What creates real estate success?

Theres no single answer, but probably the best explanation is the old
rule in business You have to plan your work and work your plan.
Judging from the thousands of real estate professionals who use eNeighborhoods
nationwide, we believe that three central factors contribute to their success:
First, you must be prepared. Take every class, course and seminar you can find.
One good idea can win a client or close a transaction.
Second, you must have an ongoing marketing program. What are you marketing?
Before you can help someone else in real estate you must first market you, your services,
your skills and your experience. A key element in the marketing process is that you must
constantly and continually be in front of decision-makers, the people who can hire you.
Third, you must be on-the-job every day. Opportunities can be lost if youre not avail-
able, not responding to e-mail and not visible in your community.
What should you do? eNeighborhoods has compiled a list of 102 strategies and
suggestions that can be part of your business plan. Use the ideas that are best for you
not every suggestion will work for everyone, but each strategy will work for someone.
Go through the list at least once a month to update and review your marketing efforts.
102 WAYS TO BOOST YOUR BUSINESS

1 Increase buyer loyalty by presenting an eNeighborhoods BuyerTour. They will be

impressed with the detail and organization of the report, and will be inclined to call
you for future showings, as long as you bring them a new BuyerTour!
2 Include the address, typically www.YourName.IsAnExpert.com, of your
eNeighborhoods WebSite on all your voice mail messages, to the signature line
of your emails, business cards, letterhead and yard signs.
3 If you have an agent website, add a link to your eNeighborhoods neighborhood
information. Additionally, add a link to your eNeighborhoods website
(www.YourName.IsAnExpert.com) on your agent website.
4 You should always negotiate the best offer with your clients, whether they are buying
or selling. Use eNeighborhoods CMA to determine the value of the home for the
client you are working with.
5 Create an eNeighborhoods Neighborhood Report for the local neighborhood of your
next Open House. Offer visitors a trade when they visit the open house. Say to
them: Please complete my sign-in sheet and Ill give you the latest home book for
our community.
6 Place a tent card at Open Houses offering to send them an eNeighborhoods CMA or
Neighborhood Report for a specific home or area.
7 When you meet a prospect at an open house, you are not only shaking the hand of
someone looking to buy, you are also shaking the hand of a possible SELLER! Open
house sign-in sheets are a great way to track those leads. Do you have an entry
space on that sheet for e-mail addresses? If not, add one.
8 Consider holding open houses at unconventional times say during the evening or

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on weekdays.
9 Create and print 20 eNeighborhoods Neighborhood Reports and hand deliver them to

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your closest neighbors. Theyll love all the information and its a perfect opportunity
to let them know youre in the real estate business.

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10 Dont forget that you can change the format for your eNeighborhoods reports. Add
flair and freshness go from Classic to Hometown design or from Modern to
Sweet Home.
11 Join your local Chamber of Commerce and provide them with home books and a
sample presentation of a buyer tour and CMA.
12 On your next mailer add the following line: Want to be notified every 60 days
of new sales in your neighborhood? Simply send me an e-mail to <your e-mail
address> and be sure to include your home address, and Ill add you to my custom
home sale notification list.
13 Before your next listing presentation find out where the seller plans to move.
Create a Neighborhood Report for the sellers new area, and make sure you ask
about their real estate needs, as you may be able to provide a referral.
14 When going to a presentation, always have one copy of a home book for each
of the individuals who might sign a listing, buyer brokerage agreement or
sales contract.

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15 By providing your prospective seller with an eNeighborhoods CMA, they receive a

checklist for maximizing first impressions, successful showings and open houses,
and, a checklist for moving all valuable information that is so easy to forget
about when in the heat of a real estate transaction or move.
16 Use quality paper when printing your eNeighborhoods Flyers. Inexpensive paper
may not print well, while high-quality paper produces a better product as well as
the image you want to project. Additionally, eNeighborhoods Flyers make ideal
leave behinds for any situation.
17 Arrange for your photo to be taken by a professional photographer, and be sure to
get a letter from the photographer, stating permission to use your own photo. This
is the picture you will want to use in your eNeighborhoods profile for reports and
presentations.
18 After one of your listed properties goes to closing, send postcards to nearby
neighbors of the property. Be sure to mention that new home books for the
community are available.
19 Have a new designation? Congratulations! And be sure to update your
eNeighborhoods profile so that any Neighborhood Report, BuyerTour or CMA re-
port that you present has your most current achievements.
20 Provide a comprehensive list and time frame of the steps and actions that the
buyer or seller will need to follow in order to comply with their contracts. This
will save them frustration of searching through agreements every time a
deadline approaches.
21 A good reason to stay in touch with clients and prospects concerns changing
interest rates. Show both expertise and currency by offering to e-mail the latest

