3 Ways To Generate Business On A Budget

April 1, 2016 by Leave a Comment
FlowchartGraphic-MarketingWithout a doubt, there are tons of ways to market your real estate business.  People find themselves in search of the most cost effective way to get the best result. The trick is getting your buck-to-bang ratio just right.
These items may sound simple but they are proven.

#1 Business cards

No matter what your style, whether you are simple or fanciful, use business cards like mini fliers in the beginning of your career. They are great leave behinds and more importantly they are physical, unlike email or spam.  The trick is to really use them; if you are serious about your business give out at least 2 cards a day.  Somehow you should have convinced yourself that these card recipients can turn into business either directly or indirectly. No cheating on the 2 a day rule!

#2 Craigslist

On a budget there is no better way to make your phones ring than by utilizing the power and reach of the internet. Sites like Craigslist are volatile in a sense you never know what or who you will get. There are lots of great people on CL, however you must know your business or you may be taken for a long ride off a short pier.  A very common example is in construction.  If it sounds too good to be true, it always is. The low barrier to entry will bring vendors of all kinds. Super low estimates almost always lead to additional issues before you’re done. Transportation is a common issue. “Well, I can charge you 50% less than the other guy, but you’ll have to get the supplies to the site.” What, why? You expect to pay for a project, go away, come back when its done and cut a check. That’s the whole point, right? But an unprofessional contractor will leave you doing every minute part of the project exception the actual physical labor.  The list goes on: cash deposit, lines of credit, start/stop time for the job, cost overruns and more! If a job is botched and the money is spent, someone who works day to day can’t afford to give extra time for no more money. But these issues are nothing compared to price gouging! Lady buyers, beware! Some contractors will try to get away with as much as they can, visualizing dollar signs as soon as they see you coming. Gentlemen, same message as the to the ladies, don’t let them go into the speech about “being in the trade for 15 years blah blah blah…” Sometimes you need all new stuff and sometimes you just want a couple steps repaired.  The realty of the business is, that it is not for the timid. If you are shrewd you will find away around, over, or through whatever obstacles come your way. Shop, shop, shop and comparison shop some more. Always get at least 2 estimates for any job. One from a CL vendor and one from a phone book vendor.
My last word on Craigslist: Please beware and know your stuff. Its a useful tool but only if you know how to use it and are prepared for the time involved.!!

#3 Direct Mail – My personal favorite method to make your phone ring

The Postcard is my marketing piece of choice! It can be read by anyone and the intended recipients doesn’t need to open it. It offers instant gratification and to someone looking to make a transaction this is a welcomed start. The keys are:

  • the list
  • the ad
  • the Marketing Mix
  • use of metrics
  • tweaking those metrics
  • and most importantly, REPETITION

Certainly this is not a free method, but a campaign can be scaled to match any budget. Everyone in our company has become expert marketers and data analysts. We can easily turn a $2,500 marketing investment into a 10x payoff. Using our integrated telephone and CRM systems, we can generate and manage 450 phone calls a week, port those calls into our system and qualify leads right from our cell phone. A well thought out mail campaign can jump start you from “thinking about getting into real estate” into a serious investor in no time at all.

 

Call us today to get you started. No tricks, games or guru gimmicks. 443-296-3062!

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