introduction - I-Board Allied Schools
Transcription
introduction - I-Board Allied Schools
INTRODUCTION Homes do not sell magically. It takes consistent property marketing to create interest in a property, causing it to sell at a top price. This type of marketing requires skill, intuition, planning, and marketing strategies. Property marketing strategies include the tried-and-true methods, such as putting color flyers in a holder in front of a house, as well as an efficient marketing plan. The different promotional methods are advertising, direct marketing, sales promotion, personal selling, and public relations. As a salesperson, you will use all of these methods in the course of promoting yourself and your listed properties. In marketing, this is called a promotional mix—the combination of the promotional methods to reach the target market and reach your goals. You need to select which media—Internet, print, radio, or television—to use to attract business. Are newspaper ads or bus bench ads effective ways to advertise your business? What medium will you use to attract customers? How often will you deliver your marketing materials? This unit focuses on advertising. California Real Estate Practice, 6th Edition 245 246 California Real Estate Practice Learning Objectives After completing this unit, you should be able to: • recall techniques for a successful marketing plan. • specify elements of an effective ad. • identify advertising media. CREATE A PROPERTY MARKETING PLAN A property marketing plan is a detailed schedule of everything done to market a property. A property marketing plan is a roadmap leading to the sale of a particular property. The plan should be tailored to your specific skills, personal qualities, and strengths. Attempting to follow a plan designed by another salesperson with a different personality may not produce the results you desire. You may use basic marketing activities, but you must decide, based on your special strengths, which methods are most effective. Marketing efforts should be custom-designed for each property. To market a property successfully, be resourceful and creative. Not every property will be a designer model. Some properties are architecturally challenged, and others may need attention to details that would attract buyers. Put an emphasis on certain features that may attract buyers. Techniques for Successful Marketing: • Use attractive, creative photos of the property to create interest in its special features (exterior and interior). • Choose the most desirable features of the house and promote those as the unique and exclusive benefits of the property. • Promote the property’s points of interest, accessibility to shops, proximity to schools, or other features regarding the desirability of the neighborhood. • Plan marketing and promotional activities such as open houses, and stay on schedule. • Make buyers aware of any special incentives such as seller financing or contribution to closing costs. • Adequately expose the property by using advertising outlets such as classified ads, Internet listings, and MLS. Unit 8: Advertising & Marketing Listings 247 248 California Real Estate Practice As real estate salespeople strive to gain customers in today’s ultra-competitive environment, target marketing, or marketing to a precise group of consumers, is a necessity. Real estate professionals must quickly identify their highest-valued customers and prospects in order to succeed. With this insight, salespeople can then develop fine-tuned marketing strategies to draw these customers to their properties and win their business. Demographics for Target Markets • Employment • Gender •Education •Occupation • Average age • Number of children • Average salary range Other demographic information reflects social, economic, and housing characteristics. The information found in demographic profiles and your own evaluation of the property will determine the types of buyers to whom you will be marketing. Your marketing strategy should Market research is needed to identify demographic profiles highlight the factors that are most and a marketing audience. important to your target buyers. For example, if the property in question is an entry-level home, it will appeal to young professionals. An entry-level home is a type of home that appeals most to first-time buyers. A typical first-time buyer may be a new teacher or someone recently promoted to management, a recent college graduate, or a newly married couple whose parents are supplying the down payment. These buyers are attracted to convenient and available loan options, such as various down payment and mortgage payment programs. The likely buyer of a move-up home may be a consumer who has outgrown the entry-level home and is looking for features that will be compatible with a growing family, larger income, or new interests. Consumers who are attracted to luxury homes will most likely be experienced buyers who know what they want in their next home. Their children have grown up, moved out of the house, and they are now ready to purchase their dream home. On the other hand, they may have