Many
people find agents to be pushy
and aggressive.
In some cases I agree, they are right, but there are
plenty of agents like myself that prefer to let the business find me
rather
than trying to be in your face about it. I do door knock, but I rarely
talk
real estate when I do, I try to find out what their concerns are about
the
neighborhood.
But, what about blogging, I was told for
years that if you print a post card, a flyer, and a radio ad, you
better have a
call to action at the end or they will never call you! Well,
if you read my
posts a lot of times I don’t have that call to action and you know
what? I
still get calls!
Why do I think this is?
Because I try to write my posts like I’m
talking to someone. Heck, in reality I really am talking to someone
when I do
my posts. (You can read about that here.) But, I am more
passive about real
estate. I talk about my family, the business and just my general
knowledge of
the area, and because of that I’m told by many clients that call me
that they
decided to use me because I was knowledgeable and wasn’t pushy about
real
estate at all, I was just a regular guy that they felt they could hang
out
with.
Ask
your friends to read you blog. Ask them to tell
you if they feel you are the same person online as you are offline, if they say “NO” then time to
reconsider how you are
writing your blog posts. Now, if your online presence is nothing like
you in
real life and you are getting tons of leads from it, ignore me and keep
doing
what you are doing, because lead generation is what your blog should
really be
about.
It doesn’t matter the topic in blogging
and social media, it is more about the outcome!
Now that you have finished reading this post and loved it, please send me a referral ASAP. Send it before October 1st and I’ll send you a Cheese Cake upon closing along with your referral fee! (I just had to put a call to action at the end, just to see who would catch it.)
Todd Clark and the Friendly Home Team
Knipe Realty
Todd@IFoundYourNewHome.com
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739
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.
What if there was a way you could search the MLS for FREE just like Realtors
Now you can access the MLS using similar tools as Realtors. You are in control of what you want to search for, and you can search the MLS at your leisure. The information you submit in the form below can also be used to put you on an automated system where you'll be emailed all homes that meet your search criteria. You'll get internet access to a website that includes pictures, prices, and addresses to real estate that's listed in the MLS!
Click here to start your FREE home search now
Hi Todd- I have a friend who would love to move back to Oregon, but she bought her home, in Las Vegas, at the height of the market and can't afford to sell. If the LV market ever comes back, I may have a referral for you. Keep one cheesecake in the freezer ;-)
Good advise; I am looking for ways to be original too.
It just isn't in me to follow some of the "salesy" ways of doing business. If I'm not able to be myself, I wouldn't want to stick with it. I wish I knew someone to refer to you. I love cheesecake!! Great idea, btw.
Todd, The end result is what matters but I agree that you have to be yourself when blogging. Todd Clark is synonymous to Beaverton so if I ever have that referral it's coming your way, but I don't need the cheesecake..I would want it but I definitely don't need it!!
Todd
Like Stacie, I would welcome some cheesecake. The mental image is branded into my brain....so you can be sure of a referral from central Texas when the chance comes.
Todd:
No body caught the call to action: Too busy talking on a cell, checking voicemail, email, snail mail, text messages, Facebook, Twitter....and answering the door to see if it was you ...with a cheesecake in hand.
Todd, Now that is a great question. One I must ponder!
Make this a great week!
Paul
Todd,
I think that Oregonians in general don't like the pushy hard-sell approach. We're just too laid back! I would rather be a local-area knowledge resource for potential clients and not lumped in with the door-to-door cleaning supply salesperson.
So, you want to have a cheesecake throw down? ;-)
Now, I don't think that a call to action has to be pushy and hard-sell! When I write my conversational posts I just add at the end a little something like - "...so don't hesitate to give me a call if you would like to take advantage of the..."
Now, I don't think that a call to action has to be pushy and hard-sell! When I write my conversational posts I just add at the end a little something like - "...so don't hesitate to give me a call if you would like to take advantage of the..."
TC - I dont have a referral for you yet, but I did talk with Jason Crouch last week and I believe he had a referral for you. Does that count? Its a referral by association.
I'd be willing to split a cheescake 8 or 10 ways with you guys! Thanks Todd!
This is a good question. I think it's really essential to have a call to action on the site, but agree that you don't need it on every post. Especially if you talk about a variety of subjects (it'd be hard to put a call to action on a post about your family at a local event!).
Glad some of you got my call to action there and no just because someone you know is sending me a referral that doesn't mean I'm sending you a cheesecake. (you will have to share with the person that send the referral)
I'll tell you what...you send me one and I will send you one back. Good info!
Interesting Todd,
I do believe in a call to action, but more so I believe in encouraging engagement in posts....asking people for their feedback, being transparent, being approachable....being "REAL".
YOu certainly are real and that is most likely why your business is busy:)
**THIS POST IS FEATURED IN THE E-PRO INTERNET TECHNOLOGY GROUP**
I am...
The same except for one thing. That thing is private :)
And you know, when I scare people when I show up armed :)
TLW...ROAR!
