How Small Ads Lead To BIG Profits In Real Estate
Get Higher Rent, More Money When You Sell & Better Tenants Who Pay Your Mortgage!
A Special Edition For The Subscribers Of The Official REIN™ Canada Web Site! Welcome to a special edition of the Don R. Campbell’s “Results Only” Marketing E-letter a newsletter devoted solely to helping you get better results in your business and real estate. Each issue gives you SPECIFIC, STEP-BY-STEP actions you can take to vastly improve your marketing results.
In this issue we're going in-depth into the world of classified ads. These ads are used around the globe as an economic engine for real estate investors. In fact, the quality of your classified ads can make or break your real estate business. After this “Special Edition” you are going to have all the secrets you need to quickly rise above the competition.
So lets get right to the secrets of using small ads for big profits in your business or real estate: Here's What We're Going To Cover:
A. The Four Critical Points To Writing Classified Ads
B How To Write Your Own Classified Ads So Your Phone Rings Off The Hook - A Proven System
C. Samples etc.
MARKETING GOLD NUGGET #1
Before we get started, there is a critical piece of information you must have: There is something most advertisers forget when they are placing their classified ads in the newspaper or on a web site. The newspaper has already done a lot of filtering for you, leaving you with only the true prospects.
They accomplish this in two ways; first by the geographic location of their publication (eg "Abbotsford Times-Colonist") and secondly by grouping similar classifieds under a specific heading (eg Suites For Rent N.W.).
In other words, the prospect is already filtered down to motivated readers in for a certain area. This saves you money as there is no need to waste valuable words telling them what they already know (geographic location). So instead of starting with the lame (but often copied) North West Abbotsford Suite For Rent... we can be much more creative and focus on getting them to pick up the phone and dial your number!
And here’s how to do that:
A The Four Critical Points To Writing Classified Ads: The following is a detailed listing of how to write and structure your classified ad for best results:
#1 Must Have A Good Headline – Classified Ad Headline Rules · All Bold - Not All Caps (All Caps is difficult to read) · No Abbreviations In Headline · Visually Stand Out From Other Ads (take a look at the ads in the section you'll be advertising in and then make yours look and sound different by following the strategies in this newsletter) · Most Effective Real Estate Headlines Are Be Two Styles: · Eye-Catcher (grabs their attention) "Must Rent. Going To Cuba." · Benefit (tells them an immediate benefit they'll receive from your product) "Finally A Place To Call Home"
#2 Must Address The Readers Needs (Wants) Don’t Break These Rules! · Become Your Target Market - Think Like One Of Your Prospect. (Eg. Think Back To When You Were Renting - What Were You Looking For In A Home?) · Sound Like A Human Use "People Talk" Not "Classified Ad" Talk · Use Sentences and Adjectives (make it easy on your prospects) · Must Contrast With Others In The Section (don't get lost in >the noise') · Write As If Your Talking To One Person Not A Group (use words like You and Your) · Always Remember You're Talking With People Who Have A Burning Desire For Your Property
#3 Make It As Long As It Needs To Be · There Is A False Economy Keeping Ad As Short As Possible (the people reading your classified are already filtered prospects looking for your product/service. Tell them what you need to tell them so they can make a decision) · It Must Be Tight - Not Short (Don't just make it long for the sake of being long - write tightly) · Boast About Benefits Of Your Product or Service (Not The Features answer the question "What's In It For Me?") · Use Adjectives such as "Bright Kitchen," "Instant Access," "FREE Report," "Private Deck" · Remember This is Your Sales Presentation - Be Clear And Sell The Sizzle Not Just The Steak
#4 Must Leave Them With A "Feeling" or Emotion ·
You Must Use The Emotion Words >Home' >Comfort' >Enjoy' >Relax' >Easy' >Instant' >Support' etc. ·
You Must Create A Picture In Their Mind Of The Area. (Especially powerful with real estate) "Walk To School, Parks And River Valley" · Create A Picture In Their Mind Of Their New Lifestyle (Especially powerful with real estate)"Enjoy The Sunset In Your Fully Fenced Back Yard", "Warm Days On Your Private Deck - Warm Nights By Your Fireplace" ·
You Must Create Desire (You already know they want/need your product, now make them want your product NOW!) ·
You MUST Have Call To Action (Most people miss this one. Ask For The Sale -- Don't Wimp Out! Eg: Call Today, Won't Last Long. or Limited Number, Call Richard Today at...)