entered into an even higher Unit 8: Advertising & Marketing Listings 249 paying position and are looking to upgrade their lifestyle. Luxury extras such as swimming pools, custom landscaping, custom architecture, spectacular views, and top-of-the-line appliances and fixtures would attract this type of buyer. Advertising should present the benefits of the home with professionally created color brochures that highlight the desirable amenities. ADVERTISING Advertising is an impersonal form of mass communication promoting a product or company that is paid for by the company. It involves spreading the word about your company and your listings. The two main types of advertising are institutional advertising and product advertising. Institutional advertising is designed to create an image, enhance the reputation, and promote the person or company rather than a specific product. The Century 21® television ads are a good example of institutional advertising that reinforces the franchise brand. In addition, NAR uses institutional advertising effectively to promote the real estate industry. Often, NAR allows its affiliate member associations to customize the advertisements for use in their states and local areas. Unlike institutional advertising, product advertising is designed to promote a specific product or service. In real estate, the product is usually a listed property, so product advertising is used to market a specific home. Advertising plays a large part in marketing, and first impressions can make or break your business. Once the marketing pieces and ads are written, it is time to get the word out with an advertising campaign. An advertising campaign is a plan with a common theme describing the mode and frequency through which someone communicates a marketing concept. The advertising campaign should be intensive, evenly paced, and scheduled to continue until the goals of the campaign are met. Writing an Effective Ad When writing an effective ad, remember that a person spends only about four seconds skimming an ad. The AIDA formula will help you write ads that attract the customer’s attention and interest, create desire, and stimulate action. 250 California Real Estate Practice Mnemonic — AIDA Attention First, get the customer’s attention. Interest Give them benefits to create interest. Desire Make the offer irresistible to create desire. Action The customer must act in order for you to make a sale. To be an effective marketer, it is your responsibility to get the customer to stop and read your ad in detail. Your ad should be visually appealing, descriptive, and factual. AIDA Formula to Write an Ad for a Listing Use the AIDA formula and the following tips to attract buyers’ attention, spark their interest, create desire, and get them to act. A To start the ad, use a strong opening statement about the home. I In the first two sentences, mention a few key features of the home. Include the most important facts about the property. Focus on the strongest selling points of the home, and be careful not to crowd your ad with too many details. Avoid real estate jargon. The average consumer will appreciate clear, concise terminology. D Use appealing words that involve the readers’ emotions and senses to create desire. A Complete the ad with a statement encouraging the prospect to contact you. Include your contact information— company name, telephone number, email address, and website address. Sample Residential Advertisements Prize Location! Enchanting 3br, 2ba, 2-car garage townhouse. Only 5 min from award-winning schools, large shopping mall, and easy freeway access. Gated community, central air, fireplace. Hurry! Call today! ABC Realty Group, Inc. (555) 555-5000 – [email protected] – www.abcrealtygroup.xyz Beautiful Colonial style 4br, 1 1/2ba, 2-story home on quiet cul-de-sac, lush parklike backyard, remodeled thru out, lg. kitchen, $250,000. ABC Realty Group, Inc. (555) 555-5000 – [email protected] – www.abcrealtygroup.xyz Unit 8: Advertising & Marketing Listings 251 Like new! Ranch style 3br, 2ba home, updated kitchen, hardwood flrs, copper pipes, new paint. $540K. Open Sat/Sun 1-4pm, Tues. 12-1pm. 8300 W. 20th St. ABC Realty Group, Inc. (555) 555-0000 – [email protected] – www. abcrealtygroup.xyz Advertising Guidelines Before you begin your marketing and advertising efforts, pay careful attention to the guidelines associated with the real estate profession. State and federal agencies regulate real estate advertising. By law, real estate brokers and sales associates must be honest and truthful when advertising property or services. If you make false statements or material omissions in any medium of advertising, you may be held liable for fraud, intentional misrepresentation, or negligent misrepresentation. Advertising guidelines help real estate licensees avoid penalties and possible suspension or loss of license. You should avoid any advertising that can be interpreted a number of different ways, such as “half truths,” inflated claims, and ambiguous or superlative terms. Some of the marketing and advertising guidelines set forth in the real estate