PHOENIX (JAN. 18, 2012) — “If you can’t track it, don’t do it.” That sentiment was one of the key takeaways for attendees at today’s opening session of the CRS “Listing Legends Tell All” event. Session moderator Frank Serio, CRS, led a large morning panel of top producers through a wide-ranging discussion of what works and what doesn’t when it comes to winning leads and clients. The tried-and-true methods work for some, while others find that a mix of more modern tactics and technologies have helped them succeed.
For example, while many agents have abandoned print advertising entirely, several panelists said that the tactic can pay dividends if used wisely. “The key is that print ads work — if you do them right,” Serio said. Panelist Maura Neill, CRS, said that she employs print advertising to plug specific local happenings, such as charity events that support the U.S. military. “We get more calls on those ads than we ever do from ads focused on our business, or our listings — or ourselves,” she said.
The panel tackled the question of whether open houses still produce results in today’s market. And while many agents have abandoned them, Carol Greco, CRS, recommended that agents give a “sneak peak” open house for neighbors in order to help generate buzz about a new listing. She says open houses have generated big returns for her team working outside of Washington D.C.
Radio advertising also has fallen out of favor with many agents who have not been able to make it work for them. But for panelists Russell Shaw, CRS, and Leigh Brown, CRS, radio buys have brought great rewards. Although she admits it is expensive, Brown said her radio campaign won her an average of six listings each month in her Charlotte, N.C. market. Shaw says it took him more than a year of trial and error with his radio ads until he got a single phone call, but it has since become a staple of his lead-generation strategy. He stressed the need for agents to use exceptional ad copy and to present it in their own voice to gain the maximum return on the advertising dollar.
The panel also discussed REALTOR® blogs, which can be successful when used properly. Neill said she found success by keeping the focus of her blog distinctly away from real estate or her business. Instead, she writes about restaurants and events in her Atlanta area in an effort to make herself known as a “hyperlocal expert.” As always, tracking the blog’s success is key, she said. Neill was able to track 25 percent of her business to her blog in the year it launched, and last year it grew to 50 percent.
