"Does it work, Ken? Do you get business from your marketing?" I get these questions a lot from other agents.
I enjoy marketing. I think it is fun...
I love putting a product (usually one of my listings) or a service (usually my real estate business) out there, in front of an audience, and watching the results.
I do all sorts of marketing.
I host open houses. I send out "Just Listed" cards. I hang newsletters on doors. I use Facebook Ads. I write an active real estate blog...
Does it work? Of course it does. But just a little bit. Over time.
Marketing is a marathon. Not a sprint. The more you do and the longer you do it, the better it works.
So if you expect your marketing to generate business, you have to do a lot of it for a long time.
Whether I am writing on my blog...
Or I am staying in touch on Facebook...
Whether hanging fliers...
Connecting on LinkedIn...
Or hosting another open house...
It is all part of my long term marketing plan designed to grow my business. To "spread the brand"...
The more I do, and the longer I do it, the better.
But you have to put yourself out there. A lot...
Because marketing is a marathon. Not a sprint...
Ken
Ken, marketing does take work but it pays off like you said. I love to blog about listings and neighborhoods and the search engines help people find our marketing efforts.
Ken, I couldn't agree more. Many agents don't understand that Rome wasn't built in a day!
Hi Mike and Elizabeth. Thanks so much for stopping by on this Holiday evening...
After 5 years of doing it consistently, I am starting to see some decent results.
It feels good making the phone ring!
Thanks again,
Ken
Ken....if you're marketing on Christmas Eve, they you're in for the marathon!!!!!! Merry Christmas!
It's that consistency thing. Sometimes hard to understand, but there is a reason one trains for a marathon.
So true, Ken, so true. I'm curious to know exactly how long it takes if you're an already established name and brand, vs. just starting out. Someone recently opined that it doesn't take months to gain traction online...someone who has been in the business for years...
Marketing is like laundry. It never goes away and if you want to be good at it just rinse wash and repeat!
Consistency and creativity=amazing results.
Ken:
So right. Marketing is a long-term proposition. It involves consistency and patience.
Kate mentioned consistency. And another broker friend recently told me, that it didn't matter if it was a newer agent or an agent of 35 years experience, one thing in common is their lack of consistent marketing effort.
Before I started blogging and doing it consistently for 4 years, I would have never understood. Now I have that so seriously, it's the first order of business no matter what.
Merry Christmas and an awesome 2011 to you, Ken!
Ken - you gave me an idea by seeing your photos! I am going to drop our newsletter off in person in the spring instead of sending it through the mail and see what happens.
Merry Christmas and here's to an awesome 2011 - keep marketing!
Betsy
Ken - Well said and so true ! Consistency is the name of the game when it comes to marketing !
Run Ken Run...or was it Forest.
Never mind, just being silly this Christmas morning.
Best of success to you in 2011.
Ken, this is so true. Many people think this is a "get rich quick" business. Not so, it takes some effort to establish that brand. Good Job! Merry Christmas!
I could not agree more!!!
Here's to a gr8 2011!!
HiKen, Excellent reminder that our marketing efforts have to be for the long term. So many ploys out there aimed at instant gratification. Best of the New Year to you !
Good morning sir,
It is the marathon that we forget about seeing that we live in a microwave society, we all want it right now with little work. Right on point my friend.
BTW, Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Its just another piece of the puzzle. . marketing systems only work when it gets repeated in a consistent basis
I'm glad to see that someone else enjoys marketing as much as I do! It's fun and challenging to keep experimenting to fine tune the marketing for listings to get sold.
VERY WELL SAID! :) I needed to hear that today- thanks!
Hi BethAnn, Bob, Erica, Fernando, Don, Bill, Noah, Michael, Missy, C+S, Betsy, Loreena, Claudette, Dawn, James, William, Kate, and Larry. Thanks so much and Happy Holidays to everyone!
Many of you have put it better than I did!:)
It does take some time. You can get to the top of google by blogging fairly quickly, but it still takes lots of volume to really build the brand...
And when you do, it is great making that phone ring...
Thanks again everyone, and lets have a great 2011!
Ken
Awesome post, Ken and OH so true! I remember starting and working my fingers to the bone--I needed, of course, to know what I was doing but, I felt like I was getting nowhere. When I realized that it was, indeed, a sprint and not a marathon, I was finally able to 'get it!' Now, I see results very often but, it's partly from that continuous dripping that I do in a variety of places--and KEEP doing it! Never stop! LOL
Hope your 2011 is the best year YET for you!
Hi Debe. I am excited about 2011.
Think it will be big!
Thanks for reading,
Ken
"Marketing is a marathon. Not a sprint. The more you do and the longer you do it, the better it works."
A key thought for those of us who are just starting out in the world of Direct Mail marketing to reach potential Short Sale Sellers.
Repetition...consistency.....rinse, lather and repeat !
Ken -
Congratulations on a well deserved feature!
Just like LIFE, marketing is marathon!
Hi Ken- We just ran across this post and couldn't agree more! As a Real Estate marketing company, we see how our clients benefit from being consistent and creative in their marketing! We enjoy helping them achieve those goals, and like you said, over time they reap the benefits which can have long lasting results! We noticed you're also our neighbor! We're in Palatine and are here to help if you ever need us! Thanks again for your post!
Hi Real, Debbie, S+D, and T+S. Thanks for stopping by!
Rinse, lather, repeat. I like that!
Everyone wants quick results. It doesn't always work that way. But with a long term approach, it all works...
Thanks again,
Ken