"Having worked with several graphic designs over past few years, I find Gail & Co to be consistent, personable, in tuned to the needs for the project and supportive when changes are needed." Robin Graham, Publisher | Spotlight On Recovery
Roughly sixty percent of real estate professionals are women. Surprised? Or does that sound about right?
The skill-set necessary for an agent seems right up the alley of a woman’s natural abilities. Work long and hard, connect with your customers on an emotional and professional level, persevere when road is bumpy and frustrations are plentiful. No matter what the occupation, women making a place for themselves have had to rely on those attributes to get by.
In her book, Iron Butterflies: Women Transforming Themselves, Dr. Birute Regine talks about the common traits of successful women, regardless of their age, ethnicity or nationality. These women have fought those battles, handled the frustrations and evolved into those “Iron Butterflies” – “radically vulnerable, revolutionary, a strong healer, and someone who welcomes the paradoxical into their life.” Through that revolutionary change, that empowering self-belief, they are able to collaborate, lead and negotiate through the next phase of their lives and careers.
Are you at a point in your career where that sounds like who you are? Or are you wishing tomorrow to wake up, climb out of the chrysalis, and live that life actively?
We all have our paths to take. We all have our particular positive attributes and the things we need to battle, internally and externally. In a world that sees a female Secretary of State and yet still a pay discrepancy between men and women for nearly every profession, it can be difficult to find your own “sea legs” when it comes to your real estate career.
How can we use the ideas of these revolutionary “Iron Butterflies”? Can you step into the impressions left by their shoe prints?
Think about what makes you a great agent—your personality, your experience and yes, even your gender. What you bring to the table is unique and special and it can be cultivated into an even more powerful tool in your arsenal.
And consider these ideas from Dr. Regine’s book—The Four C’s of Becoming an Iron Butterfly.
Connect to Your Passion. A lot of people are doing work they aren’t passionate about. It’s important to connect with something you are passionate about even if it is as hobby.
Collaborate with Women as a Way of Healing. Collaboration enables you to compete. There is a lot of distrust among women, but instead of being worried about betrayal, try to trust. Successful influential women always have a large support network.
Recognize Feminine Power as a Collective Power. “The world of collaboration is all new territory. That is what is Obama trying to do,” Regine says. “It requires a lot of self reflection, openness and it requires going beyond yourself. It is asking what is the common benefit for both of us? We are at a tipping point and moving from a domination-based society to a more collaborative one. There is the myth that you need to do it alone and be more effective.”
Have a Sense of Community and Find the Connectors. Know that you are part of a movement that is happening. On the average, most women are leading the way and often don’t realize they are part of something bigger. Most women show collaborative leadership. It is leadership that is done behind closed doors through mutual empowerment where there’s not a lot of chest pounding. It’s important for companies to find those connectors and start rewarding them.
(Source: Thank you to Dawn Reiss—a Chicago-based journalist who has written for a variety of outlets including: TIME Magazine, Chicago Tribune and Travel + Leisure—and her article, Iron Butterflies: How Remarkable Women Lead).
Recently, I was honored to be featured on page 76 of the “2011 Women in Real Estate” Spotlight Issue by The New York Real Estate Journal. When asked what advice I had for women in the commercial real estate business, my answer boiled down to this: Hone your craft. Be the dynamic resource your clients desire and demand. To achieve that, you need to reach down inside yourself and harness all that wonderful feminine power and emerge as an “Iron Butterfly”.
Believe and succeed!
“What’s the next Twitter?” “What’s going to be as big as Facebook?” It seems as soon as we get comfortable with marketing and communicating with social media tools, something else captures the public’s attention.
The Next Big Thing? Think Mobile.
Even as we run our businesses with what’s current and popular, we always need to be on the look out for what’s next and how it can help us run our businesses.
Technology itself plays a large part in what’s next. Our daily communication and social connecting – not to mention information gathering and purchasing – has moved from our laptops and into our mobile phones. What’s next could very well be tied to our mobile phones.
