I’d like to show you, step-by-step, how to create a complete marketing campaign using the best combination of direct response and personal marketing -- the ultimate mix for advertising results.

Where to Start

The best place to start is always with a firm grasp on the basics. Remember that direct-response marketing has one goal in mind: to generate immediate, measurable results from people who want to buy or sell now. It does this by making a compelling offer - - letting people know that you have something they want and need. This could be as simple as an information sheet with a list of your top 10 “hot buys,” a home-staging checklist for sellers or a lengthy multi-page special report on your market. Obviously, the more valuable the information, the better you response rate will be.

Get Inside the Consumers' Heads

Remember that, for most people, the thought of calling a real estate agent when they're thinking about buying or selling is intimidating. By offering to answer their questions with "no strings attached" and sending them information in the mail, you become less intimidating - - the real estate "good guy."

Don't be afraid to give away your expertise. Remember the law of reciprocity: When you give people something for free -- information, for example -- they feel obligated to give you something in return -- their business.

The Power of the Phone

One of the best tools for gathering this harvest of people interested in the information you have to offer is a toll-free automatic number identification hotline like the Hobbs/Herder Powerline. This is an 800 number agents can use to make available information regarding listings, market information, etc. The big benefit for consumers is that it provides an easy, pressure-free way to access information they most want, 24 hours a day, without having to speak directly to an agent -- making them more likely to use it.

The biggest benefit for the you as an agent is that you automatically get a listing of every person's phone number who calls. And depending on if they want you to send them information, you'll also have their names and addresses. This allows you to build your mailing list of potential clients who have identified themselves as being interested in your service as a real estate professional.

Converting the Unconverted

Once the consumer has identified themselves by responding to your direct-response offer, the challenge for you will be to convert those interested callers into satisfied clients. Developing a system for doing this is step two in your overall direct-response marketing plan.

The most important part of this plan is to determine how you will get the information to clients once they request it. If you opt to use an 800 hotline like the The Powerline, most of these services offer immediate fax back capabilities.

Neither Rain, Nor Sleet...

If your offer is for a special report or other information that must be mailed to callers, it is absolutely critical that you have a system organized to get that information to them as quickly as possible. This includes having enough copies of the information on hand as well as the means to get all the envelopes addressed and sent out. Studies have shown that waiting as little as 48 hours to fulfill a request can cut your conversion rate in half.

Be sure to send a copy of your personal brochure along with the report/information, and send a warm, no-pressure cover letter indicating that your brochure is being sent to merely introduce yourself. And in the event they may be needing the services of a real estate professional, indicate that you hope your brochure will help in their selection process. Offer to answer any questions they may have -- without obligation.

What Next?

The next step is to decide how you'll advertise your special offer. With classic direct-response advertising, you would be doing nothing but advertising your special offer. The caveat with this type of advertising is it does nothing to establish brand image in the potential clients' minds. In other words, it creates a need in their minds for the information you're offering, but it may not create a need in their minds for you. That's the gap you need to bridge in order to convert those callers into paying clients.

Their first call to you for information is the beginning of a dialogue that would include your targeting them with your existing personal marketing materials to introduce yourself and begin to build a relationship. Or instead of making a offer of free information, you could create a compelling case for why potential clients should call you instead of your competition.

Power of Personal Marketing

One risk is that there is nothing to keep your competition from usurping your advantage by simply offering the same level of services you have established in your ads. This is where personal marketing comes to the rescue. Because personal marketing is designed to establish your image in the clients' minds and develop a relationship with them, it gives your direct-response advertising more credibility and power. Direct-response advertising needs the personal marketing to set you apart from the competition.

Published: May 1, 2003

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Co-founder of Hobbs/Herder Advertising and Hobbs/Herder Training, Greg Herder is recognized as the real estate industry's foremost authority on residential real estate marketing and agent productivity training. Herder is also a licensed Certified Residential Broker (CRB) and owner of MegaAgent Realty, and co-owner of JDG investments, a real estate investment company. Herder is a featured columnist on real estate marketing and training issues for Realty Times, Real Estate Executive Magazine, Savvy Executive Profiles, and, as well as a contributor to a variety of other industry publications, including Realtor® Magazine and Real Estate Business Magazine. He also authored the innovative how-to book “Satisfaction Guaranteed - 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed or Your Money Back," which ushered this unique concept into the world of real estate service. Greg has conducted over 1500 one, two or three day seminars over the past 17 years for the real estate industry and is a professional member of the National Speakers Association (NSA). He graduated cum laude from California State University with a BA in psychology and is currently working on getting his PhD in Organization Behavior.