S T R AT E G I C MARKETING GUIDE F O R A S S O C I AT E S
Strategic Marketing The strategic marketing guide is a collection of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties' top solutions to brand yourself, market your listings, and connect with buyers. It all begins with you, marketing, and ad agency design. First impressions are everything. In business having a great presence on-line and print is not an option, they are a necessity. Which is why Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties works so hard to help you be seen. When creating value for your clients and customers you want to feel confident you achieve the level of professionalism and customization to meet your clients expectations. Capturing the attention of consumers requires tailored messages and appealing graphics. We ensure your marketing is engaging the audience that it means to attract. We focus on the details of each marketing piece to deliver creative designs that speak to your client and evoke an emotional response. When unique or specialized situations require hyper local messaging and design, our associates have the opportunity to discuss options with our marketing team. Our Luxury Collection concierge service is at your fingertips. They work closely with you to develop a marketing strategy that is custom-tailored to individual properties, ensuring that the right resources are deployed to fit your client's specific needs. We strategically locate a team of graphic designers and marketing strategists across Metro Atlanta, Southern Crescent, Mountain, and Lake regions. The Marketing Services Team will help you determine the best solution for all of your marketing needs.
DEVELOP YOUR PERSONAL BRAND When creating your personal brand, consider your story and how you want to be identified. The right branding efforts will shape your customers’ perception of your value, and resonate deeply with your client base. There are many aspects of your branding to consider, from the name of the business, to its visual look-and-feel, and the language it applies. Think about what makes you unique, and what your motivation is for doing the work that you do. View your business from the point of view of your clients and customers. Think about how they can benefit from your service, and what can make them care about it deeply. Taking the time to carve out your brand personality and define these attributes right from the start will keep you from having to re-brand yourself prematurely.
HOW TO ESTABLISH YOUR OWN BRAND 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Research the competition Establish your own brand personality Choose the right business name Craft a catchy slogan or tagline Design a professional logo Define a visual language Build a brand voice Apply your branding consistently
Check your competitors’ websites and social media channels, paying close attention to everything from the design to the marketing strategy. Think of any must-haves that you’d like to include in your own brand, as well as any elements that are missing or could be improved. Answer these three questions: 1. What do you do? 2. How do you do it? 3. And why? Branding assets, logos, and guidelines are all important, but the way you interact with your customers will leave them with a feeling that will last a lifetime. Familiarize yourself with advertising rules and guidelines. The Georgia Real Estate Commission has specific advertising rules (Rule 520-1-.09.) The name of the firm must be in equal or greater size, prominence, and frequency than the name of any affiliated licensee. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices also has branding guidelines, (bhhsresource.com/resourcecenter/s/article/Global-Branding)
Agent Marketing Services design team assists our Elite Associates with developing a personal brand identifier/logo that is in compliance with both GREC and the franchise.
PERSONAL branding
SHARE OF VOICE MATTERS What do you get when you combine Berkshire Hathaway Inc., Warren Buffett, and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices? A powerful brand halo that stands the test of time. According to Meltwater, a media monitoring platform that tracks the share of voice which measures the news coverage for each company, the unmatched combination of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., Warren Buffett, plus Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices drives more than 71% of the real estate industries news coverage. Our closest competitor has a mere 7.7%. The exposure that is created by this prestigious Halo Effect means, as a Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties associate you have access to the most powerful media tools in the industry to promote your client’s real estate needs.
SHARE OF VOICE branding
Your custom designed website and marketing assets blend innovative technology with beautiful art and design precision, offering a contemporary, minimalistic style that focuses on clean lines, ample white space, and stunning imagery. A hand-crafted approach to design that from a single glance will promote the quality of your brand and the services offered to consumers. Our creative designers and professional concierge assistants work hand in hand with you, choosing from our designer-crafted website templates, to help you build your dream website. And with the industry's most innovative drag and drop website builder, the sky's the limit for personalizing your web business!