profession pertain to name and license status disclosures, use of words in advertisements, real estate signs, faxing, and emailing. In addition, there is a federal policy on real estate advertising, and the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) has developed a code of ethics for real estate professionals. It is important to understand and follow these regulations in all your advertising efforts including electronic formats. Federal Policy on Real Estate Advertising The Federal Fair Housing Law requires that all residential real estate advertising have the Equal Housing Opportunity logotype and slogan. The logotype should be sufficiently large or visible. The logotype should be a clear sign or symbol of welcome to all potentially qualified buyers or renters regardless of race, color, etc. When the size of the logotype is so small that the facial features (ethnicities) of the people are not clearly distinguishable, then it is too small. 252 California Real Estate Practice Be careful no to develop an advertising campaign that excludes a certain group. Certain kinds of advertising and the use of certain words or phrases can violate civil rights laws, even if the person who placed the advertisement had no intent to discriminate. It is illegal to advertise in such a way that indicates a preference, restriction, or intention to discriminate. This applies to all types of advertising media whether it is in print or on the Internet. Unit 8: Advertising & Marketing Listings Advertising “Red Flags” The use of certain terminology in an advertisement is often a red flag. For example, describing a certain neighborhood as exclusive, private, or restricted implies that certain applicants for sale or rental of such property might not be welcome. Likewise, using terms that are too specific are also potentially troublesome. Describing a house as “great for a single person” implies potential discrimination against married couples or “great for an active person” implies potential discrimination against a person with a disability. Even referring to the incidental presence of nearby religious, racial, ethnic, or similar landmarks, buildings, or monuments should be avoided because of the implication that specific buyers might be drawn to purchase because of those attractions. Example: Incorrect language might include “walk to nearby church,” “down the street from Italian-American cultural center,” or “close to the Mormon Temple.” In addition, if you use print or television advertising that depicts potential buyers or sellers by using models, be sure to vary the models according to age, sex, ethnicity, and social settings. Even consistently using members only of a minority group would potentially cause a problem here—e.g., using only persons of Hispanic background would be just as much of a problem as using only Caucasian models, because of the potential implications that steering one group is taking place. Recall United States v. Real Estate One in which potential Fair Housing Act violations were found from advertising in a strategically limited geographic area, or using particular editions of newspapers, to reach a certain segment of the community, or advertising only in small newspapers targeted to specific religious, racial, or ethnic groups. 253 254 California Real Estate Practice Remember, when advertising a listing, you are advertising the characteristics of the property, so use words that focus on the most desirable qualities of the property and its surrounding area without being offensive. Before publicizing an advertisement, review it carefully for any words, phrases, or images that may be considered offensive to others. NAR Code of Ethics Standard of Practice 10-1 When involved in the sale or lease of a residence, REALTORS® shall not volunteer information regarding the racial, religious or ethnic composition of any neighborhood nor shall they engage in any activity which may result in panic selling, however, REALTORS® may provide other demographic information. (Adopted 1/94, Amended 1/06) Article 12 REALTORS® shall be honest and truthful in their real estate communications and shall present a true picture in their advertising, marketing, and other representations. REALTORS® shall ensure that their status as real estate professionals is readily apparent in their advertising, marketing, and other representations, and that the recipients of all real estate communications are, or have been, notified that those communications are from a real estate professional. (Amended 1/08) Standard of Practice 12-1 REALTORS® may use the term “free” and similar terms in their advertising and in other representations if all terms governing availability of the offered service or product are clearly disclosed at the same time. (Amended 1/97) Standard of Practice 12-2 REALTORS® may represent their services as “free” or without cost even if they expect to receive compensation from a source other than their client if the potential for the REALTOR® to obtain a benefit from a third party is clearly disclosed at the same time. (Amended 1/97) Unit 8: Advertising & Marketing Listings 