Category: Marketing (page 31 of 191)

December 28, 2011

Slugging Away. One E-mail Address At A Time

by Brian Brady

Commercial Real Estate Finance Expert
Structured Debt and Equity
Licensed Real Estate Broker in AL, CA, and FL

I’m on a quest to find 75 San Diego real estate agents. I need 75 agents, to give me permission, to e-mail them weekly. I told you about my plan to secure those permissions and I thought I’d update you as I get results.

Bill Lyons agreed to do a joint marketing deal with me but I haven’t taken him up on that yet. I’ve been scrambling around with year-end stuff, and I took a holiday trip to Arizona, but I’ll do something with Bill next year. For now, I’m focused on the SDAR Officers’ Installation and Dinner as a magnet.

I held a drawing at the Downtown San Diego caravan. Thirty agents gave me their cards and Debbie Neuman won the tickets. This works pretty well because while she is a quality agent, with established lending relationships, she’ll sit at my table that night. This will be a good chance to get to know her and pitch ourselves as her “number two lender” (I’m not proud). The challenge with the thirty “new” contacts has been securing permission to e-mail them.. I have spoken with ten agents thus far and only five agreed to receive my newsletter. I do have a drawing scheduled at the La Jolla REBA, next week. and those folks know me better. I guess if I have 25-30 permissions, by next Friday, I can celebrate the fact that I have achieved one-third of my goal.

That means I’m going to have to grit it out for the final fifty permissions. I’m going to start the “open house plan” after the first of the year. The plan is to visit open houses and drop off a “care basket”, filled with snacks. Agents get hungry at open houses so this is what I’ll give them:

A couple of bottles of water, three bags of snacks, and a couple of oranges (or apples, or bananas).

I’ll assemble them in my newly delivered TANSTAAFL lunch bags. I ordered these from 4imprint.com and 100 of them cost me less than $300.

I had my name, website, and phone number imprinted on them, along with the word TANSTAAFL. The Read more

December 10, 2011

Who else wants some cheap and easy ways, to generate more purchase business from REALTORS?

by Brian Brady

Commercial Real Estate Finance Expert
Structured Debt and Equity
Licensed Real Estate Broker in AL, CA, and FL

I cleaned up my e-mail database this week and was pretty surprised. The lion’s share of our business comes from real estate agents. Many times, I don’t speak with nor hear from an agent for 5-6 months…then…WHAM—I get a loan call. That call always seems to come within two weeks of one of my email newsletters. I understand my numbers pretty well:

for every California agent, in my database, it results in .6 purchase loans/year
over 75% of that business comes from agents, in the database, who open at least 50% of my emails (that comprises just 20% of the total number)

Last year, I cleaned up the data base. I whittled the number down to 70 agents. 15 of those agents accounted for 32 purchase loans and 55 agents accounted for 11 purchase loans. If I want to close 72 purchase loans in 2012, I probably need 30 agents, who open at least 50% of my emails. To add those extra 15 agents, I need to meet and add some 75 NEW agents to the database…pretty quickly.

I broke down the content offered, too:

the highest click-through ratio (55%) came from marketing ideas
mortgage tips (like how to get a VA offer accepted) generated a 35% click-through
mortgage rates reports were largely unread (10% click-through)

Agents want to hear how to get more business and then, how to do business properly. Agents just don’t care about mortgage rates. I’ll stop writing those onerous mortgage rates reports (nobody’s reading them and, because their time sensitive, they are more of a short-head). I will start adding marketing ideas to my blog, then use those blog posts for my email newsletter content.

Here’s what I did last night:

I created a new list, of the serial readers, and named it the “top-gun file”. I’ll add new agents there, check it every 90 days, and move the agents, who are not opening 50% of my emails, to the “general agents” list.
I pre-loaded weekly emails, for the “top-gun file”, out to April 15, 2012. I want to insure consistency
The “general agents” file will get a bi-weekly marketing idea. I pre-loaded that content, out to April Read more

November 30, 2011

Revestor.com is live now. Revestor.com searches current listings by cash flow and capitalization rate.

by Brian Brady

Commercial Real Estate Finance Expert
Structured Debt and Equity
Licensed Real Estate Broker in AL, CA, and FL

I received an email, from BHB Anaheim presenter Bill Lyons, that Revestor.com is live now and will be announced to the public tomorrow. Bill knows that the Bloodhound way is to fly under the radar, sneak in the back door, and quietly win so I appreciate the chance to break the news.

