Try networking in the mail

I was in Bloomingdale’s today, and met this woman who looked really down in the dumps. She told me that she is a Realtor, and that she just came from her Open House in a lovely home in Hollywood. She said that only two couples had come the whole day. And, one of them was a couple she’d already sold a home to, in the neighborhood a few years ago.

She said the day was wasted.

I didn’t think so at all. I asked her, if she’d talked to her previous buyers and asked them about their home and the neighborhood. She said, “No, I asked them if they knew of anyone that might buy this house”.

What did she do wrong, all you smart agents out there?

Well, from a marketing vantage point (and that’s the only one I have)….she might consider building relationships with people, not prospects.

People know when you’re just thinking about yourself. When you have a mindset of just making friends, they know that too. So, when I received a postcard on Saturday from a Realtor, and it said:

Treat yourself this summer to dependable one-on-one service.

I know he didn’t mean it because the card was addressed to Current Resident, and I think he really runs a Tex-Mex restaurant, because half the card had a recipe for quesadillas. I get dozens of cards like that (maybe because I live in a waterfront property or a good zip code). Some of them say:

I just sold Apartment 2703 in your building.

Well, whoop-de-doo. In direct mail, you need to begin a relationship with people by:

1. First knowing who they are, and mentioning that in your copy. It will sound like you’re a real human being if you say something like, “I’ve sold several apartments in your building, and think it is really quite a lovely place with amazing amenities. If you’re considering selling your apartment, I can stop by and talk to you about its value in today’s market. Even if you’re not planning to sell, it might be good for you to know anyway…in your financial planning.

2. Then, you might give them an offer. If I do stop by, I’ll give you one of our property evaluation papers, or book on easy summer entertaining, or one of our mini-ipods that you can use when you walk.

3. Ask for a date to talk. “I’ll be in your building the week of August 20th, and I’d like to visit if you have the time. Please let me know”.

The idea is to build a relationship and that takes some time and planning. Most agents have a “I want to sell now” mentality and that just won’t make it. Relationships build over time and always pay off. So consider, doing a direct mail program to just say “hello” to your prospects, and you’ll see that it works!

Good luck, and let me know how you’re doing: loisgeller@loisgellermarketinggroup.com