| Sales and Marketing and paying attention to | | | | We had a Harley on display alongside a 1967 |
| your clients goes a really long way. | | | | Mustang. |
| | | | |
| One of my clients is a land developer in an | | | | We treated them special. |
| executive lake front community. The homes | | | | |
| are $750,000 ' $1.5 Million dollar custom | | | | And they ate it up. |
| built beauties. | | | | |
| | | | The problem though is the responses I got |
| We were brought in to "be" their marketing | | | | back from the email list. |
| department. To most outsiders, our firm looks | | | | |
| like we are actually employees. | | | | People replied back saying they waited and |
| | | | waited ' but never heard back and ended up |
| The reason we were brought in was their past | | | | buying elsewhere. At least 10 of those |
| marketing manager. | | | | responses (let's see now ' 10 people x |
| | | | $1,000,000 homes = $10,000,000 down the |
| She got fired. | | | | drain!). |
| | | | |
| For a VERY good reason. | | | | People called me names ' some nasty. |
| | | | |
| This was a person who acted as if the company | | | | Overall, people were very thankful. |
| was her own, and as if she was not | | | | |
| accountable at all for marketing funds. | | | | Which leads me to the whole point of this |
| | | | article... |
| When I first started digging around, it was | | | | |
| very evident that this person loved to spend | | | | You MUST collect leads from interested party |
| the companies' money ' without any thought to | | | | but even more important is you MUST follow up |
| results. | | | | with them. If people express their interest ' |
| | | | the job is at least 50% done. Then it is in |
| Ads being run in newspapers and magazines | | | | effective follow up to close the deal. |
| that DEFINITELY did not target the right | | | | |
| demographics. | | | | This company neglected this database ' and |
| | | | even worse, neglected these peoples trust. |
| Radio spots being run on stations that 18 | | | | |
| year old skateboarders listen to (how many of | | | | It will be interesting to see what we can do |
| them do you think will buy a million dollar | | | | with some effective follow up. |
| home?) | | | | |
| | | | From what I have seen so far ' simple letters |
| A website that looks pretty but is seriously | | | | and emails will help sell million dollar home |
| lacking good quality content. The one VERY | | | | sales. Of course it will take more than just |
| good thing they have on the site is a form to | | | | that ' but most people were very happy to get |
| fill out for more information...but this is | | | | emails and print letters from us. |
| part of the big problem. | | | | |
| | | | I will keep you updated on the progress of |
| People were filling this form out ' and NEVER | | | | this project ' it is a fun one. |
| hearing back from anyone. | | | | |
| | | | Remember, keep a database ' and follow up |
| I tried to find all their databases. | | | | with them! Invite them to special events. |
| | | | Give them gifts. Treat them like gold. And |
| "Data what?" | | | | follow up with them again, and again, and |
| | | | again. |
| No one had a clue on where the databases were | | | | |
| or even what they were. | | | | You are criminally neglecting these people if |
| | | | you take their names and do nothing with |
| After a month I managed to compile a list of | | | | them. |
| ~ 2,000 interested prospects that had either | | | | |
| been to the website and filled out the form | | | | The sad part? |
| attended an event phoned in or visited the | | | | |
| information centre or had expressed some form | | | | This client is much like 95% of the companies |
| of interest at one point. | | | | out there in existence today. |
| | | | |
| Remember ' these are people who have not | | | | Which is why it doesn't take much to stand |
| heard a word back from the developer ' some | | | | out from the crowd as people are sadly quite |
| of them filled the form out a year or more | | | | used to this kind of neglect? |
| ago! | | | | |
| | | | Be the one that does pay attention. |
| First thing I did was send an apology letter | | | | |
| to everyone on the database. Imagine the | | | | And be the one who shows them that you DO |
| shock the staff had when I told them we have | | | | care about their business. |
| to apologize for being so tardy (and | | | | |
| downright dumb) about lack of follow up. | | | | PS ' If you are looking for investment |
| | | | properties or are looking for one of the best |
| Then I invited them all to 2 parties coming | | | | communities to live in ' let me know! In the |
| up. | | | | first 24 months, the lots in this community |
| | | | have gone up 250% in value. |
| Then I sent an email as well ' giving more | | | | |
| information and reasons to attend. | | | | The one person who lives there now has |
| | | | tripled his money in less than 2 years! |
| The first was a VIP party held on Wed night. | | | | Calgary (where I live) is a SCREAMING hot |
| It turned out fabulous! We had 80-100 people | | | | real estate market right now ' average home |
| show up and were very happy to hear from us | | | | prices are going up at 10% a month right now. |
| and see all the progress being made. We | | | | And this is the ONLY natural lake front |
| served them top quality wine, cheeses, and | | | | community being built ' or even available |
| bread. We gave them leather bound | | | | right now. Let me know if you want more |
| information packages with a ton of content | | | | information. |
| and information inside. We gave out prizes. | | | | |