publication producing only 7 calls could be the one producing the most ACTUAL SALES. But
all things being equal, you would cut #1 & #3 and you’d focus more on #2 & #4…the effect?
You could take out larger ads in publications #2 & #4, negotiate longer-term, better-rate
deals, and increase your overall lead generation with 40%-50% less advertising money
spent!
With our response hotline you have this ability!
Amazing Secrets Make Your Newspaper
Advertising 750% More Profitable!
The information I’m going to share with you this month comes from one of the true
advertising geniuses of our time. If you combine all the newspaper advertising he’s
purchased for himself and his clients, his company would be the third largest newspaper
advertiser in the United States!
The man I’m talking about is the true legend of direct response advertising, Gary Halbert.
Gary primarily does full page advertising but, nonetheless the points he makes have direct
application for your advertising efforts.
As an example, I advised a client of ours with this same information. He took an ad that had
produced 2 calls in a Sunday paper to 47 calls two weeks later. It was the exact same ad,
exact same newspaper, exact same city...everything!
So, let’s get to the heart of what made the difference. In the past, it has often been said that
the three most important factors in choosing investment real estate are (1) location, (2)
location and, (3) location. I think that’s probably true. And when it comes to running ads in
newspapers, a similar precept needs to be held in mind. Namely, that the most important
factor of all is...
Position! Position! Position!
Understand something. The #1 reason people don’t respond to a newspaper ad is because
they don’t see it! Daily newspapers are huge. Many of them are several hundred pages thick.
In fact, a recent issue of the L.A. times contained 405 pages!
Whoee! You sure could get lost in there, couldn’t you?
In the past, I’ve always tried to drum home the point that Americans sort through their mail
standing over the waste basket. It’s a good mental image to have when you prepare a mail
piece. It slams home the importance of grabbing their attention with a "killer" headline...a
powerful, self-serving benefit to your reader. Basically, you’ve got one or two seconds!
Now, here’s something else for you to keep in mind:
As soon as people sit down to peruse their daily newspapers,
they immediately divide it into sections.
A man may ask his wife for the sports pages. The wife might zero in on the entertainment
section. Entrepreneurs may want the business section. Gossip mongers may pick up the
society pages. And so on.
But, nobody reads the entire paper. In fact, hardly anybody opens up more than two or three
sections. Think about it, do you?
So, what does this all mean to you on a practical basis? This: that the very best place your
ads can appear for maximum visibility (and hence, maximum readership) is on the front side
of a section.
And the second best place? It’s the back of a section.
Here’s why. You see, even though most people don’t read or even open up every section,
most people at least touch every section. Yes, they touch it if for no other reason than to pick
it up to hand it to someone else or to throw it away. And, while they are thus handling each
section, they are forced to at least glance at the front pages of those sections and (to a lesser
degree) the back pages of said sections.
And, of course, while they are glancing at those pages, should they happen to see an eyecatching ad, an ad with a "killer" headline, they just might read a couple of paragraphs to see
what it’s all about. And if those first couple paragraphs are real good, then just maybe they’ll
read the rest of the ad. And, if all that happens, who knows, maybe you’ll get a call.
So, know this: your first job is not to get your customer to read your ad. No. Your first job is to
get them to see your ad!
It’s just common sense.
If you can’t get your ad placed on the front or back side of the section, work for second best.
Get your ad placed in the upper half, right hand page, as close to the front of the section as
possible. Preferably the upper right hand corner.
This is the number one secret to effective newspaper advertising...position!
Now for number two. In a nutshell, the second biggest secret is:
Make Your Ads Look Like A News Story
Don’t make your ads look like an ad. Don’t use line art. Don’t use arrows, cute graphics,
reverse type (except maybe to highlight a phone number), weird typestyles...
Or anything else that might win an award
for graphic design
Come closer. Listen. Here is how to put together ads that are 500% more likely to get seen
and hence, read. A cunningly, careful, highly scientific examination of reader habits yields a
useful piece of data.
Editorial material (or material that appears to be editorial) gets 500% more readership than
material that is obviously advertising.
Think about that.
So...once you get your ad positioned well, make it grab your readers' attention. Write it in an
editorial style with a headline that telegraphs your biggest self-serving benefit to your reader!
Don’t make it look like an ad. That’s what everyone else does. In fact, so much so, that
looking through the real estate section becomes an eye strain.
Capitalize on this fact. Make your ads stand apart. Box them and format them just like a news
article and they will stand apart. And, they’ll achieve your first objective...to get them seen!
Plus, it will increase the likelihood of it getting read by 500%, provided the headline grabs
them and the rest of the ad is well written.
Don’t limit this approach to just newspaper advertising either. Take these same fundamentals
and...
Use Them in Your Magazine Ads Too!
Pick up a recent copy of a local homes magazine. Look through. Do you notice anything? Do
you see how all the ads start to look the same?
Sameness = boring! And, one thing I can assure you of, is people will not allow themselves to
be bored in print. It’s one form of communication in which you can’t afford sameness.
Now, when I say sameness, I mean you can’t afford to look and sound like everybody else.
By no means am I saying you need to change all the time. In fact, just the opposite is true.
When agents find an effective method of advertising, they usually grow tired of it way before
the market does. They change just for the sake of change. Which is foolish and costly.
My point? Make your ads stand out. Be different. Use some of the ideas presented here and
watch the responses multiply. And when you find something that works...work the dog out of
it. Work it until it completely runs out of gas. And while you are working the new approach,
plan your next stage, but don’t quit using a profitable method until it’s no longer profitable!
Once it’s no longer profitable, move on to your newly planned out approach.
What Was Once Successful Can Still be Successful!
Another suggestion. Think back through your previous advertising efforts. Think about your
most successful direct mail piece, advertisement...whatever. Re-visit that approach in your
mind.
If you think about it, that approach may have direct application right this very minute. But you
discarded it just for the sake of change. If you had an approach that worked particularly well,
you should get it out, dust it off and try it again. You may find that it will work equally
well...right now!
A New Idea!
First I want to thank all the agents who’ve been sharing their secrets with us. We really
appreciate you taking the time to call or fax us your ideas. Virtually all the ideas will be
covered, at some point, in up-coming newsletters.
This idea comes to us from an exceptionally creative and effective agent in Kenmore, NY.
Whenever the opportunity presents itself, John shows other professionals he’s networked
with in his community (doctors, accountants, insurance agents, etc.) how his response hotline
works.
John keeps the greeting on his response hotline generic. This way he can offer these
professionals an opportunity to use one of his extensions for a flat fee of ten dollars per
month.
Now, generally, they won’t use more than ten dollars. If they do, he suggests that they get
their own response hotline and he gives them our number. This gives him an opportunity to
pick up a referral fee. But, more importantly...it strengthens his network. It has these other
professionals feeling indebted to him because he’s continually thinking about ways to bring
more value to their businesses. In turn, they want to bring more value to his. Makes sense,
doesn’t it?
The moral of the story? Whenever you come across ideas that can be of value (i.e. response
hotlines, marketing ideas, whatever...) to other professionals…share! You’ll build your referral
base stronger and we all know referrals are the best thing since sliced bread.
How to Exploit Your Cutting Edge "Secret
Weapon"... Focus on Fundamentals!
In spite of all the exciting and revolutionary changes, I want to start off by going back to
basics and addressing some key fundamentals. Because it’s the fundamentals combined
with cutting edge tools, like our Response Hotline, that will have you beating the pants off
your competition!
Not focusing on the fundamentals is like building a house on sand.
The three fundamentals I’m going to address in this report...headlines...ad positioning...and
follow-up preparation.
It amazes me when I look through my local newspaper. I see ads with nothing but purely selfserving headlines. They basically say give me your business because I want your money.
I guess the writer thought it would be good enough to just write something "catchy". From
experience in the school of hard knocks, I can tell you... it’s not!
How important are good headlines?
According to David Ogilvy (one of the all time great advertising masters), "Headlines are 90%
of your ad's effectiveness. I’ve had one ad out-produce another ad by 22 times. The only
difference was the headline.
"Really think about that one folks! A 2200% difference and the only change was the headline.
So, what makes a good headline?
There have been entire books written on the subject of headlines. But, I’ll quickly give you a
couple pointers. It has to promise your reader a clear, self-serving benefit...from their
perspective...not yours!
Really try to step outside your own experience and get into their shoes...what would be
important to you if you were buying or selling a home?
The other thing, don’t limit yourself to a set number of words. As long as it's meaningful to
your reader, it doesn’t matter. Prospects will read everything you put in front of them as long
as it’s interesting and important to them.
My point is, whenever you’re putting together a flier, sales letter or anything that’s going to be
in a prospects hands...focus a great deal on the headline.
Try to fashion your headlines to contain one or more of these four key points:
•
•
•
•
The most important is it must be written with the self-interest
of your reader in mind
Try to make the headline appear to be something news-worthy.
Readers love news
Make it appear that you have a quick and easy solution to
their problem
Avoid headlines that only provoke curiosity...combine curiosity
with self-interest, news and a quick and easy solution and you’re
virtually guaranteed a winner
As a footnote, I would like to strongly urge you to get a copy of "Tested Advertising Methods"
by John Caples.
It’s a fabulous book that will teach you the fundamentals of writing good headlines and ad
copy. It has helped build more successful ad campaigns and produce more profitable
advertising than any other book ever written! To many advertising people it is like the bible of
direct response advertising! If you get a copy and make a study of it, you will have the
ammunition to take your ads from dead, tombstone ads to gushers of profitability!
