RealTown's RealTalk

I'm going to start getting back to basics like when I started in Real Estate. Its sort of funny. When I was new in the business, I did the basics. As one gets successful, I stopped doing what got me there! Now I want to position myself for when our market comes back. I'm going to begin farming a few neighborhoods again.

Here is my question. Anyone have any good ways of gathering email addresses of people in a neighborhood? Using email to farm will sure be less than postage. I just can't figure out how to get them. A contest? everyone who sends in their email goes in a pot for a drawing? Any ideas would be appreciated, as well as ideas on mail outs.

Jim Clauser
Your Real Estate Consultant For Life
RE/MAX Associates Athens, Inc.
706-714-1181 Direct
706-433-0542 Fax
http://www.JimClauser.com <http://www.jimclauser.com/> to view over 3000 homes!
mailto:Jim@JimClauser.com
Check out my Blog at
http://www.VisitJimsBlog.com <http://www.visitjimsblog.com/>

I've considered this too. If you want e-mails for a specific neighborhood, you might consider taking a bus bench in the area and advertising a website (which you sponsor) that sends out neighborhood coupons (along with market updates). I find that women will give up there first born for a good coupon so an email address ought to be a snap!

If not a bus bench then maybe a bill board, or an ad in the the neighborhood newspaper, or perhaps you could do one postcard campain directing folks to your "coupon" website.....

I agree that a Newsletter is much better than an email system for "Farming" a neighborhood. Newsletters are something yoiu can hold in your hand - you can read while relaxing on the couch - it also has a "Shelf Life" longer than emails, IMO.

After you get established with your "Farming" efforts - Newsletter (best IMO) or Letters, etc you can collect email addresses via a drawing for dinner or something else of value. We have a "Question of the Month" for receipents of our Newsletter.

We do collect email addresses from these - but it seems to be mostly the same players each month. The point is just holding a "cold" drawing or some other type of "Cold" activity to obtain emails will produce only minimal results from my experience.

JIM
Jim Cummings
AVALAR360
512-633-3853

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Jim says,

"I'm going to start getting back to basics like when I started in Real Estate. Its sort of funny. When I was new in the business, I did the basics. As one gets successful, I stopped doing what got me there! Now I want to position myself for when our market comes back. I'm going to begin farming a few neighborhoods again."

I recently went to a social networking class and the instructor had a really simple way to describe the NEW "farming' methods.

The basic OLD formula was 1) Send out 5 thank you cards per day 2) Make 3 phones per day to your sphere of influence 3) "stop by" to see one person per day. This formula, if followed regularly, kept new and experienced agents very busy. But, this is now the OLD way. The NEW way is:

Sign up for at least 5 Social Network sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, ActiveRain, RealTalk,Twitter, Your own Blog, etc.

1) Instead of snail mailing Thank You cards, POST 5 times per day on your sites 2) COMMENT on at least 3 posts written by others 3) INVITE one person every day to 'connect'

Now before you say how much work that is, try Hellotxt.com, it's free. All you have to do is write ONE post and this site will upload it to ALL of your medias.

I am still trying to get used to it, but I know that, if done on a regular basis, the business will come.

Hi,

Funny that this showed up in my email today just when people were talking about "farming". I love geographical farming and here is an article that came out today at Broker Agent Pro featuring several successful "farmer" and what they do.

Click here to read the article

Win

**********************
Win Singleton, CRB, e-PRO
Associate Broker
Northern Virginia Real Estate, Inc.
1018 Shipman Lane, Suite 200
McLean, VA 22101
(703) 536-7631
wins@winsingleton.com
Licensed in Virginia
**********************

I agree back to the basics. Content and contact is what builds relationships that can produce business.

Eric P. Mott
720-530-5000 Direct

Jacky Mitchell, Realtor
ABR Accredited Buyer Representative
e-PRO - Real Estate Internet Professional
SRES -Senior Real Estate Specialist
RECS -Real Estate Cyberspace Specialist

Coldwell Banker Preferred - Blue Bell
Email: jacky.mitch@verizon.net
Cell: 610-220-7508
Office Direct: 267-465-5985

JIM
The Jim Cummings Team
CRS, GRI, RECS, e-Pro 500
Real Estate Consultants
512-633-3853 mailto:Jim@AustinTxMls.com
AVALAR 360 - 7000 Bee Caves Rd., Austin, TX 78746
512-732-7001 Office 888-633-3853 Toll Free

Website: http://www.AustinTxMls.com