HOW TO ENHANCE LISTINGS USING YOUR PERSONAL WEBSITE • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Add Additional Photos - you can add an unlimited number of photos to your listings. Add Branded VT - Your branded virtual tour will display on your listing detail page and will also be added to our listing feed for other sites. Add Video Tour - You can also add a video tour and it will display as such versus a virtual tour. Add Headline Banners - You may select from the standard list or customize your own headline for each listing. Enhance Text Description - You can expand the story of your property by using additional descriptive language. Add Documents - You can add additional documents such as a brochure or other useful information. Add Floor Plans - You can upload floor plans - but remember to give appropriate credit to the provider. This can be a legal liability. Property Placer - You can check to see if your property is mapped correctly. If not, it is easy to change. Sunshine Kids Designated Listings - You can choose to participate in the SSK program. Your listing will have a special SSK designation and $10 will be donated to the Sunshine Kids at closing. Price History Option - You can choose to show (or not show) the price changes during the life of the listing. Social Media Option - You can select or turn off the ability to share the listing on social media Featured Properties - You can choose which listings to show in your Featured Properties display on the homepage or sub-pages of your website. Seller Report - add your seller’s email address and select the distribution time frame for the seller to receive a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly report Individual listing website with vanity domain/url to increase search engine optimization Share the listing detail page on social media, direct message, email, and more.
DESIGNER WEBSITE leads & branding
PREPARING FOR YOUR LISTING APPOINTMENT The single most important factor in getting a home sold is the seller's ability to make a decision. You will be concentrating on five key factors during your appointment. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties provides marketing and technology solutions to help your seller make the right decision ... you. • Price • Condition • Showing availability • Which REALTOR® to use • Assessing the Seller
PRE-LISTING APPOINTMENT PREPARATION ESTABLISH LIST PRICE -Preparation in determining market value. Collateral Analytics Report | MoxiPresent | ToolKit CMA | Multiple Listing Services • Create a report for the listing, gather trends, forecast data, and graphs • Share the report lenders use to determine mortgage values with your seller via email, print the PDF, or save as a JPG • Create the listing presentation. We offer several solutions, so use the option that you feel most comfortable with. • Use MoxiPresent when preparing your CMA to include live updates and add custom pages CONDITION -Determine if you need to hire a staging professional or choose virtual staging Decorate the home to meet your home’s target audience • Don’t try to sell an empty house • Strategically use art - remove personal photos and diplomas • Use brighter lighting to boost sales • Update your home’s cabinet harware, taps, and faucets • Update the mailbox, house number, and front door harware • Prepare your homeowners for showing appointment ediquette SHOWING AVAILABILITY-Solutions for scheduling showing appointments and how to share feedback with the seller. Showing Time - ability to schedule appointments to meet seller's needs. • Gather and review all showing agent feeback • Share with your seller and discuss any adjustments to the showing schedules, staging, and pricing SPAC.IO and MEGA Open House Events • Take advantage of the MEGA Open House events throughout the year • Safety in registering through Spac.io • Schedule an Open House and share on social media to increase attendance • Share Virtually and/in-person Broker open/caravan ASSESSING THE SELLER Set expectations, know their motivation, obtain cooperation and clear communication.
PRE-LISTING marketing
“Sellers and Buyers don’t choose their agent because of great design; great design helps to deliver the message, so they choose the right agent, you.” Dan Forsman, President and CEO
LIVE LISTING promotion
MARKETING SOLUTIONS TO PROMOTE YOUR LISTING BHHS MARKETING RESOURCE CENTER • Create a flyer or brochure • E-card announcement - send through Marketing RESource Center contacts • Postcard - print through Xpressdocs DESIGN STUDIO • Create a flyer or brochure • Create new listing announcement for social media, FB/Instagram stories • E-card • Social media XPRESSDOCS • Create a flyer or brochure • Postcard - print through Xpressdocs mail distribution and/or demographic list builder ADWERX AD • Automated marketing ad for your listing is created for you. Watch your email letting you know your complimentary Adwerx ad is ready. This email is generated within the first few days of your listing going live. • Make sure to edit the landing page to the direct URL for the listing detail page on your BHHSGA website. • Add your seller’s email address so they will receive a report. ZILLOW/TRULIA • Zillow and Trulia receive listing data directly from the MLS systems. • You may edit the description through your Zillow profile to add a link to your video. • Add your phone number to the description. REALTOR.COM • REALTOR.COM receives listing data directly from the MLS systems. • You may log into your Realtor.com profile and edit your listing to make enhancements. GOOGLEMYBUSINESS • Add your listing to your GoogleMyBusiness profile page. • Post your best photos and link to your BHHSGA website listing detail page. FACEBOOK • Run a paid ad or boosted post on Facebook to a targeted audience. REMINE • Add listing to FMLS and GAMLS. • Run report for expired homes and off market properties around your listing and export for mailing list, emails, and phone numbers. CRM • Upload contacts to CRM into a group (example: name of subdivision). • Create new listing e-card announcement and send to neighbors and area agents. • Set up "New Listings" subscription for Seller.
