The most significant habits of the seasoned Real Estate Investor to stave off bankruptcy in the Real (mobile home loans)
No commentsBy Joshua Penman
Is there anyone in your town that doesn’t recognize that you purchase homes or that your are a real estate home buyer? If so, you aren’t making out as good at marketing or furnishing real estate investing information about your real estate investment business organization as well you might be. I get word real estate investors alleging all the time that they are not receiving seller phone calls and subsequently are not obtaining the leads they require to find the real estate business deals they require to earn a living. I say step-up the marketing and the sellers will Call. Not only that but if you are telling the world (or at least your region) that you purchase problem real estate holdings, eventually you will become recognised for what you do and sellers will ring you strictly on your reputation. this is what is considered cost effective marketing.
One real estate professional was in a home, garden and hardware store a few calendar weeks ago and glided by a couple of persons in an aisle. A conversation was heard while he strolled by, I overheard one state, “That is the real estate guy”. Now I have never known either of those men and have no idea who they are but that experience allows me recognize that I must be performing my business at getting the world to acknowledge my business is purchasing real estate in that region. There are many ways to let the area know that you are in the real estate investing profession and putting information out there that helps people realize you purchase foreclosures, distressed real estate, do real estate short sales and have got a lot of real estate information and experience to flip properties. Some techniques are inexpensive and some are more costly. You are going to have to try out many methods and acquire a feel for what makes for you the best leads in your sphere to get the calls you require to transact real estate business deals. I have tried many sorts of marketing methods for real estate business organisations of all sorts and have come back to a few that regularly bring about enough leads for me to purchase the 2 or 3 real estate holdings and houses I want to purchase every single calendar month. They are as follows:
Classified Ads
The classified advertising in the biggest newspaper in the region is by far the greatest producer of leads for local real estate investors that I have discovered. I recognise it is costly and I recognise there are instances it does not generate phone calls but if you are going to stick around in the real estate investing business sector just place it in there and leave it. Get used to it making up part of the price of performing the real estate business. You may expend about $250.00 a calendar month for my 4 line ad and that is the commercial range. I’d advocate running it 365 days a year to constantly cue everyone that you are a real estate professional and you purchase real estate in their region.
Over the past 5 or so years I have run across many “real estate investor” ads come and go. Most folks put them in for a several or even just a couple of calendar weeks and then remove them or try just placing them in on the week ends. Real Estate Marketing just does not work this way. Put your real estate ad in the paper and leave it in. It will more than make up for the cost, trust me, and you will witness after you finish your first deal. If you are apprehensive because there are real estate investors ads from many other investors in there, don’t be. They are there because they are getting leads. Just be sure to and actually answer your cell phone and keep it on all the time otherwise you’ll be squandering money.
When a fresh ad for real estate investor information appears in my newspaper, I will always call on the advertisement. 9 times out of 10 I get a message device or answering service. This is a great turn off to an individual who needs a answer to their real estate trouble now. They want to speak to somebody who can quiet their anxiety over their current issues with their real estate and tell them everything is going to be ok. Your answering device won’t do that, they need a human being. As for what to put in the advertising, you will have to work on this one. I have tried various idea and the one I have now hast not changed for over 3 years. I haven’t varied it because I get leads. My ad is:
We Pay CASH FOR HOMES s
In 24 Hours!
Any area, price or condition
Call xxx-xxx-xxxx
Now I have had other real estate professionals jockey for place and shift their ad copy to be in the lead of mine in the column but it has not made whatever difference, at least as far as I can determine. Don’t worry about those things, just get the advertising out there and leave it. It could possibly take an amount of time, perhaps a several weeks to get going but sellers will phone. As soon as you have your classified advertising running, then you should start working on your other marketing methods right away. If you only apply one idea a week, within a few weeks or a couple of months you will have a seriously powerful real estate purchasing system.