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rates each week. Freddie Macs Weekly Mortgage Market Survey is posted
each Thursday. Offer free reports on your website and add names to your
eNeighborhoods e-farm list as clients and prospects sign up.
22 Develop a marketing plan for yourself that is attainable. Follow the same steps
through each transaction, utilizing the complete eNeighborhoods program for
your tactical approach.
23 Make every mailing a marketing opportunity by having your eNeighborhoods
WebSite address, typically, www.YourName.IsAnExpert.com, listed with your
return email address.
24 Which current clients, prospects and past clients have birthdays or anniversaries
coming up during the next two weeks? Send a card (or an e-card) in honor of
their event.
25 Did you know that eNeighborhoods includes a letter writing campaign for your
e-farm? You can start today weve got 6 separate campaigns, seamlessly
managed, developed by industry specialist Dave Beson.
26 Canned letters not the approach you want to take? Use eNeighborhoods
personal letter writing feature, and let your clients and prospects know your
message, for example, send them a reminder of daylight savings time.

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102 WAYS TO BOOST YOUR BUSINESS

27 Thinking about offering a referral to an out-of-town broker or agent? Want to

know if their license is active? You can find the status of most licensees, but not
all, at the site operated by the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials.
The online address is: http://www.arello.com.
28 Has there been a sale reported in the last 24-hours? Check your MLS listings
each morning and evening to see whats new in your neighborhood.
29 Does your local library have a conference room for community events? Such
rooms are often available for seminars and lectures as long as anyone can
come and theres no admission charge. Ask if you can offer a home buyer or
seller seminar open to the public, of course. Be sure to get the room reservation
in writing.
30 Need help with the eNeighborhoods program or its functionality? You can call
eNeighborhoods at (800) 975-9742, Monday through Friday, 9:00 am - 7:00 pm.
31 Weve all heard of an EKG in medicine and in real estate we also use a large
number of abbreviations. Some industry expressions may be confusing to
consumers; for this reason its often better to use actual terms rather than
abbreviations. For instance, if you say a home has a sot, some people may not
understand that you mean a shower over tub.
32 Do you have an assistant? If state rules permit, teach them to use your
eNeighborhoods tools. Youll save time and your assistant will have greater value.
33 Whats your writing style? When communicating with clients, even in e-mail, use
full paragraphs, proper spelling and good grammar. Good writing reinforces your
professional image.

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34 Use a positive approach with clients. Ask which of these properties do you
prefer? rather than do any of these properties interest you? The first question

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asks consumers to choose among options, the second question allows consumers
to reject all choices.

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35 Survey clients once their transaction is completed. When you get a good review,
ask clients (in writing) for permission to use it in your presentations and on your
eNeighborhoods Neighborhood Report.
36 Do you use a car in business? You may be able to claim an assortment of write-
offs that will allow you to reduce your April tax bill. The catch You need to keep
your records. For details, speak with your tax professional.
37 Need a lighter image? Consider getting a caricature. A large caricature can be
used as office art and copies can be used with your eNeighborhoods Flyers,
WebSites and reports.
38 With e-mail always follow these simple guidelines: have an accurate subject line,
a clear opt-out option that is honored, show your name, physical office address
and telephone contact information, and, always follow the rules which separate
legitimate e-mail from spam. For the latest details, speak with your broker, office
manager or professional association.

