Do you know the #1 reason any business’ customers switch products, brands or suppliers?
Fascinatingly, it’s not poor service, poor product or even a bad experience. No, it’s Continue reading
Author Archives: Shelley Pilkington
“Annoying Pest” or “Welcome Guest”?
From time to time a client asks why our real estate newsletter has a general interest article front and centre and a real estate article in second place.
If you’re wondering too, and it’s been a while since you read my e-book, 7 Secrets to Dominate Your Market with a Real Estate Newsletter, let me explain.
Would You Waste Time Selling Ice to an Eskimo?
Imagine trying to sell blocks of ice to an Eskimo – knocking on the door of a frozen igloo, “Ice anyone?” Any salesperson senseless enough to try would never become a welcome guest; at best they’d be classed as an annoying pest. An eskimo doesn’t need ice. Continue reading
What Real Estate Professionals Can Learn From Politics
During the 2017 election, I was privileged to be involved with the campaign for a high profile candidate and picked up a few marketing insights along the way. Here’s what I learned, and how it relates to real estate marketing. Continue reading
Have You Got Your Fair Share of the Real Estate “Pie”?
If every one of the 15,000 real estate agents in New Zealand got an even slice of market share (and we all know they don’t), there would only be 5 or 6 sales available each year for every agent.*
That’s barely enough commissions to earn the average New Zealand salary for someone who only works 40 hours a week!
Recently I was chatting about the drop in listings to the owner of several Auckland real estate offices. He commented that the 90/10 rule is now in play – 10% of his agents now have 90% of the listings – and the one thing these people all have in common Continue reading
Have You Found the “Diamonds” in Your Database?
There’s a famous, true story about a farmer who desperately wanted to get rich.
He sold his farm in Africa and went abroad in search of gold. After many years with little success, he returned to his home country, only to find his old farm had become the largest diamond mine in the world. Continue reading
Slow Real Estate Market: What Type of Agent Are You?
I’ve discovered over the years that when the real estate market slows there are two types of agents:
1. Those that gulp and panic, “Eek, the market’s slowing, I need to save money and reduce my marketing costs,” and;
2. Those that swing into action thinking, “There are still plenty of houses for sale, I just need to up the ante, increase the frequency, consistency and effectiveness of my marketing, and expand my reach to gain a bigger market share and win business from my competitors.”
Continue reading
How to Get Higher Letterbox Delivery Rates
Deliverability is something I’ve chatted to lots of clients about lately. Having high quality, professional real estate marketing material is one thing, successful delivery is another. Here are a few tips on getting more printed material delivered to letterboxes this month (on-line deliverability is an entirely different subject for another time).
1. Involve Your Delivery Person in Your Success
How to Run a Prizedraw on Facebook (Without Landing in “Jail”)
- Find or take a pic of the prize (or you holding it, or standing outside the venue).
- Post the pic on your Facebook business page with a blurb along the lines of:
WIN! WIN! WIN! Relax, dine in style and soak up the friendly atmosphere at the Waterfront Bar & Brasserie. Comment below with the name of your favourite food and go in the draw to win a $50.00 voucher in time for Valentines’ Day. Closes 13 February 2017.
How to Standout from Your Competitors with a Simple Thank You Card
It’s old fashioned. Hardly anyone does it. It’s really easy and takes only a couple of minutes.
A handwritten thank you card is so rare that any real estate professional who uses them immediately stands out as different from their competitors.
Why? Almost without exception, Continue reading
How an HTML Email Newsletter Can Help You “Sniff Out” Who is Ready to Sell
Big brother. Snooping. Call it what you like but it’s a reality. If you’re not tracking your email newsletter opens, you could be missing a huge opportunity to strike while the iron is hot.
HTML email programmes and services have made it totally possible for you to know exactly who has:
1. Opened your email newsletter; and
2. Clicked through to view a listing on your website.
If any of these people are a current homeowner and they’re looking to buy, there’s a good chance they’ve also got a house for sale.