Mobile apps, mobile-specific websites – and not just content modified for the smart phone but rather, content and information specifically for the device. As sales professionals we must reach our clients quickly, efficiently and with the most information possible. Getting that to them when they’re not at a computer – and having the information be clear, concise and graphic, while attainable on their phones – will be of enormous benefit.
There’s also mobile advertising. Expanding on ideas such as Foursquare and Facebook places, there is the potential for alerts based on a client’s location. Who wouldn’t want a client to identify where they are and what you have listed in that area? Instant and personalized content — this is a hugely important feature, as it cuts down on what a client has to skim through to get what they want.
Laying the groundwork.
Valued Added Branded Content
Consumers comfortable with certain social media systems mean consumers comfortable with filtering out ads. To keep in the running, marketing content must have meaning and give information to the potential client – it has to be more than a snappy ad to get under the radar.
Building usable content on Facebook and Twitter and linking it back to your website engages the reader much more than an ad. By giving information – perhaps an ad on how to research a potential new neighborhood or adding value to a home before putting it on the market – you aren’t just sticking your name and photo on the page. You’re enticing your potential client with what they need beyond the obvious.
It’s important to engage people on a level they aren’t saturated in already. Your focus should be on informing, helping, instructing – all ways to imprint on a client before trying to sell them anything.
Featured Information
Whether it is featured ads on Twitter or Facebook credits, social media companies are laying the groundwork for premium content. Social media generally starts with a free platform and leaves it as a bare basic before layering on features and privileges as time goes on.
With their daily usage secure, the current social media giants have to start building special tiers for customers who want more. How can you position yourself to take advantage of these advancements? How can you utilize your social marketing skills and budget to enhance your message?
It’s important to remember that overload is exactly what people are trying to avoid when they pay up for restricted content. The future of marketing on social media – really, the secret of marketing on social media – is pinpointing your message and applying it to the public in the most succinct way possible.
In the future, as social media expands, you must be in the forefront of exceptional content that elevates your message – this is a repeat of sort, as value-added content plays heavily in the scheme of things.
In the coming year, we’ll be inundated with The Next Big Thing – but as we all know, it’s a gamble as to whether the hype can be believed. As with all the other technology and social media constructs we’re handed, it’s a matter of finding what works best for you and making the most of it.
A great deal of the future of marketing via social media seems to be focusing on refining your message and precise targeting. It’s a good time to look at what you want to say and start getting ready for what’s next!
This post is a bit longer than usual as I know most of you are reviewing and finalizing your marketing plans for 2011. Some of you may be going through a re-branding phase. Gail’s Graphic Designs is right there with you. My company name has changed to Gail & Co. You will begin to see changes in the new year. Read through the post and share with us your plans for 2011. It is my goal to help you put things in perspective.
Both a perk and peril of running your own business is it’s all about you – everything revolves around your skill set and what you present to the public and your potential clientele. Of course we want that impression to be representative of what we can offer our customers/clients, so that we remain memorable amongst the competition. That is what branding is all about—your brand, standing out amongst the others.
“A snappy logo and eye-catching graphic can instantly elevate you from ‘amateur’ to ‘professional’, as the care you put into your marketing reflects the overall approach of your business.”
A larger company may have a marketing company to fall back on; give the desired result and let the “experts” come up with a solution to make it happen. As an entrepreneur, that process works a bit differently. It falls to you to create that message, sell it, and make the most of the results for your business.
Without the limitless time or budget to implement marketing strategies that work, the first important thing to do is plan. When we take an overreaching look at what we want to accomplish, how much time we have to invest and what our budget is, we can set parameters that won’t break the bank or lead us down a path that requires damage control instead of the reaping of benefits. We want to ask ourselves what we want people to think the first time they see our logo and how we want to position our branding to potential clientele.
The first impression you make is the most important. That old saying “you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression” should set the cornerstone of your marketing plan, no matter what your business or profession. Whether it be in person or with an advertisement (on-line or elsewhere), when people first see your name they should immediately associate it with the service you provide. A strong branding message imprints your name and skill with a person, either with a clever slogan or creative graphic.
