How To Not Suck At Marketing – Part 2

Hey Moguls, Preston Ely here…

I’m baa’aaack! Its part deuce of my How to NOT Suck at Marketing series, and this one is even more awesome than the first (which was also pretty sweet, by the way!). So make sure you check our Part 1

So what did we learn before? You learned that you ARE, indeed, a direct marketer – like it or not. You learned that in order to get ahead, you have to bite off of others and learn from the best (truth hurts). You know now that you need to have an amazing newsletter that will capture and hold your readers’ attention. And finally, I schooled you about being real – always.

So what now? Is it even possible for me to provide you with even more compelling, life-changing real estate investing information?

Um, of course!

The Shock Factor

Let’s talk about being outrageous, something I know just a little bit about (wink, wink).

But, here’s another guy who knows A LOT about the shock factor, Kenny Rushing. This guy has commercials, billboards, post cards – you name it – all over the place, and they all have one common theme.

They are shocking.

Actually, they have two things in common. They are shocking and funny. Kenny is the master at using edgy, attention getting and often humorous marketing to get his point across. Here’s what I mean...

Check out Kenny’s outrageously awesome, attention-getting commercial so you can really see what I mean. And… while you’re at it, have a look at this great one and this cool one too that are similarly weird. So goo! (Heads up…parental discretion advised in some cases.)

How to Use the Shock Factor

See where I am going with this?

Well, Kenny has taught me how to use that shock factor to make money.

You watch his commercials, and then you end up smiling, thinking and wondering, “Did that just really happen?” Bottom line is you remember Kenny’s commercials because they’re outrageous, unique and unexpected.

The market is flooded with competition right? The more you entertain people, they more they laugh. And the more they laugh, they more they tend to buy. It’s that simple.

So you need to become an awesome marketer. Be original, and ask yourself daily “What can I do differently?”

The answer?

Take note of what others are doing.
Do the exact opposite.

Bam! Do what others are NOT doing, and do it in their face! Forget subtlety... Use aggressive, casual (not offensive) language. You want people to read your emails, right? Well here’s how to get ‘er done….

“Dude, take this cheap house now!”
“3/2 block, $.20 on the dollar. Who’s your daddy?”

Who wouldn’t open those emails!?

Dude, Loosen Up

We don’t have customers, we have friends. And the sooner you realize that the more successful you will be. If you can think of customers as friends, you will be more real, more personable and personal with them, which means suddenly you have face. Being faceless means being broke. Period.

So get real. Take off the tie, trash the biz cards and abolish fancy words from your vocabulary.

Trust me, nobody is impressed. In fact, they’re sick of it. People are sick of being talked at and talked down to. They want you to talk to them, to relate to them, to connect with them and to ultimately fix their problem.

“People don’t want simply to buy the product; they want to have sympathy with the company or person too.”
~Anita Roddick, Founder, The Body Shop

Cut out the fluffy stuff and get real.

Schwab did it, and so can you. They finally got the pole outta their you-know-what and stopped being so darn corporate. They changed their logo from a standard, corporate symbol to one that speaks directly to their customers on a personal level. The logo now incorporates the “Talk to Chuck” image.

Brilliant. Connection. That’s what I’m talking about.

The Fear Factor

fear To succeed in the real estate investment game, you’ve got to learn how people think and operate. Get inside their heads, and understand that certain triggers will initiate certain actions.

I’m talking about psychological triggers. Knowing how to trigger someone to take the action you want them to take will catapult you to major success in this biz.

Take fear for example. Fear will make someone get off the couch and act right then and there.

“The last time I had a house like this it was gone in the blink of an eye! Good luck!”
“First person to put a $1,000 check in my hand gets the goods.”

When potential buyers think they may lose the chance to buy the house they want, they will jump at it.

Why?

Because the fear of loss is powerful.

Panic motivates and creates urgency. I’m talking about “the takeaway” people. It’s only the greatest selling technique, like ever…

Dangle the bait, pretend it’s gone (insert buyer fear and panic), and then say, “Oh wait, I think that property is still available.” (Whew!)

The buyer is now hooked and doesn’t want to feel that panic again… and guess who will be ready to show you the money?

So, from now I want you to instill the fear of loss into each and every potential buyer you come across.

Here’s a final tip...

A little reciprocity goes a long way. In the real estate investment world, it’s always the season of giving. Take potential buyers out to dinner, drop them a thoughtful note or gift…

Be the first to give the gift, and watch what happens. It’s human nature to feel that once you receive a gift, you should give back. So use that instinct to your advantage!