today`s

TODAY’S
BUYER’S REP
A p u b l i c a t i o n o f t h e R e a l E s t a t e B u y e r ’s A g e n t C o u n c i l , I n c .
A w h o l l y - o w n e d s u b s i d i a r y o f t h e N a t i o n a l A s s o c i a t i o n o f R E A LT O R S ®
April 2012 · Volume XXI · Num ber 4
Unique Marketing Ideas!
This month, Today’s Buyer’s Rep investigates numerous new and
interesting marketing ideas that can connect you with buyer-clients and
other real estate professionals. Marketing takes hard work and discipline.
But it also requires creativity and inspiration. Since Spring is the season
for new beginnings, what better way to celebrate than to explore fresh and
unique marketing ideas?
Look inside to see how other buyer’s representatives have put a spark in
their marketing efforts. Consider ways you can adopt or adapt these ideas
into your own marketing plans. You’ll also find new twists on using social
media, perfect for buyer’s representatives.
If you appreciated these unique marketing ideas, please let us know. If
you have other ideas to share, please tell us about that too. We always
enjoy hearing from our members and supporting your efforts. Reach out
to us at [email protected], or on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, or the
ABR® Network.
Sincerely,
Marc Gould
REBAC Executive Director
LOOK INSIDE...
Nextdoor.com: Bringing
Back the Front Porch Chat
page 5
When Agents Go to the Dogs
page 6
REALTOR® University’s
Graduate School is Open
for Business!
page 8
MEMBERSHIP
UPDATE
WORTH QUOTING...
“The best way to have a
good idea is to have lots
of ideas.”
– Linus Pauling, chemist, peace activist, author, educator
Generation Buy Course Now Offered Online
At any given time, today’s real estate professionals may be working with
four generations of real estate buyers: Millenials, Generation X, the Baby
Boomers, and Matures. So how do you assess the distinct wants and needs
of these generations and nurture real estate client relationships for a lifetime?
Say hello to Generation Buy—now offered online or in a classroom setting.
In this one-day course, students will examine the characteristics of
these home buying generations and evaluate their expectations and
communication preferences.
Your Resource 4 Real
Estate Education
training4re.com is the place to go for
course details and specific offerings for
eleven different NAR designation and
certification programs, including:
ABR® - Accredited Buyer’s
Representative
AHWD - At Home With Diversity®
BPOR - Broker Price Opinion Resource
CIPS - Certified International Property
Specialist
CRB - Certified Real Estate Brokerage
Manager
e-PRO® - e-PRO® Certification
GREEN - NAR’s Green Designation
PMN - Performance Management
Network
RPR™ - Realtors Property Resource®
RSPS - Resort and Second-Home
Property Specialist
SFR® - Short Sales and Foreclosure
SRES® - Seniors Real Estate Specialist®
2
TBR • April 2012
Generation Buy counts as one REBAC elective course to be applied towards
the ABR® designation. It is also being submitted for Continuing Education
credit. To take this course online, visit LearningLibrary.com. Classroom
offerings are posted at training4re.com.
Have you considered CRB?
The Certified Real Estate Brokerage Manager (CRB) designation is one of
the most respected and relevant designations offered within the real estate
brokerage management industry. It is designed to elevate professional
standards, enhance individual results and office performance, and recognize
brokerage leaders who demonstrate the knowledge essential to the
successful practice of brokerage management. Learn more about the CRB
designation at crb.com; to sign up for CRB courses, go to training4re.com.
Reminder: Courses at Midyear Meetings
If you’re attending NAR’s Midyear Meetings, May 14-19, 2012, in
Washington, D.C., don’t miss this opportunity to take the newest
courses, including:
Listing and Selling REO Properties - Tuesday, May 15
BPOs: The Agent’s Role in the Valuation Process - Tuesday, May 15
Realtors Property Resource® (RPR™) - Monday, May 14
For more information on these Midyear Meeting educational events,
go to REBAC.net.
Connect online with fellow ABR®s for news,
tips and referrals!