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 102 WAYS TO BOOST YOUR BUSINESS

39 Make the time to speak with top-producing and time-pressed agents in your
office and ask if you can handle some of their excess business. With each
additional client and transaction you gain more experience and expertise as well
as new people-skills.
40 See an interesting article in a local newspaper? Send a letter or e-mail to the
reporter explaining why you liked the article. Reporters are always looking for new
sources and a good letter can be a perfect introduction.
41 Giving a gift to your clients after they have closed on their property? Consider
an emergency kit for their home, office or car. Needs will vary according to your
local climate, but such kits can be enormously valuable if power fails or natural
disasters strike. Your local Red Cross can be a good source of information for kit
contents, as well as selected online sites. One suggestion: A crank-powered radio
and flashlight combination is great to have for an emergency.
42 Real estate professionals serve everyone. Make certain that letterheads,
postcards, advertisements, business cards, flyers, websites, brochures and all
brokerage materials show an equal opportunity housing symbol.
43 How is your day organized? Set aside at least one hour a day, at the same time,
for marketing. This habit will assure a steady stream of outreach efforts whether
the market is fast or slow.
44 Be creative where you advertise. For instance, consider the TV section of your
local paper. Or contact local pizza shops and ask if they would include your
eNeighborhoods Flyer with home deliveries.

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45 It may seem counter-intuitive, but it can pay to help FSBOs. Why? A 2003 study
by the National Association of Realtors shows that 17 percent of all homes are
initially placed on the market by self-sellers but about 25 percent of all FSBO
owners list with a broker. In effect, the odds of getting a FSBO listing are nearly
one in four.
46 Make sure you find out where the FSBO is moving and give them a home book for
their new location. You will be a likely option for them should they decide to use a
listing agent. In addition, they may appreciate your effort and use you as a referral
for their new home.
47 Identify absentee owners in your community and contact them by mail. Offer to
add them to your eNeighborhoods Home Sales Alert so they can stay in touch with
recent home sales in their community.
48 Its estimated that more than 300,000 laptops are stolen annually. While
computers can be expensive, the real value is in the information they hold. In
order to protect yourself, make multiple back-ups of computer data, on a regular
basis, and keep copies in at least two separate locations.

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102 WAYS TO BOOST YOUR BUSINESS

49 Thinking of marketing by phone? STOP! Theres a lot of old information floating

around online and elsewhere recommending that agents cold call 50 people a
day, or call all people on a given street. However, federal do-not-call rules can
now produce massive fines more than $10,000 for a single call to a number on
the federal do-not-call list. If you want to market by phone, first speak with your
broker or office manager for current guidelines.
50 Make a point of knowing the doctors, lawyers, CPAs, optometrists, teachers,
financial planners, dentists and other professionals in your community. Because
professionals are respected, they can be a valuable source of referrals as well
as a client base with their own real estate needs.
51 Meet new people. Go to places and events that are new to you youll find a
fresh circle of friends, contacts and referral sources.
52 Prepare copies of the eNeighborhoods BuyerTour for out-of-town prospects. Dont
forget your extra copies for local friends, you never know who is looking for a move.
53 Have a positive attitude. Look forward to each day and convey that sense to
clients and prospects.
54 Create a thick, heavy brag book with original letters from satisfied clients, photos
of properties where you have represented sellers, and, copies of designations and
certificates. Be certain to have written permission before including letters.
55 Heres a good reason why e-mail is important: A 2001 study by the National
Association of Realtors found that NAR members who used e-mail had a gross
personal income that was $16,200 higher than those who did not have such accounts.

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56 Support your community. If possible have a booth at local events and stock it with
eNeighborhoods Flyers and Neighborhood Reports.

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57 Want to grow your farm? You may not know people in the next sub-division or
community, but you can quickly get mailing information. Contact list brokers for

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names and addresses. Be sure to ask about the age of the list (newer is better)
and restrictions (most mailing lists are salted with list-owner names to catch
unauthorized use). Then mail your Flyers from eNeighborhoods.
58 Ask for referrals. If you know of people who could use the services I offer, Id
appreciate if you could mention my name. Im always happy to meet with new
people who have an interest in our community.
59 Go down to your local Post Office and get change-of-address forms and materials.
You can give them out to both buyer and seller clients.
60 Cell phones are great, but not during meetings with clients and prospects. Turn off
ringers so that important points are not missed, and your clients/prospects leave
feeling they had your undivided attention.
61 If youre working with sellers ask why they like the neighborhood. Everyone is
different, and owners may give you insights that will be valuable for prospective
purchasers and future sales presentations.

