The Y2K Marketing Tune-Up

Part One - Preparedness Top Ten List

Copyright 10/17/99 by Chas. Campbell and MNRealty.com

It's finally slowing down in the marketplace in general and most of you are starting to think about next year's marketing and sales ideas. I'll be spending a few "freebies" on some ideas and tips for your internet marketing efforts. This first act is a quick Top-10 list of things to do to double-check everything and get the basics all in order.

Item 10: Address Check. Is your e-mail address correct? Sounds stupid, but you'd be surprised how many are not set-up right. If you now have a domain, did you change your local e-mail programs to show your newer return address? Did you change ISPs but fail to update all your e-mail programs? Did you spell it right? Etc. Etc. - Send your self an e-mail... this will test the system and show you what others are getting on their end.

Item 9: Ditto for Web addresses. Did you change your address? If so, did you change it in your e-mail signature? Is your web address right? (We see so many who list their COMPANY web address instead of their PERSONAL web address.)

Item 8: E-MAIL SIGNATURE!!!!!! So many of you, even Internet "pros," don't use this simple but HUGE marketing tool. I would estimate that your e-mail signature alone will make you 1 transaction per year! All e-mail programs have a way of saving an "ending" that is spliced on to the bottom of all your outgoing e-mails. Put your "hotlinks" there! Article: "Light Up" Your E-Mail Signature

Item 7: Business Cards. Make sure they have current/best web and e-mail addresses. Order them NOW. If you have a Domain name, just list it as: YourDomain.com - without the "www." since it is now not necessary. E-mail addresses do not need "E-Mail:" in front of them since the "@" is now recognized as an e-mail address. "How to print your web address for ADS, Flyers, etc.."

Item 6: Signage Check. Do you have sign riders with your web address? Order them. (I have actually heard of agents getting a cover or sleeve to put their web address on top of the corp. web address - good idea! ) Bus Benches are the BEST! Make sure you have web address on ALL of them as big as the phone number.

Item 5: Web Site Check. Click all the links, buttons, forms, e-mail links, etc. on your web site. Make sure they work or go to the most current page. Keep in mind that it is usually the owners responsibility to check their pages for errors etc. and report them to the webmaster. Many of the link features, such as forms and e-mail, are directed to you, so they cannot be tested by anyone else. Usually any of these things can be fixed fast if you alert your web provider.

Item 4: Listings Check. Is your listing inventory up-to-date? Avoid compliance situations by keeping your listings updated at least once per week. Mark things SOLD when closed. Either Delete non-active listings after a year or else mark them with the appropriate sold date for reference. It is EQUALLY important to put on as MANY listings as you can into the "system" as quickly as possible since this is the primary contact for RE leads. Consider TBBs or developments for new construction. We will GLADY list BUYERS! provided you have a signed buyer-broker agreement and maintain the listing in the same fashion as a property lsiting.

Item 3: Budget Check. Don't spend $2000 next year on Virtual Tours and only $200 on your own personal web site development. Plan ahead and look at the relative numbers you invest for all the various forms of media, including the Net. One of the best things about web marketing is how it seamlessly can connect to all your other efforts (I often call it your "electronic briefcase.") And it lasts, beyond any one listing, or ad printing, or mass-mailing.) Consider getting your own Domain Name if you can swing about $20/month just for the increased marketing impact of YOU.com! plus some other e-mail features that make it well worth while considering the cost of just one photo-classified ad nowadays)

Item 2: Niche Check. Can you "define" your business so that you can separate yourself apart from all of the other Realtors out there? Over the Holidays, "re-invent" yourself and pretend you are a marketing expert designing a plan for a small company :) Take lots of notes, jot down ideas, get feedback from friends and family. Play with the ideas you have about who you you like to work with and who you do the best job for... then hand it all over to your web page designer - the good news is that you can be anything you want to be in Cyberspace.

Item 1: Check for my next installment of the "Y2K Marketing Tune-up" where we'll talk about Web Content for the new year. I would LOVE to hear from any of you about ideas or comments on this issue. Feel free to contribute to this forum!

Chas. Campbell is the Publisher and Webmaster of MNRealty.com,
An independent Minnesota Real Estate Web Server and Host.