There’s a lot of buzz in the industry about “attraction marketing” and how you can use that concept to generate leads for your business.

Sounds great, doesn’t it?  No more chasing clients, no more frayed nerves as you wonder how you’ll pay the mortgage this month.  No more worry.

Well, attraction marketing can be the answer … if you do it the right way.  And don’t worry – I’m going to tell you how I think you can use attraction marketing in your business.

ATTRACTION MARKETING: A DEFINITION

What exactly do I mean by “attraction marketing”?  It’s simple – I’m talking about building value and positioning the benefits of your product or business so that people come to you … rather than you chasing them all around town.

The three BIG lies of attraction marketing?

1. It’s easy.  No, it’s not.  It requires a plan, some tools, and some elbow grease on your part.

2. You’ll have instant results.  Wrong again.  It takes time to build value.  (I’m going to talk more about this below, so keep reading.)

3. You can do it all online.  Yes, leveraging the internet can definitely help.  But you’re not going to sell real estate without voice-to-voice and face-to-face interaction.

WHAT DOES ATTRACT CLIENTS?

I want to talk about a successful way to attract clients to you.  Let’s ask first, what does attract potential clients?

Content.  Expertise.  Resources.  Your brand, and all that it implies.

And, ultimately, that all comes down to the perception of value.

So if we want to become the hunted, not the hunter, how do you make that happen?   Actually, the formula for that is pretty simple: to attract clients, you must lead with value.

Forget about your sales pitches.  Value is established by providing great content and expertise … and showcasing that with stunning, memorable visuals.  You have to brand yourself (and your business) in a way that connotes value to consumers.

Yes, it’s that simple.

That starts with creating your “value proposition”.  What is it?  A statement, or statements, that summarize what’s special or unique about you.  Whether it’s done overtly or covertly, it should also address why a consumer would be interested in your product or service, rather than that of your competitors.

If you can’t think of your value proposition, you’ve got a big problem.  And you’re probably also short on business right now.   Because if you haven’t mentally positioned yourself ahead of the pack, it probably shows in everything you do (and I guarantee it’s reflected in your bottom line!).  Your value proposition ties directly to your brand.

Take a look at my list below.  Do any of these statements fit how you’re feeling?

1. I need money.

2. I need more time off.

3. I want my business to be easier.

4. I don’t like “cold” prospecting (calls, door-knocking, email spam campaigns).

5. I have run out of friends and family to sell to.

6. I don’t want to quit this business.

Attraction marketing can help with all these challenges!  When you harness the power of attraction marketing, and employ it in your lead generation, you end up with a phone that rings (or an inbox that’s filled with emails from interested consumers rather than one stuffed with spam).

If we know that consumers are attracted to content, expertise, and resources – plus your brand, and all that it promises – then you need to figure out how to build value by providing these things.

I’ve been saying for year that agents have to stop sending recipe cards and heart health tips.  Just stop that please.  You are a real estate agent.  Present yourself as an expert by providing content related to real estate.

Offer education, share your expertise!  And don’t be afraid to take a position.  If you think the recent mortgage settlement agreement is the best thing since sliced bread, write about it … and be sure to identify benefits that your clients can identify with.

If you want to employ attraction marketing, you need to have a brand.  I’m not just talking about a logo or a design that visually identifies your business … I’m talking about defining the experience that consumers have when they work with you.  If you don’t know exactly what I mean, think about this:  Apple® is a brand.  There’s a bit of a cult that’s grown up around Apple® users.  When you buy an Apple® product – any Apple® product – you are expecting a certain kind of experience.  Apple® also has a visual brand (the apple with a “bite” missing).  When you see Apple’s visual brand, you immediately think about the Apple® “experience”.  That’s exactly what you want.  Define your market, and the experience you want to deliver … then create visual imagery that promises, and supports, that experience.

HOW CAN YOU “DELIVER” ATTRACTION MARKETING?

The internet sure has changed how people purchase products and services.  Estimates vary, depending on product, that between 78% and 96% research online before buying.  Wow.  Think about those numbers!  Even if a potential client has been referred to you, you can be pretty sure that they are going to research you online.  If they don’t like what they find, or if you look like every other agent online, there’s no value to the client.