While we all want to do things ourselves, make our dollars stretch to get the most bang for our buck, there are times to spend the money and call a professional. Unless you are a graphic artist by trade, hiring someone with that skill would benefit you greatly as your creative is your first line of business offense. A snappy logo and eye-catching graphic can instantly elevate you from “amateur” to “professional”, as the care you put into your marketing reflects the overall approach of your business. It says you are serious about this and you are a professional – which means when it comes time to give a quote or close a sale, you can reflect that in your bottom line.
There are some easy traps to fall into on this front; do it yourself business cards and preprinted brochures are a clever lure. In five minutes you can have two hundred business cards for twenty dollars! That’s a steal. Maybe.
But let’s put it this way – how many people do you think are doing the same thing? What are the odds you picked the logo or package someone else in your field did? And how does that make you stand out in a crowd? Think of your favorite brands – the association you make when you see a certain selection of colors or typeface. It is almost subliminal, the way you react to just a “simple” logo. And while you may not be an entire department of branding geniuses, you do know something no one else does – who you are and how you want people to see when they see your name.
A logo can also set a sense of style for you to follow up on your own later on. That graphic can adorn your website, your Facebook page, your newsletter. Think of how nice it would be to hand out pens with a distinct flair; free samples and give-aways can keep you in a client’s line of sight or provide handy contact information.
An investment in branding your business can create a stellar first impression. When you catch the eye of potential clients and customers, you now have the most important base covered in making your business successful—you’ve caught their attention. Now, make it worth their while!
If you’re email in-box is anything like mine, it is all about volume. In order to find what you’re looking for, to distinguish what is important, you are seeing what you already have expectation of, and what looks like it’s worth your while.
When dealing with your customers or clients, it is exactly the same process to get your real estate marketing emails front, center and eagerly anticipated.
Email marketing service provider AWeber stresses the importance of this. The initial email can set expectations of things to come and “the welcome message” is often overlooked as a place to do that. You want to be anticipated and enjoyed – not relegated to spam, and your “welcome” can make that happen.
When a customer signs up for your information or weekly newsletter, it isn’t the biggest step. The biggest step is when they choose to remain on that list, when they choose to read it, when they decide you are worth the interaction.
Easy identification is important. Your email response should include your logo first and foremost, clearly identifiable, so the recipient is reminded they opted into this communication.
Next up, you want to give your subscribers a brief rundown of what they can expect. When will you send updates? What is the general content of your emails?
Don’t forget to include your webpage URL where it is easily readable and quickly clickable – a wonderful side benefit of that introductory email means the recipient might like to get to your webpage right now and take a look around. Don’t disappoint!
There are two basic components to add to your introductory email that are standard, and necessary.
- First, advise your potential customers to add you to their address book, to ensure your emails aren’t blocked or thrown immediately in the spam folder.
- Secondly, include contact information regarding unsubscribing or contacting you with questions or comments. Remember, you are about distinguishing yourself from spammers and fraudulent emailers; you’re providing an informational service and your customers/clients should know that by your professionalism.
Remember, there is a good reason these people have signed up to hear from you. Something has intrigued them to want more from you and your company. Don’t let this interest drift away, either from lack of follow-up or information. Wow them with confidence and an abundance of good things to come, and you will build an exciting following.
Check out AWeber’s excellent article on “What makes a good welcome email?, with great examples of how real businesses did theirs.
Please share your comments on some of the challenges or successes you have had with email marketing.
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” — John Fitzgerald Kennedy
What am I thankful for? I am thankful for the new and repeat clients I received this year. I am thankful for the health and strength of my family. I am thankful that I was able to provide clothing for the needy in my community. I am grateful for the feast that I had this past weekend with my family and friends.
My message to you is this, Thanksgiving doesn’t end after the meal and the last visitor heads home. Live by your words and take the time to show your thanks throughout the year by sharing your time and or abundance with others.
Here is a partial list of non-profits that deal with poverty and feeding the hungry. Please support one and continue the thanksgiving spirit throughout the year:
For an entire generation, checking ones Twitter and e-mail (via their Smartphone) is as natural as breathing. Some of us, however, didn’t grow up with a saturation of technology, no cell phones or personal computers or social media such as Twitter or Facebook. We place them into our lives and our businesses as opposed to expecting them to be there. This, unfortunately, puts some at a disadvantage when it comes to using technology and social media in our businesses.