The second fundamental I want to address is ad positioning.
Due to the limited amount of space in this newsletter, I’m just going to touch on this subject. I
plan on going into much greater detail in an up-coming issue.
Let’s assume you have a good headline and the ad copy supports your headline and calls
your reader to action. In order to make that ad successful, the first goal is to get the ad seen.
That’s why the number one, single-most important factor in newspaper advertising is
positioning.
If your ad is going to generate a response, it first has to be seen. If it doesn’t get seen, it
makes no difference how good your headline or ad copy. It has no chance at all.
I’ll give you a quick example using an ad in our direct response ad kit with the headline,
"WARNING! Don’t List Your Home Until..."
In the Sunday edition of a newspaper, it pulled 47 responses in one day... positioned
correctly.
We had another agent, in the exact same city, use the exact same newspaper with the exact
same ad for a Sunday edition a couple weeks later. The ad pulled 2 responses!
What was the difference?
It was buried in the section and rarely seen.
What’s the lesson? Fight for good position! Try to get your ad placed on the front or backside
of a section. People sort their papers by section before they read.
If you can’t get the front or back side of a section, get it placed in the upper half, left side of
pages 2 or 3 of a section. When readers open a section, their eyes tend to scan the upper
half of the inside two pages...from left to right.
In an upcoming issue, I’m going to cover this in great detail. This is so important it bares
repeating. It can save you thousands of dollars in wasted advertising. It can leverage the
effectiveness of your ads. With proper placement (provided you have a well-crafted ad with a
good headline), you can achieve profitable results.
The third fundamental I want to address is follow-up preparation.
This is a fundamental I’m sure gets over-looked more times than not. As an agent you get
caught up in the day to day routine. Finding time to plan your follow-up can be difficult.
But, one of the major keys to being successful in anything you do is planning. I like the way
Jim Rohn puts it, "Life does not get better by hope. It gets better by plan!" Isn’t that great?
The same can be said for follow-up. You need to plan your follow-up.
You might be thinking, "If I get a pager call and I’m calling back in 3 minutes, how can I plan
my call?"
Well, here’s a razor sharp way.
Look up a list of comparable properties for every one of your listings. And when you get a
page, pull out your list of comparables and call your prospect back.
The conversation would go something like this...
"Hello, this is Jane Realtor with ABC Realty, a few minutes ago you called about one of my
listings on Cherry St. from the ad in the homes magazine. As a courtesy I always follow up to
see if I can be of service. Does that home seem to have what you are looking for in a home?"
At this point you’ll probably get the question, "What’s the price of the home?" Don’t do it.
Don’t tell them yet...ask the question, "Well, what price range are you looking for?" Then,
guide the conversation with open-ended questions.
If they continue to ask about the property they called on, enthusiastically tell them about
it...then give them the price. You’ll build some value before dropping the bomb.
Now, you’ll get a true feel for their interest level.
At this point in the conversation, it’s the perfect time to bring up your list of comparables.
Begin by saying something like, "You know based on what you’ve told me, we have a house
in the same area of town, with the same number of rooms, it’s every bit as nice for about
$12,000 less. Would you be interested in hearing about that one?"
Again, this isn’t a new way of doing business, it’s a new way to make contact. The
fundamentals are the same!
How to Make Direct Mail Profitable...
the Key is the "Personal Touch"
An agent of ours who mails over 300 prospects every month explains how she creates the
personal touch, "My contact manager mail merges a nice personal letter to each one of my
prospects. Then I have my niece hand address each envelope. She then signs my name,
folds, stuffs, seals and stamps each envelope with a first class stamp. I pay her 15 cents per
complete mailer. She makes a little money and I save myself a ton of time. Plus the mailers
have a real nice personal appearance."
The keys to the "personal touch" are:
•
•
•
•
•
Always mail merge the prospects name into your letter
Never, ever, ever, use mailing labels - it’s cold and impersonal
Either print envelopes or have someone hand-address them for 5-7 cents each
Sign every letter, pay someone 3-5 cents to sign them for you or laser print your
signature with a good enough laser printer that you can’t tell it’s printed
Use a live first-class stamp - don’t meter or bulk mail
You can pay people to put together mailings for you and you should be able to get them
completely done and mailed for about 50-60 cents a mailer. Also there are companies that
will do the job from start to finish for a little bit more, generally about 70-75 cents per mailer.
Again, if you are going to prepare the mailings you’ll need a good word processor and
contact manager. With these programs you can "personalize" literally thousands of letters
and prepare them with little to no time spent. And that’s the key -- little to no time spent! You
need to develop ways of getting things like this done without exhausting your time. Your time
at its highest level is worth $300-$500 an hour. By developing systems for getting the $7-$8
an hour work done, you can spend the majority of your time creating strategies for getting
face-to-face with more good, quality prospects.
WARNING! Your Current Hotline, 24-Hour Info
Line or Toll-Free Service Could be Costing You
$5,000-$10,000 a Month...or More!
Dear Fellow Real Estate Professional,
If you’re creating 3 to 4 transactions a month with your hotline and another superior service would
help you create 6 to 7 transactions a month – the reality is, your inferior hotline is costing you 2 to
3 transactions every month!
So yes! Right now, right this very minute, your hotline is costing you $5,000 to $10,000 a month
or more!
Let me explain...
There are Two Types of Hotlines...
One is the "box unit" that uses a local caller ID. The other is a response hotline that uses
Automatic Number Identification or ANI for short.
Both have their advantages and disadvantages.
First, the box unit is like shooting yourself in the foot! Why? It only captures about half your leads,
the other half of your calls register as "Not Available" just like your Caller ID at home. Yes, it's a
"fixed" cost each month, but you lose nearly half your leads! So the lost income and opportunities
negate any "savings" you get from the "fixed" cost.
It's a Classic Case of Tripping Over
Pennies on Your Way to the Dollars!
Response hotlines, that use ANI, capture the phone number 100% of the time…but...the
drawback is they don’t give you a name and address. (One service "claims" to, but we’ve heard
their name and address accuracy is terrible)...
Now imagine having the best of both worlds…ANI 100% call capture and a high quality **very
reliable and accurate** name and address feature.
**With the Right System**
You'll Unleash Massive Growth...
Guaranteed!
Let me illustrate by sharing a quick story.
An agent of ours in Owensboro, KY explains the benefits of having ANI 100% Call Capture and
accurate names and addresses...
"About three years ago I cancelled another hotline I was using from a company in Texas because
I was extremely disappointed with the lousy name and address quality their system provided.
When you told me about your service and explained the effort and investment you made to
ensure good quality names and addresses, I decided to try it again.
Let me tell you, it has been great! Since starting up with you in March of '98 I’ve added over 100
prospects a month to my mailing list. I use Top Producer and do a mailing to these prospects
every month and it’s absolutely amazing! I get less than 1% of my mail back from each mailing.
So yes, you were right. The quality of your names and addresses is great!
What are the results it has produced? When I started consistently doing this in March, my
production by the end of '98 was up 36.7% to 5.7 million. In '99 I closed 7.7 million. This year I’ve
already closed 8.2 million and I’ve got four months to go.
So has it been worth the effort? And are accurate names and addresses important? Absolutely!
Frankly I wouldn’t have bothered trying to do this with the hotline out of Texas, but your new
service makes it well worth my time. By doing this I’m now able to cherry pick who I want to work
with. It makes it so easy!
With what’s in the pipeline and the momentum of my business, I’m on target to finish the year well
over 11 million in total production!
Thanks so much for your incredible hotline service. It beats the heck out of the other system I
tried plus it’s super easy to use. Their system was so techy and confusing."
- Jim Estes, Coldwell Banker Think about that story for a minute! Isn’t that just awesome! This agent downloads his leads from
our web site (or has our system fax them to him automatically) and imports them directly into his
Top Producer contact manager - then he mails them a letter once a month until they do
something!
It’s quick, simple and easy to use! And he produces A TON OF BUSINESS FROM IT!
Simple Mistakes Can Cost You Thousands
of Dollars...Every Single Month!
If you’re using a response hotline, that uses ANI, you've made the right choice on the first
part...but...they’re not all created equally. In fact, most are inferior and overpriced for what you
get. Most are 24 to 27 cents per minute and they only give you the phone number…they don’t
give you an "accurate" name and address.
Here's the Best of Both Worlds!
Our service gives you everything any other response hotline offers, plus the added benefit of
accurate names and addresses! We capture the phone number 100% of the time and on
approximately 65%-70% of the calls we give you accurate names and addresses…at no
additional cost!
The accuracy of our names and addresses is just phenomenal. Our data pool gets updated by
over 450 different sources around the United States on a DAILY basis. So it's truly current,
accurate names and addresses you're getting.
Plus Our Rates Blow Our
Competitors Away!
Our monthly service fee is $297 and 18.9 cents per minute, rounded in 6-second increments. For
higher volume accounts we bill at 14.9 cents per minute for over 1,500 minutes in monthly usage!
Our rates are by far and away the best in the industry…bar none!
But even more importantly we bring value to your real estate business. By providing you with
TRULY ACCURATE names and addresses on approximately 2 out of 3 calls, you can build a
mailing list that other agents would absolutely kill for!
You'll Build an Asset That You will be Able to
Sell for Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars!
What's the value of being able to build your database with quality, accurate names and
addresses? Well, you’re building an asset that's referred to as a "Trophy Database". A "Trophy
Database" has real marketable value! If you ever want to get out of real estate you can sell that
asset for a substantial amount of money!