Do you think the use of the internet means you need a website that showcases your unique business brand? You bet you do!  And it would be even better if that website offered a blog element, so you can showcase your expertise in real estate on a regular basis.  Blogs are easy to maintain, and offer loads of flexibility.  They’re perfect for many business owners, including real estate agents, who want to offer great content, strut their expertise, and bring it all to life in a visual way.

Go online and search the term “attraction marketing”.  You’ll find an onslaught of information about “systems” to attract people to you, often by sending dozens of sales emails to someone.

Hmmm.   If you were on the receiving end of that, without first knowing something about the company, how would that feel to you?  Would it compel you to learn more about the company … or to hit the “spam” button?  A blog-based website is a far, far better answer.

Many of the so-called gurus of these attraction marketing systems will tell you that belly-to-belly marketing strategies just don’t work anymore.  In fact, they’re poised to sell you their attraction marketing system.

Do you think the use of the internet means you don’t need to snail mail anymore? Absolutely not!  You still need to reach out in this “old fashioned” way to potential clients.  Because so few people use high quality mailed pieces you will instantly stand out from the crowd, especially if you are mailing articles about real estate.  Remember – no more recipe cards, automotive repair tips, or articles about pet care.

I put together a list of seven “B”s – seven things that will help with your attraction marketing.

1. Be in love with your job

2. Become valuable (because then you become invaluable)

3. Become visual

4. Benefits are key – create them, then identify them so they’re irresistible to potential clients

5. Brand yourself – both in terms of your client experience and with a visual look that showcases the client experience

6. Build relationships before expecting business

7. Be an expert – know your market inside and out, and share that knowledge

Every person you meet – online or offline – in the course of a day, a week, a month, or a year is a potential check you.  Can you chase them all?  No, but you can attract them all and, over time, continue to share your value with them until they need your services.

If you’re going to have success in your business without working yourself to death, it has to begin with attraction marketing.  If you don’t already have the tools in place to attract clients to you, make that a priority in your business today!

Training Webinar
When: 5/17/2012
Time: 11:00am EST
Cost: $14.95
REGISTER

Don’t let 2012 go by without having a solid website strategy in place. Do you have an effective website strategy in place? Studies have shown that 94% of Real Estate professional say their websites are not closing sales. If you are in that category, then this is the session for you.

Attend this powerful program with leading web strategist Tricia Andreassen and walk away with the 5 key strategies that must exist (No-Negotiating!) in your website to consistently create closed transactions and put money in your pocket!

Plus! In this overview of her proven system you will learn:

• What elements are imperative when the consumer first lands on your site so it creates “stickiness” and lead generation
• How to integrate the MLS search (IDX) in so that you are generating maximum leads and at the same time with the highest quality
• Why unique “calls to action” engage the buyer and seller with value and at the same time keep you positioned effectively in front of them
• The value of automating your email follow up campaigns and using landing pages to incubate the lead and build the relationship
• How to track, manage, and rate your leads in your website dashboard
• The importance of integrating in Social Media, Video, and Blogging into your website for maximum results
• How to start with a solid foundation to get sales and keep improving
• And more!

Jumpstart your business with tips and strategies from some of America’s leading active agents. Get a winning listing blueprint to earn higher commissions, proven buyer strategies to close more transactions faster, effective lead generation systems to generate more business, a daily and weekly plan to increase your productivity and much more! This five hour webinar series will leave you with valuable information you need to immediately increase your business.

Five Leading Speakers in the Industry Participated in this Amazing Event

Brent Gove -  Seven Winning Buyer Strategies That Work!
Rich Levin -  The Five Winning Daily Practices of Mega Producers
Michael LaFido -  The Listing Blueprint
Brad Corn -  3 Lead Generation Secrets of Today’s Top Agents
Mike Parker -  Proven Web Strategies of Top Agents

Regularly $59.94

On Sale Now $39.97

Always be Learning is a concept that comes up often especially for new real estate agents or those that might be struggling to make sense of new techniques. The business is changing so fast that the way the consumer buys is morphing almost every quarter and you need to keep up with that pace of change. However, learning can be confusing and it’s easy to get lost as you move in many different directions. What you quickly realize is that all your effort and energy is dissipated and you’re not EARNING! That’s the big problem here- are we really earning enough in the real estate business now or ever?