Revestor.com is a new property search site. It’s unique proposition is that it allows users to search by either capitalization rate or cash flow. Revestor believes it will become a useful tool for both investors and primary residence home buyers. Bill Lyons suggested that its unique ranking display, offers data to a home buyer, which is currently unavailable. Incorporating the income potential of a property offers another valuation model for home buyers to consider.

I ran a search for an area with which I’m familiar; Oceanside, CA zip code 92056. I searched for properties listed from $150,000 to $250,000, by cash flow, and ten current listings were displayed. The top two listings appealed to me:

3906 Marvin – a 3BR 2BA, 1064 s.f. SFD with $902 of free cash flow, with an 80% LTV loan, listed at $169, 767

3132 Glenn – a 4BR 2BA, 1302 s.f. SFD with $533 of free cash flow, with an 80% LTV loan, listed at 249,900

Revestor offers a “launch” blog post and I’ll insert Bill’s comments from there (italicized), as I offer my ideas here.

Here is what I like about the site: I like the map display of the listings and I love the fact that it ranks the listings by investment potential. The financial data offered, on individual listings, is pretty comprehensive. It drills down on expense data and allows the user to customize it. The mortgage data is cool because it allows you to slide the down payment tool and see real-time figures. The exit strategy information is unique but I’m unclear as to how they determine the potential resale value.

Bill offered: While San Diego is just a starting point we are still very much a “work in progress“. The site is not perfect (especially for a perfectionist that is striving for simplicity). We launched Read more

November 18, 2011

A Peek Inside the Unchained Conference (Part 5 of 5)

by Sean Purcell

Real Estate Renaissance Man

Each day of the past week, I featured one of the amazing speakers from the Unchained Conference 2011. It was your chance to spend a little time with some of the most creative, innovative minds in real estate online marketing… unfortunately, that’s all it could be: a few moments. For those of us in attendance, on the other hand, we had over 10 uninterrupted hours of access…

There were many great speakers, and lots of great ideas this year. There always are. But at every conference – Unchained or other – there is one Keynote Speaker. One presenter that no one will miss. The Superstar, if you will. The expert who turns the fire hydrant on full force and dares you to step up. At Unchained, there is no doubt who that speaker is…

Eric Blackwell is an SEO expert, and he has helped countless real estate agents generate countless new clients through their online presence. When he gets going on what works and what doesn’t, you can almost feel the absolute truth of his words. Why? Could be all the sites he runs, or the totalality of hours he has spent doing SEO work, but it really comes down to this: Eric Blackwell does SEO for a living – he’s down in the trenches every day testing, trying and correcting. He knows what it takes to build your online presence, and we know he’s a star.

November 17, 2011

A Peek Inside the Unchained Conference (Part 4 of 5)

by Sean Purcell

Real Estate Renaissance Man

Each day this week, I’ve featured one of the amazing speakers from the Unchained Conference 2011. This is your chance to spend a little time with some of the most creative, innovative minds in real estate online marketing… unfortunately, that’s all it will be: a few moments. For those of us in attendance, on the other hand, we had over 10 uninterrupted hours of access…

Whether “I told you so,” or not… remember this for next time: when you hear about an Unchained Conference being scheduled, get online, get out your wallet, and get yourself there. You will leave dead tired, overwhelmed, and so filled with ideas you’ll find yourself clicking your heels and saying “There’s no place like Unchained. There’s no place like Unchained…” Leading that chant will be none other than today’s speaker:

Brian Brady is called America’s #1 Mortgage Broker by Google; but he’s got a lot more to teach than finance. He’s been generating clients AND closed transactions from online and social media venues since way before most in the industry had even heard the terms. At Unchained 2011, Mr. Brady took us on a wild tour of email marketing, Hollywood movies and secrets to converting prospects into clients. Want to know how The Wizard of Ahhhs does it? Join him on the Yellow Brick Road at the next Unchained.

