You are your own best real estate marketing tool
A good past is the best thing a person
can use for a future reference…
The answers help me direct the tone of your copy, and assure that I don’t miss any details that help you stand out from the crowd. Not all of the information will be used in the final copy, but it will help me know you better, so I can do a better job.
Your name:
Your mailing address
When you speak of your territory – the area in which you work. If it is more than one city, is there a name by which you refer to the area?
Your nickname if you use it in business:
Are you a REALTOR(R)?
If you have a website, your URL:
Links to you on social media:
Direct links to your testimonials:
What is your favorite part of the business? Why?
Do you prefer listings, or working with buyers? Why?
What is your favorite category of sellers and buyers?
(Think age groups, income levels, type of property, move-up buyers, first time buyers, etc. But no, your copy won’t be discriminatory.)
Do you work exclusively (or almost exclusively) in a specific niche? If so, what and why.
What is your educational background?
Include real estate classes and designations, and also education you received in other fields before becoming a real estate professional.
How has your previous experience benefited your practice of real estate? (This could be financial skills, sales experience, building construction knowledge, decorating expertise – or even great listening skills because you were once a bartender!)
If you have designations, what are they? What do the initials stand for? More important – why did you choose to go after those designations and what did you gain from the course work?
How long have you lived in your community?
What is your favorite thing about your community?
If you moved there recently, why did you choose it?
Were you an agent in a different community before moving there?
Why did you choose a career in real estate?
Do you have a “branding slogan” or something you’d like to convey to each and every client? If so, what is it?
Are you involved in community service, volunteer work, club memberships, school activities, etc? If so, please list.
What are your hobbies? What do you do when you’re not busy doing real estate?
Do you have pets?
Tell me a little about your current real estate market. For instance: Is it flooded with short sales and foreclosures? Are prices rising or still falling? Are homes selling faster than they did last year? Do you have more buyers or more sellers?
The next questions require special thought – because if you’re like many agents, you yourself have not recognized the special things you do.
Think about the last time a customer gave you a compliment. If it seemed to you that you were being thanked for a routine part of doing your job, it was probably because other agents don’t provide the same service.
To get you started, here’s a list of possibilities:
- You return phone calls within an hour
- You’ll communicate any way they like: phone, email, or text
- You’re available on evenings and week-ends
- You take the time to explain the purchase and sale agreement – and all the other forms
- You pay attention to details, so your agreements are always concise and correct
- You’ll prepare a market analysis to help buyers decide on an offering price
- You’re a skilled negotiator
- You’ll accompany your clients on inspections
- You’ll help arrange for all the necessary inspections
- You take extensive photos and write detailed descriptions of all your listings
- You go all out with marketing – exposing your listings to every possible buyer
- You get along well with other agents, so they like to show your listings
- You have some staging expertise and will give your clients tips
- You keep your clients updated on market conditions
Remember, even things you think are routine are things that lesser agents don’t do. Use this exercise to get started:
A good exercise to help you see just how special you are is to write a letter to an imaginary person. Tell them every reason why people should choose your service above all others. Be outrageous and dramatic and really go all out to say good things about yourself and the exceptional service that you give. Become your own most ardent fan.
When you finish you may laugh at yourself or even feel embarrassed for being such a braggart, but you’ll find the hidden gems that are likely the keys to your success – now or in the future. Write them down. Then you can shred the letter so no one else will ever see it.
Now answer:
- What special or added services do you offer to buyers and sellers?
- What do you do better than your competition?
- What 3 adjectives would you use to describe yourself and your service?
- What 3 adjectives do you think your past clients would use?
After reading your answers to these basic questions, I will probably have more questions to ask, but they can be addressed in a phone conversation or by email.
Please call or write if you have questions for me,
Marte Cliff, Real Estate Copywriter
marte@copybymarte.com
www.copybymarte.com
208-448-1479
I specialize in making people happy to give you money for your exceptional service!