Therefore agents and brokers must beware the pitfalls of only working to learn and ensure from day 1 that their plan includes very clear objectives that focus on earning! The best way to do that is to set an exact amount of money that you would like to earn as an agent. When setting this earnings goal, it’s important to be reasonable. Too many real estate agents, who are barely doing any business, begin planning by saying “I’m going to earn a million dollars” Really? How’s that going to happen? Magic?

Start off with reasonable goals based on your level of experience, for example “I would like to net 50 thousand dollars, after brokerage splits and operating expenses”, “I would like to make 100 thousand dollars working with an administrator”, “I would like to make $500 thousand to a million dollars with a team.” Also understand that all goals are scalable and you will build upon each level of earnings achievement by adding leverage with more and better marketing, technology advances and of course additional team members.

Once you have a clear earnings goal, there are three general categories to consider as you pursue the target.  Primarily, you must learn what to do. This will include an understanding of the local market and how many sides you must complete at what price and commission range-very basic math. Secondly, you must learn how to do it. What marketing methods will you use to attract your ideal client; what technology tools will you need to compete; when will you need to hire people?  Finally, you must ask yourself, did you do it. It’s critical to stick to your simple plan and measure your performance against it. How will you ever know if you’re on track to your earnings goal without constantly measuring the critical metrics. This is the only true path to self-accountability.

In summary, the critical point missed by most real estate agents is to always be learning and earning together. Clearly by starting with both of these goals in mind, successful real estate agents have a tremendous advantage as they continue to refine a bullet proof plan. The key ingredient for success of course is in the doing. When you become a doer, you learn the tiny distinctions that you will add to your plan to continue moving up the earnings ladder. You will find yourself not falling for the illusive magic pill and ultimately understand that you have what it takes to be a real estate sales success and all you need to do is be A.B.L.E.-Always Be Learning & Earning.

You can work in the cloud with your phone! Virtual phone systems give small businesses a chance to compete with the large companies when it comes to their business phone system.

Capabilities include local and 800 phone numbers, auto-receptionist, customized greetings, multi extension structure and voicemail boxes, call routing and forwarding, business answering rules, call transfers, virtual call and faxing and integration with most Smartphones.

You never have to miss a call, have clients get busy signals or take after hours calls again.

Pricing ranges from $9- $200 depending on options and usage.

Ringcentral: http://www.ringcentral.com/plansandpricing-aff.html

Phone.com:  http://www.phone.com/products/virtual-office/pricing-plans/

VirtualPBX: http://www.virtualpbx.com/plans-and-prices/ both flat rate and usage options available.

Virtual Call Systems: http://www.virtualcallsystem.com/pricing.asp?LPID=VCS-Blank

Grasshopper: https://secure.grasshopper.com/ $25 activation fee.

Phone People: http://www.phonepeople.com/toll-free-pricing

One of the most common excuses REATLORS® make for not using Facebook as part of their business development plan is that they don’t have the time.  To be blunt, this is a weak argument.  How are you spending your time prospecting now?  Many of you spend three hours or more, every weekend sitting at an open house.  Or, you sign up for floor-time at your office waiting for incoming calls to come to the up-desk.  Or what about the 10 minutes you are waiting for the showing appointment to appear?  Or the 30 minutes you sit and just wait for that signed paperwork to arrive?  How much of that is down time?

With a smart phone and internet access, all of this down time can be easily spent engaging with others on Facebook. Facebook does have a mobile website (m.facebook.com) that makes it possible to surf Facebook from any mobile optimized web browser.  However, the real ease of use comes when you download the Facebook mobile app to your smart phone, which provide a richer, more interactive experience with Facebook from your mobile device.

For example, with the iPhone app, it is possible to create a bookmark to your official page making it far simpler to check in on the page and look for any recent activity that you should respond to (or spam you should delete) as we’ve done for Pixel Coaching in the image to the right.

Also important to understand is that 50% of facebook views are from a mobile device.  In addition, people that use Facebook on their mobile devices are twice as active on Facebook than non-mobile users.  So, if you want to effectively fold Facebook in to your marketing plan, you can become a more engaged user by getting Facebook on your phone.