November 16, 2011

A Peek Inside the Unchained Conference (Part 3 of 5)

by Sean Purcell

Real Estate Renaissance Man

As promised, here’s another amazing speaker from the Unchained Conference 2011. This is your chance to spend a little time with some of the most creative, innovative minds in real estate online marketing… unfortunately, that’s all it will be: a few moments. For those of us in attendance, on the other hand, we had over 10 uninterrupted hours of access…

Today, instead of repeating the: “I told you so,” mantra… I’ll just get right to the point: the next time there’s an Unchained Conference scheduled, do everything you can to be there. You’ll leave dead tired and overwhelmed, but overflowing with ideas you can implement immediately. Which brings me to…

Mark Madsen’s real estate site and an in depth discussion on how he creates web sites that not only attract a lot of traffic, but convert that traffic into clients. Sounds difficult? You bet, but just to make his numbers all the more startling, I’ll remind you of this fact: he’s doing business in Las Vegas… otherwise known as “Ground Zero” of the housing crisis. How does he not only survive but thrive in that environment? The same way he wowed all of us who were there: he creates TRUST.

November 15, 2011

A Peek Inside the Unchained Conference (Part 2 of 5)

by Sean Purcell

Real Estate Renaissance Man

As promised, each day this week I’ll post a few moments from some of the speakers at the Unchained Conference 2011. It’s your chance to spend a little time with some of the most creative, innovative minds in real estate online marketing… unfortunately, that’s all it will be: a few moments. For those of us in attendance, on the other hand, we had over 10 uninterrupted hours of access…

I know that yesterday I did the whole: “I told you so,” thing, but it bears repeating: the next time there’s an Unchained Conference scheduled, make it a point to get yourself there. You’ll leave dead tired, overwhelmed, and full of ideas you can implement immediately. Speaking of which…

Scott Schang’s amazing loan site and online marketing campaign started as an idea at the first Unchained conference, and now he’s back telling us how to do it. Oh, and reminding us that when it comes to generating prospective clients, we all get what we deserve…

November 14, 2011

A Peek Inside the Unchained Conference (1 of 5)

by Sean Purcell

Real Estate Renaissance Man

Each day this week (and earlier than this one, I promise) I’ll post a few moments from some of the speakers at the Unchained Conference 2011. It’s your chance to spend a little time with some of the most creative, innovative minds in real estate online marketing… unfortunately, that’s all it will be: a few moments. For those of us in attendance, on the other hand, we had over 10 uninterrupted hours of access…

I could say: “I told you so,” but instead I’ll say this: the next time there’s an Unchained Conference scheduled – and the way each one gets better than the one before, you better believe there’ll be more – make it a point to get yourself there. You’ll leave dead tired, overwhelmed, and full of ideas you can implement immediately.

Here’s Greg, discussing how he creates hundreds of thousands of web pages to dominate the competition.

November 14, 2011

Blessed Are The Implementers, For They Will Inherit the Moniker “Unchained”

by Brian Brady

Commercial Real Estate Finance Expert
Structured Debt and Equity
Licensed Real Estate Broker in AL, CA, and FL

I caught up on some much needed sleep yesterday, after the fifth BloodhoundBlog Unchained Conference, held in Anaheim, CA. It is my hope that my partner Greg Swann celebrates his birthday, in relaxation and Splendor, before pondering the future of these conferences. As the Godfather of the Unchained movement, Greg argued that the title of these conferences be “Unchained” rather than the “Unleashed” title I offered. What Greg knew, and I understand now, is that Unchained suggests that the Bloodhound was never enslaved while unleashed suggests prior submission.

If you missed our show in Anaheim, you missed the proof in the pudding. I’ll give you an overview:

Greg Swann led us off with a demonstration of his Chinese army; software which creates tens of thousands of unique webpages, with granular listing data. Greg showed us how he can close the publishing gap, in less than an hour each week. Greg continually invents new and exciting software, to stay one step ahead of the market competitors, who would try tho chain him.

Scott Schang came to Unchained 2008 on, how he has described it, “his final few bucks”. He took the ideas offered there, implemented them here, and created a business which employs a half-dozen people. He shared his online business plan, his accomplishments and mistakes, and how he overcame market changes to stay relevant in the consumers’ eyes. From borrowed bus fare to accomplished entrepreneur, in 40 months, Scott has a database of willing home buyers, numbering in the five figures—Scott is Unchained.

