Print is dead.  Lead Gen Sites are Robbers and Crooks.  

People say letter campaigns are dead too... and am a big fan of Postcards instead of letters, but my letters are really working lately.  Of course, they visit my web site after they get the letter.  So the letter alone is probably not enough...  

I list through my P2 Site, Doorway sites, and through Direct mail, using a FSBO letter campaign.  If I get bored, I call FSBO's and list them that way too.  Cost in $ is cheap but in time is hefty...

I meet buyers through my nearly 20 listings and their online presence. I use P2 syndication and postlets syndication as well as an upsell in my onliune edition of the local homes magazine (Harmon Media Group) to get my listings EVERYWHERE (homes.com).

Funny thing is...  Buyers are looking at fewer properties before they buy.  I double dipped on the last 3 showings I went on... (this week!!!)

Two of the three came from yard sign, or paper posted in a local grocery store.  But also true, two of three went online to find the photos before they called me.  

I don't think I would meet many buyers if I did not have lots of listings, so I would spend my money on getting listings before I spent it trying to meet buyes...

HOWEVER, this one always works (local newspaper) to get buyer calls

FIRE YOUR LANDLORD

Why RENT when you can OWN

Buy With Zero Down

Bruised Credit OK

Free Pre-Approval

Call 24 Hr Toll Free Info

866-846-8326 x 000

I look at it this way Jeff:  

When I drive down the street and see signs on the side of the road or in the median offering "make money opportunites" have I ever called one of those numbers? No.

Before I got invloved with real estate and I received a just listed or just sold post card in the mail, did I care?  No... unless I was thinking about selling my home and then I found it interesting.

Do I personally scour the 100's of ads in the paper looking for homes for sale? No.

Did I ever make a sale because someone picked up a flyer out of my brochure box?  No.  I just spent a lot replacing the flyers because all the neighbors took them... or other people who were selling their home down the street grabbed them.

Do customers care that I am "Top Producer?"  No.  They want to know what I can do for THEM.

Did I ever read a real estate magazine looking for property? No.  A friend spent $10,000 (yes... $10K of her own money) over a year advertising a million dollar home in every "luxury home" mag only to have the listing expire and they then listed with someone else.

Did I watch the Real Estate Show?  Have to admit that I did indeed do that when I was looking for a home, but I never actually bought one that was on the TV!  I watched it to get an idea of what homes were selling for in certain areas.  I believe that it abouta 8 week wait to get a listing on a show now because there are SO many listings.  I don't even bother.

I first got in touch with a REALTOR through a recommendation of a friend.

I searched for "homes for sale in Jacksonville" or "jacksonville realtor" or "real estate company in jacksonville" on-line.

I'm all about on-line advertising.  I have been since the early 1990's when pay-per-click was just an idea (anyone remember GoTo.com?).  It does cost money, but I figure that if I spend $1000 a month and get ONE deal then I'll make money AND have a customer who will hopefully give me business again AND provide me with some word of mouth advertising.

I also use the 24 hour recorded hotlines that are available.  They have gotten me many potential customers.  And my home sellers love the idea.

Not all things apply to all people.  That's my 2¢...

I have to comment on this one. PRINT IS DEAD.  Some of the newspapers now are on-line. If you put your web address in they can click and link directly to your web site. I have found that works well. Don't tell my  competitors, have not seen them on, ssshhhh, but a $30 ad in the Express News can do wonders. And we all know you have to appease your sellers where they expect to see their ad. I have one seller that is 78 years old and she expects it in her local paper. I can do.