Todd, Thanks for the post. I would love the Cheesecake but I do not know anyone who wants to move to your area. Congrats on your Million.
I can't stand pusy people period! Cheesecake sounds like a great incentive!
I think I am going to have my friends read my posts to see if I am the same person on and offline. Congrats on your milestone - well deserved!!!
I am now prospecting for someone that wants to move to Beaverton, Oregon so I can claim MY Cheese Cake.
Thank you
Conversational, eh? I'll have to see if I come across like that in my posts, Todd. Very insightful.
I don't know of anyone moving to Oregon...and I definitely don't need the cheesecake. But a great call to action nonetheless.
Sorry. I just don't know anyone moving to Beaverton. But, you do make it sound like a nice place.
Todd,
As far as I'm concerned you cover the entire state of Oregon. However, So far, I haven't run into anyone enroute to Oregon from Ontario, but, when I do.....
Brian
Todd - I have to agree with you on that - what you write has to come from the heart!
Todd - great point. Pushy sales person always do not make it to my list to do business with. Being passive is great that you will only attract clients that is ready to do business with you and hence saving you time trying to get them as your client.
Todd - Great post. I really need to get more involved and start to blog more often.
Todd, it has been enjoyable going back into your old post to see if what you say rings true. Yesterday, April 27th, 2010 I listed two properties that are short sales becuase I blogged information about this topic consistently. One of the listings when they called repeated the keyword phrase, aree you Joe Pryor the short sale specialist from Edmond, Oklahoma. Then said they clicked through and read the blogs about it. This has been the story for awhile.
You are what I am trying to be-I never have and never will be pushy, lately seems I have a knack for acquiring buyers at interview when they are talking to 3 agents or more. It works.
Todd I agree that you need to be yourself when blogging. At first I didn't get it but then a friend of mine who is very successful said to me "Find your voice?" took a while before I got it but after writing for a while I understood. People want to connect, build relationships and work with me because after reading my blogs they get a sense of who I am and when I show up I'm the same person. Easy going, relaxed, down to earth and professional. Great post!
Todd: I don't usually put a call to action on my blog posts. I prefer to win consumers over with the information I provide. However, I do include a call to action on my monthly newsletters because those are more of a marketing piece.
It seems today is the Official Todd Clark Day! Congrats Todd on your AR milestone! I prefer passive blogging becuase it works for me, but that doesn't mean aggressive blogging doesn't work for others.
Great post Todd; I don't usually put a call to action in the blogs but in the rest of my marketing pieces; I may need to rethink...
I agree. Pushy does not work on me so why would it work with anyone else?
Great tip about having friends and family read your blog. I will take that call to action!
Just checking to see how many cheesecakes you had to send out.
Was that October 2009 or 2010?
Margaret
I put the "call to action" in the same category as the sales scripts- I don't use either except MAYBE very low key- links at the end of the blog that say "search homes for sale in Payson"- something like that. If people want to call or email me they WILL, and they DO.
Great tips. Call to Action is a must, as long as kept under control :)
I don't like pushy. Most of my blogs are devoid of any calls to action - I do get clients, but the question is whether I should be adding them in...
Todd great post. I too hate pushy sales so I try to sell on experience and offer to follow-up if have more questions. I leave one message if they haven't contact me within 24 hrs of the meeting then move on.
If market improves here more up than down I may have one for you. What flavor of cheesecake is it?
Great post! I think if you are not always in people's faces to sell them something they will be more comfortable with you and seek out your help. Good content is the key!
While it may work for you - it is dangerous advice because it flies in the face of every single piece of landing page optimization and psychological research out there. If someone finds you in a search related to real estate, they ae looking for particular pieces of information related to that search - they are looking to act on that search - and they don't want to have to look around a page to find where it is they have to act. Consider that only 28% of all attention on a page is given to content below the fold, 52% of all clicks on any given page are on specific graphical call to actions within the first quarter of any page and that pages with more specific action items tend to have a lower bounce rate and a higher page view rate, you start to understand my point. To test this for yourself, try a CTA and then install a tool like CrazyEgg or VisiStat that track on page clicks and visually represent user attention. I guarantee, whatever result you are having now, you will multiply.
Todd: That's a good point. I think I fall down on the job here. Boy, look what a million points does. Your blogs are all featured today!
Gulp .... you've been nice enough to stop by my blog recently and are you trying to tell me something? Gulp .... I think a call to action is good. A beating on the head is not good. Arrogance is not good. I am better than everybody & I sell the most is not good.
First of all congrats on your million points. Todd, I'm going to try to find you a referral because I really love cheesecake, but if you send me a referral to my are in the Chicago Northwest Suburbs, I will send you a cheese pizza from Lou Malnates!
I try to walk the line between a call to action and being too salesy. I don't want to be too pushy, but I also believe you need to ask.
Every once in a while I throw a call to action out online and it does get a reaction.