Brian Summerfield, of the National Association of Realtors, came to take some body blows from the crew. It was his motivation which impressed me; he transparently announced that he came to address us because he wants content for Realtor.org . Mr. Summerfield invites constructive criticism of NAR on its forum. Contact him if you have an opinion to offer.

Bill Lyons, a serial entrepreneur, shared his latest creation for consumers, Revestor.com . Revestor.com offers investors an IDX search with rental data. Home buyers can search listings by net cash flow or capitalization rate. Revestor.com is expected to be released right before Thanksgiving.

Mark Madsen Read more

November 12, 2011

Here’s what you missed at BloodhoundBlog Unchained in Anaheim.

by Greg Swann

Suburban Phoenix Real Estate Broker

How much attention have you devoted, over the past few years, to so-called on-line real estate marketing experts? How stupid do you feel now that those unwitting judas goats have sold out your IDX feed to Zillow?

Nobody likes to be mocked for being a dupe — the prospect of which, I freely admit, can make BloodhoundBlog a daunting place. But: Which is worse — being called a doofus or being a doofus?

BloodhoundBlog Unchained is a completely different way of learning net.wise real estate marketing. No dupes. No doofuses. No hype. No cant. No vendorsluts. We work as hard as we can for as long as we can, and we send our students home poor in sleep but rich in ideas.

Here’s what you missed yesterday at BloodhoundBlog Unchained in Anaheim:

I demoed half a dozen ways of creating web pages and web sites automatically from raw content.

Scott Schang showed us how he has used WordPress and select plug-ins to create a lead-conversion machine.

Mark Madsen and Tony Sena illustrated the web marketing ideas that have launched their property management business into orbital velocity in just a few months.

And Eric Blackwell was the show-stopper as always, taking us through all the latest twists and turns emerge from from the Googleplex — and documenting a killer strategy for attracting sellers on-line, the holy grail of Internet real estate marketing.

We had other speakers as well, and Brian Brady regaled us with email marketing strategies until almost 10 pm.

But the highlight of our day was Realtor magazine’s on-line editor, Brian Summerfield, pictured above, who bearded the Bloodhounds in their own den. Brian very graciously and calmly defended the NAR’s more controversial stands, and the dawgs acquitted themselves admirably, engaging Summerfield with insight and without rancor. More that one person compared the talk to Nixon’s visit to China, but I’m not sure who was whom. 😉

Everywhere you turn there are so-called experts peddling so-called solutions — but the problems being solved are not your problems generating leads and closing sales. Instead, almost always, you are being sold, the the problem to be solved is the speaker’s carefully-concealed poverty. But Read more

November 7, 2011

What’s your marketing plan for 2012? Set a Bloodhound’s pace this Friday at BloodhoundBlog Unchained in Anaheim.

by Greg Swann

Suburban Phoenix Real Estate Broker

We’re having a Scenius this Friday in Anaheim, a BloodhoundBlog Unchained event that we’re running, subversively, during the NAR Convention. We’ve done this before, but the NAR was a lot more powerful the last time. By now it just seems pathetic — but we don’t much care either way.

We care a lot about the Scenius, though. What we do is put a lot of bright, ambitious people together and then revel in the great ideas that emerge from the synergy. Our guests are some of the inventors of the wired world of real estate, and they will have lots of new ides to explore.

Just think: Since the last time we did BloodhoundBlog Unchained, Google has come to be beset by Bing, Twitter by Facebook and the web by app-centric mobile computing. Seems like a good time to rethink your marketing strategies, doesn’t it.

If you’re going to be in Disneyville for the NAR Convention, or if you’re within driving distance, join us.

Here are the details:

BloodhoundBlog Unchained in Anaheim
Friday, November 11, 2011
12 Noon to 10 pm
Cortona Inn & Suites Anaheim Resort
2029 South Harbor Boulevard
Anaheim, CA 92802
714-971-5000
Mapped.

The dogs will hit town Thursday afternoon, so, if you’re around, look us up. But the main action will be Friday. I know there are seats left, I’m not sure how many. If you want to get your 2012 off to a running start, assert yourself:

Make the Scene: $99

October 31, 2011

The Greatest Listing Single-Site Ever Created!

by Sean Purcell

Real Estate Renaissance Man

…is what people might say once we are all done here.