255 Standard of Practice 12-3 The offering of premiums, prizes, merchandise discounts, or other inducements to list, sell, purchase, or lease is not, in itself, unethical even if receipt of the benefit is contingent on listing, selling, purchasing, or leasing through the REALTORS® making the offer. However, REALTORS® must exercise care and candor in any such advertising or other public or private representations so that any party interested in receiving or otherwise benefiting from the REALTOR®’s offer will have clear, thorough, advance understanding of all the terms and conditions of the offer. The offering of any inducements to do business is subject to the limitations and restrictions of state law and the ethical obligations established by any applicable Standard of Practice. (Amended 1/95) ADVERTISING MEDIA Now, how will you get the word out? What advertising media will you use to attract business? Advertising media are the different channels available to convey a message to a target market. In fact, any place that a company or individual pays for in order to deliver their message is an advertising media. The major media channels are the Internet, print media, outdoor media, radio, and television (network, cable, and syndicated). Keep in mind that every advertising medium has characteristics that give it natural advantages and limitations. Your job is to find the advertising vehicle that most cost effectively communicates with your customers. Internet According to the NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, approximately 90% of all buyers use the Internet for home searches. This is a number that has been climbing every year since the inception of the Internet. Generally, Internet users are informed, anonymous, and in control. These buyers do their own research. Many Internet-savvy buyers will not approach a real estate agent until they are ready. These buyers are definitely not the buyers of 10-20 years ago. They know what they want, and they understand what to expect from a real estate broker and/or salesperson. 256 California Real Estate Practice Internet Advertising The Internet is becoming the primary source for information and advertising. In fact, many people think it is easier to find classified ads on the Internet than it is to find them in a newspaper. Consult your local newspaper about Internet classifieds, which are often sold independently of the newspaper’s print ads. In addition, there are well-known websites, such as www.craigslist.org®, where you can place advertising at no cost. Because Internet advertising and usage is growing daily, more people are being exposed to this medium, which in turn creates new markets and provides greater exposure for your message. Benefits of Internet Advertising • Internet Advertising Has A Lower Entry-Level Fee Internet advertising can be purchased on performance. You only pay when a visitor clicks on a banner that directs them to your site. • Internet Advertising Can Be Targeted Advertises can focus their messages on their target market by using such programs as Google™, AdWords, and Google™ AdSense. • Internet Advertising Enables Conversion Tracking If you have ever tried to track the number of leads that you receive from a certain advertising medium, you realize how difficult a task that is. That is not the case on the Internet. Website traffic analytics enable you to precisely measure the number of visitors to your site and track the percentage that take a desired action, e.g., registering to use your search engine, signing up for your newsletter, or downloading your latest home buying or home selling tips. The ratio of actions taken to the number of total visitors is called the conversion ratio. The higher the conversion ratio, the greater the effectiveness of your site. Unit 8: Advertising & Marketing Listings 257 • Internet Advertising Is Inexpensive Based On Per Impression Cost Conversion rates tend to be better on the Internet due to the targeting possibilities that reduce your cost per lead. Another advantage of the Internet is low overhead. You do not have to pay for recurring costs like mailings, toner, postage, or spend time stuffing envelopes, etc. You can display all of your marketing materials effectively on your website at a very reasonable cost and with minimal effort. • Internet Advertising Has Global Possibilities Since the Internet spans the globe, foreign buyers and sellers represent a market that previously was very expensive to reach. The Internet makes it as cost effective to reach your neighbors as to reach the rest of the world! Types of Online Advertising Advertising on the World Wide Web (web) is constantly changing. Common ways to advertise on the web include banner and sidebar ads, pop-ups (and pop-downs), floating ads, interstitial ads, unicast ads, and takeover ads. A banner ad embeds an advertisement into a web page to attract traffic to a website by linking to the website of the advertiser. Companies try to put the banner ads on web pages that have interesting content, such as a newspaper article or an opinion piece. When the viewer clicks on