The real estate industry has dictated market terms and scripted economic destinies for a long time. It is a highly volatile sector that has the stamina to alter the systems and functions that ordain a region’s economy. In the current economically daunting scenario, where businesses are toppling by the hour and markets are plummeting by the minute with an acute liquidity crisis, real estate has not been able to brace itself against a torrential onslaught.

The working class are wary of picking mammoth loans in a palpably stagnant economy where jobs are unremittingly under the draconian sword and banks are tightening the noose on home loans as an aftermath of permeably disastrous global recession. A market with high interest rates on loan, cash-flow crunch, crashing stocks and fear of layoffs is not an ideal phase for developing and launching high end real estate. With supply for real estate being choked due a capital investment crunch by developers, people in the trade are looking for an alternate source of income that can help them tide over the lean phase.

Online marketing on the other hand is a powerful tool to reach a global audience at a minuscule cost. It combines the most resilient forces and extracts the most competent results from them. The dexterous nature of the internet allows you to shape individual marketing plans and customize them according to the nature of the business. Online marketing if by far more immune to recession trends and with a robust plan can withstand intimidation from fluctuating markets. Online business models are created to harness the power of residual income whereas real estate is more product to product or service to service income generators. With the former, you can create a money-making system, software or informational product just once, and by marketing it regularly using tools like auto-responder, make money for a lifetime through royalties and redistribution rights.

The capital required to set up a real estate business may also be steep given the infrastructural and administration costs one has to bear. With an online business, all you may need is a well-designed website, a web hosting service, some software and tools and you can virtually be in business in a day. Real estate professionals can cut brilliant careers out of online marketing. They have an enviable marketing aggression and knack for spotting quick leads and converting them into sales. They are well-trained in objection handling and are nifty negotiators who can always smell a good deal as well.

There has been a lot of buzz regarding Web 2.0 ever since it was coined way back in 2006. Some see it as a design revolution in the internet industry while others embrace it as the new trend on how websites are designed and how they interact with visitors. This recent generation of web development and design introduces how information can be spread out in different formats without much effort.

Web 2.0 aims is to bring people closer together online and to distribute information in new ways. Real estate marketers are very excited and believe that Web 2.0 has a major role in helping their lead generation activities. Social networking is a fast and easy way they can niche their marketing efforts to specific groups of people interested in buying or selling property.

Social Networking Sites

Social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and Linked-in are web applications combined with powerful networking technology and trendy designs to attract people to connect.

Most of the popular social networking sites dominate search rankings and are frequently visited by people all over the world. Since the very early days of the Internet, people wanted to go online in hopes of connecting with new people or getting back in touch with lost friends.

Real estate marketers can use these features to help bring their websites to the masses because of the increasing amounts of members that join social networking sites every day. Quality leads are sure to turn up because many people that are into social networking are ordinary residents that could be interested with real estate.

Video Sharing Sites

Both the advancements in Internet connection speeds and file compression technology lead to the development of video sharing sites. These sites are technically social networking sites that allow videos to be uploaded for the public to see.

Real estate marketers used to share their videos through optical discs and send them out through mail but now sharing videos have become easier than ever and is crucial in convincing others that the real estate deals that they are promoting are legitimate and true.

Blogging

Blogging used to be the thing that you do when you want attention similar to how diaries work. While there are so many blogs that are like that, real estate marketers have found out that blogging is an excellent way in having their sites appear on the search engines more often. In relation to Web 2.0, the blog designs take the center stage with many of them appearing minimalistic yet attractive to the eyes. Well written entries are often associated with keywords or tags to make them a lot easier to find and easier to share. In addition search engines love fresh, relevant content, and will index blogs higher than a “static” website.

While the old techniques in marketing still work, it is important to embrace the current generation of web developments because that’s where all the hungry buyers are at. People go online not only to use the search engines and check mail, but they also blog, keep in touch with others, and interact in other Web 2.0 websites. Everyone is Online!

