Marketing

Marketing Plan Outline for 2009

For 2009 I have added a personal brochure, personal branding, and a more focused Internet campaign. I will be adding this to my traditional marketing of Post Cards, Visual Tours, Realtor.com Sponsored Ads, Color Flyers, Door-to-Door farming, Open Houses, and general daily reach out (handing out business cards to everyone I come in contact with), Community Events (garage sales, food drives, etc.).

My budget is roughly $12,000 for 2009. This will changed depending on what's working and what isn't. I'm also being open minded to new ideas, so I expect my budget to increase up to 50%.

If anyone is interested I will be happy to elaborate on the companies I'm using and share what works and what's not working for me right now.



Kindest Regards,
Troy Sage
e-PRO, e-PRO Trainer
33449 Temecula Parkway
Temecula, CA 92592
DIRECT: (951) 834-2840
FAX: (866) 343-3431
EMAIL: teamsage@gmail.com
WEBSITE: www.TroySage.com
Become an e-Pro visit http://TroySage.CertifiedEproTrainer.com

I am working on my 2009 business plan and budget. Need advise on the amount to set aside for budget with this changing economy. Somethings I have utilized this year have worked and am trying to rework those items into more productive means.

I currently do postcards, website, virtual tours, network, pass out lots of cards at all opportunities, farming. I am considering many of the items I am currently learning in my Epro course but not sure where to start with branding, personal brochures, etc.

Marketing??? Are we supposed to do that?? Just kidding..LOL

No, I do not have my budget together yet for 2009.. I don't even know where to begin considering what my business has been like this year.

2008 I have kept in contact with my top 100 previous clients. I did send out American Lifestyles magazine every other month to 1/2 of them at a time, so each group got a magazine every 4 months. It was fairly reasonable and I got quite a few comments on them.

I also am planning a Christmas cookie exchange and at year end last year I rented a movie theatre and did a special showing of a new release movie. It wasn't that well attended so am not doing it this year.

Most everything I am doing now is what I can do with less money and more effort on my part... walking instead of mailing etc. My brochure is on hold, I am having trouble with content, layout and design. My partner and I spent a lot of money on developing a brand identity but so far haven't been able to really take it to the streets.

I would say my budget for this coming year could handle $300-$500 a month. But more than anything I need a PLAN.... If I could get that together I would feel so much better.

Gloria

Chandler/Gilbert AZ

Troy.... I would love to know what you are doing and whats working.

Gloria

Gloria,

Here's what I'm doing for marketing and what's working.

First of all let me tell everyone that I'm not one of the lucky REO agents whom is getting tons of listings in our area. My business has shifted to servicing buyers, not by choice.

1. I have a farm of 1,000 homes that get 2 to 3 postcards per month. The front of the post card is just listed or sold, and the back has community information (Market Update, Food Drive, Community Garage Sale, etc.)

2. I have roughly 200 personal touch letters go to past / present clients and to my sphere of influence. These letters are inspirational or holiday specific. For example, the July letter spoke of the true meaning of July 4th. The end of every letter there is a call to action. Asking the reader to let me know if they have an experience they would like to share.

3. Open House are an event for me. I make sure I have a visual tour of the property (I use visualtour.com). I find for me this is the best program because I take the pictures and the software stitches them together. I them make CD's for the open house. On the CD is my buyers and sellers presentations, and 5 or 6 visual tours of my listings or borrowed listings if you don't have any. I give this CD out to everyone that comes to the Open House. This allows the attendee to take a tour with them and have my entire resume.

4. I have custom IDX links on my website www.TroySage.com. Everyone that I come in contact with gets put into the system. The custom IDX allows the client to set up their own MLS search. The beauty behind the IDX is I get to see what homes they are looking at, and the homes they are making notes of. My system also auto emails the client updates and sends them template emails that have personal touch.

5. I do pay for the upgraded Realtor.com subscription. I do NOT pay for banner advertising, but I am an upgraded member. I think this runs me roughly $80.00 per month. I average 2 quality leads from Realtor.com per month.