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 102 WAYS TO BOOST YOUR BUSINESS

62 If you get a referral from a distant agent or broker, send them a copy of your
eNeighborhoods BuyerTour you will be presenting the client so they can get a
good sense of your community.
63 Many communities now have programs designed to help renters become
homebuyers. Such programs often have both classes and counseling services for
consumers. Ask how you can participate as a volunteer instructor or counselor.
Note that such programs are strictly non-commercial and may ban the use of
company insignias and corporate names, so adjust marketing materials appropri-
ately. Why do something non-commercial? Its pro bono work that allows you to
help others and add to the professional status of the real estate community.
64 Have a local printer or stationery store make up a set of personal letterhead and
envelopes. Use this stationery to send handwritten notes to clients and prospects.
For instance, how about a thank you for a home that was well prepared for
showing or a note to buyers saying how much you enjoyed meeting them.
65 The Internet has a number of real estate news groups and message boards.
Being active in such forums gives you a natural platform to meet agents
nationwide and develop good referral sources. If you post online, remember that
although the Web seems informal, its actually a place to do business. Boost your
image before posting online, write-out messages, check for clarity and always
use good spelling and grammar.
66 Business cards are a staple but why have a card like everyone else? Invest in
a better card, one that stands out. As an example, a folded card gives you two
surfaces (the front of the card and the inside bottom half) for contact information,
a web address, an offer to provide eNeighborhoods CMAs and other enticements.

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67 Does it pay to stay in touch with past clients, people who have not used your
services in five or 10 years? You bet were a nation on the move so its not
unusual for people to find a new home once or twice in a decade. The Census
Bureau says that in 2000 about 120 million people (46 percent of the population)
age 5 and over lived in a different home than they did in 1995. Twenty-five
percent moved within the same county, 10 percent between counties in the same
state and 8 percent between states; 3 percent had moved from abroad. E-mail
Home Sales Alerts from eNeighborhoods are an ideal way to stay in touch.
68 Usually when we think of mailing lists were most concerned with addresses.
However, todays list brokers can provide far more sophisticated databases. For in-
stance, rather than writing to all addresses in a community, why not mail only to
properties which have been continuously owned for seven years, ten years, etc.
Given the frequency with which people move, those who have owned for just a
few years are unlikely to sell, so save money and target recipients. When you
mail, offer to provide an eNeighborhoods Neighborhood Report, CMA or Home
Sales Alert.
69 People like to see their names in print. Personalize eNeighborhoods Neighborhood
Report, CMAs and BuyerTours by including the clients name This report
written on (date) exclusively for John and Mary Smith.

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102 WAYS TO BOOST YOUR BUSINESS

70 To reduce costs, buy agent office supplies in bulk by combining orders with other
agents in your office.
71 Start a regular breakfast program for local business owners. Such informal
meetings can allow you to introduce local executives to each other and they can
introduce you to those with a need to buy, sell or rent. Bring along home books for
all participants.
72 After you list a home, send postcards to neighboring homes announcing that the
property is available. This is good for the seller and inherently announces that you
are actively selling properties in the community.
73 Do you have a niche market, say as a condo specialist or as an expert in a
given neighborhood? Include your specialty on promotional materials, such as
eNeighborhoods BuyerTours, Flyers and CMAs.
74 When the market slows many agents cut back advertising. A better strategy is to
maintain or actually increase promotional activity. Why? Because youll have less
competition as other agents reduce ad outlays and visibility. In effect, youll have
an opportunity to do more of the business thats available.
75 The National Association of Realtors says that in 2003 a typical move was just
10 miles from an old address to a new one. This means location-based marketing
is a key to real estate success, so always emphasize your skills as a community
expert, something made easy with eNeighborhoods Neighborhood Reports.
76 How often should you check your e-mail? At least in the early morning, after

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lunch and later in the day. If you have a phone system which delivers e-mail to
you immediately, so much the better. Why? It means you can instantly respond to

