Do Obama or McCain Have a Real Estate Sign?
In an election year we watch commercials, witness debates and see signs everywhere promoting the candidates. Their names roll off of our tongues and we explain their political viewpoints as if we knew them personally. The key point is everyone knows their names and talks about them. If only all businesses could create that kind of buzz! Of course, the businesses get their name known on that level is a relatively low number. But what if you could do it on a smaller scale in your own neighborhood, or town, or even state? What you need is a good campaign manager.
Every campaign has to have a starting point. In real estate getting your name in front of your potential clients is not always easy. A real estate sign is a good start, but everyone uses them. So how do you expand on that to put together a marketing campaign that will create interest and make your name a household word? Using your real estate sign as the base you can put together an entire package that people will notice. Working with an image and identity store like TheSignChef.com can keep your campaign focused and maintain the same look and feel throughout. If you use one company for signs, another for brochures and a third for wearable's you may destroy the continuity. By using a business that does it all you guarantee that everything will match.
Creating your campaign from your real estate sign
Your real estate sign has your logo or picture, contact information and other visual interest. This is your identity, but what about your image? Are you viewed as "just another" real estate business or do people recognize your name? Do they comment on your friendliness or tell about someone who purchased real estate from you? Do you have an image? Well, you should probably do something about that! Now is the best time to get started, while you are thinking about it. So where do you start and how do you build on it?
Building on your real estate sign
Look at your sign. What are it's best features? Do you like it, does it tell about you? If not, you should consider changing it up. Your image and identity store should be able to help you with that. For the purposes of this article, however, we will assume that your real estate sign looks exactly the way you want it to. So let's start building!
The obvious next step is business cards. Yes, I know, you already have business cards, but do they do anything to attract attention or do they find their way to a trash can as soon as you walk out of the room? A two sided, good quality business card promotes a good image, but you should take it a step further. Two sides means twice the advertising. Don't create a business card that has your name, address and 15 phone numbers, and three email addresses that you can be contacted at. Make your business card a mini billboard. Of course you want your contact information on there, but what if you made the focus something that would get people talking? Make your business card something that people hold onto just to show others. Make it unique to you. Use elements of your real estate sign to help develop name recognition and branding.
So, we have taken the two basics for any company and designed them to create recognition, but what else is there?
- Vehicle Graphics and Decals - You drive all the time don't you? Meeting prospective clients, showing homes and generally getting "face time". Why not use that time to get your name out there. Again, use your sign as a basis for the design.
- Car Magnetic's - If you don't want your vehicle advertising 24/7 you may choose to use magnetic's instead. These are removable and easy to maintain. You can even design them to be a replica of your real estate sign
- Flyers - Flyers can be printed to not only get contact information out there, but to create drama and interest. After all , it is about getting people talking and getting your name out there. Flyers are versatile because they can be placed in many places. You can leave them available in your brick and mortar store, but you can also hang them on bulletin boards. You may also ask businesses in the area if you can leave some in a common area. While sitting in a restaurant waiting on the food to arrive can be a time when people will pick things up and read them if they are available. Use your imagination on this. Anywhere people have to wait with nothing to occupy their attention is a good time to give them something to do....like read about your business.
- Stationary - Design a stationary that promotes you and send out hand written notes to various people. It could be past clients, potential clients or even businesses in your area. If you say something very positive about a business, especially in a hand written note, you can cause real excitement. Not only are you saying something nice, which they will want to tell people about, but if they choose to display it the positive effects can be two fold. In this day and age receiving a note from someone who took the time to hand write is impressive. People tend to think of someone who writes a hand written note as more caring these days as well. the second part of this is that if they hang the note where others (including their customers) can read it, that idea of caring is passed on, along with your name, phone number, email…
Now we come to some ideas that may cost a little more, but can have a major impact on your marketing campaign. You can have your image and identity store design items to be given away. They can duplicate your or incorporate elements of it into some items.
- Scratch pads - You could find pages with your contact information in lots of different places. An employee writes themselves a reminder and takes it home. Now it is sitting on the kitchen table for everyone in the family to pick up. Someone writes a list and takes it to the store. While asking a clerk where to find a specific item they show the list. Two people for one sheet of paper. The hotel clerk draws a rough sketch of a map for an out-of-towner. Could they be planning to move to this town? Hmmm.....
- Bumper stickers - Especially effective if you can put an element of humor into it. People will want to display it on their cars as they drive all over town doing errands.
- T-Shirts, Collared Shirts and Jackets - You can choose to get a printed design or an embroidered design. Consider which look will appeal more to your target audience and design it for their taste. If well designed you would be surprised how many people will wear them.
- Baseball Caps - some of this may depend on your geography or your target audience. Baseball caps are worn more in some areas of the country than others. Also consider the type of baseball cap. Most wearers I have spoken to prefer something that has an adjustable band on the back that is NOT the plastic strip. Just something to consider.
Beyond Your Real Estate Sign
Now that we have given you some food for thought, perhaps you should consider contacting an image and identity store and creating you entire campaign. If you need input they should be able to assist you. At TheSignChef.com our Specialists are happy to guide you through your choices and even given suggestions of asked. If you sit back and let your creativity flow you may be able to think of some other ideas to build your campaign. And I hope you remember the "little guys" when you get elected President!
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