The individual zebra does not want to be distinguished from all the other zebras that are roaming around.  For zebras, standing out in the herd or separating in any way from the herd can be deadly if a lion is lurking nearby.   Just the opposite is true for real estate agents.  For agents and brokers, standing out in the crowd is a good thing.  It is looking and acting like all the other agents in town that will kill sales momentum.  Still, most agents in your town more than likely do very little to set themselves apart.  Why?  Because it is easier!

LIONS AND CUSTOMERS

  Anyone who watches nature shows on TV knows that lions are confused by a closely-knit herd of zebras that blend together in a mass of black and white stripes. The lion cannot identify or distinguish a single zebra to attack.  So the smart Zebra sticks close to the herd.  There is a parallel between lions and prospective customers.  Customers have difficulty distinguishing one agent from another when agents behave like Zebras and all do the same thing.  Agents who send out canned postcards; agents who rely on template Websites and agents who do not take the trouble to develop a unique message are all making sure that prospective customers cannot tell them apart from each other. 

BREAKING FREE

  Of course it is easy to do what everybody else is doing and it requires thought and effort to break away in a professional and customer-pleasing way.  We can make it a lot easier for you when you request a Free Custom Web Plan at http://www.sellrealestate.net/FreeWebPlan.asp.  No need for you to blend into the crowd.

If you have children (read that teenagers) I am sure you have seen the look on their faces when you are trying to talk with them about something important but all they seem to be hearing is “Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah…”    In other words, they are not listening.  Your words are not getting through. Both teenagers and adults react predictably to too many spoken or written words.  I think it is a function of living in a fast paced world when we all want instant message and instant gratification.  Smart marketing gets to the point quickly.  Yes, it is a lot harder to say things in fewer words but in advertising, often the less said the better.

A RULE OF THUMB FOR WRITING TIGHT COPY

  First, spend 3 times as much time editing your copy as you do writing it.  Remove all unnecessary words.  If you are working with a template site that lets you add pages of text, here is a quick way to judge whether or not the text is too long.  If you are viewing the page on a normal size browser, 15 to 18 inches, and you have to scroll down the page to read all the text, it is too long.  If the page you are creating is interactive, you can extend further down the page, however, I do not know of too many templates that let you create a good interactive page.

THINK HEADLINES

  When writing copy for Web pages or for flyers or for media ads, your headline is the most important part of your text.  In many cases, your heading is the only part of your text that Web visitors will ever read.  In fact, studies show that people read headlines, captions under or next to pictures, bullets if not too many and they read interactive copy such as what you see at http://www.sellrealestate.net
/LeadGeneration.htm.

When the agents in your office or your town send out postcards to prospective customers, what do they say?  What do your postcards say?  What do other agents have on their Websites?  What do you have on your Website?  If you are guilty of being just like everybody else and of saying just what everybody else says, you need to TAKE ACTION.   If you do not take action and change your approach you will find it very difficult to break away and reach your income potential. 

BROKERS CAN GUIDE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

  An effective way to guide agents in the right marketing direction is to create a custom Website that makes it easy for agents in your brokerage or on your team to stand out like a shining star.  In other words, if you want to help agents farm more effectively, a Custom Website can make it easy.  Maybe some agents want to target FSBOs and expired listings, a custom Web will make a world of difference to the bottom line.  Actually, it really doesn’t matter what target audience you or your agents want to attract, I can show you how a custom Website will lighten your load and increase your results.   Call me toll free at 888-814-5347 or visit me online and sign up for a FREE Custom Web Plan http://www.sellrealestate.net/FreeWebPlan.asp . 

WHAT IF YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN?

  The act and the discipline of planning for and setting up a Custom Website forces the agent or broker involved to work out an effective plan or strategy for getting the job done.  Once the site is up and running, it is your guide as to what to say on postcards you send out, on media ads or announcements, on bus benches, billboards, TV or Radio spots…In fact, a well-planned custom Website is your marketing plan and all you have to do is follow it.  That alone will assure that you never behave like a zebra.