Think about it!
If you add 100-200 names of "warm" prospects, prospects who are part of the active market
place, each and every month, within two years your database will have over 2,000 names in it!
How much is that worth?
If you build an asset that continually and perpetually yields 10-20 transactions a month how much
is that worth? On a monthly basis it’s worth $30,000 to $60,000 or more in gross revenue. But on
a valuation basis, it makes your business worth in the hundreds of thousands of dollars!
So with our service you can turn more transactions each and every month and… you’ll be
building an asset that you can sell and retire from.
Can You do That with Other Services?
Yes, But...
Let’s look at the real picture.
With the box unit you’re losing half your leads…so you build your asset and your income half as
fast. Is it worth saving a few dollars a month…hmmm…doesn’t seem like it, does it?
With all the other response hotlines, in order to build your database you have to call every single
prospect back (which is a good idea by the way!), but you and I know the realities of your
business don’t always enable you to do that. So regardless of how good-intentioned you are
about calling back…you still miss out on the benefit of adding an accurate name and address to
your database.
The Solution?
Our service! It’s the best of both worlds! You get ANI 100% Call Capture and you get accurate
names and addresses to build your database…plus it saves you money with lower rates…and it’s
super, super easy to use and implement.
If you’re using any other system, you know your current system is techy and confusing. Our
system is super smooth, simple, and easy! We’ve set it up so that it’s easy for you to learn and
adapt to, plus it’s super easy to teach if you want to delegate the administration of it out.
So Now That You Know the Advantages…
Here’s My Shamelessly Irresistible Offer to Switch!
If you switch over to our response hotline within the next 30 days, I will set up your new hotline
free of charge – no activation fee! Plus I will give you a new $297 package of marketing materials
that will blow your doors off! It is the absolute best of the best!
Our marketing materials are absolutely awesome! Here are some highlights. They're broken up
into five different categories: Listing Strategies, Buyer Strategies, "Killer" Customer Service,
Fundamentals of Marketing and The Perfect Follow-Up System.
Listing Strategies
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
7 fail-safe steps to create a constant stream of new listing clients!
How to focus like a laser and attract a more profitable listing clientele.
6 keys to identifying sellers before your competitor has the slightest clue.
11 mistakes most agents make with free reports and how you can exploit this incredibly
powerful inventory building tool.
Completely stress-free method for listing tons of FSBOs.
How to develop an extraordinary Unique Selling Proposition or USP.
How to hit the bull's eye with Move-Up prospects (an absolute gold mine!).
Buyer Strategies
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Easy 5-step system to target renters and turn transactions every month.
6 ways to improve your buyer ads, postcards, newsletters or mailers.
2-step classified ad technique for attracting buyer after buyer!
10 guaranteed ways to increase the number of qualified buyers you reach.
The most important part of every buyer ad, postcard or mailer you write.
Time-tested words and phrases that bring buyers to your door.
Proven formula for "niche" marketing to the high-end buyer.
"Killer" Customer Service
•
•
•
•
•
•
The best way to eliminate your #1 complaint, "We never hear from our agent."
How to have the perfect "employee" for sweat-shop rates of $2-$3 a day.
Simple, super-quick and easy method of making unqualified buyers a referral source
worth thousands of dollars to your bottom line.
Customer service techniques guaranteed to generate tons of referrals.
How to use your response hotline as a customer service workhorse - saving you as much
as 5-10 hours a week!
Use info-on-demand to update your most demanding clients effortlessly.
Fundamentals of Marketing
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
How to slash all your marketing costs by 30%-50% instantly!
Simple classified ad produces 3, 5 even 10 or more new listings per month!
How to guarantee your ads get seen, read and you get the call.
The real reason people choose to buy anything - the secret truth long known by master
salesmen, sociologists and "con men": finally revealed.
Slash your average time on the market by 27%...regardless of your market!
Classified ads that have highly qualified prospects calling you.
How to create direct mail that is powerful, impactful and profitable.
How to get 1600% greater response with a simple headline change!
The Perfect Follow-Up System
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Exact word-for-word sample scripts that have prospects opening up to you.
Simple 6-stage follow-up method so easy and natural anyone could do it!
5 sure-fire follow-up formulas for every potential prospect.
How to put yourself in the "perfect frame of mind" for follow-up.
The real reason prospects respond to your follow-up.
Carefully worded phrases guaranteed to increase response to your follow-up.
How to offer info prospects are craving...and maximize your response.
How to write follow-up letters that make prospects want to work with you.
The above strategies and techniques are the most forward-thinking, aggressive, bottom-line
business-building concepts for this technology available virtually anywhere in the real estate
industry. And the follow-up scripts and materials are beyond belief!
After doing this for some time now you know that follow-up is where it all happens. This is where
the rubber meets the road and our new package gives you a six month follow-up action plan for
every type of prospect you could possibly generate. It has follow-up letters, postcards, phone
scripts…you name it! This package is easily worth the $297 price we’ve put on it! And it’s yours
FREE for switching over.
Part 2 - of Your Special Offer…
I’ll Give You Up to $270 to Switch Over!
Yes! You heard me right! I’ll give you up to $270 in real savings to switch! Here’s how it works. If
you cancel your other service and fax me your last month’s bill – I’ll give you credit for the full
number of minutes you billed with them – up to 1,000 minutes! At 27 cents per minute (our main
competitor's rate), that’s a $270 value!
Part 3 - I’ll Also Unconditionally Guarantee
You Will Absolutely Love Your New Service!
If after 30 days of using your new response hotline and service, you don’t think it’s the easiest,
best and most profitable hotline service you’ve ever experienced, I’ll immediately cancel your
service, you’re under no further obligation and you won’t even have to pay for the 30 days you
used our response hotline service.
How can I do it? Because you’re going to love this service…it beats the heck out of all the others
put together! You know your hotline’s weaknesses and you intimately know what will serve your
business-building needs better! Once you experience our service you will see the clear-cut
advantages!
What's the Catch?
Now you're probably thinking this all sounds great, so what's the catch?
Well, there is no catch! All we ask (to send you your $297 marketing package, to set up your new
response hotline and to unconditionally guarantee you'll love the service or you pay nothing) is
that you fax us your last month's bill from any of our competitors, along with our client information
form. That's it!
This way we can determine how many free minutes of usage to give you.
Now if you're using the "box unit" you'll need to fax us your purchase invoice. And since you
shelled out $2,000 for that puppy, we're going to give you the full 1,000 free minutes credit. You
deserve it for the investment you've already made to this marketing approach!
OK! So by simply faxing us your last month's bill or your purchase invoice along with our client
info form, you get: a $297 marketing package FREE, up to $270 in free minutes and an
unconditional guarantee that you'll love your new service or we'll part ways and you pay
nothing...plus you get to keep the marketing materials as a "thank you" for taking us up on our
offer!
So here it is! Now the ball is in your court. I have an awesome new service for you – set up free of
charge – no activation fee, a $297 marketing package is yours FREE, I’ll give you up to $270 in
value to switch – and…
You’ll get a vastly superior service with a super high-quality name and address feature for
considerably less money each and every month!
Sound good?
So, it’s time! Honestly, don’t you think it’s time to get everything you can from your hotline? To
produce less than is possible because you’ve got an inferior service is truly shameful when you
know there’s a better alternative!
It's Time for You to Get a Competitive Upgrade...
Wouldn't You Say?
My suggestion…CALL NOW! (703) 946-8035 Within 48 hours we can have your new hotline up
and running, your new marketing materials in your hands, and your database growing every day
with accurate names and addresses!
We’re talking about a higher quality service that will help you create more transactions every
month… all for 30%-40% less money per month. Plus you’ll receive up to $567 in value right now
for making the leap and switching over!
So again, CALL NOW! (703) 946-8035 and let’s get you going!
I sincerely hope you’ll take me up on my offer! I’m very anxious to serve you and your business
building needs! I look forward to hearing from you… and as always I remain respectfully and
appreciatively…
Yours for a more profitable real estate business!
PS I realize the switch over takes a bit of effort. That’s why I’ll give
you up to $270 and a $497 marketing package FREE, as well as unconditionally guarantee you’ll
love your new service!
PPS More and better service for less money… how can you lose?
You can’t… we’ve made sure of that! Together let’s help you get the most from this amazing
approach to marketing and help you create
more transactions each and every month!
3 Answering Machine Scripts That Will Capture 23 FSBOs A Month
FSBOs on the Do Not Call list are protected from cold calls. As always check names
against the DNC list. However, even if they are on the DNC list, if you have an interested
buyer, you are free to call FSBOs. See the February 23, 2005 Realtor.org Do-NotCall/Email/Fax Update.
Strategy 2 of 9
As Joan said in the last issue, it really is very simple to make money in real estate...if you have
these things:
1. "You will be the best in the business" mindset. There's no room for failure here. From the start,
believe you will be the best.
2. "Go out of your way to help people with their goals of buying or selling their homes." Be kind
and sincere.
3. "Prospect your FSBO leads, past clients and business relationships...everyday. Also send out
thank you cards to everyone who's ever done something to help you get business."
4. "Leave a kind message on FSBOs' answering machines."
This last tip is especially important...it alone was responsible for 2-3 FSBO listings a month for
Joan!
That's exciting isn't it? And I bet now your probably thinking, "Tell me what she said!!"
Well, because Joan didn't leave us with any specific scripts, she did leave us with suggestions on
what to say.
