by Byron G. Torres
When it comes to marketing and getting our names “out there”, the pieces may have changed but the rules remain the same. Technology can never replace hard work but it can increase the number of people who see you and how those people see you.
• We still need to let everyone know what it is we do
• We still have to ask for referrals from all of our customers and prospects
• Networking is a must
• and we still have to canvass our territories
Then and Now
Let everyone know what we do
Then
Unless you had the ability to be booked to speak to a group, our option was to go around and introduce ourselves one person at a time. Although still a good idea to do this, it used to be this was the only way to get in front of potential customers.
Now
Emails and streaming video have made it simple to reach multiple people at the same time. Depending on the size of your database you could be seen by hundreds of people with one simple email and video on your website.
Asking for referrals
Then
Face to face, on the phone or via good old fashioned mail.
Now
Face to face, on the phone or via good old fashioned mail PLUS with the added technology available today, referrals should be flowing in consistently. #1 rule of asking for referrals: ASK (regardless of what methods or technology you use to ask)
Networking is a must
Then
Donuts to real estate offices and mixers
Now
Twitter, youtube, facebook, LinkdIn….and the list goes on and on.
Networking has truly leaped into the 21st century. The ability for us to network with the masses is growing with every social media website that is launched. We do not have any reason to not network. As an example, I was recently on a prospect’s twitter page looking at his company’s daily updates. I noticed one of his followers in a similar industry had a blog but did not have a website. I sent him a “tweet” and we struck up a dialog. Short of it is that I have now developed a website and a video for my prospect’s Twitter follower.
That example may not always be the result but it is a good example of how networking has changed. My company is in California and his company is based in Florida. Had I not used this social media website, odds are I would have never had the opportunity to work with him.
Use the mediums available to you. They are free but you do have to work at it to be seen. Just because you build it does not mean they will come.
Canvass Our Territories
Then
Door knock neighborhoods and local real estate offices.
Now
Not a bad idea to continue to do what we did then but again, use the technology available to your advantage.
Use email, text marketing and videos for the web to multiply your efforts and to increase your results.
We now have the ability to be in more than one place at once. Websites, videos and social media allow us to communicate with customers and prospects 24 hours a day. Work hard and smart and sales will continue even through market downswings.
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