4 Keys to Business Success after Labor Day
At time of year, many of us press the reset button. Seems like New Year ‘s Day all over again, except with more school buses. So I thought it would be a good time to look at some fundamentals – the four big things that make the difference between success and just grinding along. As…
Real Estate Agents: How to Make 4x as Much Commission
Here’s another of my little charts. This one applies to real estate agents and mortgage brokers in particular – but the general idea applies to any business. It makes a compelling economic case for keeping in touch with clients over the long term. The chart shows the difference in commission earned by a real estate…
ABC – Always Be Collecting (and Double Your Leads)
Always Be Closing – that’s the sales mantra made famous by the movie Glengarry Glen Ross. But I have another ABC. Always Be Collecting. Always be collecting contact info from your visitors so you can keep in touch. Because if you’re not always collecting, you’re seeing potential clients walk out the door. I’ve ramped up…
When Customers are ‘Just Looking’
“I’m just looking.” You’re probably heard that phrase many times. Indeed, it no doubt rolls off your own tongue when a salesperson approaches and you’re not ready for a conversation. While “I’m just looking” sometimes means “go away and leave me alone”, it more often means “I’m not ready to buy yet…but I will be…
Excellent Example of a Customized Real Estate Newsletter
I love it when people make an effort with their marketing. (Because – to be honest – so few people really do all that it takes to break through in their market, particularly in the current economy.) I love it even more when my members take the product I offer one stage further and make…
How to Lose Friends and Alienate People with Your Email Newsletter
Email newsletters – ezines – can be a powerful way to build a relationship with your clients and prospects by communicating with them right there on their computer. But if you abuse the easy access, low cost and immediacy of email, you run the risk of losing trust in the marketplace. Here’s a tongue-in-cheek look…
Real Estate Agents (and Others): The Newspaper Newsletter
I hate it when people have an idea similar to mine and then blog about it first, so that I don’t get the chance to claim it. Anyway, that person is Seth Godin, so I’m not mad. Real Estate agents (and anyone else with a local business) should read his post, Time to start a…
What Links Dell, Your Business, Blogs and Newsletters?
Dell has launched a content-rich website called Digital Nomads. It’s aimed at people who, thanks to technology, can work and play wherever they like – people who aren’t tied to an office location. Here’s why Dell is being so smart. Dell is creating a community based upon a common passion. It’s serving that community on…
Be Gently in their Face
I wasn’t going to write today, but I was inspired by Seth Godin’s post, “My tooth doesn’t hurt.” It’s about how a marketer can build a solid business, even when they think their target market doesn’t need them right now (like a dentist who is badly needed when a person has a toothache, but easily…
Why Customer Service Beats Low Prices
If you wanted any more evidence that now – despite the rough economy – is not the time to go cutting price, look at the results of the latest poll published by Marketing Sherpa (see chart at end of this post). It shows that while vendors believe price is the most important factor in customer…