Little Known Ways Your REALTOR® Works for You

Here's a question that I'm sure most sellers are wondering about: In what other ways besides putting a property on the MLS® and a sign on the lawn or building do REALTOR®s market and promote properties for sale? What other techniques are used to get the word out? In other words, what you really want to know is, do you guys actually DO anything, or do you just sit around waiting for the phone to ring?!

Here's a snap-shot of some of the things we do and use for our clients. There are myriad ways a REALTOR® can get the job done, but this is a good start:

Professional Marketing Package
A professional package for distribution both electronically and in hard-copy (ugh!) of information should include: rent roll, zoning, photographs, aerial shots, maps, floor plans, survey or site plan, property details including recent capital improvements, area information, and a call to action - instructions on how to arrange a showing through the REALTOR®.

Website
The REATLOR®s website should be easy to navigate and provide similar information as the marketing package in an online form.

Blogging
Similar to the website, the blog should contain contact information, but more than that, the blog is the REALTOR®s chance to interact with the buyers directly. This isn't always a direct marketing tool for your property, but it creates credibility in the eyes of the buyers and provides another vehicle for communication with investors.

Commenting on Other Blogs
Again, this isn't a direct marketing tool, but it generates credibility and traffic for the REALTOR®s blog and website and therefore visibility for your property.

Facebook and Twitter
These social networking tools are becomming necessary tools of today's REALTOR®s. Quick bursts of useful - highlight on useful - information is critical to the success of REALTOR®s today. When we're successful that means we're selling your property!

Economic Development Contacts
Maintaining a good relationship with the economic development office in your area is vital to staying connected and top of mind when new businesses are coming to town or for finding out when existing businesses are expanding or moving.

Investor Tours
Tours put on by the provincial government through local economic develoment offices provide an opportunity to showcase listings to buyers who are not only going to see the property, but are ready, willing, and able to make a purchase.

Municipal contacts
Like the economic development contacts, these people are well connected. They know when zoning and development applications are being submitted almost before the applicants do! We try to stay on their good side, so that when we need their help, they'll be there.

Targeted Database Development and Marketing
Every property is unique. As such, there are only so many buyers for each property. We take a look at the permitted uses for the property and any other likely uses and develop a list of potential buyers and buyer types. Then we develop databases of contacts and start emailing and telephoning until we get a bite. Simple, direct and effective.

Sphere of Influence Marketing
The longer a REALTOR® is in business, the larger their sphere of influence. This sphere includes people like lawyers, accountants, mortgage brokers, bankers, investors, developers, builders, etc. Having a large sphere of influence means that a REALTOR® can quickly make contact with the major players in a given market for any given property.

Networking
Overused word that means rubbing elbows with peers and potential prospects. Participating in things like the Chamber of Commerce and volunteering on community boards provides a really good way for REALTOR®s to interact with a large group of people very effectively.

Other Agents
Talking to other agents who have their own spheres of influence. Each REALTOR® has a group of unique contacts and you never know where a lead will come from just by making conversation. Watching the market and calling agents who have similar properties listed is another great way to leverage the efforts of other agents; they might have picked up buyers for a similar property that just didn't quite make the cut and maybe your property is just what they're looking for.

Referral Networks Within Franchises or Associations
The large franchises like Century 21, Re/Max, Prudential and others all have internal referral networks that work very well across great distances. Often a request will come in from another affiliate office across the country or even the other side of the continent! Agents who work independently or with smaller boutique operations also leverage large referral networks through professional associations like CCIM and SIOR among others.

MLS®/ICX®
Well, you didn't think it was just for show did you? The database based websites of MLS® and ICX® for commercial properties remain a powerful marketing tool. While MLS® means much more than just listings, these services run by your REALTOR®s national association provide worldwide access to your property and they do the promotion!

Sign on the Lawn or Building
The 24 hour salesperson. Would you play hockey with one player in the penalty box - on purpose - for the whole game - every time!? The sign is not the be all and end all of sales, but it sure does raise local awareness.

These are just a few of the things we do, what else do you expect from your agent?