So now we have all of this great information about marketing your real estate investment business. Let’s break it down into a basic checklist to get you started on your way to establishing a great marketing plan.

Elevator Speech An elevator speech is a “must have” tool for marketing your business and finding private lenders. A simple 60-second speech about what you do and what you have accomplished will leave you prepared to network with anyone you meet, anywhere, and any time of the day. Make it concise, to the point, and then practice it.

Real Estate Investment Clubs Start joining investment clubs and other organizations to network with other investors. Your local real estate club is a great place to begin getting your name out there about who you are and what it is that you do.

Direct Response Marketing Start creating a direct response marketing campaign by writing letters, sending postcards, and offering free information about your business. You can do this effectively by creating and building a good swipe file and then honing some basic copywriting skills for writing attention-grabbing headlines and hitting the right buttons in the advertising message. Combine this with a well developed mailing list and you are on your way to a successful direct response marketing campaign.

Speeches and Presentations Develop a great speech or educational presentation on your real estate investment business. During the speech or presentation, offer free advice and show your expertise as a real estate investor, as well as the benefits the client will receive by investing in your real estate deal.

Newspapers and Flyers Use your local newspaper to offer a seminar or any kind of free information on real estate investment. Remember that you are offering information in the advertisement instead of outright advertising for private lenders to keep yourself out of trouble with the SEC. Create flyers to invite people to a seminar you are giving on real estate investment.

Internet Word of mouth advertising is a powerful way to get the word out about your real estate investment business and the Internet is no different. Take it upon yourself to get a social media page going on sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, and some of the other social media sites. Establish a blog that offers information and advice for other real estate investors and contribute to their blog in return. Create articles in your blog that offer advice on real estate investing and use them on article marketing sites. Develop an online mailing list and start an online newsletter that offers information on real estate investment that is targeted toward your specific audience and real estate niche. If you feel really ambitious, create a website that offers all of your products and services in one location as well as another source where people can contact you. You can use your website address in all of your email signatures, on social media sites, blogs, and article marketing sites.

In sales and when sales are going through a more difficult economic time period do not stay in the office working. Instead, go out and call on your customers and clients and prospects. You know where to find them. Get back involved with the clubs, associations and networking groups that you “used to be actively involved in”. It is time for face to face contact.

Now is the time to add to your specialty. It is time to take some designation courses such as Home Staging, Luxury Home Marketing, Generational Selling Techniques, Buyer Agency, Short Sales, and Green Courses. It is time to make yourself more intelligent and add potential revenue to your gross income. NAR member survey shows an additional $37, 000 is possible by adding at least one designation. Designation courses are hotter than ever in the nation with agents having more available time and using it to increase their power with knowledge. You now have time to redirect your energy to selling opportunities that you didn’t have time for when the market was boomtown. Take courses on commercial, investment strategy, property management, finance to increase your business acumen.

This is a good time to truly evaluate your team of professionals. The ones that are consistently upbeat, positive and productive during these different times are the keepers and the ones you remember when the market spikes back up. They will be the ones to get the additional bonuses, perks and kudos. Make a written note during these times as to who you have truly enjoyed being around and doing business with. When times are easy and business plentiful, it is easy to lose track of whom the true dynamic players are on your team.

Be honest but compassionate with your sales team and family. Try to send a positive message about your company, the market, and your personal goals for the next months ahead. No one wants to hear doom and gloom. Always give yourself and your sales team or family a view of good things ahead in the short future.

This is the time to reorganize your company, your budget, and your incentives. Perhaps your company has been accustomed to incentive plans. That does not and should not change. Sales people do well with incentives. Perhaps the incentive is a gift card or a trophy or a celebration luncheon in lieu of hard cash which may have been the practice in the past. It is known that many people perform and compete for the satisfaction of simple recognition.

