Another way of asking this is “What’s In It For Me (WIIFM)”? This is what most consumers, including you, are asking.
As a local real estate services consumer with approximately 8,325 other local Realtors® to choose from, why should I choose you?
Marketing is THE NUMBER ONE skill to have. It is the engine that drives leads into your business. Do you want to dominate your market area and make your competition irrelevant?
A successful marketing campaign will do that!
So, why should I do business with you (you can’t say “Service!”)?
Unfortunately, most marketing campaigns do not do what they are supposed to do, which is lead prospects to the logical decision “I would have to be an idiot to do business with anyone but you no matter what the commission is!”
Most agents think when they don’t get hired it’s because they would not negotiate their commission. That may be the case now and then; I have had sellers who did not care about our marketing expertise, our ability to get results, our ability to position and sell property at top dollar; they just wanted a discount broker. But that’s rare. What they want is value. In the absence of value, they resort to price.
Look at your marketing pieces and your ads. Most marketing pieces are filled with generalities and platitudes that do nothing to solve the prospects’ problem, articulate the value you add, educate them, promise more information or ask them to take action.
“We’re number ONE!” Who cares besides you? Does this solve the sellers’ problem?
What makes you unique? What makes you different? Why should I hire you?
Ask your title rep why you should do business with them. Remember, they can’t say “Service!”
Ask your lender why you should do business with them. Remember, they can’t say “Service!”
“Service” is a generality, a platitude that means nothing to the consumer. Since almost everyone uses it, and it often doesn’t exist, it has lost its meaning.
What do you say when you are asked?
Now go look at your ads. Most ads are actually NOT ads; they are announcements. The difference? An ad educates, pulls and drives consumers to take action.
Here is the formula:
- Headline: the purpose is to interrupt them and get them to read the sub-headline.
- Sub-headline: promises more information so they will continue reading.
- Body: educates them. Teach them how to buy, how to sell, how to choose, how to attach value, what to look for, (or look out for).
- Call to Action: give them a low-risk way to learn more; give them MORE information so they can make a logical decision (The general public thinks all Realtors® are the SAME!).
Tell them how to hire a Realtor®; what to look for, what to look out for, how to choose one, what you do, how you do it, why you do it that way and the benefit to them (all while answering the question WIIFM?). NEVER say “We have great service.”!
So, to recap, your ad writing formula is:
- Interrupt
- Engage
- Educate
- Offer
I used to call on FSBOs. I LOOOOOVED FSBOs! They were cheap to contact (you ARE measuring your cost-per-contact, right?), easy to find, an identified source (they wanted to sell) and the odds were great (9 out of 10 ultimately list)!
So I built a website called REFSBO.org and I told the FSBO this: “I am the only Broker in the state who created a website to help you sell your home without a broker.” My listing percentage? 9 out of 10! Once I educated them about all the things we do to market the home, prep the home, position the home, decorate the home, stage the home, inspect the home, repair the home, write the contract, negotiate on their behalf, approve the buyers, and get it to closing they were totally overwhelmed! They thought all they needed was a sign and a lockbox!
Now go look at your website. Is it content rich? Does it educate sellers about how to sell their homes? Does it educate buyers about how to obtain financing and buy a home? Does it educate investors about how to create wealth via real estate? Does it tell them how to choose a Realtor® (specifically YOU?). Does it separate you from other Realtors®?
Thank you for taking time to read this. Good luck in your business.