THE BEST CHANCE TO MAKE A BUYER FALL IN LOVE Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties provides several options for agents to input their information in the MLS services. Each MLS service provides data input forms for different types of properties. We recommend enhancing your listing to ensure that your on-line marketing gives you the best chance to make a buyer fall in love with the property! FMLS Listings support 200 photos. When adding photos, select the drop down menu, add a title for each photo and add descriptive text. FMLS quickly distributes these photos to Realtor.com and your BHHS Georgia Properties website. Georgia MLS Listings - supports 175 photos, however, does not allow for titles or text descriptions.
PHOTOGRAPHY Three goals to keep in mind when selecting your marketing photographs: 1. Beautiful listing photos help you attract attention to your seller’s home. Many on-line listing photos are average. Make sure your photos stand out. 2. Win the next client. Great listing photos help you build your brand image, and new sellers will be attracted to an agent who features beautiful photography on their clients’ listings. 3. Move buyers to the next step, contacting you. Photographer selection • Choose a professional photographer. This is a must! • Video - drone, 3D walk-through, and/or virtual tours • Photo edits include green grass, blue sky, and twilight photos BoxBrownie.com - professional photography edits Our partnership provides you with a 1X $70 credit. Pricing is optimal • Enhance your photos with the twilight option • Photo editing - green the grass, add blue sky, clear windows and more • Virtual Staging • Renderings • Video
LIVE LISTING photography
LISTING CHECKLIST I have a new listing now what? ☐ Gather your documents together, add to DocuSign for Real Estate (DTR) ☐ Pre-listing Appraisal through Prosperity Home Mortgage ☐ Listing agreement ☐ Request title from Weissman ☐ FMLS/MLS data input sheet ☐ Sellers disclosures ☐ Lead based paint (prior to 1978) – if applicable ☐ Write a quality listing description (write in complete sentences!) ☐ Listing is added into FMLS/MLS by listing coordinator ☐ FMLS/MLS printout with FMLS/MLS numbers for DTR ☐ A copy of the FMLS/MLS printout needs to be sent to accounting Once you have FMLS/MLS numbers for your listing ☐ Go to Supra…add listing to inventory and assign lockbox ☐ Add feedback questions ☐ Set up in Showing Time ☐ Load your professional photos into each applicable MLS ☐ Add the Zillow 3D video/virtual tour ☐ Order a HSA home warranty ☐ Schedule a home inspection ☐ Assign and setup text rider ☐ Set up seller reports on BHHS intranet (under listings) ☐ Check listing on Zillow, Realtor.com, and Trulia ☐ Email Buyside buyer matches ☐ Obtain Rate Plug flyer from your Prosperity Loan Officer ☐ Create flyers, brochures, home book – place in the home ☐ Create a just listed social media post and story ☐ Schedule open house using Spac.io ☐ Door knock 10-20 homes in the neighborhood - use flyers to announce activity ☐ Do Facebook Live and Instagram Live from the open house After your listing goes under contract ☐ Offer a second opinion with Prosperity and/or HomeServices Insurance ☐ Post an Under Contract social media post and story ☐ Send Just Sold postcards to the neighborhood once the property closes ☐ Follow up with any of the neighbors you met when you door knocked ☐ Secure a closing gift for your client
LISTING checklist
UNDERSTANDING YOUR BUYER'S NEEDS Working with Buyers
There are four stages of the buying process: 1. Curiosity - Buyers will tell you they are just looking, not buying yet. 2. Interest - Buyers will show interest when they begin asking questions. 3. Desire - Buyers share their desire to look at homes. 4. Commitment- Buyers have committed to the idea of purchasing a home.
