In
the Beaverton, Oregon,
real estate market, I love it when an agent tells me signs don’t work.
Yeah, you
just keep saying that to yourself! I agree the internet is important,
heck 90%
of my business comes from it, but guess what, I still get a lot of
business
from my signs as well and I can prove it!
One of my clients was
recently told by another agent, unsolicited I may
add,
that “his agent knows very well, a very large majority of buyers will
see his
listing online” and basically this is why my client doesn’t need a sign.
Here
is the fun part. While I had the sign up for two days
prior to the
HOA
making me take it down, I had two sign calls. Hmmm “Nope, signs don’t
work! You
just keep saying that!” Its interesting how I had two sign calls for
something
that no longer works in this market. (HOW MANY LISTINGS DO YOU HAVE
AGAIN?)
My
question for this agent
that was kind enough to tell my client that signs don’t work is how
many
listings do you have? Do you not put signs on them? If you
think signs
are so
ineffective, if you have listings and I go to them, how come I bet I
will see a
sign right in front of the house and directional signs at the end of
the
street?
I love agents that live
in the neighborhood and are “experts” on that
neighborhood, yet don’t have a single listing in the neighborhood,
telling me
how to do my business. So, please, my fellow agent, you might want to
keep your
mouth shut as your e-mails have been forwarded to the MLS and the real
estate
agency and I’m not the one who did it. (My client is the one that
thinks you
are unethical and slimy for acting this way.)
As long as you think signs don’t work I’m going to tell you, “Nope, signs don’t work, you just keep saying that!” Because if someone wants to live in a certain neighborhood, I promise they drive it everyday!
Todd Clark - Broker / Sales Coach
Palazzo Realty Group
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739
©2009 Todd Clark - Beaverton Oregon Real Estate and more: Nope signs don’t work, you just keep saying that!
Todd Clark and the Friendly Home Team
Knipe Realty
Todd@IFoundYourNewHome.com
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)746-9573
I am a licensed Realtor who specializes in Washington County, Oregon and also work in both Clackamas and Multnomah Counties including the cities of Aloha, Beaverton, Canby, Clackamas, Gladstone, Gresham, Happy Valley, Hillsboro, Milwaukie, Oregon City, Sherwood and Tigard. All information contained in these posts are copyrighted and cannot be used without prior written approval authorization from the author me Todd Clark. If you are looking for an outstanding agent please give me a call I would love to help you with all your real estate needs.
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Hi Todd!
I couldn't agree more...signs are an important part of the marketing of my listings. I get plenty of calls from them and even if that house doesn't work, another one might! I don't believe in flyer boxes...I want them to call me when they see that sign so I can romance the house. Leave the flyers inside the house!
This post was an eye-opener for me. I can't imagine having a listing without a sign!
I agree signs are not as important as they once were but I sell several a year because of them. Let the other agents leave their signs in the garage.
Sometimes old school still works wonders Todd...
Just a thought this Saturday,
Paul
Todd...I always put a sign on my listing properties...In fact, we are getting lots of calls on one of my new listings...calls are from the sign in the yard. Yeah..signs work for me..
Todd, I can attribute 4 of my closings in the last 6 months from sign calls. Unbelievable that someone could say they dont' work.
The only time any marketing won't work for you is when you don't use it! The same thing applys to open houses, if you don't do them, they won't work.
Signs are:
Good for the listing
Good for the buyer
Good for the broker
I'm counting 3 'goods' here.
Everything counts in large amounts! :)
Todd --- don't you just love it when other agents try to get to your sellers? Of course, signs are very important --- next to the Internet that is where buyers come from.
Hi Todd - yes, they do work - to get buyers and more listings. My signs stand out because of the 'Google this address' rider.
Unfortunately, many of our neighborhoods do not allow signs.
Todd,
People tell me all the time that OUR SIGNS are everywhere!!! So somebody is noticing. We get calls all the time off of signs. People do ride the neighborhoods and even visitors do so more now that GPS is common.
I just finished my GRI designation and in a class by Zan Monroe he said the Buyer Conversion ratio on yard signs is 1:10 and Open Houses are 1:20. Hard to argue with that!!!
Todd,
Just sold a listing...Buyer's parents live on the street and notified son when they saw the sign! Don't let anyone suggest signs don't work!