It can be both overwhelming and exciting at the same time; like kids in a toy store with carte blanche, we can peruse the aisles and becomes amazed at everything available to us. There is a smart way to choose what you’re going to incorporate in your life and how to keep from being bogged down with all the shiny toys.
Take What you Need
The first thing to do is examine your needs, habits and goals. You want to arm yourself with the technology and social media resources that will contribute to your success, not bog you down. A fancy phone and netbook with everything loaded and ready to go may seem the answer to everyone’s problems but it may very well be an expensive overload you won’t use.Make a list of what you’d like to accomplish on a daily basis and fit the technology and media into your life accordingly.
Take a Moment to Learn
None of what’s out there media or hardware wise is rocket science to learn. While it can intimidate the novice, it is all well-explained by the manufacturer or other users who will happily share their experiences, tips and techniques on-line.Give yourself time to get accustomed to Twitter or that new Smartphone before you start using it with clients and potential customers. You want to avoid any early-going snafus that will frustrate you, and perhaps turn you off the experience entirely. Practice with friends and family until you’re comfortable with signing clients up for your Facebook page.
If something works, then introduce it into your business but don’t be afraid to discard what isn’t making your life easier during the workday. Just because everyone is using something doesn’t mean it’s going to work for you. Don’t be afraid to ask; most people love to talk about technology and social media! They”ll be glad to share their experiences.
Take it Easy
Once you’ve conquered automatic response emails, mass Twitter updates and Facebooking, it can be tempting to go all out and sign up for anything and everything. But it’s important to remember you want to use social media and technology for the good of your business, and just like your office doesn’t need twenty chairs when four will suffice, you don’t need to clutter your life with things that will cut into your precious time.
Checking out what’s new on-line is absolutely crucial if you want to stay up to date on what’s going on. but remember to analyze each new tool as to it’s advantage to you directly. Will it eat up valuable time or real estate? Will it distract you, however, pleasantly, from the rest of your day? Will it actually reach and resonate with the clientele you’re seeking?
Perhaps Twittering won’t become as natural as pouring a cup of coffee in your life but a careful approach to introducing technology and social media can make it a positive force in your business.
In today’s economy, every real estate professional is looking for ways to expand their marketing reach for potential new clients. Social media – free, easy and without tech wizardry needed – can seem the ideal tool for advertising and connecting with the community. And as “Do you have a Facebook page?” is rapidly replacing “Do you have a business card?” a RE professional must consider creating a significant Internet and social media presence a necessary part of their business plan.
Social media as a business tool is both interactive and proactive – like a gathering where you only have to give your information once but continue to reach people in a casual yet informative setting. A Facebook page to introduce yourself to the community, a Twitter account with the latest news on open houses and new listings; with each type of social media comes a different way to connect, to inform and to network. Pictures on Flickr, footage of home tours on YouTube, perhaps an informative blog – these pieces of your marketing strategy tie to your web page to create a unified presentation of who you are and what you can do for your potential audience.
Second only to Google in daily traffic, one can imagine that after a website, a Facebook page is the next most valuable asset for the web-savvy professional. Facebook is an excellent example of the depth of electronic networking currently available. With it you can create a complete package for the Internet-savvy buyers scouring the web for information. And of course, the great upside of social marketing is once you have made the initial connection to that client, you are therefore linked to their pool of friends, families and colleagues for further networking.
Facebook and Twitter also add the depth of being interactive. A potential client is able to respond instantly to a Twitter message for a showing they are intrigued by. They can message you via Facebook to ask questions or set up appointments. There is an immediacy and intimacy to the relationships set up via social media, a breaking down of walls between client and professional.
That connection, of course, can develop into a negative as well. That speed of communication, the easy connection can lead to unrealistic expectations of familiarity. A good way to keep the boundaries in place is to separate personal and business social media accounts. A professional or “fan page” on Facebook and business Twitter account will help keep your professional face front and center.
