A client writes:

I have my own answers to this question based on client feedback and forum comments, but for those who have used this service or can provide feedback I would love to hear the latest.

Thanks guys.

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I can sum it up in one word- RUN!! Same as other internet lead providers. People input their contact info to receive some info never thinking they will actually be contacted much less that you paid 20.00 for their contact info!! The only real difference is they screen their leads. They weed out all of the Superman's from Krypton and the like. You will spend alot of time, effort, and money with not much if any return.

The other problem I had with them was you sign a one year contract that they will not let you out of! Fortunately they raised thier rates in the middle of my contract. They let me out because of that.

I am a firm believer that there are no short cuts in this business if you are looking for long term success....

Purchasing 1000 business cards for $89.00 will make you more successful than these interent lead companies that prey on strugglng agents....

If real estate is your passion please do not look for a shortcut or magic key....It does not exist.....

The key is you, your passion, and your work ethic...

If you have a business card, a phone, and a great pair of shoes...you have all of the tools to succeed in this business....

Good Luck

Nice post DPofA. Unfortunetly I learned that the hard way by trying some of the Internet lead companies but you are right it is so true. There is nothing more valuable then human interaction in this business. That is why I call every one of my internet leads asap.

Yes, these are nothing more than pay-per-click on steriods. They get their leads from the same places that credible companies do, Google, Yahoo, MSN. You have no control, if anything happens to you, you are out of luck with the one year contract!

Always think outside of the box........

If you market yourself as a traditional REALTOR, then you become one of thousands!

My marketing company networks with REALTORS across the U.S and I am always amazed when I look at a magazine and see 25 agent ads that all look EXACTLY the same......

"Your Real Estate Professional"
"Professionalism, Integrity, and Honesty"
"Experianced Agent"
"Million Dollar Producer"
"Your Real Estate Resource"

What do any of these things actually say?
In my opinion, they just point out the obvious....As Realtors, I think people expect us to be honest and professional anyway....

Try something different......

How about "Your Best Friend in Real Estate" instead of your "Real Estate Professional"?

How about making you family pet your unlicensed assistant? Give the pet a business card and put the pet in all of your marketing pieces.

Call clients and agents back ASAP.....I am amazed when I call to get information and/or network how long it takes some agents to get back with me.........If at all!!!!!!

Treat fellow agents as assets not the competition that is your enemy.........These are the people in the field selling your listings.......

Give, Give, Give............I know it is cliche, but the more you give, the more you recieve....I see so many REALTORS who are not willing to work for anything unless there is an immediate monetary result involved.....What a shame............Some of the most profitable opportunities came to me months or years after I formed a relationship.

Cold call .........but do it in teams......Partner up with a couple of agents in your office.....order pizza and take turns cold calling together....work on your delivery with them and you will see improvement quickly..........

Instead of traditional door knocking, find a sub division and hand out drinks and donughts in the morning with your card attached to them as people leave for work......

Just some ideas to get your creative juices flowing......I had a hard time getting help when I got started....and that just should not be the case.....

I am always here for anyone to brainstorm and exchange ideas with.......

Back to the Internet leads. I have found that if I would have spent hte same amount on ppc as I did on one of the internet companies I would have gottan about double the amount of leads if not more.

If you're not ranking well naturally....just do ppc. Speaking of agents not calling leads is funny. I had a friend register on 15 realtor websites on the same day that were doing ppc. He only received two phone calls out of 15 sites he registered on and got a few auto-reply e-mails. Don't over complicate this business and stay away from ALL these companies that refer out leads.

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Charlotte NC Real Estate | Lake Norman Real Estate |
Charlotte Homes for Sale

Ok, it was all good until you brought in the pet and the other stuff. Putting your pet on a business card is VERY unprofessional. Remember, we're professionals who are handling large financial transactions. That stuff with pets won't fly. What if your accountant or financial adviser sent out cards with his pets?

Give, give give.....that's might be good advice, but give in moderation. Volunteering here and there is OK, but remember that we're running a business here. Every minute you spend working for free, you could be answering those calls from online leads and getting business that pays actual money. Free work is ok once in a while but in the long term you'll burn out and miss out on opportunities.

Cold calling: that's a NO NO. First off, read the latest bulletin from NAR about some guy who'll sue you for violating minor DNC rules. Second, how many people do you know that like to get random calls soliciting business? You may catch a prospect once in a while, but again, in the long run you're wasting time and alienating a lot of people.

The juice and donut thing: that's just plain desperate! Besides, I haven't seen a single subdivision where people leave out of one little street. Think of all the other businesses that hold the "free crap" events and how many times do you actually end up buying the product they are promoting? If you want to do this for your OWN subdivision, and it's a close knit community, that would be OK. I don't recommend doing this in a random community where you don't live.

It sounds to me like you are a very traditional Realtor and that has worked well for you. I applaud your success....

However,

My advice is to the agent that is in the starting gate trying to stand out in a sea of agents.

The ideas I put on this board are not random acts of creativity...I do research every week on successful people, and I always interview the successful Brokers and Businesspeople I work with to gain insight on their road to success.

Examples:

The #5 agent in my area started by handing out coffee, juice and donuts in neighborhoods.....He still has a huge client base from that to this day..His production is incredible. (So it does work!) I do not look at it as desperate, it is an inexpensive way to brand yourself and get in front of people.....

Jeffery Gitomer (Best selling Author/Marketing Consultant/Motivational Speaker) gave his pet a business cards and handed them out when he started his business venture.....He is extremely successful. (This guy is flying around the world on private jets doing seminars, so this stuff with pets will fly my friend....) We are a family oriented business, we are not accountants and financial advisors. My office puts on cookouts, carnivals, and events like Easter Egg hunts for children....My accountant and financial advisor would never dream of doing that either.

Cold calling is fantastic, a MUST in my opinion....This allowed me to make over $100,000 my first year in the business. If you follow DNC rules and purchase a product like Haines Criss+Cross, you should have no problems at all.....It is a very inexpensive way for companies and new agents to get off the ground. I spoke with some very successful Brokers across the country they STILL cold call to increase market share.....I still cold call..........

The last two comments you made make me refer back to my "immediate monetary gain" comment. I talk with successful people every single day....most of them give this same advice I just did. To give,, give...

I feel you might have misunderstood me, when I say give, I am not asking you to show a person 900 homes trying to get a sale....or be taken advantage of in any way....
I am saying that you need to network so you can refer people and bring OTHERS together with no expectation of monetary gain for yourself. These are the relationships that eventually bloom into something months or years down the road.

The bottom line is being positive,
You immediately said my ideas WILL NOT WORK....but they do..........Maybe they would not work for you, but if I can help one agent brainstorm and find a creative way to be successful, that is enough for me.....

Good Luck!