Sunday, June 8, 2008
By Dennis Henson
In order to become a successful real estate investor there are certain skills that must be mastered. One of these skills is marketing. The following list is a great way to insure your marketing program is successful and make sure that your investment home does not sit empty and drain your bank account while you wait for a buyer.
Make an effort to do several of these action items each day until your investment home sells, rents, leases, or you are forced to move in.
1. Put signs in yard (be sure phone numbers are readable)
- For Sale
- Flexible Seller
- Motivated Seller
- “0” down
2. See that landscaping looks great
3. Check out & fix mail box if needed
4. Clean driveway if needed
5. Plant colorful flowers & add mulch
6. Paint and repair front door as needed
7. Replace front light fixtures as needed
8. Replace house numbers as needed
9. First look inside must be a pleasant experience / Staging really helps
10. Make house smell like apple cinnamon
11. Soft music playing is good idea
12. Keep the inside of the house looking bright
13. Make sure house is very clean (especially kitchen and bathrooms)
14. Put lock box on door for showing
15. Take good pictures inside and out
16. Put tube on main sign with flyers
17. Check tube every few days (keep filled with fresh new colored flyers)
18. If local laws permit–place directional signs from main streets
19. Replace directional signs (as needed every few days)
20. List for sale & lease on MLS with pictures
21. Run “For Sale” ads in newspaper
- flexible Seller
- be sure your ad gets listed on the internet
22. Run “For Lease” ad in newspaper (be sure ad gets listed on net)
23. Get an 800# with number capture feature
24. Run long term rent to own ad in tabloids (like The Greensheet and Penny Saver)
25. Place ad with FSOB.com and on all Social Media FaceBook, Twitter, Linkedin etc.
26. As calls come in keep good notes (for this and future sells)
27. Trade leads with others home sellers
28. Post ads on free real estate listing sites
29. Post house on real estate association sites
30. Visit neighbors and talk it up (offer a finder’s fee)
31. Blanket the neighborhood with flyers (include the finder’s fee)
32. Have open house every other week (each better than the last)
33. Promote open houses with:
- ads
- directional signs
- and big balloons
34. Have a lunch at home for realtors the week of the open house
35. Make up a realtor flyer=free lunch & door prizes
36. Make friends at 5 realtors with 5 realty companies
- tell about house
- ask for new leads
- ask to pass out flyers to other agents in their offices
37. Gather agents e-mail addresses from flyers, cards, ads, and booklets
38. Send e-mails to realtors & brokers that say “If you show it-it will sell”
39. Follow up e-mails to agents with a call
40. Offer brokers a bonus if offer arrives by… (a specific date)
41. Set up your own web site
42. Do a color flyer with:
- pictures
- terms
- discount coupons
- web address & contact information
43. Print up a finder’s fee dollar (to pass out in the area and put in all your mailings)
44. Set up a 24 hour recorded message (to use with your 800#)
45. List the house on an eBay auction
46. Use a mailing service to mail out:
- letters
- flyers
- finders fee dollars
47. Advertise in The LA Times
Just doing a few of these items each day will pay tremendous benefits for your future sales!
I hope this article will help you in your quest to build wealth through real estate investing. For more articles on real estate investor training, visit my website at www.7secrets4success.com. Also on that site, you may sign up for free reports, articles, and e-books and find free forms, documents, MP3 downloads and much more.
Thank you,
Dennis Henson