Training time is always welcomed. People want to do their best and if you increase time spent on training your agents, yourself on new skills, you have maximized productivity through business-focused sales training. This definitely prepares everyone for busier times ahead. And, without doubt, we know there are going to be busier times ahead.

Get organized, get trained, and get more designation courses. You will make more money.

DNA = Different Not Alike

The entire exercise of personal branding for real estate agents is geared to cracking your DNA Code. That is, clearly and succinctly articulating your unique selling proposition-how you are different, not alike (not like your competition). DNA means Different, Not Alike.

DNA profiling or genetic fingerprinting is a technique employed by forensic scientists to assist in the identification of individuals on the basis of their DNA profile. Although 99.9% of human DNA sequences are the same in every person, enough of the DNA is different to distinguish one individual from another

In real estate agent personal branding we identify your 0.1% difference. Then we amplify it graphically, in messaging and in distinct marketing strategies that set you apart from your competition, in a nano-second, in the minds of your target market.

The faster you can tell your target market how you are different, not alike, distinct from other agents, the faster they can decide to work with you or not. People like to do business with people like themselves. The faster you let them know you are like them the faster you can build trust in your business relationship.

What’s at stake in cracking your genetic code through the process of personal branding for real estate agents? Whoever has the most high-trust relationships wins!

Here’s the best way to get started in cracking your own DNA code:

1. Look at how your competition attempts to differentiate themselves from one another.

2. Check out their websites and see how well they distinguish themselves.

3. Ask yourself how you are different from them?

How can you amplify your own DNA code?

There is so much that can be gleaned by luxury real estate marketing professionals in studying the finest products and services that money can buy. The more you know, the more you will have in common with your target market, the wealth of the world. The more you have in common the faster potential clients or referral sources will come to trust and recommend you. Being known as a luxury real estate professional who is “in the know” is one way to distinguish your personal brand of doing business.

Be in the Know About Cashmere

The finest cashmere wool in the world comes from Mongolia and the Himalaya Mountains. Another type of prized cashmere is baby cashmere.. Baby cashmere wool comes from a special breed of goat, Hyrcus. The finest fibers are gathered by combing the kid Hyrcus goats.

To fully appreciate the power of branding just look at the variance in pricing if you were to purchase a kid cashmere shawl from a local merchant close to the source of the wool, compared to buying a similar shawl at a Loro Piana boutique in New York, Las Vegas or Milan, Italy. The price would be many times more in the boutique. Loro Piana is an Italian clothing company that specializes in high-end luxury cashmere and wool products. For their scarves and sweaters made from Hyrcus kid cashmere, they have even registered the name “Loro Piana Baby Cashmere.”

What is the added value of a fine luxury brand like Loro Piana?

* Trust and belief in the uncompromising standards of quality
* Having the desire to champion those values
* Being able to afford what others cannot
* The expression of self-worth or filling the void of the lack thereof
* Being admired for choosing what others agree is the best that money can buy

Not all buyers of luxury real estate subscribe to conspicuous or private consumption of fine luxury services and products. But, if they do, you can differentiate yourself from your competitors by being able to speak their language-The Language of Luxury.

Entrepreneurs, marketing experts and professionals from all types of business know that in order to succeed they must advertise. More and more real estate professionals are making a point to use social media sites like Twitter. Social networking sites allow a wider reach for your marketing than any other means of advertising.

Several large corporations say Twitter keeps them in touch with their customer base. They not only advertise special daily offers, they also focus on customer care via social networking. As a real estate professional, you could focus on every aspect of your business via social media.

Acquire More Followers

A greater number of followers means your message reaches more people. There are several options available to increase the number of followers or friends on your list. Use Twitter’s Suggested Users function. This brings up a list of Twitter users that are relevant to your profile. Relevant users will be following others you may like to follow; browse their following list.

Use a Photo in Your Profile

Make the most of your profile. Use a photo of yourself and be sure to list your city and state. Be as detailed as possible in your profile so people can find you more easily.