Ads in the “Freebie” Papers
You should also run advertisements in the freebie papers in your local region or the region you want to conduct real estate investment deals. These are the “Thrifty Nickel”, or whatever they are named in your region. We run both a column ad and a display in this and expend about $250.00 or so a calendar month for these ads. They pull in seller leads reasonablly well and have always rationalised the costs. Remember that these guys are usually open to negotiating on your rates and you will probably get a better rate if you commit to a longer advertising agreement.
Bandit Signs or Road Signs.
Bandit signs are great. They are some of the best lead producing tools around. I have yet to put out a bunch and not be barraged with calls right after I performed my marketing. I just don’t place them out that often. I might set out a few to a half dozen or so a calendar month and the ones that stick around and don’t get taken down continue to pull in phone calls. At an average price of less than $3.00 per sign, they are one of the greatest real estate marketing and advertising values available. Check the Web for sign manufacturers for discount signage costs. . I use 18 x 24 signs and put them at high traffic crossroads around the town I wish to purchase homes in.
I also set a sign in the front yard immediately after purchasing any house. I have purchased several homes in the same localities as a result of marketing this way.
You can either use wood stakes or the wire stakes with your signs. I like the wood stakes because they do not bend like the wire ones, in addition, they are more less expensive and you can find just about any reasonablly sized stick of wood or stake at your local hardware store for a really good cost. Just get long lengths and cut back to fit. Then just nail the sign to it with the roofing nails with the orange or green plastic tops or you can use screws. There are many variances on what the wording on the sign can say. Keep in mind that traffic will be moving so you want to keep your message short and simple so it may be read. Plus your cell number must be big, large and easy to read.
If you search the sign advertisement content, you will observe that it is kind of like my newsprint ad. I like to brand my advertising because I reckon that helps with identification that is probably why the two guys noticed me as a Real Estate Professional..You want to have contrast, so a white sign with dark blue letters usually is the best draw. Some folks swear by black on yellow or black on orange. Again, I say it’s not what or how you say it rather simply that you’re out there marketing and setting out signs that counts. You’ll build a ‘brand image over time if you stay uniform with your real estate marketing campaigns. When dealing with bandit signs, be sure that your local code enforcement laws are in compliance of them. In some areas or counties they can lax on them but a few miles down the road in another county or city, they can be super strict and will ticket you in a minute, pull the signs down and set about looking for your next placards to go after you again. Some retail merchants in high tax areas can’t put out any A board signage without finding them sized and then fined.
Flyers and Bulliten Board Postings
Flyers and related collateral are another cheap way to get the word out that you are a real estate investor buy homes, foreclosures or distressed properties. Just create a flyer with any one of the free on-line flyer software web sites telling people that your are a real estate investor and how to get in touch with you. Make copies for few cents apiece and you have some reallyy inexpensive real estate marketing and advertising. It reallyy is that simple. Then place these flyers on every bulletin board in your township or region you would like to buy your property, foreclosure or distressed home.. I also recommend that you place some of them in those plastic sheet shielders so the rain won’t demolish them and put them up on phone poles around neighborhoods I like to buy property in.. While not as big as the bandit signs, on poles actually in the neck of the woods they still attract phone calls. I carry a file with me in my truck and position them up whenever I stop at a grocery store or major discount shop or reallyy wherever. Some of the other area to put them are:
Laundromats
Taped to the inside of call Booths.
On the counter of any business organisation that will let you place them at.
Bulletin boards at any local or major rebate store (lots of traffic)
Grocery store bulletin boards
Fax to Mortgage agents, call first
Fax to Real Estate Agents, call first and they may get a lot of these.
Take them Door to Door in target vicinities
Employment centre Bulletin board
County Courthouse or public office Bulletin board
These are just a few good examples. Any place that will allow you to set one is a good place. You can never let too many people know that you are a real estate investor and are in the foreclosure market.
Imprinted and/or Promotional Items
Optimum Real Estate Investor Marketing Ideas - These no lose ideas are sure to get you top hits on leads and calls for your Real Estate Investing concern.
These are some of my favourites and most fun. While they are not the top producers of leads or the least costly, they will sure place you apart from the average investor.
