Real Estate Marketing SEO Blog

Recession or Not? Money is Being Made

Rocky Balboa: Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't how hard you hit; it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done. Now, if you know what you're worth, then go out and get what you're worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you are because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain't you. You're better than that!

The news is rough out there however there was good news today....

Does Anyone Read Blogs?

Many might read my posts and think I am anti everything Internet. In fact, I am anti hype. And thus, like to poke holes into the hype of the day while illustrating the opportunities.

Only 12% of the Internet read RSS. And...

A majority of Americans do not read political blogs, the online commentaries that have proliferated in the race for the U.S. presidency, according to a poll released on Monday.

In fact, many more people do not know that they are reading RSS and blogs. They just do not know it. Furthermore, where does a blog, RSS and a traditional website begin and end? And there my friend is the opportunity!

Color Part II

We recently reported that the consideration of your color as important in your marketing and home staging.

Ford Motor company has found that "40% of consumers will turn to another brand if they cannot find the vehicle color they want".

In fact, Ford Motor Company is moving to a choose your color model of Paint color that is all GREEN. Meaning that it is not only a Eco friendly paint, but many of the colors inply a "green freindly" shade.

To List Or Not To List?

The question of posting your own listings have come up in the blogosphere.

I for one think it is a great idea. I wouldn't post the typical drab MLS listing with its acronyms and such. This is your chance to show video, lots a pictures and to wax poetic about the house.

Some ideas for blogged listings:

• Home Owner Interview video. This is the Internet, commercials are out, gritty is in. We want the bottom line.  What is so special about the local school. I can tell you that I have a wonderful story of our local educators.
• Information on the local schools. Again how about an interview with the principle?
• Parks, facilities for older folks,facilities for kids,  community gatherings. Video or picts are perfect for that.
• Historical significance
• Special Craftsmanship
• etc

Note: When taking pictures or video for goodness sake put people into them. This is what sells. Its just like asking someone to imagine what their couch will look like over in that corner. It allows them to dream a little.

I know this is going beyond the basic, but I really have thought listings on a blog a no brainer. So what?
I know Dustin has said he is against it in the past. While Todd and Gregg are open to listings.

Again, I think it is the right thing to do. It is the #1 reason why people come to a real estate website after all. However, it is a blog also which allows for your creativity. So sell it by using the blog CMS and showing off the property.

A Paid Link Gets Me This House

BIGresearch’s Simultaneous Media Survey (SIMM 11) provides clarity on who uses sponsored links and their influence to purchase.   Of 15,727 respondents,1 in 10 (9%) said they are influenced or greatly influenced by sponsored links when searching for products/services on the Internet.

How many will buy a home in the next 6 months? Read on......

Color Me Real

There is actually a company that chooses the colors each year. I don't know who made them the color gods.

But according to Color Marketing Group, the leading international association of color design professionals, genuine concern for the environment remains the strongest influence on the colors we’ll see and buy next year.

"Our members specify color for everything from paint and furniture to cars and carpets," said Jaime Stephens, executive director of CMG. "They track trends several years ahead, and they’ve rarely been wrong in more than 43 years."

This is what is hot in 2008 according to CMG.

Looking like you care about the environment-- People want things they wear and things they use now to look "green," no matter what color they are.Natural is in... hand-made, un-dyed and unbleached.  Products will look more like what they're actually made of, with lots of texture and all the natural imperfections proudly showing through. Off-whites, sandy and linen-y colors, rock and soil colors, brownish-greens – the colors of nature are seriously fashionable now.

Blue-- Blue means trust.  But in all areas of decor, blues that remind us of sky and water -- inspired by environmentalism -- remain prominent, even in the kitchen.  New next year will be the emergence of a much blacker blue inspired by technology -- a deep, vibrant navy so dark you'll swear it's black.

Specialized Finishes, Warmer Metallics -- Advances in technology have made shimmery, specialized finishes really hot. But in 2008, metallics will go warmer.  After so many years of brushed chrome and nickel, look for warmer shades -- coppery, bronze-y tones -- to prevail.