the banner, the viewer is directed to the website advertised in the banner. This is called a click through. A sidebar ad is similar to a banner ad except that it is located on the side of the screen. Pop-up ads try to attract web traffic or capture email addresses. Web traffic is the amount of data sent and received by visitors to a website. A pop-down ad is a variation on the pop-up ad. The pop-down ad opens a new browser window hidden under the active window and does not immediately interrupt the user. The pop-down ad is not seen until the covering window is closed. Floating ads are so-named because they “float” over the page for five to 30 seconds. Floating ads appear when you first go to a web page. While they are floating on the screen, they obscure your view of the page you are trying to read, and they often block mouse input as well. Many people find these ads annoying because the ads appear each time that page is refreshed. Some advertisers prefer floating ads, because they grab the viewer’s attention and are difficult to ignore. Sometimes they take up the entire screen. Therefore, 258 California Real Estate Practice from a branding standpoint, they are more powerful than banner and sidebar ads, yet users find them annoying. Interstitial ads (interstitial means in between) are actually pages that appear between web pages that the user requests. Because interstitials load in the background, they are a preferred way of delivering ads that contain large graphics, streaming media, or applets. A unicast ad is similar to a TV commercial except that it runs in the browser window and has similar branding power as a TV commercial. Unicast ads give the consumer the ability to click on the ad for more information. These ads are effective, with an average click-through rate of 5%. A takeover ad is a large ad that appears when users first go to a site. The same message is reiterated throughout the site in the form of banners, sidebars, or buttons. The approach works very well for branding because the brand is visible to viewers throughout the visit to the site. Click-through rates are high. Website Today’s website is yesterday’s storefront. To compete, you must have a website. Your brokerage firm needs to have its own website with the company’s branding, business philosophy, mission statement, and overview of what your company does for its clients. Your website does not give you a competitive advantage; it just puts you on par with your competitors. Providing you have a website, people could be “pulled” to it while they are searching online for homes. To have a successful website, you must identify and focus on the target audience you are trying to attract. A mistake made by many sales associates is to assume that the only people looking at their website are potential buyers. To the contrary, many sellers and even FSBOs visit sites for a variety of reasons. Because of this, be careful not to exclude an important market segment. You can also brand your website to target smaller niche groups, such as retirees looking for a home in a gated community, golfers, or buyers looking for rural property. It is pointless to push Internet buyers to move faster or to reveal themselves before they are ready. To be effective when working with Internet buyers, Unit 8: Advertising & Marketing Listings 259 build relationships and offer services they cannot find elsewhere on the Internet. Because Internet buyers and sellers spend time doing research, they have more real estate knowledge. The average purchaser of real estate services is in the market for a year before making a financial commitment. The best way to interact with Internet customers is to acknowledge that they are doing part of your work. Make them aware of the extra value you will bring to the transaction, such as interpreting data, answering questions, and writing and negotiating offers. To help buyers locate a property, discuss their price range and home preferences. Be especially perceptive of the buyer’s expectations, and be ready to modify your services to get their business. Online real estate brokerage has arrived, but the person-to-person relationships have not disappeared. It is every real estate broker’s responsibility to make the buying and selling of real estate “high tech and high touch.” What to Include on Your Website Structure is important. Use basic principles of design and flow. A visitor to your site should be able to navigate easily and find necessary information quickly. A well-designed website focuses on the needs of its readers and provides information, such as local points of interest, community pages, city history, maps, restaurants, shopping centers, local sports, etc. Links to lenders, home inspectors, termite inspectors, movers, and appraisers are always helpful. You could also offer answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about buying or selling a home. Typical Questions about Home Buying and Selling • How much can I afford to pay? • Do I need a down payment? • Should I rent or buy? • Do I need to be pre-qualified or pre-approved for a mortgage? Your homepage should reflect your brand and include your logo, company information and qualifications, contact information, and the services you offer. A homepage is the first web page that people will see when they visit your site. Customer testimonials are another way for prospects to learn more about your firm and build an early rapport. Give potential clients some type of incentive to contact you on your website, whether it is a particular property they want information about, a contest with a prize, or a sign-up for future mailings. 