And based on those suggestions, we crafted and tested 3 scripts that have been proven to be
effective.
Here they are:
Script #1
"Hi, this is (your name) with (your co.). I see that you're tring to sell you home on your own.
"Before you hit the delete button on this message I just wanted you to know that I'm a full time
REALTOR who lists and sells homes in your neighborhood and I would like to help you reach
your goals in selling your home.
"If there's anything I can do to help you please call me on my cell phone at 000-000 0000. I'm not
a pushy salesperson...we'll just talk and see if there's anything I can do to help you reach your
goals. Again my cell phone number is 000-000-0000. Take care and make it a wonderful day."
Script #2
"Hi, this is (your name) with (your co.). I may have good news for you.
"I'm working with clients right now who have an interest in purchasing a home in a neighborhood
like yours.
"My question is would you consider paying a 3% commission (instead of the normal 6% listing
fee) if I brought you a buyer that would give you a full-price offer?
"If you have any interest please give me a call on my cell phone at 000-000-000. Again my
number is 000-000-0000. Take care and make it a wonderful day!"
Script #3
"Hi, this is (your name) with (your co.). I just wanted to call and see if you've thought about the
idea of paying a commission for a full-price buyer.
"I'm working with some new clients right now who are interested in purchasing a home in a
neighborhood like yours.
"If you have an interest call me on my cell phone at 000-000-000. Again my number is 000-0000000. Take care and make it a wonderful day!"
Once again, the beauty of leaving messages on FSBOs' answering machine is that it's a
completely rejection-free method to 2-3 listings a month.
If you consistently use these scripts and follow up regularly... I think it's safe to say that you could
easily add 2-3 listings to your inventory every month...month in, month out...consistent as the
setting sun. Try it and see for yourself!
Now for the next issue...
When This Man Speaks, People Listen
In the next 2 issues we will open the platform to a superstar agent and world-class trainer that is
unmatched in the business.
Grant Dolby is out of Colorado and is recognized nationally for training, mentoring and producing
award winning agents.
He's developed and coached the most profitable Keller Williams broker in the state of
Colorado...and even coached the Keller Williams Rookie of the Year for the last 3 out of 4 years.
Before that he spent 15 years as a dominate broker and real estate agent himself.
Grant will share with you...
The Worst Mistake to Make When Working With FSBOs
Making this mistake will have 7 out of 10 FSBOs your working with rude, hostile and cranky. More
than that, they'll become emotional and financial strains.
Eight Irresistible Reasons Why FSBOs Can't Live
Without You
FSBOs on the Do Not Call list are protected from cold calls. As always check names
against the DNC list. However, even if they are on the DNC list, if you have an interested
buyer, you are free to call FSBOs. See the February 23, 2005 Realtor.org Do-NotCall/Email/Fax Update.
Strategy 8 of 9
Face it: approaching FSBOs can be hard.
But it doesn't have to be...and here's why.
In a minute you'll discover how easy it is to approach and list FSBOs...and you'll do it with the
help of an amazingly simple but persuasive list called "The Eight Irresistible Reasons FSBOs
Can't Live Without You."
Our agents have used these "eight irresistible reasons" often and have found them to be
unbelievably effective, dissolving the resistance of even the most stubborn FSBO...without even
breaking a sweat.
Furthermore, whenever they use this foolproof list they almost always move mountains of money
into their pockets. And so can you.
Eight Irresistible Reasons Why FSBOs Can't Live Without You
When approaching FSBOs for the first time, use these ideas to prove to them that the adventure
of selling their home can either be pleasant...or very painful.
1. You are worth your commission: REALTORS sell homes for more: 27% more according
to the 2002 National Association of REALTORS "Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers."
For a $100,000 home, that's 27,000 more dollars.
2. You are a legal expert: You know all the contracts, forms, disclosure statements
backwards, front wards, inside and out. If they did it solo, chances are high they'll miss
something...that may be costly.
3. You are a professional: Like a doctor or lawyer. You're worth your commission because
you're an expert. You live and breathe this stuff. Ask them how many people would
defend themselves in a court of law? Or, how many people feel confident performing
surgery on themselves? Neither should someone be expected to sell a home on their
own. It's best left to the experts.
4. You are a master of the market: You know the market and can price the homes
competitively. Explain to them the importance of pricing right the first time and the danger
of over-pricing.
5. You are a expert on financing: You know how to pre-qualify, qualify and point prospects
in the right direction for financing. Unless they are lenders by trade, wish them good luck.
6. You are a specialist: You can handle criticism, objections and demands objectively and
professionally...a must when trying to persuade someone a certain home is their dream
home.
7. You are a negotiator: You know how to balance offers, counteroffers and negotiate
contingencies that often will drive a FSBO bananas. Offer your batting average for selling
homes at full-asking price asked. If your good, they'll thin you're a genius.
8. Finally, you are a network: Develop a list of the tasks that must be completed before
closing, including all the inspections, insurance, permits and improvements, etc. Title it
"The FSBO Nightmare." Then explain to them you know all the right people and could
have everything arranged in an afternoon. They'll get the point.
Now remember, working FSBOs can be long term. But if they're highly motivated, lightly but
persistently hold their feet to the fire for the next couple of weeks emphasizing the above points.
As the frustration builds, their tipping point will get lower and lower. Eventually they'll crawl into
your lap.
What Every FSBO Fears
How long has it been since you've read something racy? That's right, racy. Controversial.
Contrary. It's a great old tradition in America to rock the boat...but more often than not it's done
simply for the sake of scandal.
But in the next FSBO Strategy Report I'm going to share something with you that's genuine...but
could be very explosive. And if the word gets out, it will have FSBOs across America reaching for
the phone to call the nearest REALTOR...
How to Attract the Move-Up Buyer…
Who Has a Home to Sell Too!
This strategy could be considered both a listing strategy and a buyer strategy. And it requires
a little bit of research.
The first thing you need to know is the average time a homeowner in your area owns a home
before selling it to move-up. You want to find out what Tom Hopkins refers to as the "itch
cycle" for your area. The itch cycle is how often someone moves. In some areas it’s every
seven years. Other areas it may be every ten to twelve. The key here is to find out what the
average is, then target homeowners eighteen months either side of the average.
For example, if the itch cycle for your area is seven and a half years, you would want to
target anyone who has been in their home for six to nine years. This three-year window is
your best target for the move-up buyer or seller.
Once you know what your itch cycle is, you need a list of homeowners in that range. You can
research public records or you can purchase lists from various companies, like Edith Roman
and Cahners Business Lists.
Once you have your list, this strategy is somewhat similar to other strategies we cover in your
course materials. Your first objective is to identify the prospects on your list that are part of
the "active market". Like the other strategies, you identify your "active" prospects by getting
them to inquire for a "free educational report". Then, once they’ve requested a report, it’s
simply a matter of following up with them until the timing is right and they convert.
One agent summed it up by saying, "It’s all a matter of timing and having the right offer. Your
letters really do the trick. I mail a target farm of about 500 homes every other month just like
you laid out. The results have been 7 listings and 9 buyer side transactions in the first four
months of this year from this one single approach. Your other materials are producing
transactions to, but I really like the Move-Up market."
A 3-Step Mailing Program for the Move-Up Buyer / Seller
Because of the lower urgency level, the move-up buyer should only be mailed every other
month. Then, once they request the report, your follow-up system is the same as any other
"active" prospect. But the target group in general should only be mailed every other month.
The letters in your course materials can be mailed again and again. The first letter appeals to
the idea that they may be able to lower payments and own a nicer home. The second letter
relates to ways of removing the stress from the transaction process. And the third letter
provokes interest with the thought that you may have a buyer interested in their home and
they need to act quickly.
Then your course materials presents a series of follow-up letters that take a similar path. The
first one focuses on their equity and how it could be used to help them move-up. The second
letter again tries to entice them to consider moving because you have buyers that may be
interested in their home. And the third letter tries to provoke interest through easy financing
options.
The reason you can mail and re-mail letters using these ideas is your prospect won’t receive
a letter focusing on the same idea for a few months. By this time they’ve completely forgotten
the content of your other letters. Therefore the process can be carried out almost indefinitely.
The only thing you need to do is alter each letter slightly so it doesn’t appear you’re sending
the exact same letter. For example, change the number of prospects you mention in the letter
about a potential buyer. Also, you could reference earlier letters you’ve mailed them, "I’ve
written you a few times over the last eight months." Make your letters look more personal so
it doesn’t look like you’re just mailing the same letters over and over. But you can use the
same ideas again and again, the key is to make it look personal.
How to Cultivate FSBO Listings
Without Ever Calling on Them
Most of the agents I talk to don’t particularly like the "For Sale By Owner" market. They tend
to be put off by the defensive attitude of FSBOs. And it’s true, the FSBO can be a tough nut
to crack. They probably have a higher level of sales resistance than any other type of
prospect. But, there are huge opportunities in the FSBO market if you have the right strategy.
Right now approximately 30-40% of the homes for sale across the country are FSBO. More
and more homeowners want to try selling on their own, before they list with an agent. But
statistically about half to three quarters of them eventually wind-up listing with an
agent…that’s huge!
Personally, the FSBO market is my favorite market because of the huge opportunities, plus I
can relate to their feelings. I can appreciate the fact that they are trying to keep as much of
their equity as possible. As a businessperson, it’s easy to see where they are coming from.