Quality Tweets

Tweets are the 140 character microblogs you post on Twitter. When written properly, “tweets” create curiosity in readers and drive traffic to sites. More traffic means more sales, but don’t treat your followers like mindless drones.

Engage in conversation with them and answer their questions. Remember, you are a real estate professional. You hold the key to more than their potential home; you provide valuable information for potential buyers.

Twitter opens the doors for you to dazzle potential clients with your charm and wit. Don’t let another Realtor beat you to the punch. Answer questions in a short amount of time to let your followers know that you’re paying attention. Applications for mobile phones make keeping in touch with clients much easier than ever before.

Use Hash Tags

Hash tags help tag specific words to make them more easily searchable. Some applications search every tweet for the keywords you search. Using a hash tag, shift-3, groups the specified word into a more easily searchable newsgroup.

Reply to Tweets and Direct Messages

Following several hundred people has its advantages and disadvantages. If those you follow are chatty, you may miss the occasional message. Encourage your followers to use direct messages or the “at” reply command so you’re less likely to miss their message. Each of these message types are delivered to specific parts of your Twitter account so you don’t miss them.

Encourage Tweet “At” Replies and Direct Messages

“At” replies and Direct Messages go to their own categories on your Twitter home page. They’re much more easily tracked than normal tweets. “At” replies are created by using the e-mail “at” sign, shift-2. Everyone on the sender’s follow list can see “at” messages. Direct Messages or DMs are messages that only you and the sender see. You may visit someone’s Twitter page to send them a direct message or send it directly from your follow list.

Social Media and Sales

Every real estate professional understands that lead generation is one of the most difficult parts of being a Realtor. Social media makes it so much easier. People looking to buy real estate in a specific area look for Realtors in that area to add to their friends list or follow. This opens up the door for you to introduce yourself and offer assistance. Provide them with links of homes in your area and invite them to open houses if they currently live close enough to attend.

Social networking offers a unique opportunity to be yourself and watch the leads find you. When a lead contacts you, they do not look at your messages or links as spam. Don’t take advantage of that opportunity and drive them away by overwhelming them with too much at once. Be your courteous, helpful self and watch your sales skyrocket.

YouTube and other video sharing sites contain many video home tours taped by real estate agents, who, as a rule, are too busy to learn the necessary skills to do them well. Consequently, many of these tours are bouncy, jerky, and dark. So, what about skilled videographers? Their tours tend to be much nicer looking, but one must ask the question: why use video at all? Video captures movement; but what, aside from ceiling fans, actually moves in a house?

Bigger is Better

Due to the large file sizes of video, a typical video player is only 480 pixels X 360 pixels in order to make the file size as small as possible. The larger size of most virtual tour viewers, which range anywhere from 720 pixels X 540 pixels on up to full screen, allows buyers to see many more details within a room. They can also inspect a room at their own pace since controls are available on the virtual tour to control the motion of the panorama. Video is much more limited since it will show only what the videographer thinks is important. Perhaps he/she thinks the fireplace is the highlight of the room, but the home buyer is much more interested in the windows.

Which is the Most Affordable?

Virtual tours tend to be less expensive than video home tours, but a virtual tour, done well, takes just as much time to process (if not more) than a video.

An additional benefit for the ultimate buyer of a home with a virtual tour is that, since the panorama shows the entire room, and the movement and pace can be controlled. they can leisurely inspect each room to make decisions on where to arrange their furniture and whether certain pieces of furniture will even fit. This is very helpful in making their moving plans.

In the end, if you’re a real estate agent, you might want to consider paying a professional to do whichever type of tour you think is the best way to show your property. Ultimately, the quality of your website, and the quality of the media that you use on it to market your properties is a direct reflection of you. Right or wrong, unattractive media is going to make your services look less attractive to buyers seeking a real estate agent, whereas attractive, professionally created media will greatly enhance the perception of your professionalism.