REBAC.net
Showcase
Your Home
My kitchen is being featured
on a local charity kitchen
tour. I also bought an ad in
the program. On tour day
I’ll have a steady stream
of women coming through
my home, providing a great
opportunity to share our
enthusiasm for cooking and
creating a special kitchen,
as well as showcasing my
expertise in home design
and real estate. This same
idea would work equally well
for general house tours and
garden walks.
Linda Walters, ABR®, e-PRO®
Sage Realty LLC
Wayne, PA
One-A-Day Networking
Every week I identify five real estate agents from around the country
who I want to connect with via e-mail, focusing on REALTORS® who
have earned the same designations I have. This approach helps me
ensure that I’m establishing contact with experienced real estate
professionals who share my interests and commitment to real estate.
Chyrel Madden, ABR®, e-PRO®, GREEN, PMN, SRES®
Randall Morris & Assoc. Real Estate
New Braunfels, TX
It Was All in the Cards
I decided to join a bridge group which led to two
closed transactions in a matter of months. Plus,
I’ve become an avid bridge player and made
some terrific new friends. Getting involved in a
new hobby can be a great way to expand your
horizons and your business.
Lynn d’ Lindsey, ABR®, AHWD, CRS, e-PRO®, GRI
Rector Hayden REALTORS®
Lexington, KY
One Penny at a Time
I’ve had more fun—and gotten the best
response—from sending out one-cent
stamps to clients when we’ve had rate
increases. I also include a simple note,
saying “I wanted to make your life easier,
just like working with me.”
Dee Davey, ABR®, CRS, GRI, SRES®
RE/MAX Associates of Mansfield
Mansfield, TX
Good to the Last Drop
I’ve gotten great results with customized water bottles. Create
a personalized label, using your logo and choosing colors,
fonts, etc. to suit your message and style. My water bottles
display my company logo and contact information. I set them
out at open houses and offer them to any consumers or
agents who come through the door. I also place some in the
refrigerators at my new construction listings and allow guests
to take home a cold beverage. I use BottleMyBrand.com, but
there are other similar sites. Costs vary, depending on how
many cases you order, but expect to spend at least $1/bottle
if you order already-labeled bottles. To save money, order the
labels only and apply them yourself, using whatever water
bottles are on sale locally.
Michelle Hanson, ABR®
HP Realty Group, Inc.
East Bridgewater, MA
TBR • April 2012
3
REBAC Consumer Content: Put it to use!
Wish you had a professional writer on your team? Do you struggle to create consumer content for your site? Your blog? Your
e-mail campaigns?
Take advantage of consumer materials already developed by REBAC, which can be repurposed in a variety of ways.
Examples:
• Turn our consumer one-sheet topics into a series of e-mail campaigns. With nearly 20 one-sheets already posted, and
more coming, there are plenty of topics to select from.
• The Home Buyer Toolkit covers ten steps in the home buying process—perfect for adaptation into a series of blog posts or
content for the “Buyers” section of your site.
• Articles in Today’s Buyer’s Rep cover various niche markets and could be just the thing to share with clients interested in
these topics.
REBAC’s reprint permission process is easy and entirely complimentary. To request permission to reprint or repurpose
REBAC Content, please contact Jessica White at [email protected].
Put it in (Hand) Writing
In an age of technology and texting, people want relationships. The
mailbox outside your front door may be full, but what is the one
thing you open? A personal hand-written note. Once I started doing
this, I’ve had referrals come in on a weekly basis. I’ll follow up with
the person providing the referral to personally thank them over
lunch, breakfast, or just a cup a coffee. Relationships matter in this
business, and personal connections are the way to cultivate them.
Paula Hagerman, ABR®
RE/MAX VINTAGE
Houston, TX
Stand Out in Traffic
Over a year ago I acquired a used Volkswagen
Beetle. It’s royal blue, matching the Coldwell Banker
logo. I had it detailed and wrapped with my contact
information and picture. Now I use it in all my ads.
It’s my traveling billboard and gets tons of smiles and
waves.