260 California Real Estate Practice Property Web Page You should create a web page for each of your listings. There are features exclusive to the Internet that a real estate broker should include along with all of the necessary information mentioned earlier in the unit. Extra Items to Include • Links for emailing the web page to clients • Links for contacting the listing agent • Printer-friendly brochures • Online loan application One very useful tool the real estate broker can include on a website is a virtual tour of the property. A virtual tour ensures that visitors to your website can imagine walking through the property and seeing it at its best twenty-four hours a day. Print Media There are many types of printed materials that real estate brokers can use to advertise their properties—newspapers, Yellow Pages™, homebuyer’s guides, flyers and brochures, and outdoor signs. Newspaper Advertising The two types of newspaper advertising are classified and display ads. Classified ads are generally inexpensive text and are one of the most popular methods of advertising properties. Classified ads are found in a separate classified section of a newspaper and include ads of all types. Properties are listed under “Real Estate For Sale” and are generally arranged alphabetically by area or city. Display ads use graphics and photographs. They are larger, more sophisticated, and more expensive. They are usually more visually appealing and have a greater impact on the reader than a classified ad. All newspaper advertising should target a specific audience. A focused ad attracts attention by stating the benefits of the property. Residential display advertising focuses on desirability and image. The ads should list the location Unit 8: Advertising & Marketing Listings 261 of the property, special features and amenities, and contact information. The advertising should give prospective buyers a reason to act quickly. This can be accomplished by offering an incentive, such as “seller will pay buyer’s closing costs,” if the property is sold within a certain timeframe. Yellow Pages™ The Yellow Pages™ is still a good source for advertising. A real estate company should have its primary ad in a consumer directory. Choose the Yellow Pages™ directory in which the majority of businesses advertise—including the Internet, www.yellowpages.com™. Homebuyer’s Guides In many areas, homebuyer’s guides provide photos, amenities, and pricing of available properties. These publications are offered free to the public because you (and other brokers in the area) pay for them. This type of advertising reaches a large amount of people, is readily accessible, and is located prominently in racks at the entrances to stores and supermarkets. These guides may also be found in airports, train stations, and bus stations. The publisher guarantees the location and total number of magazines to be distributed. An ad can be placed for local distribution, or more ad dollars can be spent to cover a larger distribution area. Many guides also provide online versions that are easy to use and contain the same information. They include all of the same photos and information on the website that is in the printed magazine. This allows the real estate broker to reach potential buyers who primarily use the Internet. Outdoor Advertising Outdoor advertising is more than just billboards. Outdoor advertising includes various types of advertisements, from traditional highway billboards to inflatables. Outdoor advertising can be as high tech as illuminated buildings or as simple as the ubiquitous yard sign. Regardless of the style, all outdoor advertising is geared toward communicating a message to the public. The benefit of outdoor advertising is that the ad cannot be turned off or put down, unlike TV, radio, or print. With outdoor advertising, consumers cannot change the channel, close the browser, or turn it off. 262 California Real Estate Practice The Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA) classifies outdoor advertising into four broad categories — billboards, street furniture, transit, and alterative advertising. Billboard Advertising Billboard advertising is ancillary to other forms of advertising. Billboards are the most common form of outdoor advertising, with those seen along highways being the most popular. A billboard is a large outdoor sign (15 square feet or larger) used for advertising purposes. Billboard advertising is expensive and should be reserved for institutional advertising or for large residential or commercial projects. It has the best cost benefit when combined