6. Here is a FREE one, I'm very active in my community. I drive my farm every day and make sure I wave to people. It sounds nuts, but I do. Almost everyone waves back. Add the fact that they are receiving post cards from me 2 to 3 times a month, and my magnets with my name and picture are on the side of my car. All I'm doing is generating face and name recognition.

7. I am very quick to reply to buyers and seller via email. I have a BlackBerry and reply to my clients within minutes. Even if it means I email them "I'm in a meeting but will reply to your email by (insert time here). If this is an emergency please text me or contact my assistant at (insert info here)". I have gained at least 10 clients this year by applying this technique.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head. If anyone is interested in possible discounts or to be introduced to my IDX provider please shoot me an email and I connect you.

I'll post more if I can think of anything, and will add to the list as I implement marketing that's working.

What is everyone else doing for Marketing I would love to know.


Kindest Regards,
Troy Sage
e-PRO, e-PRO Trainer
33449 Temecula Parkway
Temecula, CA 92592
DIRECT: (951) 834-2840
FAX: (866) 343-3431
EMAIL: teamsage@gmail.com
WEBSITE: www.TroySage.com

Quoting Carolyn K:

I am working on my 2009 business plan and budget. Need advise on the amount to set aside for budget with this changing economy. Somethings I have utilized this year have worked and am trying to rework those items into more productive means.

I currently do postcards, website, virtual tours, network, pass out lots of cards at all opportunities, farming. I am considering many of the items I am currently learning in my Epro course but not sure where to start with branding, personal brochures, etc.

Carolyn,

I set aside at least 10% of my earnings towards Marketing. For 2009 I may increase that to 20% or 25%. It has been my experience that when the market swings like it has, most real estate professionals decrease their spending on marketing allowing the rest of us to take over an area by being in everyones face, and usually at discounted ad rates. I try to do the opposite of the rest of my competition. If everyone is advertising in magazines, I do more direct mail and door knocking. If the majority of the advertisers are reducing their ads in magazines and news, I double my ads.

This being said, I for the most part do NOT advertise in local magazines or newspapers. I have not found this type of advertising worth it. Not to say I won't advertise in the near future. And if I do advertise I will be doing something totally different from the masses. For example, I will NOT be advertising my listings, but rather information about me and maybe a focused ad on Foreclosures. I think providing information and a service is more important than advertising a home. Besides, anyone can search the net and look at homes. I wan the reader to pick me as their Realtor.

Hope this helps.


Kindest Regards,
Troy Sage
e-PRO, e-PRO Trainer
33449 Temecula Parkway
Temecula, CA 92592
DIRECT: (951) 834-2840
FAX: (866) 343-3431
EMAIL: teamsage@gmail.com
WEBSITE: www.TroySage.com

Troy, What is your online campaign like? How do you rank on Google?

Kay Baker, ABR, CRS,GRI

Kay,

Right now I'm not ranking very well in google, and that is one of the areas I will be spending cash on in 2009. Most of my internet hits are coming from direct mail, my email signature, and work of mouth.

For 2009 I will be revamping my websites, hiring a SEO company, and adding PPC.



Kindest Regards,
Troy Sage
e-PRO, e-PRO Trainer
33449 Temecula Parkway
Temecula, CA 92592
DIRECT: (951) 834-2840
FAX: (866) 343-3431
EMAIL: teamsage@gmail.com
WEBSITE: www.TroySage.com

Gloria, In reply to your item "Marketing??? Are we supposed to do that?? Just kidding..LOL

My name is Linda Schubarth. Like most of us I have been strugglng with finding out what to do during this time. I have two things thst have come into my life to help:

1. Joeann Fossland offered a month or so ago to send a copy of her Business Plan Outline. It is 35 pages and asks you for more than just basic items but more on life planning. It is a very good plan to start you thinking and setting priorities. You may contact her or me and I will be happy to share.

2. A few weeks ago Ali Brown and David Nagel did a webinar on the Emergency World Crisis. It was very well done on the overall situation with not only what we are doing in the USA but how it is affecting the world. It is very positive and states that we are in a correction mode at this time. People throughout the world are beginning to re-think some of their ideas and that this is the time when people in the past made millions. This is our time to shine.

Linda Schubarth, Realty ONE Group
linda4455@cox.net
702-630-4455
Las Vegas, NV