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prospective clients.
77 To reduce mailing costs make sure your printer or mailing service uses work

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sharing benefits. While the Postal Service does not provide discounts to any
mailer, it charges less if you (or your printer) prepare the mail for easy
distribution. Postal rules are complex, but your local postmaster can provide
you with the basics.
78 Attend state and national real estate conventions. You can take classes and often
get continuing ed credits, meet new people, find additional referral sources, see
the latest technologies and hear leading speakers. Be sure to bring plenty of
business cards which include your eNeighborhoods WebSite.
79 Should you list every possible property? This is a debatable issue within real
estate. Some favor taking every listing because each one represents a business
opportunity. Others feel being selective for business reasons is a better approach
because, for example, some owners are not realistic about pricing. Speak with
your broker, manager and successful agents in your office to get a variety of
views and then adopt the philosophy that works best for you.

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 102 WAYS TO BOOST YOUR BUSINESS

80 Albert Einstein said everything should be made as simple as possible, but not
simpler. This is a handy principle to consider when giving clients and prospects
contact information: Even though you may have a cell phone, fax line, office
phone, home office connection, private phone, and a car phone help consumers
by giving them one key number where you can always be reached. Use this
number consistently with your Neighborhood Report, CMA, WebSite and other
eNeighborhoods marketing tools.
81 Have a big employer in your area such as a manufacturing facility, college,
military base or hospital? See if they have a housing office. If yes, offer to supply
eNeighborhoods Neighborhood Reports for managers, staffers and waiting rooms.
82 When you have a new listing, use e-mail to notify brokers and agents in your
community. Provide a specific link where recipients can find more information on
your website this will boost website traffic, introduce you to other professionals
and indicate greater site usage to search engines and traffic-ranking services.
(Search engine placements, in part, may relate to site traffic. More traffic results
in better placement, according to this theory.)
83 Once a transaction has closed always make a point of thanking mortgage officers,
closing agents, loan processors, assistants in the office, etc. Good work should be
recognized, and a reservoir of good will have value when you need extra effort in
the future.
84 Whats the difference between just listed and just sold postal cards? The first
tells people youre in business and a property is available. The second tells people
youre in business and successful. eNeighborhoods Flyers can help tell your story

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and illustrate your successes.
85 When you look at the business opportunities in your community, where are
brokers making the most money? As long as youre going to be thinking anyway,
think big, says Donald Trump. For instance, by marketing more widely can you
expand your farm to include more expensive properties properties that result in
larger fees.
86 A lot of attention is given to first-time buyers and with good reason: They form an
important part of the marketplace, about 40 percent of all transactions. On the
other side of the market is a different opportunity, the potential to work with
second-home buyers, individuals who want something other than a primary
residence. Always ask past clients if they have an interest in a second home:
Whether for vacations, retirement or other purposes you can help.
87 Having a contract between a buyer and seller is a huge step in the transaction
process but not the last. There are inspections, appraisals, promised repairs,
meetings with lenders and a host of other requirements needed to close a
transaction. Have a checklist of needs for each transaction (including who did
what and when), mark off requirements as theyre completed, and update your
client, at least weekly, by phone or e-mail, as they prefer.

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102 WAYS TO BOOST YOUR BUSINESS

88 According to the federal government, there were an estimated 105.5 million

occupied housing units in the United States in the third quarter of 2003. Of these
units, 72.2 million were occupied by owners and 33.3 million by renters. The
conclusion- Investment real estate is a big business. Get your share by learning
about issues such as taxes, mortgages and local rental issues. The same
eNeighborhoods Neighborhood Reports used with residential property can also
help when its time to market or buy investment real estate.
89 Every encounter with the public must be seen as an opportunity. Have extra
hours? Ask your broker or office manager for more floor time. You never know
who may call, and with your eNeighborhoods tools you can quickly and
professionally respond to every prospect.
90 Its been said that enterprise and entrepreneurship, by themselves, are not enough
to get everyone to the top. That may be true, but whats not said is this: Enterprise
and entrepreneurship will at least keep everyone off the bottom. Work smart each
day to build a better tomorrow.
91 Professionals have busy schedules. It takes a lot of hours and effort to be
successful. Yet professionals need time for themselves and for those they
treasure. In the same way that doctors traditionally do not work on Wednesday
afternoons, set aside a specific day and time each week for you and your needs.
You deserve it!
92 In your materials and on your website always stress that Neighborhood Reports,
CMAs and other tools from eNeighborhoods are FREE from you. Eliminating
worries about cost can help start relationships with new prospects and enhance