Pen Knives - These tiny Swiss army knives are the neatest things. They are actually key chains inscribed with your content, mine being: WE BUY HOMES- All cash or take over payments within 24 hours! Call xxx-xxx-xxx I guaranty if you give one of these to somebody they will hold it and if they conceive of selling, they will think of you. They are about $1.25 each.
Key Chains - I give these to all my buyers with the keys to their new house on them and leave them all over the place. They come in the shape of a house or #1 or whatever style you like and have your message on them. You can guess what mine says. Cost - about $. 25 cents apiece.
Pens - I use these all the time. Whenever I sign a sales receipt or anything I leave my pen. I cannot tell you how many outcries I have gotten off of these things and since I have always need one, I always hold one to give away. My attorney even has a supply on his closing table. I feature two types printed. One for sellers says “We Buy Homes!” and one for buyers says “Everyone Qualifies”. Cost - about $.29 cents each.
Coin Holders - These you hardly find anymore so everyone is surprised when I have them. I leave these things everywhere. Mine are bright yellow with blue letters and my message. Cost - about $.30 cents apiece.
I leave all of these promotional tokens anywhere, on the top of gas pumps, on end-cap exhibits in food market stores and in department shops. I look at it this way, if I give away 150 pens, 25 knives and 30 coin holders a calendar month, that is only a little over $110 bucks a month. That is still inexpensive advertizing. And with the money you can earn in a real estate deal, it is ‘no cost’ marketing strategy. You can get any of these promotional advertising products at many major promotion marketing manfacturer, and you can find companies on-line as well.
Business Cards
I order business cards by the thousands and you should also, there exist a lot of great places on-line that can print up decent (and cheap) cards for you and that specialise in real estate also. As for business cards, well, they are inexpensive, mine are about $59.00 for 1500, and I hand them out and leave them everywhere I possibly could. I leave my cards everywhere, in pay phones, on restaurant tables, my children even have their own provision to hand out. Try to get a box a workweek out. The card does not have to be fancy, in fact the simpler the better. My card is brilliant yellow with blue letters and says:
WE BUY HOMES
Foreclosure? Need Fix ups? Bad Tenants? Distressed?
CASH IN 24 HOURS!
OFFERS MADE ON ALL CALLS!
XXX-XXX-XXXX
Car Magnetics
Magnetics are one of those things where you spend once and get use for a long time. Mine cost about $85.00 and are white with black letters. They say:
WE BUY HOMES!
FA$T CA$H
XXX-XXX-XXXX
or
SELL YOUR HOME
WE PAY CA$H
XXX-XXX-XXXX
I have gotten various deals from these signs. Remember to order a littler set for the back of your car/truck. People have more of a chance to read the subject matter when they are traveling behind you.
Clothing
I like golf shirts and oxford dress shirts with my logo on them. There is plenty of advertsing business firms that will help you design a logo if you don’t have one or use the one you already possess. There is no charge for set up and all items ordered include your embroidered logo free.
I pass custom imprinted hats out to everyone I recognize who wears one and have given away many shirts as well. They reallyy seem nice and present a decent image for your business.
Other Advertising Tools
There are many other methods of advertising, some I have attempted at one point in the past such as billboards, door hangers, yellow page books, TV and radio promoting. I even have a traveling billboard, an older SUV painted shiny yellowish with blueish WE BUY HOUSES! and my cellular number that I drive around and park all-night at many different places. It draws the calls! Get the marketing going and let the world know who to call when they have a house to sell, a pre-foreclosure, distressed property or someone who just wants to get out of their house.. If that phone isn’t ringing, you aren’t making money so you need to get a good marketing strategy going and stick with it!
I sincerely hope these tips will help you in your next real estate marketing efforts and get you the real estate investing deals you’re after.
Want more information on Real Estate Investing? check out: http://www.RealEstateInvestingInformationSource.com where you’ll find courses, articles, blogs, videos, free information, foreclosure listing database and much more.
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Monday, May 31st, 2010 at 11:10 pm and is filed under realestate. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
