The market is changing and agents are going to want more and more help with getting business. What can we do as managers to drive more business to the office? Let me give you a few ideas.
Start with your Advertising
Take a look at your advertising. Is it tired? Does it stand out in the newspaper or magazine? Is it interesting? Is it easy to read? Is the print large enough? Does it make a statement about your office or company? Is the statement that you are like everyone else? If so, make some changes. How about doing something revolutionary, like advertising less properties, but in a more appealing way.
We all have pressure from our sellers to see their property in the paper every week. Is that really doing the property any good? Wouldn't it be better to have it be advertised as one of the properties of the month with a little larger photo? Yes.
If you only have one page in the paper or magazine, how about subsidizing an additional page and have the agents "buy" space on it. If your advertising is standing out from the crowd, they will want to advertise with you.
Market to your office Clientele
The best way to drive revenue back to your office is to advertise to your past clients. They like the job that was done for them generally and they don't hear from their particular agent nearly enough. Fill that gap. Start an advertising program in your office of sending information on the marketplace to each client monthly, or quarterly at a minimum. This will only enhance whatever the individual agent is sending to the client.
You can do this in a postcard format. One side can be a nice color photo of the office or a landmark in your community and the other the message. These can be on 4x6 cards so the cost is minimal-there are companies out there that will print 500 custom cards for $99 (full color on one side, black and white on the other).
Make the information valuable that you send. You can use MLS statistics on the general marketplace; you can use great sales statistics from your office; you can use percentage changes from the previous year; etc. You can remind people of tax advantages of real estate during tax season or give them some tax tips that you gather from a local tax accountant. You have lots of sources of information. If you find it interesting, the past clients will, too.
Create Consumer Contests
Talk with your office about having a contest where people who go to your open houses can enter a drawing for a new computer system. See how many want to participate and spread the cost over all the participants. Then have a big splash open house Sunday advertising it at the top of your regular ad, lots of balloons on all the signs, entry forms at each open. Make it a big event. Get your agents involved. Have them walk the neighborhood where they will be holding their open house and deliver invitations and asking the neighbors to come by to enter the drawing for the computer system.
Hold Thank You Party
Another way to generate some revenue to your office is to rent a theater and show a first-run movie. Invite all your past and current clients. Have all your agents there and give away tickets for popcorn or Red Vines and a free drink. You want this to be a family event. You want them thinking about you and how much your office does for the community.
Or, you could have a big picnic at the park. Have some of your service vendors provide the hot dogs, potato salad, or drinks. Your office and agents will arrange for games for the kids, maybe someone to do face painting, a clown to make balloon animals, etc. Everyone there will know that this is to say thank you for using your company. Do you think they will tell their friends about your office or company? You bet.
It is going to be more important than ever to take control of your office and help generate more revenue. Budget for it, make it part of your overall office plan for this year, and watch how well you adapt to the coming market.