If you have any of the following phones or operating systems, Facebook has an application you should download:

• iPhone
• Andriod
• Blackberry
• Palm
• Sony Ericsson
• INQ
• Nokia
• Windows Phone
• Sidekick

Links for each application can be found at www.facebook.com/mobile.  In addition, Facebook has  a page dedicated to news about its mobile access (it’s a helpful page to “like”): www.facebook.com/UsingFacebookMobile

Jumpstart your business with tips and strategies from some of America’s leading active agents. Get a winning listing blueprint to earn higher commissions, proven buyer strategies to close more transactions faster, effective lead generation systems to generate more business, a daily and weekly plan to increase your productivity and much more! This five hour webinar series will leave you with valuable information you need to immediately increase your business.

All FIVE sessions $125.00 value for only $19.95! That’s right. All five sessions for one low price of $19.95!

11:00 am EST- Michael LaFido - “The Listing Blue Print”

12:00 am EST - Brent Gove - “Seven Winning Buyer Strategies that Work”

1:00 pm EST -  Brad Korn - “3 Lead Generation Secrets of Today’s Top Agents

2:00 pm EST - Rich Levin - “The Five Winning Daily Practices of Mega Producers”

3:00 pm EST - Mike Parker - “Proven Web Strategies of Top Agents”

Do you know the most misunderstood and incorrectly answered question ever asked of a real estate agent?

“Why should I (your prospects) do business with you rather than another agent?”

If the first thing that comes to your mind is the laundry list of designations and initials behind your name, your eons of experience and impressive sold volume, or a clever tagline-”Everything I touch, turns to Sold” you probably think you have this question in the bag. You would be wrong.

Consumers don’t care about all this talk about YOU!  Whether you are a fan of country music or not, you should understand that every one of your prospects subscribes to Toby Keith’s line of thinking when it comes to buying or selling a home-”Let’s talk about ME!“  They are concerned with their fears, their time, and their money.  Period.

Here are three things you should be doing as an agent to alleviate your prospect’s fears, develop a loyal client base that is eager to do business with you, and continually generate referrals.

1. Offer a Performance Guarantee-An advertisement that reads, “I’ll sell your home in 29 days or I’ll sell it for FREE…100% Guaranteed!” is a lot more compelling than “If you or someone you know is looking to buy, sell, or invest in real estate, I can help.”  This is sure-fire way to get your phone to ring off the hook with sellers who are motivated to sell.  Let’s face it; more leads mean more listings, which in turn means more closings.

Of course, as with any type of guarantee, there will necessarily be some restrictions that the seller must abide by, such as not overpricing the listing.

2. Take Away the Risk-The number of people who balk at signing a binding agreement to work with an agent is staggering.  How can they be sure that you will look out for their best interests, communicate with them, or do what you say you will do?  Make yourself irresistible to your prospects by providing them with the security of knowing that they can cancel the agreement if they aren’t satisfied.

Simply knowing the option exists doesn’t increase the odds that the client will take advantage of it, but it will greatly increase the number of prospects you convert into clients.

3. Provide a Communication Guarantee-The number one complaint consumers report about real estate agents is a lack of communication!  Fortunately, this is actually one of the easiest complaints to fix.  Simply provide your client with a schedule for communication such as, “I will call you every Tuesday to discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly.”  Then make it part of your weekly calendar.  This is a great tool because it provides the accountability to maintain communication regardless of the level of activity on the home and it makes it easier to discuss any issues you may have to address like price changes or staging needs.

Implement these tools into your business and you will be able to answer with confidence why you are the only agent your prospect would ever want to work with.

When you understand what the consumer fears and wants you have the power to offer the precise solution they need and distinguish yourself as not only an expert in your field, but also as an advocate for your client and others like them.    This is what will set you apart in the hearts and minds of the public and will build a strong foundation for your continued growth and success through repeat business and referrals.

The process of shorting an investment property is really no different than shorting a primary residence. There are some implications, however, that could be different depending on your seller’s financial situation. As for submitting the short sale package, you will submit the same package you do for a regular short sale, including a financial worksheet reflecting the financial strain this investment property is having on the owner. As for how the deficit is handled and the tax implication if the debt is forgiven, the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007 only applies to debt forgiven on a principle residence. So, if the lender forgives the deficit (versus retaining the right to go after the seller for the deficit), the seller would have to pick up the forgiven debt as taxable income, which will be reflected on a 1099-C issued to the seller by the lender for the year of the short sale. Now, there could possibly be a workaround if the seller is insolvent, which simply means that their liabilities exceed their assets at the time the debt is forgiven. This is something your seller will want to discuss with a tax professional and/or consult directly with the IRS, so please encourage them to do so. One other thing I will say about working short sales on investment properties, just know that for most lenders, these short sale files are lower priority for lenders than short sales for primary residences. So, it’s just good to know this going in and educate all parties in the transaction accordingly.