And when you can relate to your prospect’s feelings, it’s easy to develop an effective strategy
to penetrate their tough exterior.
Think about it. They are simply trying to save money. But you and I know that the vast
majority of FSBOs do not have the wherewithal to complete the transaction smoothly. They
don’t understand all the little intricacies to the transaction process. This is where your
opportunities are, in the little intricacies of the transaction process.
How to Penetrate Their Thick Skin of Sales Resistance
The first and biggest hurdle to the FSBO market is their defensive posture. There’s a huge
barrier of sales resistance. You know what I mean. If you’ve ever called on a FSBO, there is
a good chance they will hang up on you. They are always on their guard. And it’s
understandable - they’re getting calls from Realtors all the time.
So how do you break through that shell? Well, don’t prospect them at all. As a Realtor, your
point of entry is so high that you shouldn’t call them. You should have someone else contact
them. Let me give you an example of how our agents list FSBOs without ever calling them.
An agent in Florida explains it this way, "When you suggested I start working FSBOs, the hair
on my neck stood up. I’ve always hated FSBOs. But when you explained the approach and
how I should hook up with my lender, it made sense. I explained it to my lender and she got
really fired up. Now she calls them, lends the recorded information service to them, and
about two months later 50%-75% of them wind-up listing with me because of her
recommendation. Plus we wind-up with some pretty good buyers, too. Most of the time the
buyer isn’t really interested in the FSBO. And with my lender doing the follow-up, the buyer
comes to me pre-qualified and ready to go."
Do you get the gist of it? The strategy is first to break-down the barrier of resistance. What’s
the best way to do that? Don’t threaten their equity. Whenever an agent calls, the FSBO is
immediately defending their equity. They see you as being out to get 6%-7%, which may
represent a huge chunk of their total equity! But the lender doesn’t cost them anything. The
lender is a service person who makes money without dipping into their hard-earned equity.
The "Hunger Factor"
So the first step to carrying out this strategy is to partner with a good aggressive lender. Find
a lender who has what I call a good "hunger factor". The "hunger factor" is critical to the
success of the partnership. Many of the agents we work with have great lending affiliates but
they have a low hunger factor. If a lender has five or six top producers feeding them leads,
they don’t need or necessarily have the ability to handle more business.
Another thing to consider in selecting the right lender for this strategy is their attitude toward
innovation. This is an innovative strategy and if the lender you’re thinking about isn’t really
aggressive about new ways to generate more business they might not be the right candidate.
This strategy is worth taking the time to hand pick the right lending affiliate. It’s been
incredibly effective and if you have any doubts about your lender’s commitment to it, you
should move on to someone else. This strategy, executed well, will make you both thousands
of dollars.
Which brings me to my next point. If the approach is making your lender thousands of
dollars…who should pay for it? Hmm…are you with me? Your lender should be picking up
the tab…or at least a really good portion of it. In fact, I would estimate that about 20% of our
agents don’t pay for their service…their lenders do.
Before Your Approach
If you are going to get your lender involved, you need to have a well-organized plan for your
presentation. If you don’t, your lender may say "yes" and pay for a portion of your bill but
that’s not the entire objective here. You want your lender to be fully committed to working the
system to get maximum effectiveness.
Selling it to your lender should be easy because of your position. You’re a profit center to that
lender. They already value your contributions, so they should be all ears. But – this is really
important – if you are going to get the most from this strategy, you still have to present it well
and sell them on what’s in it for them.
The first thing you should do before your lender presentation is prepare a FSBO marketing
package for your lender. The FSBO marketing package should contain:
1. FSBO lead generation letters (examples in course material)
2. FSBO agreement (examples in course material)
3. Checklist of things to be included in recorded information (examples in course
material)
4. Telemarketing script (examples in course material)
Then you should suggest to your lender that they develop a package of free services to offer
the FSBO. Things to consider for that package include:
1. CMA of the FSBO’s home
2. A property brochure - have your lender help them prepare a professional brochure of
their home with your response hotline number
3. CMA of FSBOs potential purchase
4. Income Tax implications of new home
5. Any other pertinent financial information
6. Suggestions for any of the FSBO’s advertising
Once you’ve prepared your presentation materials call your lender and set a time to get
together with them to discuss the strategy.
How to Present This to Your Greatest Advantage
The main thing to keep in mind as you are presenting this to your affiliate is: "What’s in it for
them". Really focus on how this service and these strategies will benefit them. Show them the
potential for generating tons of loan apps from the FSBO market.
Our agent in Florida explained the way he approached his lender like this, "I first showed her
my advertising and then a call report. After that I called my information line and gave her a
live demonstration – just like I do on my listing appointments. I went on to explain how this
new system generates hundreds of calls and how she could benefit from those calls, too.
Then we got into the FSBO idea. I explained how the FSBO market is a great market, but
because I’m an agent, it was a lot harder for me to get their interest than it would be for her.
She was on the same page immediately. She could easily see the potential."
Now his affiliate "loans" the recorded information service to FSBOs. The FSBO advertises it
in the newspaper and various other sources. The lender puts a sign in each of the FSBOs’
yards and then she takes the choicest properties and runs an ad in the local homes
magazine.
In the process, she’s careful to not identify the properties as FSBO because it might alienate
her from the other Realtors in the area. But the fact that she doesn’t identify them as FSBO
makes no difference, she still generates tons of calls and…they’re all potential loan
applications and potential buyers for you, if the FSBO property isn’t of interest.
Now here’s the best part. Two or three months later the FSBO is getting frustrated. That’s
when your lender recommends they list with you. And guess what? About 70%-80% of time
they will because they already have a trusting relationship with your lender. It’s a win-win-win
deal all around. The FSBO gets free advertising and a free group of services. The lender gets
loan apps. And you get listings and pre-qualified buyers.
Now do you see why I’m so excited about FSBOs? They’re a great market!
How To Turn FSBOs Into Clients With One Single
Question
FSBOs on the Do Not Call list are protected from cold calls. As always check names
against the DNC list. However, even if they are on the DNC list, if you have an interested
buyer, you are free to call FSBOs. See the February 23, 2005 Realtor.org Do-NotCall/Email/Fax Update.
Strategy 4 of 9
Now, like we promised, we are sending you part 2 of a 2-part series by the world-class real estate
trainer and coach Grant Dolby.
The best prerequisite for pre-qualifying a FSBO is knowing when they need to or plan to move
out. Once you know this information, ask them this very powerful question:
“What are you going to do if your FSBO efforts are coming up short? And what kind of effect is
this going to have on your job transfer, wedding day, etc.?”
This brings their problem to light. They'll start discussing all the terrible things that could happen:
•
•
•
paying 2 mortgages
selling a house from out of state
the distress they'll feel having to do this all alone
Quickly they will see the value in using you as their agent and suggest to YOU that you help
them. They’ll even think they thought it up themselves...and all you did was ask them a simple
question!
If the FSBO is highly motivated, they won’t last long in the market - maybe one to two weeks.
Now, here are a few key requirements when dealing with FSBOs.
2 Lethal Mistakes Realtors Make When Prospecting FSBO's
There may be more ways to burn a FSBO, but these two rank up there as the world's deadliest
and most common:
1. Emphatically disagree with a FSBO
2. Become visibly angry with a FSBO
Here's what you need to do to avoid burning FSBO leads:
1. Keep your emotions in line (stay calm, slow to anger). Listen, listen, listen.
2. Be agreeable. Say things like, “I can appreciate that, I can tell it’s very important to you.”
This may seem obvious, but it's common sense that some of the brightest minds in real estate
seem to miss! If you master these two principles, I don't doubt that in no time your listing
inventory will magically grow and you'll be converting more and more FSBOs to listings!
Six Hypnotic Suggestions To Turn FSBOs Into Clients
In the next report, you are going to discover 6 ways to get FSBO's behind the 8-ball so that they
have no way BUT to use you as their agent...using information that a lot of coaches and trainers
don't even know exists.
How to Use Free Reports the Right Way...
You'll Explode Your Listing Inventory
How would you like to have a list of 300 prospects that each month, when you mailed them a
letter, you got anywhere from 8 to 12 of them to list with you. Sound impossible? It’s not. Not
if the prospects you’re mailing have indicated an interest in selling at some point in the near
future. How do you get a list like that? By using the free "educational report" strategy that I’m
going to explain.
One of our agents explains it like this, "I advertise an offer for a free educational report about
how to sell your home quickly and for more money. It works really well when I run the free
report ads right along with my listings in the homes magazine. The caller who requests the
report is obviously thinking about selling. It may not be today or even next month, but I have
them in my database and I can mail them a letter once a month to stay in touch. My database
is growing, I now have about 300 prospects who’ve requested reports in the last eight
months, and each month I mail all 300 of them a letter. Generally I will get 12-15 calls, 10-12
appointments, and I close over 90% of them with the listing presentation you showed me."
Not bad huh? This is how you target market. By getting prospects to raise their hand and tell
you they are interested in information about selling, you identify them. They are part of the
"active market". Now you can target them every month until they respond to your message.
Most of the agents we work with, if they did any mailings prior to this strategy, would get
dismal results at best. Agents would average maybe a half percent and that’s if they were
lucky. Most of our agents used to get such bad results from their direct mail that they simply
stopped doing it. This approach changes that. Why? Because the prospects you are mailing
have elevated themselves to a new level. They have told you something about themselves.
Now, is every one of your prospects going to respond? No. But your response rates will be
excellent and very profitable, if you consistently follow through.