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relationships with existing clients.
93 Time is an asset. Once gone, its gone forever. Maximize the value of your time

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by carefully qualifying prospects according to such factors as income, location
and preferred features. Ask questions. Listen. Tailor your eNeighborhoods

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Neighborhood Reports and CMAs to each client and prospect. They are each
unique, so why not individualize materials? And just as time is important to you,
its also important to others. Never be late. Always return calls when promised.
Always deliver materials on or before deadlines. Prospects and clients will see
concern for their time as evidence of professionalism and respect.
94 Its said in business that you cant manage what you cant measure. Have goals.
Define what you want to accomplish in specific terms and exact numbers. How
many transaction sides do you want to complete this year? How many have you
completed so far? What steps must you take to meet your goal and exceed it?
95 The road to success, weve been told, is always under construction. That means
each day represents a new opportunity to market, market, market. If the odds of a
successful transaction are 1 in 200 contacts, then contact more people and your
odds of success will improve. Use your eNeighborhoods Flyers, Home Sales Alerts
and WebSite to reach new people and to keep in touch with current clients and
prospects.

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 102 WAYS TO BOOST YOUR BUSINESS

96 If open houses are appropriate in your community and consistent with your
marketing philosophy, why go for just one? Instead of having one property open
from, say, 1 to 4, why not show two listings? This can work if the properties are
reasonably close. For instance, you might schedule one property from 11 AM until
2 PM and the second from 3 PM until 6 PM. Always build in a little time for
greater flexibility with the earlier house because prospects may run late or you
may find a buyer. It also takes time to securely close the first property and travel
to the next one. Some professionals cross sell the properties by having
eNeighborhoods Neighborhood Reports and CMAs for each listing at both open
houses. Others prefer not to mix and match materials and listings. Whatever your
preference, prepare in advance with enough copies to handle all traffic.
97 Provide sellers with a checklist of the things that need to be done to prep their
home for an open house. Its good to maintain a general list for all homes and to
then add specific items that apply to the individual property being shown. Make
sure the sellers have the list at least a week in advance and follow-up by
speaking with them several days before the open house.
98 Want to sell luxury homes? You dont need to be rich, but you need to be where rich
people congregate. Wheres that? According to The Millionaire Next Door: The
Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy, the rich are really all around us. Many
people with substantial assets elect to live modestly. These folks may not want the
biggest house in town but they may want a better home with more comfort and
features. The unseen rich make terrific clients because they have the financial
ability to buy replacement properties and can be found in communities of every size.

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99 Nearly 1-in-5 people, or 47 million U.S. residents age 5 and older, spoke a
language other than English at home in 2000, according to the U.S. Census
Bureau. Thats an increase of 15 million people since 1990. For agents and
brokers it means the ability to speak a second or third language is an additional
opportunity to find business and create a marketplace niche.
100 Where do you get your business? Some professionals rely on open houses, others
use direct mail, some have found success in the classifieds or online. Theres no
single approach thats right for everyone or every market. But do your research
and see what works best for you and then direct more of your marketing dollars
towards your most successful strategy. At eNeighborhoods we can provide the
tools you need for any marketing approach websites and newsletters to direct
email campaigns, flyers, CMAs and home books.
101 Professionals in real estate routinely have a back-up at least on an informal
basis someone who can assist clients if you are on vacation, away for personal
reasons, or otherwise unavailable. Each time you obtain a new listing, make up
home books and CMAs for your broker, office manager, licensed assistant or other
back-up, so that if youre away theyll be familiar with the property basics.
102 Make sure you map out your BuyerTour destinations before you get your clients in
the car. This will ensure that you appear to be the Neighborhood Expert that you are!

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