A couple of weeks ago I did a portion of our Monday Sales Meeting for Century 21 Liberty Homes. The biggest thing I wanted to stress to our agents was that the Art of Blogging is the biggest part of marketing our business and our expertise in representing our buyers and sellers.
It turned out to be a great meeting although it's taken awhile (and will take awhile) for some to really grasp the idea that putting effort into internet marketing is one of the best marketing tools there is. I also stressed the fact that I am a few years ahead of them with my internet marketing and if they don't hop on the bus quick they'll miss the ride....and are missing it as I spoke.
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It is a proven fact that the first place that 75% of people looking to buy or sell homes go to research is on the internet. Then....they contact an agent. If you can get your listings, your website and your blogs going you can add your information for the consumer to see first...before they contact someone from the newspaper. Guaranteed.
Our company enters our listings into the MLS and Crestedg (Century 21) systems but these additional sites you will have to sign up for and enter your listings yourself. It is imperative that you market yourself and your listings on as many sites as possible as the market for listings take longer to sell and we obviously have to watch our budgets as well. Give information on your area, sites as well. The consumer wants to know everything about the community...not just the listing and your skills.
Remember that your headline for each listing (if the site allows) should be geared for your local market area where the property is located (i.e. Mililani Mauka Townhouse for Sale, Royal Kunia Home, Ocean Pointe Energy Efficient Homes and so forth). These titles are what Google Search will pick up and it just may get onto the first page when buyers enter the search term. The title of each article you're writing for the buyer or seller should include something for your niche marketing and area.
The following links are free or low cost sites that you can sign up for and enter your listings into to give your listings, your information for buyers more exposure. The more marketing that you do for your seller's property will show your seller that their property is getting the maximum exposure on the market.
- www.activerain.com of course is my first choice. A minimal fee per month for membership on a Real Estate Network with over 140,000+ members....but loads of google juice for your posts! They also offer advertising, ouside blogs, Localism.com sponsorship, referral network and MORE!
- http://www.trulia.com/ is a free site that is well known nationwide and that google search picks up quick.
- http://www.zillow.com/ is another free site that is well known and that google search picks up quick.
- www.c21online.com (after you have a listing input into our Crestedg system, make sure you have
given us at least 6 pictures for the property. If you do not give us 8 photos your listing WILL NOT show on our public Century 21 site. If you do then you can go into your c21oneline account. Enhance your listings with slide shows, up to 25 pictures and music too! And they syndicate to MANY other sites as well.
- www.blogspot.com is a free google based blog that you can write articles about real estate, area information and listings too. Not just for listings or buyers but your spiel for marketing YOU.
- www.wordpress.com is also a free web based blog that you can write articles about real estate etc. and again to market you. Write as if the consumer is walking alongside you and you are talking to them...not AT them.
- www.craigslist.com is a free site that you are able to not only list your listings but your real estate services.
- www.realestateshows.com is $125.00 per year for doing your own virtual tours with the photos you have on hand. This is UNLIMITED shows and you can also use them for buyers (doing a show for them during the transaction) listings (to enhance your MLS or other listings) and even doing area shows for your clients moving to the islands. This IS a paid virtual tour site but you can make flyers and post them to other sites, download the cd for each show and take them to Open Houses and so forth. (EDIT: RES syndicates to Google, Oodle, Trulia, Zillow, Vast, Hotpads, Geebo and Viewr. We are able to put our links in MLS, Homes.com, Realtor.com and of course in C21 site ...able to make the flyer with the show in it and embed the code all over the place.)
- www.youtube.com You can do your own videos and upload to YouTube for free. After uploading you can insert the html code into your website/blog etc.
- www.wellcomemat.com is another free video site...more professional than YouTube and they are monitored so no junk is on there.
- http://www.postlets.com/ is another site worthy of your listing. They allow entering listings and making flyers that you can print, copy to other sites and definitely eye appealing as well.
- www.realtor.com is currently for Century 21 Liberty Homes extra perks to enhance listings with MORE photos and inserting MORE of your spiel on the home. Click on the tab on the left side of the page where it says "For Realtors"; then click on "Resource Center", click on the drop down box and select HONOLULU; enter your MLS ID and the password will be the exact same as your MLS ID. If you have a listing entered into our MLS site then it will show up within 24-48 hours on their site and be ready for editing. Otherwise, it does cost a pretty penny.
PHOTO EDITING to ENHANCE YOUR PHOTOS www.photoscape.org for picture editing...like cropping, resizing, sharpening, brightening, frames, adding text or objects. What good are pictures if they are blurry, too big to put in the mls or flyers or just plain ugly? Enhance your pictures! You can MAKE them look nice...believe me! I personally use Microsoft Digital Image (very user friendly) and Adobe Photoshop CS3 (although I only use a couple of features because I'm still learning).
The First 24 Hours- Crucial Internet Strategy for Listings It is so important to have my game plan ready for marketing a property and giving it the best exposure possible as a new listing. Provided that the home is in "showing condition ready" those first 24 hours are crucial to get all marketing material ready and out for the public to consume. (click the link for more....)
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Bottom line, there are many sites to pay a little fee per month or some are free for flyers and such.
Invest a little....gain a lot.
Your online marketing will leave a lasting impression on the consumer...and you have given your business loads of exposure, the buyer loads of information and given the seller a very good reason to say you've done a 'phenomenal job' of marketing their property.
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Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman is a Realtor-Associate with Century 21 Liberty Homes in Mililani, Hawaii. With a sharp understanding that a listening ear is the key to a client's needs she serves the island of Oahu (Honolulu County) and all Hawaii Military Relocating to Hawaii, Hawaii Retirees, Hawaii Job Transfers and Hawaii Residents. Website: www.hawaiihomesmarket.com
Make that appointment! 