Donna Webber, B.A., Broker, ArcRealty Inc., Toronto, ON, Canada
Todd, sounds like that agent is a disgruntled one without much business. To promote a listing you have to do a lot of everything. Keep the signs coming.
Hi Todd - I agree - signs sure don't work! :-) Funny though, just got off the phone with a man who called me because he saw the sign for a current listing! I wonder who it is that says these kinds of thngs - do you think they really believe it?
Signs are way more effective than print media advertising.
Not only do my signs sell homes but they get me listings too because they're gorgeous and I'm the only one that uses them in my area. Sellers want them on their front lawn. I have Canadian flags on the posts and a rider along the top that is appropriate to that home but many of them simply say "Honey, stop the car!"
Signs are very effective ways to reach the consumer without the other agent. I get a lot of calls on my call capture and hits on the web site due to signs.
I can't believe somebody would say this. Are they advocating don't do this at all. I just got my first listing. The sign goes up this week. I've spent 10-20 hours researching signs, direct response marketing, etc.
I think I'm actually going to get custom signs done. Because that is how I roll.
I'm a custom home builder that builds 1-3 homes per year. The next home I'm bidding is from a client who saw my sign on the last home I built. I'd say they work. I like Susans sign with the flags- good idea. Draw some attention to them.
Todd, you are very right in keeping your signs in action! A Harrison Interactive survey earlier this year reported that 36% of all real estate leads come off the property sign. While the agent did have a valid point about online leads (62% of leads), there have been too many valid points here not to include yard signs in their marketing tactics.
Susan, what fantastic signs! My father (RE/MAX in Missoula, MT) has a few of the "Honey, stop the car!" signs as well; I would encourage all agents out there to seek out an original sign in the same vein that will serve to draw attention from passing homebuyers.
At the risk of shameless self-promotion: Having an eye-catching sign at the property is a good thing; even better would be to make your yard sign interactive so that it delivers the property info to those homebuyers who are interested in receiving it. A few years ago, the standard way to do that was an IVR solution, a 1-800-call-for-info solution. A more modern idea would be to go through an SMS marketing service, thus delivering your listing info/pictures to homebuyers via text message. Consumers appreciate that extra step, as well as the easy, paper-less way of retaining info on properties they like.
If you have questions about making your yard signs interactive, email me at asmith@goomzee.com
Hmmm, well that was pretty stupid on their part. You're right in asking how many signs do they have in the neighborhood, or how about anywhere for that matter! LOL. Good post, sorry that they hassled you, seems petty.
Maybe what they mean is: Signs don't work, they just stand around. Ha Ha
Signs are great they generate calls of potential buyers who may be looking at the neighborhood that the listing is in (and they are seeing the whole neighborhood in all its glory, not just the few pictures available on the internet). Also, the signs let the neighbors know that the property is for sale, and they may have a friend who wants to buy it. (These seem like more likely buyers to me than those that just look on the internet and then call, get more info, and decide they don't like the area.)
There are probably many other reasons to use signs, it's silly to just say they don't work.
Oh my gosh, signs are HUGE (OK not literally, but figuratively, lol) in resort towns. Just huge.
We get so many calls on homes that are on major streets near the beach. It can be frustrating if you have a great listing that is tucked away. But even there, friends of neighbors will call.
It is such a detriment not to have a sign. I agree on the flyer comments. The flyers do not produce calls. The calls themselves can be a source of feedback. We had one call (not my listing!) where the caller, when he heard the price, said, "Well, I guess they don't really want to sell." That's flip but good feedback.
Todd - Of course signs will always be an important part of a listing. There are many people that drive by who will see the sign. They may not have been interested in moving or actively searching for a new home, but when they see this home for sale, they just might be interested in it, or know of someone else that may be interested. I don't think signs on listings will ever go away.
I know signs work too Todd. It is one of the cheapest way to market and brand your territory. Good work!
I was truly amazed at the comment by this other agent and I found out my seller took my post to the next HOA meeting and that other agent who was on the board felt pretty stupid as he read my post and the comments that came along with it.
Signs DO work. Even open house signs work. I can't even tell you how many prospects I've met while setting out or picking up open house signs.
I hate it when I get a listing in a community that does not allow a sign. I have found that some will allow you to post the listing free on their website but most buyers would not necessarily think to look there.
Signage is a nice quiet ad. It works--I get calls all the time because of my signs. It just never sells the house it is in front of.