with an ongoing direct mail campaign and newspaper or Internet advertising. New developments benefit from this type of advertising. A billboard has greater value when placed at a visible location on a main transportation route with high traffic counts, especially alongside major traffic arteries in cities. Yard Signs The billboard category includes yard signs. Yard signs can be a very effective method of targeting buyers for a particular property or neighborhood. When people want to buy in a certain area, they will often drive through the area in search of homes for sale. Yard sign calls generate clients, and signage is relatively inexpensive. In fact, a sign should be displayed on a property even while it is being prepared for sale. This type of planning may result in locating a buyer before the mass marketing for the listing kicks in, which saves advertising dollars. When using signs continuously in a geographic area or “farm,” you can build a good reputation in the local community, which will draw more buyers. The United States Constitution protects the right to display real estate signs as a form of free speech. Even so, a city, county, or private entity, such as a homeowners’ association may regulate the size of signs and how they are displayed. Unit 8: Advertising & Marketing Listings 263 Sign Regulations • A city, county, or state may ban all signs on publicly owned property. • A city, county, or state cannot completely ban signs on privately owned property. • A city, county, or state may impose reasonable restrictions on the time, place, and manner of displaying signs regardless of whether it is on privately or publicly owned property. Generally, private real estate signs are banned completely from public property. However, a homeowners’ association cannot prohibit private owners from displaying real estate signs on their own property. The signs must be reasonably located in plain view of the public, be of reasonable dimension and design, and advertise the property for lease, or give directions to the property. The real estate sign may include the owner’s name, along with an address and telephone number. Street Furniture Category The street furniture category includes benches, bus shelters, bicycle racks, parking structures, kiosks, shopping mall displays, and in-store advertising. Nearly every bus shelter has advertising and while sitting and waiting for a bus, most of us will read the ads and study the pictures repeatedly. Many real estate companies, rather than individual sales associates use this form of advertising. Transit Advertising Transit advertising involves advertising that is on vehicles as well as positioned in the public areas of transit stations (bus, train, and subway) and terminals (airport, train, ship, and ferry). Magnetic signs for car doors are a type of transit advertising. Those of you who want something a little more innovative could advertise with a custom car wrap. Your entire car is wrapped with your eye-catching advertising message. Unlike a static billboard, your wrapped car is mobile and gets attention everywhere you go. 264 California Real Estate Practice Alternative Media Advertising The alternative media advertising category includes advertising that reaches consumers during specialized activities, such as scoreboards at sports stadiums. Even grocery shopping is considered an activity. For example, you may notice advertising on the shopping carts or on the parking bumpers. Radio and Television Media Radio and television are another advertising source. However, it is generally very expensive. Real estate radio and television advertising lends itself to developing brand recognition rather than generating leads. The one exception is the cable TV shows that highlight specific properties in an effort to generate leads. Radio Radio specifically targets a narrow market. Research the radio stations to determine which of the stations reaches your target market. When scripting a radio ad, repetition is effective. Run the ad frequently and offer an attentiongetting incentive to visit the property. Capturing the listener’s attention in the first five seconds is extremely important with a radio ad. Sometimes, radio stations have remnants of time and will run ads in unsold minutes for a small fee. If a radio station has airtime that is not committed, it might agree to charge airtime based on an agreed upon fee for each person who responds to the radio ad. Television The cost of television advertising on the major networks during prime time is exorbitant. However, television does offer some low cost advertising options. Cable networks and small local stations sell a minute of time from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars. Local stations reach target audiences in the local area. Infomercials An infomercial is a commercial in the format of a television program, usually with a time length of 30 minutes. Infomercials are also known as direct response television (DRTV) commercials or direct response marketing. The main objective in an infomercial is to create an impulse purchase, so that the consumer sees the