It seems almost entirely a positive, a natural extension of our need to meet people, to get out and expand our circle of contacts. And, like our contact at a business event, we are in control of our behavior. Internet behavior has to follow the same rules of conduct, perhaps even more stringently as what is seen cannot be “unseen”. That means no pictures, no information, no private posts connected to your business persona that would be embarrassing, or harmful to your reputation.
Your reputation can be enhanced and expanded by social media or it can be damaged. Your web presence needs to be exemplary; a Google search of your name will not only reveal the information you want clients to see, but rather everything connected to your name that is out there and searchable.
Realtor.org estimates that the number of realtors who used social media sites jumped from 32% in 2008 to 84% in 2009. That isn’t a fluke or a fad, that is a clear indicator of the way communication and marketing is trending. The savvy real estate professional needs to be aware of the pros and cons as they navigate the world of social media.
Connect with me on LinkedIn and feel free to follow me on Twitter.
It can be like falling down the rabbit hole; one second you’re checking your profile on Facebook for any comments from clients and suddenly it’s two hours later, time gone without any real accounting of where it went. Click one link and invariably there’s another – and another. It’s the other, time-wasting side of social media.
Getting caught up in new information is an easy trap to fall into. At the time, it can feel like work; you see something interesting on someone’s blog or Twitter. You click a link and read the article. Perhaps a past entry catches your eye, a subject you’ve been curious about or a new business technique that might be helpful. Everything you read might be absolutely beneficial but it might not be the right time to be gathering those facts. Or taking the time to learn more.
Utilizing your “social media” time wisely – whether it be Facebook, Twitter, blogs or other Internet points of connection – begins with relegating to its proper position in your business. While you might have to check your email regularly for messages from clients and potential business, that doesn’t mean an automatic check of Facebook is in order. Sending and answering emails is a regular part of business communications, as much as returning messages. Social media is an addition to your business practices and has to be designated time as such.
It is also important to remember that social media, even as a marketing tool for real estate professionals, is best utilized as one would an invitation to a networking party. One might network every night and attract a thousand leads but have no time left over for calls and follow-up. A scattering of appearances across the web might net attention but the case of a wide net doesn’t always reach the right return.
Reimaging social media as a tool and not a pleasant break during the day is the first step in getting the “wandering” under control. Use it to your advantage and with a goal in mind and you will find less time lost and more worthwhile information gained.
We all want to be #1 on Google. Hopefully you’re blogging, that’s half the battle. The other half is making sure people see your site or blog. Here are some great tips to get your blog noticed:
If you have any questions regarding your Search Engine Optimization, feel free to contact me.
Twitter…Facebook…LinkedIn and countless other social marketing networks have become part of our everyday lives, both personally and in business. The question is where is it going? How prevalent will these forms of communication be?
I spend lots of time honing my social marketing skills and have been observing countless experts and futurists so I can be informed, and in turn, separate the “wheat from the chaff” so to speak. Facebook has become especially dominant. At a recent event I attended, Sree Sreenivasan, the Dean of Student Affairs at Columbia Journalism School, asked all attendees what their “ROI” was on their social media efforts. The answers were meager if anything. Mr. Sreenivasan, who teaches a social media course at Columbia – a sign of how seriously this medium is being taken, stressed that our “ROI” “is that we’ll all be in business in 5 years.”
I agree. Social marketing will only become more dominant. Of course a personal recommendation from a friend has always been the most powerful marketing for any product or service. So now, imagine shopping online, researching online and surfing leisurely online and bringing your entire social network with you. Looking for a Realtor or Mortgage Broker? What if you visit their site and see 3 of your friends have “liked” them…that’s pretty close to a personal recommendation! Maybe comments have been left on the site. Our online reputations will become increasingly visible and important. Our own pictures and images will be accompanying all our online activity as well, adding a compelling aspect of legitimacy to a digital platform.
You have to be in the game. Grow your network, provide valuable information, services and/or products that distinguish you from your competition and be part of an exploding medium. It is a powerful, insipient way to reach and engage your clients and customers. If you haven’t already I urge you to get comfortable with these platforms. You don’t want to be left behind.
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