Snapped this photo on my walk today (the writing, of course, is not mine):
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19 Responses to “Are you listening to your customers?”
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Love it!
Of course, those who still use flyers will tell you, that this is done so the prospective buyer will call them for more information. It is frustrating for the buyer but flyers are unproductive otherwise.
One more reason not to use them and instead use a text message or mobile web site rider to disseminate the info and get the buyer’s info at the same time.
Someone is still using a brochure box? I’d like to read their unique selling proposition….
Flyers are ridiculous in 2010 and beyond. Waste of time. Neighbors take them, not buyers. Buyers dwell on the homes online for a long time, not flyers. Duh. Agents keep doing this because they are creatures of habit and it gives them something to say that they do for the ridiculous commmissions.
Hey Pat – this is interesting. I just wrote an ActiveRain blog on the old theory of real estate marketing; always leave out a couple important details so the reader has questions and your phone rings. That’s changed. These flyers aren’t bad but better used to promote yourself.
Laugh all you want – this flyer, thanks to 1000Watt, now has amazing exposure – might want to follow up with the agent and see if your posting helped sell the property.
PS – To keep this theory of marketing going, every MLS system with which I am familiar has a report format that does not include the address – even though today it will include a link to a map, a link to public records, etc.
Oh, haven’t you heard? If you call the agent, they’ll grab the MLS book from under her desk and provide you all the information they think you’re entitled to… ::snark::
Interesting,
I had the handwriting analyzed to see if we could determine what type of person would deface a Realtors hard work.
Here’s what they said:
1) From the curved “W”, the person probably lives in the Northwestern US.
2) The fancy “P” with the little turn-up at the bottom was indicative of a previously repressed life, possibly working in Government.
3) The fact that the word “Price” was mentioned so many times indicated the individual enjoyed being the center of attention and might possibly be predisposed to acting.
Well, that was all we could come up with from a reprint of a poorly taken photo. Joel, all I can say on your future walks is to be on the lookout for a Northwesterner, possibly postal worker or other current or past government worker who possibly cross dresses at night at the local dinner theater or a walk on (walk by) in a Soap Opera.
In any case…Be Careful!
Barrett
My favorite part of this flyer: “For 24hr Current Price and more information call….” – should REALLY read, “If you want the most important information about this house (the price), call this 800 number so I can capture your information (without your permission) and then interrupt you with sales phone calls”.
Advertising for a home should be just that, advertising for the home the agent has been HIRED to market. Marketing yourself and/or your company with more space than your product is so 1980′s.
Oh man, this is classic!
When it comes to things like this, you’ve got WAY better stuff in your neighborhood. All I have are bank owned properties where nobody mows the lawn for 6+ months, and an expired listing from well over a year ago that still has the agent’s broken sign post leaning up against the fence (and in other various locations sometimes including the street).
Interesting to me is that now that I’m thinking about my above examples, I’m realizing they’re both KW agents. Don’t get me wrong, I am in NO WAY implying anything about KW agents in general, but since Joel and I live in the same city… Well, one would have to begin to wonder about our local KW representation, right?
-Jeff
Not to outdo you…but I just saw in the storefront window of a local Weichert office, a picture of two homes with lots of snow on the house…it’s June 29th.
Stupid things like this…and even those stupid balloons on open house signs should be banned, and the brokerage company should lose their license. It’s why people laugh at us. Heck we’re even laughing at these idiots.
The person who did this is a vandal, not a customer. Yes, it is frustrating when you are interested in a home to have to call to get the price but bottom line it works. It helps the agent talk engage about the home and start “selling” it. We are sales people, by the way.
Poor agent. And no one has even mentioned the pictures!
This is the “what we do is good enough” culture that’s prevalent throughout the industry. Mediocrity is visible wherever you turn, and consumers see it. Those that put out this garbage could easily direct passersby to a high class website that can easily be created on a mac computer…and they’d get a 1000% better response than something so crude and unprofessional.
But there’s something good about seeing something like you write about…the good agents who are smart and take advantage of technology can easily ask via their marketing…”why would you list your home with someone if this is the best they can do”.
Poor marketing decreases the value of a home, whereas quality marketing gives you the opportunity to get your homes noticed faster, sold faster and it gives you the opportunity to increase the value of a home. Poor competition is a great marketing tool.
Hah I love it. I always think it is so ridiculous when “marketing gurus” tell you to leave the price off of flyers “so clients have to call you”. All you are doing is pissing off a potential customer.
If the potential buyer is interested enough, they’ll call, or they’ll find another non-intrusive way to get the info. More likely is that they’ll give the flyer and/or address to their buyer agent to look up. Very few agents double-end listings with sign calls anyway, so this tactic doesn’t really have anything to do with selling the house…it’s focus is on the listing agent converting a sign call to a buyer lead.
Unfortunately, not many agents are good at converting a sign call to a buyer lead.
The bottom line:
1: The house should present better than the competition (staging, mainenance, etc).
2: The house’s price should lead the market.
3: The listing must be in the MLS.
Numbers 1 and 2 above will make it a no-brainer for potential buyers, Number 3 will expose it to the most people. An agent that can advise their client effectively with these three points is as good as gold.
Flyers, open houses, broker tours, etc. are all ancillary.
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