Understand it takes a little time and consistent effort. The listing leads you get with this
strategy will be A, B and C prospects. Some will want you to come out for a listing
appointment right away, but those are the minority. The majority of your prospects are
responding in the early part of their "thinking about selling" process. Which is perfect because
you capture them before any other agent has an opportunity to get their hooks into them.
Now you simply have to consistently stay in touch with them until they are ready.
I have another suggestion. If you don’t have the ability to stay in touch with a large number of
prospects consistently I suggest you invest in a contact management program. Goldmine,
Act, Top Producer, On-Line Agent, Agent 2000... whatever. You need to have something in
place that will help you quickly and easily stay in touch with lots of prospects. To make this
particular strategy effective it's crucial to stay in touch. A good contact manager will help you
do that.
How Much Is It Worth to Stay In Touch?
You’ve generated a prospect who will eventually list with someone. The cost of staying in
touch with that prospect once a month for the next year, if necessary, is about $8. Now,
according to Craig Proctor’s organization, 79% of their prospects list within the first six
months. But let’s be conservative and say only one in ten of these prospects lists their home
in the next year. Again remember, this prospect requested an educational report about how
to sell their home quickly and for the most money. They are thinking about selling! But let's
say only one in ten does something in the next year. That means a single listing would cost
you $80 to generate. Ten prospects x a year’s follow up cost = cost of generating one listing
(10 x $8 = $80).
Would you invest $80 for a good listing? What’s the cost if you don’t spend the $80 to stay in
touch? One of your competitors cashes the check!
With this strategy, look at the bigger picture. This is a longer-term strategy that could position
you to be very dominant in your market. By capturing prospects early in the process, you
close-out your competition as long as you consistently stay in touch. And all you need to stay
in touch is a "personal" letter once a month until they list. It’s pretty simple! But…it takes a
little bit of work to get the system set up so it doesn’t take you any time to follow through.
If you had to personally write a letter to 300 prospects a month it would be far too
cumbersome to ever work long term. Again, you need to automate the process with a contact
manager.
Your need these tools so you can personalize every letter you send to prospects. You don’t
want to send them cold, impersonal letters. That’s not staying in touch. Staying in touch
requires a "personal touch."
Steps to Successfully Using Free Educational Reports In Your Marketing
Our agent mailing 300 prospects per month had some additional insights she explained,
"When I mail the report out, I wait three days and then I follow up by phone. I’m very gentle
and service-oriented, but I’m still looking for an appointment if possible. If I get it great. If not,
I let them know I will be staying in touch and if there is any way I can be of service, I want
them to feel comfortable calling me. Then I put them in the database and mail them a followup letter every month. With my database growing like it is, I now stage my mailings so that
only one fourth of my prospects get mailed each week. This way every prospect gets a letter
once a month. And by doing it this way, it enables me to follow-up by phone, too. I follow up
by phone a few days after I mail them a letter. But, I only do this every other month because
that’s about as much as my prospects seem to feel comfortable with."
The steps to success as our agents outlined them are:
1. Use the free educational report ads that are included in your direct response ad
kit
2. Run your free report ads along with your listings in your homes magazines or
newspaper
3. Understand the strategy is a longer-term strategy that takes a little time.
4. Build your database of prospects
5. Mail them the follow-up materials (included in your course materials) every month
6. Follow-up (using scripts from your course materials) a few days after you send
the report
7. Follow-up by phone, every other month, a few days after you send a letter
Make your prospects an offer, give them a reason to pick up the phone to call you. Make
them feel comfortable. Close your letters and follow-up calls in a very service- minded way.
Try to disarm them and make them feel totally at ease.
If you can get your prospects to begin an ongoing dialog with you, you’re in. You own their
business. By serving them at this high level you effectively shut out the competition. You
have what Jack Trout, author of "Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind," refers to as
"complete mind-share." When that prospect thinks real estate the first and only name that
comes to mind is yours!
In Conclusion
This strategy is just the beginning of what you can do with this system. It’s virtually unlimited
the number of things you can do, when you begin to think both strategically and tactically. I’ve
given you one powerful tactical strategy and our course materials give you virtually all the
follow-up materials to support them. But I hope you will begin to look at the bigger picture and
see the underlying principles that make this system so effective.
The Man With The Instinct To Make Money
FSBOs on the Do Not Call list are protected from cold calls. As always check names
against the DNC list. However, even if they are on the DNC list, if you have an interested
buyer, you are free to call FSBOs. See the February 23, 2005 Realtor.org Do-NotCall/Email/Fax Update.
Strategy 5 of 9
In the next 3 minutes you are going to discover 5 ways to get FSBOs behind the 8 ball so that
they have no choice but to list with you as their agent...
using information a lot of real estate coaches and trainers don't even know exist...
it's like knowing the FSBO Achilles Heel.
To say Ron Quintero (the aggressive, business-building, profit- generating machine) is a smart
guy, is an understatement.
He is a walking encyclopedia of real estate knowledge, so there are a thousand things I could
have asked him to share...but after much thought, we decided that these are the secrets we
wanted in your hands. Because money-making wise, these 5 secrets alone could improve your
effectiveness with FSBOs five to ten-fold.
So without further delay...
Six Hypnotic Suggestions To Turn FSBOs Into Clients
1. Demonstrate the long list of all that's involved in marketing a property - from advertising
and photography to negotiating and closing a deal (you should be able to rattle off at
high-speed 8-10 things. The idea is to overwhelm them.
2. Compare, through illustrations, how you as an expert with all the tools, your network and
the MLS will open the door wide for the world to see their property, where their efforts will
amount to tiny and insignificant exposure
3. Explain to FSBOs that agents on average routinely land 27% more money for their clients
homes than FSBOs do, that 4 out of 5 FSBOs throw in the towel, and agents regularly
sell the homes several months sooner
4. Offer them a free list of selling tips and marketing tools they could use, such as: listing on
MLS, posting on FSBO websites or brochure boxes, For Sale signs, open house signs,
free school reports for buyers
5. Be persistent. FSBOs are prone to tune you out and reject you...at first. But as their
frustration level rises in the following weeks, they will quickly accept any offer of help
Use these suggestions well, and at the right time, and you'll clearly find the FSBO tipping point
lower than normal...the consistent 2-3 new FSBO listings a month added to your inventory will
prove it you!
Do You Have The One Quality Shared By Most Top Producers?
According to Brent Warnock, of Warnock's By Owner, super-successful agents are not all highlytalented salespeople, exceedingly influential talkers or simply lucky ones in the "right" market.
After interviewing thousands of agents for over 12 years, he feels he's isolated the single quality
that almost every superstar agent has...and it shatters every old preconception about real estate
money-makers.
The One Quality Almost All
Top Producers Share
FSBOs on the Do Not Call list are protected from cold calls. As always check names
against the DNC list. However, even if they are on the DNC list, if you have an interested
buyer, you are free to call FSBOs. See the February 23, 2005 Realtor.org Do-NotCall/Email/Fax Update.
Strategy 6 of 9
An amazing success in FSBO marketing for over 12 years, Brent Warnock still serves as a leader
and teacher to agents in the demanding FSBO marketplace.
Since he created Warnock's By Owner, the FSBO generating company that serves over 394
markets and 7000 plus agents across the nation, Brent has aligned himself and brainstormed with
some of the industries brightest minds.
He has a treasure chest of listing secrets (whether FSBO or not), and now after interviewing
hundreds of top producing agents during his career, he feels he's isolated the one quality that
almost every superstar agent has...and this crucial, strikingly-simple, wealth-producing secret is
yours today...
The One Quality Almost All Top Producers Share
In all his conversations with these enormously successful agents there is one reoccurring
character trait they've developed that clearly differentiates these agents from others, and it's
nothing more than this: consistency.
Bottom line, those who produce listing after listing from "By Owners" are those who "religiously"
contact these home sellers every day.
It was interesting to note that many of these star performers actually used the term "Religiously"
to describe their prospecting efforts.
Those who prospect "By Owners" have successfully organized systems (scripts, strategies, etc.).
But even more importantly...they tenaciously weld themselves to the systems they have
established.
One agent I spoke with explains: "I prospect (FSBOs) every day for two hours. Others ask me
how can I do it.
"It's simple. I respond, 'I earn $35 every time I dial the phone.' No - I don't get a listing
appointment every day. And sometimes I go days without having much apparent success. But
then, suddenly, it turns around and I find myself making two, three or four listing appointments all
within a day or two - and all from my prospecting efforts."
Another agent re-frames the effort and says, "It's my job to disqualify people rapidly and
determine who I want to work with."
I love that mind-set. It's empowering. You are no longer at the mercy of their reaction - you are in
control and you're out to produce a result.
Does that suggest you should be rude? No. Always be kind. Always be polite...but know your
objective and be determined.
It would be real easy to quit during those days or even weeks with no apparent success. Most
agents do - that's why so few are working "By Owners" at all. And of those few who are working
"By Owners" even fewer are working them successfully. This leaves just a handful collecting the
massive windfall of profits from all the "By Owner's" who are listing.
If the majority of By owner's do list - and they do - it makes you wonder who are they listing with.
The answer is deceptively simple - it's the few that are prospecting "religiously".
So let this be a lesson in never giving up...never, never, never give up! Because there are agents
out there making mountains of money working FSBOs...and there's no reason that agent can't be
you!
The Surprising Secret of Top Producers
Harry Beckwith calls it the "Principle of Collision." Dale Carnegie says it makes more people
millionaires than predetermined, carefully designed plans. Brent Warnock views it as the darling
of FSBO success...
