| I am frequently asked what is the secret to renting | | | | Free, not horses, is really the key to advertising today |
| homes faster and for more money and it seems like a | | | | and the Internet has certainly made this possible. I get |
| fair question, but there is no simple answer. The | | | | an email every day from some new web site that |
| answer is that there is "nothing" you can do to rent | | | | would like to have me place ads on their site for |
| houses faster and for more money. | | | | FREE. There are great sites some with unbelievable |
| Nothing is the combination of no and thing and believe | | | | following where you can place ads for free and that is |
| me there is no one thing you can do that will turn | | | | one of the keys to renting fast for more money. But |
| abound a large string of vacant houses. | | | | the media available for free is not enough. Everyone |
| I would say that the most important thing you can do is | | | | has access to free. |
| to adjust your thinking to the marketing world of today | | | | To start to break away from the competition you |
| where the Internet has changed | | | | have to know what to do with the free media and |
| everything...EVERYTHING. But having said that there | | | | amazing as it would sound the most important thing |
| are a number of areas where you need to direct your | | | | you can do is realize that horse ads are bad. |
| attention with the awareness of the new order of | | | | The brewers and GoDaddy run what are called image |
| marketing everything from books to homes. | | | | ads. They want people to think well of them. You may |
| Certainly, the marketing effort itself is one of the many | | | | want your tenants to think well of you, but first you |
| crucial factors and our research led us to the | | | | have to get them and you do not do it with image ads. |
| conclusion that Most Landlords Waste Most of Their | | | | You need what is called direct response ads. Your ad |
| Advertising Dollars. Not the biggest realization if you | | | | must make the reader, surfer, viewer, DO something. |
| think about it. Most advertising money produces no | | | | And in our case, the something is CALL US. |
| results and the advertising people and their clients | | | | For landlords, advertising should make the phone ring |
| spend time and money producing advertising that they | | | | and to do that you need to aim your advertising to a |
| "like." | | | | broader audience than you would assume. |
| And I appreciate it. I love to watch Clydesdale horses | | | | Make the phone ring, be nice to everyone even the |
| kick field goals in commercials at the Super Bowl, but I | | | | people who are NOT qualified for what you have |
| have no idea why anyone would choose to drink one | | | | vacant now. Build a list of prospective tenants and be |
| kind of beer over another because horses of one | | | | ready to email them when you have new vacancies |
| brewer can kick a ball further than Tom Dempsey | | | | coming up. The person that did not qualify for the three |
| (Nov 8, 1970, 63 yards against Detroit). But I am glad | | | | bedrooms may be just right for the two bedrooms |
| they spent the money and it kind of indirectly made it | | | | that is coming up next week. Aim broadly, build a list |
| possible for me to watch the game for FREE. | | | | and build a following. |