Gloria Harkins, ABR®, SFR®
Coldwell Banker Town & Country Real Estate
Altoona, PA
4 TBR •
April 2012
NextDoor.com:
Bringing Back
the Front Porch Chat
In your grandparent’s era, everyone knew their neighbors, everyone had polite
conversation with people who lived nearby and neighbors gathered at the back
yard fence or on the front porch to “visit” and socialize. Today, few people even
know their neighbors.
We live on the Internet, often spending more time
online than sleeping and eating…combined! During the
transition from face-to-face to “interfaced,” something
precious was lost. NextDoor.com has stepped in to help
us find it—and to bring “neighborly” back into vogue.
Do:
•
If there’s a group in your area, join it.
•
If there isn’t a group, set one up (it only takes a
few minutes).
NextDoor.com offers a new approach to an old
tradition, including:
•
Be active on the site and tell others about it—talk,
answer questions, be involved.
•
Neighbors talking to each other again
Don’t:
•
An online platform for ease of access
•
•
A private social network, for security and safety
Actively push your real estate business. (Simply let
your bio explain what you do.)
•
Staying in touch is easy and convenient,
regardless of individual schedules, physical
limitations and/or other personal restrictions
•
Avoid talking about real estate in most of your
posts. (Occasionally is okay, but remember, you
are a neighbor first.)
•
Become the one who “takes” instead of “gives” in
a social network. (You know the type, they
soak up all the limelight and risk driving away
other members.)
What are the benefits to members?
•
Ask questions and offer answers or assistance
to neighbors
•
Stay informed on issues impacting your
neighborhood
•
Get qualified recommendations on service
providers in the area
•
No fees, no commitment, no problems
How does this benefit a buyer’s rep?
You can utilize this networking opportunity to
strengthen ties to your own neighborhood. It’s
a great tool to connect in a non-aggressive way
to people living close to home, in the area you
know best.
Also, stay on top of the issues that impact your
area. Share any information (both positive and
negative) in a conversational, friendly way. You
can also share important documents, events, dates
and happenings.
Soon you will become the “go to” person for
information on the neighborhood because you are
the one who knows what’s going on with city council,
local property taxes, school rankings, the winner of the
Easter egg-rolling contest, and the newest arrivals to
the area. (“Let’s all welcome the Smiths
to Glendover!”)
Regardless of your neighborhood involvement so far,
you can become a leader in your community using
NextDoor.com. Sometimes opportunity knocks on your
front door. Answer it!
TBR • April 2012
5
When Agents Go
To The Dogs
Making a connection is always easier
if you and your potential client share
a common interest. In the words of
one Maryland buyer’s rep, “it makes
conversation natural and is much
easier than cold-calling.”
Three buyer’s reps recently shared
their own unique marketing
techniques revolving around their love
of dogs.
Pam McCutcheon, ABR®, GREEN
of Small Dog Realty in Bozeman,
Montana goes beyond the candid
shot of her and her dogs on the index
page of her Web site and actively
promotes pet adoption in her area
and donates part of her commission
to any Montana shelter. She says it
raises awareness about the shelters,
helps animal lovers find a new pet,
and helps shelter animals find safe,
loving, permanent homes.
Deborah Schnitzler, ABR®, CIPS, GRI
of Century 21 Real Estate Champions
in Pinellas County, Florida converted
her daily walk with her two poodles
and mixed breed into a unique
marketing opportunity. She printed
up large flyers with a photo of her and
her three dogs with the question “Do
you know me?” A paragraph beneath
the photo said she had recently
retired and had taken a position as
a real estate agent. She added some
additional information, including how
to contact her. Schnitzler says she
passed out about 250 flyers.
The result? Now, her daily
neighborhood walks involve
congratulations on her retirement and
discussions about real estate, rather
than polite nods and comments about
the weather. She wants to concentrate
her efforts in her own neighborhood
and has found just the way to do
it—thanks to a little help from her
furry companions!
6
TBR • April 2012
Kate Snyder, ABR® of The Prigal
Brothers and Associates, RE/MAX
Realty Group in Gaithersburg,
Maryland, merged her passion
for dogs with her existing work
with a local rescue and added
a splash of creativity. Voilà! A
fantastic promotional opportunity!