If you use these above 4 critical points as a checklist every time you write a classified ad, your ad will pull at least 200% above a regular ad. Now, here are the steps I use every time I write a classified ad to ensure I get maximum results with the smallest investment:
B. How To Write Your Own Classified Ads So Your Phone Rings Off The Hook This is the system I use every time I need to create a >killer' classified ad. Using this system will help you to uncover a unique benefit your product/service offers PLUS it will also give you a large portion of data you can use in your other marketing and follow-up materials. These are the steps:
Step #1 Lead Generating or Direct Sale? Decide whether you want to create a lead generating ad or you want to sell your product or service directly.
Lead generating ads work best if you:
1. Have a complex product that needs a detailed explanation OR
2. Your product costs more than $25 OR
3. You are looking for long-term clients, so this is the start of a relationship with this client OR
4. You have a proven back-end marketing system that will convert these leads
Direct sales ads work well if:
1. It's an easy product to describe product with obvious benefits. OR
2. Your product is under $25 OR
3. Its a service business and the regular benefits are obvious, but you have a >special' story to tell.
Step #2 CREATE YOUR DATA SHEET! List EVERYTHING you could possibly think of about your product/property/service. Ensure you cover both features (the actual facts about the product) and benefits (what the customer gets when using the product). Be creative, have fun with this (no one else will see this list) because out of being creative will come the SPARK that drives your ad.
Step #3 Rate Your List!
Review your above list and rate the items on a scale of 1 to 5 in importance to YOUR CLIENT. Remember NOT YOUR importance - your clients'. Focus on your client -- the renter doesn't care how much you spent, pr whether it has a new roof. They are listening for "What's in it for Them?" This step may actually hurt some business owners because what's truly important to your clients, may be extremely trivial and boring to you. Get rid of prejudices and be brutally honest "What Are They Looking For?"
Step #4 Create The Headline Using The #1 Priority Or Hidden Benefit. This is where it starts to get fun! Now take your list and pick out the two items you rated as your clients' most important items as well as the two that are really off the wall or unique. One or a combination of these will become your headline.
For Example: Headlines for the rental suite: Get Naked With A Good Friend (this of course refers to the 2 person tub) OR
Big, Bright & Quiet OR Warmth In The Winter OR FREE Utilities - FREE View
Always remember, your headline is the "Ad for your Ad." It must stand out from all the rest in the section... and the headline must have a benefit in it NO EXCEPTIONS!
Step #5 The 4 Critical Points Write Ads Using "4 Critical Points" (revealed at the beginning of this newsletter) as a check list. The first draft will always be long (usually much too long) but don't edit, because the information you come up with in this whole exercise will be useable for your other marketing. Never, Ever Edit During The Process! Work through your draft to hit the best benefits, and best call to action.
Step #6 Take Action PLACE THE AD! This is the easiest part of the exercise. Pick up the telephone and place your ad with the publication of your choice. Marketing is all about testing and getting feedback from your prospects Now's the time of truth. Place the ad, measure the results and then challenge yourself to make it even more effective by testing small changes.
MARKETING GOLD NUGGET #2
The Most Powerful Words You Can Use In ANY Advertising. Use These Words often and use them liberally:
FREE, Discover, Proven, You, Save, Money, Guaranteed, New, Easy, Results, Announcing, Yes, Protect, Now, Love.
Have Fun and I look forward to seeing your results! Here is an ad example with the actual results you can use as templates:
EXAMPLE #1 - Feelings & Emotions
BEFORE: GOLD FISH WELCOME! 1000 sq ft, 3-brdm bung, 1 2 baths, fridge stove, very clean $699/mo. Immed. 123 - 45th ave. Pat 555-1212 (Ran for 10 days cost of $100. Received only 6 calls all of them asking for reduction in rent. No renters found)
AFTER: FINALLY A PLACE TO CALL HOME Sit in the cool of your fully fenced back yard as you enjoy the sunset. Quiet, yet close to schools, shopping LRT. 3 bedrooms + den including large master bedroom with private ensuite. Bright, clean with lots of storage. Only $740 per month. Call Pat at 555-1212 and COME HOME.
Results: New Ad booked for 3-days at cost of $51. After 2 days, the ad was cancelled with a list of 30 legitimate rental prospects, no one asked for rental discount. It was rented immediately for $45 per month more than first ad was asking for.
This ends an extra long version of the "Don Campbell Results Only Newsletter" I trust you'll be able to use these strategies to create some new and exciting results. See you next time.
Don R. Campbell "Turning Business Dreams Into Realities... One Entrepreneur At A Time!" Results Only Marketing 105 - 150 Crowfoot Cres. NW #1018 Calgary, AB T3G 3T2 Tel 1-888-824-7346 Fax (604) 856-0091