Buyer's Four Greatest Fears
1. Losing the property they want. 2. Missing something. 3. Paying too much. 4. Something is wrong with the property they selected.
Buyer Process Goals 1. Clarity 2. Confidence 3. Commitment
Confused buyers don't buy they want to think about it. Confident buyers are decisive and often close you.
MARKETING TO BUYERS BUYER PRESENTATIONS MoxiPresent • Use MoxiPresent when preparing your buyer presentation to include live updates and add custom pages • Upload contacts to CRM into a group (example: name of subdivision) • Create buyer e-card announcement in BHHS Marketing REsource and send to neighbors and area agents SOCIAL MEDIA Design Studio • Create flyer or brochure to attract buyers • Create buyer need announcement for social media, FB/Instagram Stories • Run a paid ad or boosted post on Facebook to a targeted audience. DIRECT MAIL Xpressdocs • Build lists - demographics, radius, and personal mailing lists • Postcard - print through Xpressdocs mail distribution • Newsletters • Stay in touch campaigns DRIP CAMPAIGNS BHHS Marketing REsource Center or MoxiEngage • Upload contacts and send to a group (example: name of subdivision) • Use pre-built campaigns from MoxiEngage and send to your buyers • Build your own campaigns in the BHHS RESource Marketing Center HOME VALUATION Buyside • Personal Home Valuation Landing page on your website • Integration with Home Finder buyers automatically creates an account • Provides up to three property valuations with calls to action • Buyer Market Analysis report to identify matching listings HOME FINDER Website • Connect with buyers direct from your personal website • Custom search capabilities • Search up to eight different multiple listing services at one time • Integration with Buyside REMINE • Custom searches for those most likely to move, paying high interest rates, and more. • Run report and export for mailing list, emails, and phone numbers.
BUYER marketing
THE 10 STEP BUYER PROCESS 1. GREET It starts with greeting the buyer at the office. You want to prepare and coach the receptionist at the office to greet your Buyers by name. This is your opportunity to connect and control the meeting. 2. CONNECT Welcome and thank the client for coming in. Introduce yourself and follow up with a question. Remember it's about them, not you. Get connected by asking questions including family, occupation, recreation, and dreams. 3. LEARN ABOUT THE BUYER Have a list of questions prepared. You will ask every buyer the same questions. We want to make sure we treat everyone the same. 4. HAVE A BUYER'S PACKET READY Use the BHHS GA Buyer's Guide. Ask if they are familiar with how real estate works in this area. Share a prepared packet of information with them. Include sample GAR contracts, written by our family of services partner, Weissman. It is everything they need to be successful with making a purchase. 5. FUNNEL PROCESS • Buyers don't want to miss anything. Share your process for notifying buyers of available properties. Set expectations on the best way to communicate with them. • Buyers fear they may pay too much. You will create a CMA to identify market value. • Explain the difference for the process of elimination not selection • Identify their top three favorite properties 6. IDENTIFY HOW READY THEY ARE TO PURCHASE A HOME Using a scale of 1-10, with 1 being not ready at all and 10 being ready to buy today. 7. WHAT ARE THE BUYERS' WANTS AND MUST HAVES? Give each person a piece of paper and ask them to make a list. Have them put a star beside the three things they can't live without. 8. FEATURES AND BENEFITS. Explain the concept that most homes will only meet 85% of everything they want. Their concept of a 100% perfect home does not exist. 9. FINANCING. Determine if they need to sell their current home before they buy, if they will be paying cash, or if they need to obtain a loan. This is a perfect time to ask if they have a lender or if they need assistance arranging for a loan. Introduce to your Prosperity Loan Specialist, and share the Prosperity Buyer Advantage Program and second opinion if already working with another lender. 10. IF WE FIND IT...WHAT WILL YOU DO? Remember their fear of losing out. What happens if there is something better out there? Be sure to discuss all fears. Offer peace of mind with HSA Warranty and HS Insurance.
BUYER process
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties influences global and local marketing strategies within the real estate industry. We take great pride in each of our associates' accomplishments. Our promise to you is to provide the highest level of service with integrity, professionalism, and innovation, so you can deliver the highest value to your clients.
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