presentation and then immediately buys the product through Unit 8: Advertising & Marketing Listings 265 the advertised toll-free telephone number or website. A well-known company, National Recreational Properties, Inc., sold vacation property throughout the United States using infomercials hosted by celebrities Chuck Woolery and Eric Estrada. SUMMARY A salesperson uses a property marketing plan to reach the target market and reach his or her goals. The two main types of advertising are institutional advertising and product advertising. Your advertising campaign should be intensive, evenly paced, and scheduled to continue until the goals of the campaign are met. When writing ads, use the AIDA formula and be sure to follow advertising guidelines. Before you begin your marketing and advertising efforts, pay careful attention to the guidelines associated with the real estate profession. State and federal agencies regulate real estate advertising. Advertising media are the different channels available to convey a message to a target market. The major media channels are the Internet, print media, outdoor media, radio, and television (network, cable, and syndicated). Common ways to advertise on the web include banner and sidebar ads, pop-ups (and pop-downs), floating ads, interstitial ads, unicast ads, and takeover ads. The two types of newspaper advertising are classified and display ads. The Yellow Pages™ is still a good source for advertising. The Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA) classifies outdoor advertising into four broad categories—billboards, street furniture, transit, and alternative advertising. An infomercial is a commercial in the format of a television program, usually with a time length of 30 minutes. 266 California Real Estate Practice UNIT 8 REVIEW Matching Exercise Instructions: Write the letter of the matching term on the blank line before its definition. Answers are in Appendix A. Terms A. advertising campaign F. product advertising B. advertising media G. promotional mix C.AIDA H. property marketing plan D.billboard I. transit advertising E. classified ads J. web traffic Definitions 1.�������� Combination of the promotional methods to reach the target market and reach your goals 2.�������� Detailed schedule of everything done to market a property 3.�������� Advertising designed to promote a specific product or service 4.��������Plan describing the mode and frequency through which someone communicates a marketing concept 5.�������� Formula used to write ads that attract the customer’s attention and interest, create desire, and stimulate action 6.�������� Different channels available to convey a message to a target market 7.�������� Amount of data sent and received by visitors to a website 8.�������� Ads found in a separate classified section of a newspaper 9.�������� Large outdoor sign used for advertising purposes 10.������� Advertising placed on vehicles as well as positioned in public areas of transit stations and terminals Unit 8: Advertising & Marketing Listings 267 Multiple Choice Questions Instructions: Circle your response and go to Appendix A to read the complete explanation for each question. 1. Which promotional method should a salesperson use to market a property? a.Advertising b. Direct marketing c. Personal selling d. All of the above 2. Which of the following would NOT be considered a technique for a successful marketing plan? a. Promote the least desirable features of the house b. Use attractive, creative photos of the property to create interest in its special features c. Plan marketing activities such as open houses d. Promote the property’s points of interest 3. In the AIDA formula, the first step is to: a. get the customer’s attention. b. give them benefits to create interest. c. make the offer irresistible to create desire. d. get the customer to act. 4. Advertising guidelines help real estate licensees avoid penalties and possible suspension or loss of license. Which of the following phrases should be avoided in advertising? a. Exclusive neighborhood b. Great for a single person c. Great for an active person d. All of the phrases should be avoided. 5. What is the commonality of banner ads, pop-ups, floating ads, and unicast ads? a. Internet advertising b. Print advertising c. Radio advertising d. Television advertising 268 California Real Estate Practice 6. Of the following, which must you a broker have just to be competitive in today’s real estate market? a. County club membership b. Expensive car c. Physical office d.Website 7. What are the two types of newspaper advertising? a. Classified and display b. Cold and warm c. Institutional and product d. Pop-ups and pop-downs 8. Yard signs are included in what advertising category? a. Billboard advertising b. Transit advertising c. Newspaper advertising d. Alternative media advertising 9. Magnetic signs for car doors are what type of outdoor advertising? a. Alternative Media b.Billboard c. Street Furniture d.Transit 10. Of the following advertising media, which is usually the most expensive? a. Classified ads b.Internet c.Television d. Yard signs