Have you ever wished you could get inside the mind of your prospective buyers?
What are they really thinking? It could be easy questions – location, price, condition, and schools that can be addressed directly or through your single property web site. (You are using those aren’t you?)
Research shows that people buy on emotion and justify with logic and facts. In hindsight, I can think of a number of decisions I’ve made that way. Some turned out great….others not so good.
Imagine the buyer for a moment. The basic housing issues are answered.
What else could be on their mind?
#1 – From the many buyer and agent conversations I’ve had, “uncertainty” is a big question:
- “Will I have a job in six months?”
- “Will this property go down in value if I buy it now?
- “Should I wait 6 months or a year?”
- “Is this a good investment? - “When I sell, how will I do financially?
#2 – Next, the Media barrage of individual financial struggles, 401(k) losses, stock market crashes, and retirement age extending, means people must make a good financial decision.
The result of uncertainty and media is INACTION.
Is there a Solution?
Though you can’t address future employment, you can “pre-empt” questionsabout the type of investment this home will be.
If you do this BEFORE it is a looming question, it becomes a PLUS, so that both emotions and facts are engaged and working for you.
Engage Logic and Emotion. Think like Mr. Spock and act like Captain Kirk.
What’s in your listing?
As I visit open homes, I’ll frequently see a “big folder” from a bank. It’s very impressive if I’m interested in the “big bank” rather than WIIFM (What’s In It For Me).
Or, I’ll see a Loan Comparison flyer, showing monthly payments and cash to close.
These are interesting and perfect in ordinary times. Today, they are not relevant.
What Would Be Most Valuable to Buyers?
I call it “The Buyer Home ROI Analysis” (return on investment) that addresses investment uncertainty and counters media influences.
It’s an analysis with all financial assumptions laid out in a clear format. The cost of the home, taxes, insurance, upkeep, estimated appreciation, down payment, rate, inflation, lost opportunity, and more.
It’sthe analytics dream. Forthe visual and kinesthetic, it’s the bottom line.
This pre-empts the issues and turns them into an advantage, in most cases.
And for you, and me, based upon the best information we have today, IT IS an accurate projection of the future. However, hurricanes, oil spills, terrorist attacks, floods, world crises, and earthquakes are not factored in.
For your prospective buyers, the “Home ROI Analysis” may be the tipping point to a contract in hand.
For your sellers, it’s a WOW marketing advantage to get more listings and sell homes. It also separates you from the “ordinary” agent who is content doing the same old marketing.
Let me ask you, if you were considering a new purchase, would a Home ROI Analysis influence you to look deeper, gather more information, or buy?
YOUR NEXT ACTIONS:Put the“Buyer Home ROI Analysis” to work for you.
Have buyers on the fence? Put a ROI Analysis in their hands.
Have listings sitting? Make the ROI Analysis the prominent property document.
Just had a Blinding Flash of the Obvious – imagine adding the Buyer ROI Analysis to your Single Property Web Site that syndicates all over the internet! You do remember you can add unlimited extra media to my sites, don’t you?
First there was the sign.
Then the Flyer Box.
Then the 800# sign rider.
The Next Evolution?
Text # Sign Riders that deliver the property web site right to your prospects Smart Phone while they are standing in front of your listing. And you get a text message notifying you it happened.
Should You Wait, or get on board now?
Pew Research Center in Dec., 2009 said more age groups are texting.
87% of 25-34 year olds
74% of 35-44
69% of 45-54
43% of 55-64
20% of 65+
Pricegerabber.com says 58% of online consumers have a web enabeled phone.
I interpret those figures to mean that you will get more exposure for your listings and more sales by embracing this technology rather than waiting until everyone else is doing it.
I’m NOT Saying…. Don’t do flyers…
Don’t do call capture…
I AM saying….
make it easy for your prospect to contact you in
the manner that THEY prefer….not that you prefer.
Do all three. Some will call you.
Some will read the flyer.
Some will view the website as they are standing in front of the listing.
Where to get them? They available now and evolving. I’d encourage you not to get a service that only gives the basic info (sales price, square feet, # of bedrooms) as a text message without full color photos and a mobile website. Those are boring and don’t utlilize technology available to the fullest.
As a lender, some agents in my area know that text call capture with mobile phone web sites is one of the many Knock Out features INCLUDED with my Home Agent Advantage single property web sites.
If you aren’t certain how it works, check it out here (and I’ll hope the system doesn’t overload):
DO THIS – if your phone is web enabeled, text
TO: 79564
Text: 1
You’ll get property details right to your phone with a hot link for both photos and the mobile phone website.
If your phone is not web enabeled, you’ll get the basic text info with a link to click, which you won’t be able to click….but you’ll get the idea.
Can you say Sweeeeett!
There are a number of other ways to use this in your marketing.
NARs “Six Step Online Optimization Plan” reveals what you must do to get more buyer leads from your listings.
In this video, I review the #1 way (of 6) to do this, and give you an UNLIMITED solution, that’s easy, and fits ANY budget.
What was coincidental (and confirming) is that Kiplinger’s Personal Finance has a cover story on “3 Keys to Selling Your Home.” Though NARs #1 tip was not theirs, it came in as a “must do.”
Watch to find out and implement on all your listings. Then get started on the “Enroll For…..” button on right hand side.
Questions????? Not certain how to integrate with your current marketing? Call me.
I get mail….Realtor farming letters about hiring them if I will be selling now or in the future. If I was interested in selling, their letters give me two choices for more information, call or email.
A seller may not be ready to take that step yet. They may keep the farm letter for future reference or look at the agents website.
But, that doesn’t answer the sellers #1 question — How will you sell my home?
Watch this video for the powerful steps that will compell serious sellers to see how you will market their home now.
You’ll standout, and sellers will have a clear point of comparison when they receive other farm letters.
