| BUSINESS TIPS 4 STEPS TO DIAL UP YOUR MARKETING TO THE NEXT LEVEL |
| The goal of any marketing communication is to capture the prospects’ attention and get them to ask for additional information or a meeting. To get your marketing to perform like that, the experts say you should pay attention to four steps in the communications process. Step 1: Get their attention. Lead with one of these eight approaches: Prime the pitch: “Here’s something you’ve been waiting to hear…” Play on scarcity, FOMO, and loss avoidance: “Would you like to get information about the real estate market before other sellers?” Make it personal: “This email is for the buyer who wants…” Pique their curiosity: “What if you could sell your home for…” Use pattern interrupt: This technique gets their attention by disrupting their usual thought process or behavior: “I didn’t want to share the following, but now I really have to.” Open with a surprising statistic: “About 72% of home sellers have this in common…” Make a competitive comparison: “Our last home sold above listing price in 5 days, while the average home is now selling below listing price in 42 days.” Be contrarian: “Don’t sell your home….” Then follow up with some exceptions. Step 2: Make an emotional connection. Do this by describing the prospects’ situation, their feelings, and the outcome they desire. Talking to homeowners who have just had their listing expire, you might say: “Your home hasn’t sold, and now you’re inundated with calls, texts, and emails from agents.” (Their situation.) “It’s understandable you’re frustrated and irritated.” (Their feelings.) “But you still want to sell—just without undergoing the same experience.” (Their desired outcome.) Step 3. End with an effective call to action (CTA). Just avoid being too pushy (“Don’t miss this exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime offer!”). Don’t include too many asks (“Click, subscribe, text, call, or scan the QR code.”) And don’t make it too generic (“Discover what today’s market is like.”) Instead, be clear in your CTA and make it compelling by pointing out the benefits of taking action. For example: “Your Zestimate could be too low by a lot. Contact us and we’d be happy to tell you what your home is really worth in today’s market.” Step 4. Get the most out of your marketing spend. Get your message in front of the most people you can. When you’ve developed your great message, look for ways it could be slightly modified to be used on different platforms. How could an email become a text or a postcard? Or think about how you can convert your message to a short-form video, an Instagram story, or a paid online or print ad. |
| TECHNOLOGY WHAT TO DO IF YOUR PHONE IS LOST OR STOLEN |
| This time of year, many of us travel for the holidays—and that makes us more susceptible to losing our phones. That’s not only inconvenient, it’s also very worrisome since phones hold so much valuable personal information. Here’s what cybersecurity experts say you should do. TAKE PRECAUTIONS Protect your lock screen through face or fingerprint recognition or a PIN code. Set these by going to Settings and choosing Security and Privacy in Android or Face/Touch ID & Passcode in iOS. If someone else can’t unlock your phone, your apps and account are safe. However, another person could still reset your phone and use it for themselves. Regularly back up everything on your phone, from messages to photos. Both Android and iOS have backup options built in. And individual apps have backup settings too. Make sure these are always turned on and working. Turn on two-factor authentication for accounts that support it, so that someone needs more than a username and password to log in. Apple also offers Stolen Device Protection on iPhones. Go to Face/Touch ID & Passcode and tap Turn On Protection. Even if your phone is unlocked, a person has to use Touch ID or Face ID before making any important changes, such as resetting your Apple password. PROVIDE FOR REMOTE ACCESS Register your phone on its integrated device tracking service—Find My on iPhones, Find My Device on Google Pixel phones, and SmartThings Find on Samsung Galaxy phones. Your phone will ask you to do this when you first set it up. To make sure the feature is turned on and your phone is being tracked, go to the Find My app on iPhone, the SmartThings Find app on Galaxy, and the privacy page in Settings on Pixel. If your phone goes missing, here’s how to access these services from another internet-connected device: iPhones: o Go to iCloud on the web. o Choose Find My to see the last reported location for the phone. o Turn on Lost Mode which gives whoever has it info on how to get it back to you. o Then remotely wipe the phone, especially if you don’t think you’ll get it back. Google Pixel phones: o Go to Find My Device on the web for a set of options similar to the iPhone. o Click Secure device, so it’s locked and signed out of Google, but visible on the map. o After locating the phone, click Erase device to wipe everything on the phone. Samsung Galaxy phones: o Go to SmartThings Find Find on the web for a map with similar options. o Select lock it remotely if you think someone will find the phone and return it; or select wipe it remotely if you think you won’t ever see your phone again. PROTECT ALL ACCOUNTS Change the passwords for all digital accounts, from social media to cloud storage. Check if services and apps you use let you disconnect your phone’s connection remotely. Notify your mobile carrier to block calls and texts. Contact your bank if you use your phone for banking and payment services. Notify friends and family in case they get a text or call claiming to be from you. If you’ve done the above security measures, this should be very difficult for someone to do, but it doesn’t hurt to be extra cautious. |
| MARKET TIP TIME TO FINE-TUNE YOUR VALUE PROPOSITION |
| As the year draws to a close, it’s time to set yourself up for success in 2025. A big part of that preparation is dialing up your value proposition. Here are four key things to consider. Focus on the client’s needs. Your value proposition should identify the core issues prospective clients face when buying or selling a home. These are the issues that describe their needs. Be clear and specific about how you meet their needs. Lay out how your expertise and services will answer the prospective clients’ anticipated needs. Highlight the benefits you deliver. Tell how your unique expertise and services will save them time, effort, and money. Diminish risks for both sellers and buyers. It can be extremely effective if your value proposition could also include specific ways you address some of the things that may be worrying prospective clients. For example, if sellers are concerned that their situation may change, you could come up with an “Easy Out” listing policy. And if buyers are worried that they may regret their purchase, you could offer a reduced commission if they sell the home with you within one year of purchasing it. Here’s to a happy and successful New Year! |
The Jim Passi Team at Citywide Home Loans proudly serves Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Georgia and Flordia. If you are looking to buy a home or refinance, we have you covered. Apply Now to get started.