Did you see the Barbara Walters special recently - the one where she interviewed self-made billionaires?

It was a fascinating episode!  Ms. Walters spoke with four individuals, asking them what experiences and lessons they had learned in their lives that had led to financial riches.  All four truly had created their own wealth - none had received money through an inheritance, or through some lucky circumstance such as a lottery.  They were truly “self-made” people.

Two of the individuals interviewed were able to create financial success by bringing unique products to the marketplace.  The other two individuals built wealth through perseverance.

Not only did these four individuals created enormous wealth for themselves, one of the four was formerly homeless!

John Paul DeJoria, the “Paul” in the “Paul Mitchell” hair care line, has a current estimated wealth of $4 billion.

When asked the question, “How did you make this happen?” DeJoria said that he was prepared to do things the average person wouldn’t do to become successful.

Bingo!

Sometimes the road to success requires hacking your own path through the jungle - a jungle filled with giant anacondas, tsetse flies, and large man-eating predators.

That’s a jungle no one wants to plunge into.  And really, who wouldn’t rather drive their Jeep on a nicely paved road?

After years of coaching real estate agents, I know for a fact that very few real estate agents are truly working up to their full potential.  That doesn’t mean agents won’t work hard … but they often don’t work hard at the things which are hardest in their business.

This shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone!  It’s tough to tackle activities, ideas, and actions which put us outside our comfort zone.

Think about lead generation.   This is an area where most agents default to whatever sounds easiest, whatever is right in front of them, or whatever their broker says is the “standard” thing to do.  That might be floor time … or open houses.

What if, instead, you were willing to do things other agents weren’t willing to do? What do you think your business might look like if you set aside your fear and unwillingness … and tried doing the things in this industry that others aren’t doing - or aren’t doing well?  What if you called expired listings?  Did geographical farming? Worked with absentee owners?  Helped investors?  Taught first-time home buyers?  Specialized in relocations?  Mined the MLS for shortages?  Each and every one of these methods of lead generation can yield amazing results … and most of them probably made you groan when you read them!

Back to the Barbara Walters program …

All four of the individuals Barbara interviewed said their “aha” moment was when things were darkest for them personally, or in troubled economic times.  Those are the times at which you can make your mark and truly build success for yourself.  Part of that comes because you may have reached bottom.   Rock bottom is a very tough place to be, and it may take being there to propel you to success.

John Paul DeJoria found himself at the bottom, in a very, very dark place.  Determined to pull himself out, he began selling encyclopedias door to door.  Can you think of anything more challenging?  Granted, this was back in the day before the internet was available, and encyclopedias were actually part of the learning landscape, but really - who wants to knock on 50 doors, and be rejected 50 times?  John Paul was willing to do that!  And yes, he might have knocked on 50 doors and heard “no” 50 times … but on the 51^st time he heard “yes”.  And one “yes” is sometimes all you need to start create momentum and begin building the success you’re seeking.

Don’t discount even your small successes.  First, a success will boost your “mojo”.  Nothing feels as good as a “win”. It elevates your spirits, gives you hope, and recognizes your efforts.

More importantly, even the smallest of success is a roadmap for future success.

When talking to agents it’s clear to me that agents are not learning from their moments of success.  I want you to look back on those moments, however fleeting they may seem to you.   What was it that created the success?  Was it a thought, an action, a mindset … or a combination of all three?

If we spent even a tenth of the time analyzing our successes as we do wallowing in our failures, we would have 100 times the success!  Too often, we’re focused on the negativity of the non-results.

Here are the three things I want you to take away from the self-made billionaire segment.

1. Take action.  Your situation will not improve if you don’t take action to improve it.  We don’t live in the magical world of Harry Potter; you must be willing to work for results.
2. Be willing to do the hard work that others won’t do.
3. Learn more from your successes than you do from your failures. Focus on the positive of what worked; learn from what didn’t.  Adapt!