Yet ironically most Realtors seem convinced that this secret doesn't apply to them. "That's just
the way we like it," one Realtor who's made a killing in real estate for years
said.
The One Quality Almost All Top Producers Share
cont.
FSBOs on the Do Not Call list are protected from cold calls. As always check names
against the DNC list. However, even if they are on the DNC list, if you have an interested
buyer, you are free to call FSBOs. See the February 23, 2005 Realtor.org Do-NotCall/Email/Fax Update.
Strategy 7 of 9
"Someday. Tomorrow. Eventually..." Three of the worst times to start approaching or following-up
with FSBOs...
Because hour for hour, dollar for dollar FSBO leads are some of the most lucrative leads in real
estate. Yet there are thousands of agents ignoring them.
But there is one super-simple (almost too simple) key to success with FSBOs that helps any
agent to list more FSBOs...almost effortlessly.
Harry Beckwith calls it the "Principle of Collision." Brent Warnock views it as the darling of FSBO
success...What is it?
The Unexpected Secret of Top Producers
There are as many ways to approach and to list "By Owners" as there are Realtors.
But in conversations it became apparent to Brent Warnock that there was only one super-simple
fact that consistently surpassed all the others, and it was this: timing.
Fact is, Brent realized that being in the right place at the right time almost always meant the
difference between extraordinary wealth and average, barely-enough income.
Not long ago, Brent had a Realtor with Warnock's call him after just a few days of getting her
FSBO list. She was excited...said she had just gotten her first listing from a "By Owner."
"What happened". Brent asked.
"Well, it kind of was an accident. I called this 'By Owner' who was on your list this morning. He
was rude, offensive...told me where to go. I hung up determined not to let that bother me, then
finished with my calls.
"Later that afternoon as I was attempting to call those who I missed - I accidentally called this guy
again. The minute he answered...I recognized his voice.
"My heart dropped. I thought about hanging up immediately. But hey, I thought, this was a great
time to practice a different approach - so I introduced myself again, differently this time.
Apparently much had changed since the morning. Either he had plenty of other Realtors call - or
he had grown frustrated that he had not sold the home yet.
"Whatever the case - he asked me what I thought I could do for him. I told him directly 'I can sell
your home.' He invited me over. I listed it that very day."
To Brent this was no accident. It was simply being in the right place at the right time.
And there is no magic in being in the right place at the right time. Brent explains, "It had nothing
to do with fortune or luck. This agent was working, she was calling, she was there...any other
agent could have been on the phone with this 'By Owner' just about the time when he was
growing weary and ready to list - but one thing is sure - that someone will be someone who is
working FSBOs religiously - period!"
Top Producer Confesses Secret to Success
Brent had another Realtor who called him laughing one day.
This guy said he had picked up one of Warnock's FSBO Finder lists off of his company fax
machine. Intrigued, he made a few phone calls. On his third call, he made a listing appointment
and got the listing. Later that week he called
and said:
"I have no clue what you are doing - but I want to sign up."
Again this was not luck - nor coincidence - nor accident. He got a listing because he called. Brent
talks with hundreds of agents every day who say to him "I don't work FSBOs." "That's not
surprising," he responds, "hardly anyone does."
And That's exactly why most of the top REALTORS do. Studies show that 80-90% of "For Sale
By Owner's" will eventually list - yet ironically most Realtors seem convinced that prospecting "By
Owners" is not for them.
"That's just the way we like it", said one Realtor who has made a killing prospecting By Owners
for years.
It's not surprising that a very small minority of agents are doing a huge majority of the business:
why wouldn't they, when they're the only ones drinking from this deep, extremely lucrative well?
Eight Irresistible Reasons FSBOs Can't Live Without You
===============================
Face it: approaching FSBOs can be hard.
But it doesn't have to be...and here's why.
Picture a proven, highly-effective list of 8 objection handlers that made listing with you the only
reasonable thing for FSBOs to do...
And if you just used this list, persuading FSBOs to do what you want, when you want, becomes
child's play.
With this list, approaching FSBOs becomes easy.
And if such a monster like "the eight most persuasive things to say to FSBOs" existed, would you
want it?
The Rejaction-Free Secret to Listing 2-3 FSBOs
Every Month!
FSBOs on the Do Not Call list are protected from cold calls. As always check names
against the DNC list. However, even if they are on the DNC list, if you have an interested
buyer, you are free to call FSBOs. See the February 23, 2005 Realtor.org Do-NotCall/Email/Fax Update.
Strategy 1 of 9
This strategy comes from a soft-spoken lady who nearly took over her real estate market with an
original, but not new, approach: she was nice!
When you meet her, however, don't let her humble and sincere spirit fool you...because after 29
years in the business, she's competed shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the toughest agents
anywhere, and always seems to come out on top.
From 1987-2000, she was Coldwell Bankers #1 agent in America. She's one of the best coaches
and trainers around, teaching agents how to make hundreds of thousands of dollars.
So she's more than qualified to share her secrets with you.
Without further delay...
One thing that plagues a lot of agents in this business is the uncertainty or inconsistency of
income. It's been called "the Bungee Cord income." Up, then down. Up, then down.
Joan Pate learned early in her career that if she was going to last, she had to create a consistent
income.
Through her 29 years she discovered 4 things that helped bring a balance to her income:
1. Follow up consistently with FSBOs
2. Prospect everyday
3. Always ask for business and referrals
This next secret is where many agents disagree with Joan, but experience proved that by
doing this one simple thing, she tripled her call backs from FSBOs. What was her secret?
Nothing more than this...
4. She left messages on FSBOs' answering machines! This guaranteed her at least 2
listings a month. (Weird, isn't it, something so small could have such a major impact? As
the proverb goes, "Little hinges swing big doors.")
Now, if you've got call-reluctance here are a couple of pointers from Joan to help you get over
that:
•
•
•
•
Memorize some soft openings to build confidence and deflect the ire of the FSBO
(Question Based Selling by Tom Freese has several)
Practice with a friend who is a good speaker and is not afraid to tell you what you are
doing wrong (again, the point is to build confidence)
Don't procrastinate. The longer you wait, the more stressed out you will become thinking
about it
Prospect during a time of day you are at your peak (For larks, it's usually first thing in the
morning after a cup or two of coffee. Owls prefer later in the afternoon.)
And if all fails to subdue your fear, then JUST DO IT AFRAID!
It would be a terrible thing to miss becoming successful simply because you failed to do the
necessary things to make money and confront your fears.
3 Answering Machine Scripts That Will Capture 2-3 FSBOs A Month
Cat have your tongue? Well, we have the solution for you.
If crafting scripts is not your cup of tea or you simply don't have the time and want to get started
leaving messages on FSBOs' answering machines, but you want to do it right... we have 3
professionally-written, dollar-producing, agent- tested scripts available to you...
The Worst Mistake You Can Make When Working
FSBOs
FSBOs on the Do Not Call list are protected from cold calls. As always check names
against the DNC list. However, even if they are on the DNC list, if you have an interested
buyer, you are free to call FSBOs. See the February 23, 2005 Realtor.org Do-NotCall/Email/Fax Update.
Strategy 2 of 9
This FSBO strategy comes from Grant Dolby out of Littleton, CO. Recognized nationally for
training, mentoring and producing award winning agents, Grant has been coaching and training
agents since 1996.
Before that he spent 15 years as a dominate broker and real estate agent himself. He's
developed and coached the most profitable Keller Williams broker in the state of Colorado and
even coached the Keller Williams Rookie of the Year for the last 3 out of 4 years.
This is part 1 of a 2-part series by Grant. Next issue he'll discuss the Single Most Important
Question to Qualify FSBOs.
Grant is going to share...
The Worst Mistake to Make When Working With FSBOs
And what is the worst mistake an agent could make when working with FSBOs?
* Not being choosy about who they put in the follow up sequence.
7 out of 10 people will not be ready and without a timeframe. If you don't approach them correctly
they can be a drain on finances and emotions.
But out of those 10, 3 of them will be realistic, nice and have a timeframe.
And if they make an appointment, during the meeting, ask all of the questions of a listing
presentation...but act as a consultant. Find out what problems these people have that you can
help solve.
Imagine yourself as a doctor or lawyer...potential patients don’t just open the phone book and
choose a doctor and neither do possible clients depend on the Yellow Pages to pick a
lawyer...and neither should your prospect do the same thing when choosing a real estate agent.
Position yourself as a professional...a money consultant. Of course they're paying you...but
they're paying you big because you know exactly what to do and exactly when to do it.
You're worth your commission.
So what's the point? Be aggressive when qualifying FSBOs for follow up.
How to Turn FSBOs Into Clients With One Question
Next issue Grant will tell you How To Turn FSBOs Into Clients With One Single Question.
With this one question, you can determine which FSBO is going to be money in the bank and
which one is going to be an emotional and financial drain.
When making as much money as you do, and seconds are sacred, you can't afford to waste even
a minute with a car-chasing FSBO.
Uniqueness...The Key to Listing or
Re-Listing Expireds!
One good thing about an expired listing is you know they want to sell. The biggest difficulty is
they are getting hit with a ton of calls once their listing expires. They get calls, mailers and
agents knocking on their door. With so many messages being flashed in front of them, how
do they decide?
This is where the power of a crystal clear USP is so crucial. If you don’t have a clear, distinct,
compelling reason for them to choose you…frankly, why should they?