After following Robert Worthington’s post: Videos are in My Arsenal and the terrific advice he got, I decided it’s my turn to spend some time in the barrel. Not for videos (despite the abundant potential I see in videos, I’m not there yet) but rather single sites: I am dialing in my individal listing web site model. Well… at least I think I am.

Heck, just last week I bragged in a Comment on Eric Blackwell’s NAR, IDX, Franchisors post “I know I can put together a single site that blows away most other agents and ALL other aggregator / franchisor lead generator thing-a-ma-bobs.” Later that night, however, as I lay down to go to sleep, all I could hear, over and over in my head, was Robert Duvall saying to John Wayne in the movie True Grit: “I call that bold talk for a one-eyed, fat man!” I realized that such a brag, based on only one person’s review (don’t kid yourself, though, my mom can be a tough critic) leaves room for improvement.

Real Estate, despite all the talking we do with others, is essentially a lonely business. (We do still talk to lots of people in order to generate business, don’t we? I mean… I didn’t miss some new App that does that for us, right?) When we create marketing pieces, and even entire marketing campaigns, we are often working in the bubble of our own minds. I have borrowed, swiped and learned as much as I can from what’s found on BHB, and so I can ask no better group to take a look at the direction I’m going and provide criticism. This single site, Wellesley La Mesa, is the first one utilizing my new layout and over-all look/feel, so it’s not too late to make wholesale changes if I’m missing something or just plain on the wrong path.

One note: the web site itself (The UnRealty Group), is about 30% finished, with lots of articles and content missing, so if you link over there, keep that in mind before tearin’ into me… I mean passin’ on your constructive criticisms. Thanks!

October 20, 2011

Buy a McMansion, get a free McVisa. And, if you act right now, we’ll give you two McVisas for every McMansion you buy. (Just pay separate shipping and handling.)

by Greg Swann

Suburban Phoenix Real Estate Broker

I could say I wish it were a joke, but the entire United States government is becoming a joke: Senator Charles Schumer (D-Hades) wants to give free visas to foreign nationals who buy luxury real estate:

Foreigners have accounted for a growing share of home purchases in South Florida, Southern California, Arizona and other hard-hit markets. Chinese and Canadian buyers, among others, are taking advantage not only of big declines in U.S. home prices and reduced competition from Americans but also of favorable foreign exchange rates.

To fuel this demand, the proposed measure would offer visas to any foreigner making a cash investment of at least $500,000 on residential real-estate—a single-family house, condo or townhouse. Applicants can spend the entire amount on one house or spend as little as $250,000 on a residence and invest the rest in other residential real estate, which can be rented out.

The measure would complement existing visa programs that allow foreigners to enter the U.S. if they invest in new businesses that create jobs. Backers believe the initiative would help soak up an excess supply of inventory when many would-be American home buyers are holding back because they’re concerned about their jobs or because they would have to take a big loss to sell their current house.

“This is a way to create more demand without costing the federal government a nickel,” Sen. Schumer said in an interview.

I love this on so many levels:

First, it’s more Rotarian Socialism: Subsidize the rich, since it’s their over-built, over-priced houses that aren’t selling.

Second, the proposal makes plain that U.S. immigration policy is just more Rotarian Socialism claptrap: It’s not about securing borders but securing pocketbooks.

But third, who wants to come here now? Not only is our economy crushed under the weight of a century of Rotarian Socialist kleptocracy, but there are actual proto-cannibal savages congregating in the public parks, goading each other into a homicidal rage. Any sane millionaire would have to say, “I left São Paolo for this?”

As always, Matt and Trey have the best answer to cant: “Vamos, Mantequilla!”

The Last of the Meheecans
Get More: SOUTH
PARK Eric Cartman,Leopold “Butters” Stotch,more…

October 17, 2011

Why can’t the MLS or the mafia innovate? And what should you do instead of being an NAR goon?

by Greg Swann

Suburban Phoenix Real Estate Broker

Today, Redfin.com CEO Glenn Kelman warns us that we may be “outsourcing our brains” because MLS systems are so stupid:

I worry about whether the fundamental choice we made five years ago was the right choice, that if we played by the rules and used MLS data that we would be able to build a better Web site or a worse Web site. And, I think, the jury is still out there. But, I promise you, if brokers aren’t building the best Web sites for real estate consumers, we are headed for pain. Pain for the customer, pain for the broker.