Finding a mortgage lead of good quality these days may prove to be quite a daunting task. Especially with the market being the way that it has been and will continue to be for some time if not forever.

When I say a mortgage lead of good quality, I mean a mortgage lead that will fit into todays mortgage lenders guide lines. The days of poor credit and no income mortgages are long gone and hopefully never coming back. Another thing that is over are the days of the mortgage lead companies that thrived on these kind of leads to stay in business.

Therefore, when shopping mortgage lead companies, be sure to take your time and do your research. Probably the one key factor that you should be looking for when shopping mortgage lead companies is where and how they get their leads.

If they are getting their leads from third party lead vendors and recycling them over and over, than be sure to move on to your next potential lead company.

So, that being said, when researching your mortgage lead companies, be sure that the ones you are going to make a monetary commitment with generate their mortgage leads from lead generation web sites that they own and operate. Pick up the phone and speak with someone in sales or customer service and ask them the direct question. “How do you generate your mortgage leads?”

Here is what you will want to hear.

You will want to hear the person at the other end of the phone tell you that they generate their leads through lead generation web sites that they own and operate. Also, make sure that they are not enticing people to provide them with information by offering gift cards to local home repair stores. You know the ones.

Once you are satisfied with their answer, than ask if you could see one of their lead generation web sites. this will help you assess the quality and the freshness of the leads you may potentially be buying.

If any mortgage lead company you speak with is not forthcoming with this information, than there is no reason in the world why you should even consider doing business with them. Period!

Do you realize that the people who do the most – for customers, clients, and even friends – are often the last to notice their own efforts?

I find this with my Realtor clients more than any others.

When they hire me to write letters or web copy, some of the first questions I ask are “What do you do that’s special? How is your service different from your competitors? What makes you stand out from the crowd?

Most of the time, they can’t tell me. In fact, some even tell me there’s nothing different about their service. They swear that they do the same things everyone else does.

I know better. For one thing, they wouldn’t be bothering to hire a copywriter if they weren’t a cut above the rest. They’d be sitting at their desks playing video games or hanging out in the break room, whining about no customers.

So… quite often my challenge is to drag that information out of them, one little chunk at a time.

If you haven’t figured out what makes you special – and if you aren’t using it in your marketing, then I issue you this challenge:

First, take a few hours away from everyone – find a spot where you can be quiet and think. Take a notepad with you.

Now, envision what you do for each buyer – no matter how trivial you think those things are. Write them all down in a long list. Believe me, if you really think about all the things you believe are small and unimportant the list will be long.

Then do the same for sellers. Mentally walk through your day and notice the things you do. Put them on the list.

Then stop and remember comments clients have made to you – or testimonials they have written. My guess is you’ll find some of those small, unimportant (to you) tasks included in their thanks.

Now think about the last few closings you did that involved another agent on the other side of the transaction.

Did you do part of that agent’s work? Did you catch her in a small falsehood or two? Did he return your phone calls promptly – or make you wait for needed information?

Take a new sheet of paper and write down all the things you saw those agents NOT doing.

Next take a mental look around your office. See that agent over there shopping on eBay? See the guy wandering around bothering everyone who is trying to work? See the pair in the break room discussing last night’s TV shows?

Don’t you think you’re doing some things that they aren’t doing?

It’s too bad, but those “not doing” agents make up 80% of the people “working” in real estate. (Just like they make up 80% of the people “working” in every other field.)

That’s why your service is better – and why those customers and clients NEED you!

Don’t be afraid to use some of the things you think of as routine in your marketing – because they aren’t routine to buyers and sellers who have worked with anyone in that lower 80%.

In case you’ve forgotten – Claude Hopkins raised Schlitz beer from obscure to #2 in the country, just by talking about a process that every beer manufacturer in the country was also using. They just didn’t mention it, because everyone did it.

You have an advantage over that – because in your business, 80% (or more) aren’t doing those tasks you see as routine.