So how do you do that? How do you separate yourself from the growing crowd of lookalikes? Again, you have the easiest, simplest, most compelling reason for them to want to do
business with you in your hands right now! This marketing system!
What is it about these strategies and a response hotline that would appeal to an Expired?
Let’s look at the top three complaints of sellers: "agent didn’t show property enough", "agent
didn’t advertise enough" and "agent didn’t communicate enough". This system solves all
three problems!
If you can solve your prospect’s problems, eliminate their complaints and serve them in a
way that brings value, they'll want you! You don’t have to sell them. Once they understand
the value of your offer…they'll want you!
Do You Call Them or Mail Them?
I would suggest you do both. First, I’ll talk about the direct mail step. Then, I will explain the
thought process behind your next step, the expired phone call. Both steps ultimately lead
your prospect to this system as your Unique Selling Proposition.
Your first step is to mail your expired prospect a brochure, in a plain white envelope, with a
two-line address. Leave your company name and logo off the envelope. I know that many
local boards have regulations about company name and so forth. But nowhere in the country
are you required to put it on an envelope. Your advertisements maybe but not the envelope.
The A-Pile...Make It Look "Personal"
The strategy here is simply to get your envelope opened. One of my direct marketing
mentors, Gary Halbert, explains it as the A pile, B pile theory. He suggests that we tend to
sort our mail standing over the trash can. It’s a very useful mental picture. Your prospects
quickly scan their mail to determine what is worth opening (A pile) and what is junk (B
pile).According to Halbert, your first objective has to be getting your mail in the A pile. He
further explains that the best way to get your mail in the A pile is to have it appear personal,
because everyone will read a personal letter.There are six steps to achieving the "personal"
look:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Use a plain white envelope
Leave out your company name and logo
Put a simple two line return address
Never use address labels
Always use a live first class stamp
Preferably make them handwritten (hire a school kid for 3 cents an envelope)
If you prepare mailings in this fashion, you maximize the probability of clearing your first
direct mail hurdle. Getting your envelope opened by an Expired prospect is probably your
biggest challenge. Once you’ve got it opened, at a minimum, you have a few seconds of
undivided attention.
Your Offer Has To Be Inviting
Once you have their attention, you need to make your offer inviting. It needs to appeal to
prospects and be easy for them to take the next step. Taking the next step is your entire
objective at this stage of the game. All you want them to do is pick up the phone and dial for
recorded information. By calling for information, they’ve opened the door to your follow-up
call.
So what kind of offers will get an expired prospect to pick up the phone? Once again, we go
back to the three top complaints. If you can solve a prospect’s problem they want to do
business with you! Here’s an example:
4-Step Postcard Strategy for Expireds
These four post cards can be used as a four-step mailing program for expired listings. Mail
them one postcard per day for four consecutive days, or until they call your recorded
information line.
Call The 24-Hour Demo Line For A FREE Sample
Report! It's 1-800-959-6550 ID# 6005. Go Ahead
Call...Get The Report...And Check This Out!
If They Don’t Respond to Your Mailers...Call Them!
After you’ve sent them a mailer, if your expired prospect hasn’t called your response hotline, I
would suggest calling them. Make it a very simple, non-threatening call. And when you get
them, follow the sample scripts we provide you in your course materials.
Remember all you want to do at this stage is to get them to take the next step. You’re not
trying to close for the appointment. If you can get them to take the next step, you will have a
very high probability of being able to set the appointment when you follow- up.
Agents using this approach are setting themselves apart from the crowd. And with
Expireds…that’s what it takes…distinction!
What Every FSBO Fears
FSBOs on the Do Not Call list are protected from cold calls. As always check names
against the DNC list. However, even if they are on the DNC list, if you have an interested
buyer, you are free to call FSBOs. See the February 23, 2005 Realtor.org Do-NotCall/Email/Fax Update.
Strategy 9 of 9
In a minute we will share with you one man's explosive story that will revolutionize the way you
look at FSBOs forever. And if his message gets out, I promise you it will have FSBOs across
America reaching for the phone to call the nearest REALTOR...
And you could be at the head of that landslide of listings.
Broker John Veneziano is not out to scare any one. Instead, he's on a mission. And you can tell...
When he talks about it, he gets fired up and passionate. Immediately you know this guy is
genuine.
What is John so worked up about? Simply this: FSBOs and their willingness to welcome
strangers into their homes.
John can't understand why anyone would EVER let a stranger into their home. In a chaotic,
unpredictable world, a person's home is their last sanctuary. And an unpredictable stranger can
very easily violate that sanctuary.
That's why John doesn't have a problem approaching FSBOs and saying, "Are you crazy?"
Commission v. Family
"What is your family worth?" he'll then ask. "Don't you realize that you are going to let strangers
into your house? Would you let the cable guy or the phone guy in with out an appointment? What
about the dozen or more people who want to see your house? If they drive up, are you going to
let them in?"
Like a deer trapped in headlights, they stare blankly at him.
"Or what about a phone call like this: 'I saw your ad in the paper this morning and was wondering
if you'd be around Monday about 2pm?' 'No, can't do that, my wife and I'll be at work,' you say.
'Fine, how about 6pm?' 'Great. See you then.'
"Then the next day around 2pm your house is broken into."
"Or how about a call like this: 'I live in a bad neighborhood and my family and I want to move. Is
your neighborhood safe?' 'Sure,' you proudly respond with your big, strong voice, 'so safe nobody
even needs an alarm.' Know what happens? You guessed it, that very home is burglarized the
next day."
John says these are just a few of the things that could happen. A creative criminal could come up
with a dozen things to say or do to an unsuspecting FSBO.
Then John will confront the FSBO with this: "Listen, when I don't come home from a showing, my
wife knows to call the police. Who knows that you've been showing a home to a stranger? Who's
gonna call the police for you?"
The typical response is, "I didn't think of that."
REALTORS Are Worth Their Commission
Then, John changes tactics. He says, "On average, it takes me 60 days to sell a house with the
help of 300 other agents and their 1500 pre-qualified buyers.
"I know you want to save commission, but qualified buyers will generally gravitate to the homes
that are sold by reputable brokers because they represent 97% of the homes for sale.
"FSBOs, on the other hand, who have only 3% of the homes for sale attract less-than desirable
traffic...buyers who also want to save the commission will look for FSBOs...and don't be shocked
when they beat you up on price. The commission you're wanting to save, they will easily take."
"What if I just try," says the FSBO, "and in 3 weeks, if it's not sold, I'll call you."
"And you still feel okay letting strangers in during that time?" John says. "Listen, why don't you
just do the right thing and protect your family and let us help you sell your house safely, quickly
and for more money. You have nothing to lose."
You'll Never Forget John Veneziano
John said that the classic response from a FSBO when confronted with this argument is usually
resistance.
He explains it's human nature..."They don't want to look like they're wrong, stupid or foolish. But
eventually they come around. And you know what, they'll always remember me as the guy who
got in their face to protect them."
To some, John's approach may appear to rely on sensational or deceptive tactics to get the
listing. John angrily disagrees...
"When you've had 3 colleagues in the past brutalized or murdered by criminals disguised as
'buyers,' I think you too would make it your mission to educate the public about the dangers of
going FSBO."
Of the 3 colleagues, only one survived. She was raped, beaten and had her throat slit while
showing an empty home. Fortunately she crawled to a phone that was supposed to be
disconnected and called for help. The other's weren't so lucky.
One was raped, strangled, found dead on the side of the road. The other shot dead while a
"buyer" stole his car.
Going Public
A lot of people, including his wife, say he's crazy for his approach, but John explains, "A lot of
emphasis goes into protecting agents and training them to be safe, and even they still get hurt or
sometimes killed. That's why it's easy for me to ask anyone, 'Are you crazy? Don't let strangers
into your house.' When someone's life is in danger, I won't shy away from telling them simply
because someone might think I'm overreacting."
(JTI Financial)
presents:
”The Next Step”
An Exclusive Invitation
Brought to you by (JTI Financial)
Every Wednesday & Friday at 2:00 p.m. (EST).
Take your real estate business to the next level and join National Real Estate Speaker and
technology innovator Jordan Wexler as he presents what could possibly be the most powerful 25
minutes of your life. Jordan will personally provide you the tips, tools and techniques top agents
use to dominate their markets. You will learn how to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
Provide 24 hour verbal and faxed information on all of your properties
Allow callers to directly connect to you 24 hours a day
Close virtually every listing appointment regardless of the competition
Maintain a built-in voice mail system with auto notification
Automatically track the cost-effectiveness of your advertising
Provide a constant flow of Buyers and Sellers
Objectively reduce prices on stagnant listings
Automatically stay in touch with your past and present clients
Find hidden areas full of Buyers and Sellers
Have For Sale By Owners and expired listings begging to do business with you
Differentiate yourself from your competitors
Position yourself as the foremost expert in your marketplace
Turns internet “hits” into leads
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
Create multiple inbound opportunities
Cement their relationships with other industry professionals
Access over 90 professionally recorded consumer tips
Get flyers, mailers, newspaper/magazine and other advertising formats
Automatically capture testimonials
Follow up on every prospect – even if they have Caller ID Blocking
Update price changes on all marketing materials in seconds
Focus time on closing deals rather than looking for business
And a lot more …
Don't be left behind! This is a LIMITED and PRIVATE event. You must contact your
(JTI Financial) representative at (703) 946-8035 to receive your special dial-in phone
number and password.