For weeks now I’ve been sitting on a post by FBS CEO Michael Wurzer summarizing half-a-dozen non-starter ideas for MLS innovation. I’ve been waiting, so far in vain, for someone to post a comment stating the obvious:

Why can’t the MLS innovate? For the same reasons the mafia and the government can’t innovate: Criminals steal so they won’t have to produce wealth.

When BloodhoundBlog Unchained comes to Anaheim, we’ll be covering lots of nuts and bolts tactics for the hard-working grunts on the ground — as you would expect. But we’ll also be talking about very big ideas, most notably how to run our business like a business and not a crime syndicate.

I know Realtors don’t like to hear the truth about how the National Association of Realtors has behaved over the past 100 years, but just as with the leviathan state, the time we have left for childish stupidity is running out.

I can’t cause the congenital Rotarian Socialists of the NAR to discover, honor and live up to their humanity. But I can show you how to build a lasting business you can be proud of — by behaving like an honest trader and not like a predator.

I am not anti-NAR. I am not anti-MLS. I am not even anti-socialist or anti-graft or anti-sleaze. What I am is pro-values. If you will give me a few minutes of your time, I will show you how working with integrity in the real estate business is as simple as pursuing your own values — exclusively.

If Read more

October 6, 2011

Brian Brady makes it happen: BloodhoundBlog Unchained is on for Anaheim, Friday, November 11, 2011.

by Greg Swann

Suburban Phoenix Real Estate Broker

Brian Brady got us a room, may the gods whisper his name in awe. We’re working on sponsorship, and I’ll have speaker announcements in the coming days. Here’s the big picture:

BloodhoundBlog Unchained in Anaheim
Friday, November 11, 2011
12 Noon to 10 pm
Cortona Inn & Suites Anaheim Resort
2029 South Harbor Boulevard
Anaheim, CA 92802
714-971-5000

We’re going split the day between formal presentations and Scenius scenes. No one can predict where lightning will strike, but we have delivered transformative experiences before. If you go to the NAR sessions that day, you can look forward to being upsold on crap. Come see us and we could change your life forever.

That’s sounds like a value proposition to me.

I’ll have more to say soon, but right now I want to give people who are paying attention a chance to jump. We have a very limited number of seats, so if being there matters to you, get your credit card out now.

Make the Scene: $99

Category: Marketing (page 31 of 191)

Slugging Away. One E-mail Address At A Time

by Brian Brady

Who else wants some cheap and easy ways, to generate more purchase business from REALTORS?

by Brian Brady

Revestor.com is live now. Revestor.com searches current listings by cash flow and capitalization rate.

by Brian Brady

A Peek Inside the Unchained Conference (Part 5 of 5)

by Sean Purcell

A Peek Inside the Unchained Conference (Part 4 of 5)

by Sean Purcell

A Peek Inside the Unchained Conference (Part 3 of 5)

by Sean Purcell

A Peek Inside the Unchained Conference (Part 2 of 5)

by Sean Purcell

A Peek Inside the Unchained Conference (1 of 5)

by Sean Purcell

Blessed Are The Implementers, For They Will Inherit the Moniker “Unchained”

by Brian Brady

Here’s what you missed at BloodhoundBlog Unchained in Anaheim.

by Greg Swann

What’s your marketing plan for 2012? Set a Bloodhound’s pace this Friday at BloodhoundBlog Unchained in Anaheim.

by Greg Swann

The Greatest Listing Single-Site Ever Created!

by Sean Purcell

Buy a McMansion, get a free McVisa. And, if you act right now, we’ll give you two McVisas for every McMansion you buy. (Just pay separate shipping and handling.)

by Greg Swann

Why can’t the MLS or the mafia innovate? And what should you do instead of being an NAR goon?

by Greg Swann

Brian Brady makes it happen: BloodhoundBlog Unchained is on for Anaheim, Friday, November 11, 2011.

by Greg Swann

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