More Ethnic Accents -- Globalism continues to inspire our love for ethnic accent colors. They’re coming to us from India, China and Latin America. To Moroccan reds and glowing oranges, add rosy pinks, sunny golden yellows and lots of turquoise. Already here in fashion and home design, these ethnic accents will show up as "punch" colors in hotels, restaurants and retail environments, too – often paired with rich browns as neutrals.

Think about these when you are designing websites, blogs and graphics. As well as how you might stage a home.

Niches to Nakedly Target

We all know that targeting a niche is the best way to market. Mostly that you would speak to a plumber differently than a computer programmer.

So I thought it fun to come up with some real estate niches off the top of my head.

• Millionaire Matchmaker ( inspired by the TV show)
• Ocean Front/Lake Front Property
• New Homebuyer
• 1031 Exchange Specialist
• Harbor Club Specialist
• Country Club Specialist
• Celebrity Specialist
• Singles
• Gay
• Religion (ooh, that would be tuff eh?)
• Dog Lovers
• Horse Property
• Green Movement/Eco Friendly
• Nudist Colony

HUH!!!??

Yep, according to WSJ this is a rip roaring business.

An agent in the Tampa, Fla., area focuses on non clothing buyers and sellers. Her slogan: “Skip the outfit, wear the lifestyle.”

The Secret To Getting Real Estate Traffic

The recent article of last month in my Big City paper, the LA Times elevates realty blogging to a place of absolute necessity and almost web royalty. The takeaway seemed to be just blog and success will come. Which of course reminds me of the old Web 1.0 adage, "build it and they will come". Which site owners eventually find to be untrue.

It seems with every new emergence of a platform comes a love affair. But let's focus on the current love affair with Blogging.

Blogs are just websites. There is nothing magical about them other than they give a user the opportunity to easily write and post content. Stuff they should have been doing on their traditional website. And it is easy to ping web service directories.

Here is the secret to getting traffic: Create content and get lots of links. The end. (of course if the content is not focused you get untargeted traffic. And try competing for a popular keyword without getting a ton of inbound links).

Obama and Web 2.0

Pat Kitano wrote an interesting take on the Obama V Hillary campaigns and how the outcomes are really indicative of a larger trend. Taking inspiration from an Ariana Huffington post that declares that this election cycle is about Macro trends and is why Obama is winning the Democratic nomination. I say let's not bury the Hillary campaign yet, but point taken.The conclusion was that Hillary Clinton is losing because while she has sliced up the world into niches. Obama has energized the larger body politic.

Pat calls his article Web 2.0: The end of arrogance. As he draws the parallel of modern politics to modern day marketing. A parallel that will always interest me.

He paints several contrasts to the new way vs the old. Calling modern 2.0 selling as a collaborative selling effort.

I really like Pat's perspective more than most real estate industry blogs. However, I think there are more reasons than listed by Ariana or Pat as to why Hillary is losing. And by the way she is not losing by that much. In fact, it is amazing that Obama is not cleaning her clock considering the absolute horrible campaign that she has run.

I think there are many reasons for Obama's success that I won't bother to mention. Except that I do believe (as I am not sure if Pat implies), is the Clinton fatigue. I question its efficacy going into the the general election.

What does this have to do with real estate marketing? Everything. Despite the referenced article, I do believe the world is splitting into microniches.  The web is filled with them as each new Social site pops up. (Did you know they now have a newborn mommy social site now?).

It is because in fact, what we have always heard. That people are begging for community. And there seems to be a community for every sub-niche you can dream. (Mind you I say that we are craving community, not that these sites satisfy the need).

Social Psychosis

Has the Social Web turned fine businessmen and women into mush heads? I just read a post from a very successful marketer that transparency is about making friends. And then he proceeded to show a bunch of pictures of his dog and mansion.

Listen. When I sell my house the last thing I want is a friend for gawds sake. I want an honest salesman or woman that knows sales and marketing. Friendly is not only fine but necessary. However false familiarity is contemptuous.

I would think that when dealing with hundreds of thousands of dollars that your ability to sell (along with your reliance and competence) is more important in the interview process than your ability to socialize online.

I gotta say that transparency is simply demonstrating your business values and competency online thru text. Why are you unique? What is your USP? Why are you relevant? Do you have a unique spin on the way you do business? Prove that textually and you will be on your way to more clients.