I have been hearing the ambient marketing and viral marketing terms a lot recently. Does anyone have any ideas as to how we can use these techniques for the real estate business?

__________________
--
Letting Agents Reading || Estate Agents Reading

How about these?

Ambient marketing surrounds your target audience with things that they may not really notice, but they'll pick up on as they go through their day. So, in real estate, I think that translates into:
--putting your personal brand on your website, yard signs, direct mail pieces, personal brochures, etc.
--putting your URL in gold lettering on your vehicle, or using magnet signs
--displaying your personal brochures at your gym or the place where you get your hair cut (they may not pick one up, but they'll see the brand!)
--figuring out where your target market hangs out and finding ways to speak to them subliminally


Viral marketing uses your existing customers to sell you to other people. For real estate, I think that would be things like:
--Developing a USP (unique selling proposition) or brand definition that is succinct enough that you can explain it quickly - that gives your customers something to tell other people so you're remembered. Beats having your customers say "Kathleen was so nice...."
--Putting a Tell a Friend link on your website.
--Systematizing contact with your database - using Gary Keller's 8x8, 33 Touch, 12 direct, for example. Then, when someone you know runs across someone else looking to buy or sell, you'll be top of mind.

And, the lists go on...

Kathleen

__________________
Kathleen Allardyce
Visit our BRER Real Estate Marketing Blog
Real Estate Marketing
Point 2 Agent Partner

on that note, just wanted to mention that the only things i have in common with some people is that we all goto the same car dealership, get our hair cut at the same place, use the same realtor, etc, because of running into each other at the same spots, recommending the spots to other people. All of the places i mentioned all deal with it each other and help each other out by recommending them and such.

The service department at the dealership I go to always sends people to a specific local restaurant when people come in for service. The owner/main waitress at that restaurant drives a vehicle she got at that dealership and always says how great that dealership is. There is also a realtor that has been going to that dealership forever and eats at that restaurant and his business cards are on display at both places and you can be assured that if anyone mentions real estate at either places, his name is brought up about how good he is. this relationship also extends to the hair dressers that is next door to the restaurant and some other businesses as well.

Widecircles is the best spam company on the net!

This is the same stuff WideCircles has been posting as a comment to my blog for a while now.

I don't think one of their links ever stays around for 5 days - at least not on my blog!

__________________
Kathleen Allardyce
Visit our BRER Real Estate Marketing Blog
Real Estate Marketing
Point 2 Agent Partner

Viral marketing seems to be the buzzword of the day! Everytime I turn around I hear it and it's funny, almost everyone (inside and outside of real estate) thinks it has to do with just two things: YOUTUBE and MYSPACE!

__________________
Superior Real Estate Services for Katy Texas and surrounding areas.

Katy Texas Real Estate
Katy Texas Events Blog