Her inspiration? Her three miniature
Dachshunds and a rescued Bassett
Hound-Pointer mix named Savannah,
from K9 Lifesavers.
Snyder says her work with K9
Lifesavers is a natural complement to
her real estate career. Not only does
she connect with pet owners, whom
she says usually want larger homes
and property, but she also helps place
rescue animals. She gives back to the
community and builds her business
doing what she loves: volunteering
as an Adoption Coordinator for K9
Lifesavers and manning their monthly
adoption events.
Both Snyder and McCutcheon have
completely intertwined their love
for animals with their real estate
marketing efforts, promoting their
company at various shelter events.
Snyder also makes doggie bags filled
with tasty canine treats and gives
them away at the local dog park. With
a ribbon, she attaches two business
cards to the bags—one for her real
estate business and another for her
work with K9 Lifesavers. Her motto?
“Helping canines and their owners
find a FURever home.”
These three agents have all
incorporated their personal passions
into their professional lives with doggone good results! What can you do to
incorporate yours?
Deborah Schnitzler with
(from left) Brandy, Maggie
and Jackie
More Alpha-Dog
Marketing Ideas
1. Sponsor Fur Balls,
Dog Walks, and other special
events hosted by rescue
shelters.
2. Give promotional T-shirts,
pet ID tags, water bowls, or
other items to all prospective
adopters and volunteers at
rescue events.
3. Provide a folder of dog-
related information and
local business information
(including your real estate
services and contact details)
to all who adopt a new pet.
4. Make a donation to your
local pet rescue on behalf
of anyone using your real
estate services.
t
i
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i
p
S
m
Tea
I farm in two communities that
feed into my daughter’s high school.
We are very active in the PTA, the Athletic
Booster Club and Spirit Clubs. But I’ve also
found that football games provide fantastic networking
opportunities. Like other local businesses, I buy ads on spirit
calendars or football programs. But I also invest in my own
football schedule wallet cards, which cost roughly 75 cents each.
They display the Varsity and Junior Varsity schedules, along with
the school’s contact information. The other side has my photo and
contact details.
Kate Snyder at K9 Lifesavers
adoption event
Before the season begins, my daughters and I walk to area
shopping centers asking to leave the wallet cards. Store owners
are happy to give them to customers from the area. Customers
appreciate having the schedules at their
fingertips. And I love them because they
promote two things I’m very proud of—the
company I work with and our high school.
The football wallet cards have helped spark
enthusiasm around the community and
helped my business.
Gail Lamb, ABR®, SRES®
ERA Troy Realtors
San Antonio, TX
Pam McCutcheon’s promotional postcard (above), and Pam with some of
her favorite dogs (below).
Branding Opportunity:
E-mail Signature
My e-mail signature has created a lot of buzz. I incorporated
my branding logo, showing me at the beach on my shell
phone, waiting for your phone call. There are also several
working links, including my LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter
profiles, as well as links to my blog, and even a video of the
area, all in a clean, attractive graphic layout.
Kelly Klein, ABR®, AHWD, CIPS, CRS, e-PRO®, GREEN,
LMC, PMN, RSPS, SFR®, TRC
Lifeguard Real Estate, Inc.
TBR • April 2012
Panama City, FL
7
1-800-648-6224
[email protected]
Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council, Inc.
430 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
TODAY’S
BUYER’S REP
April 2012 · Volume XXI · Number 4
REALTOR® University’s Graduate School is
Open for Business!
REALTOR® University launched its first Master of Real Estate course, Real Estate Law
(RE520), on February 27. The Master of Real Estate curriculum emphasizes the practical
skills and concepts the real estate industry demands from real estate professionals and
blends theory with real-world applications. Even if you missed the first class, four eightweek sessions remain in 2012. The next session begins April 30th.
Sign up now and save! The first 40 students in the Master of Real Estate program this
year will receive a $2,500 grant for being part of the charter class. This will be distributed
as $500 per course for the students’ first five classes.
Want to learn more? Call 855/786-6546 (RUONLINE) or visit RealtorU.com