When was the last time you went up to an info tube (or an info box) and found it actually had a property flyer in it? OK, let's suppose the agent or homeowner was on top of things and the tube/box was actually filled. Did you call the number listed and ask for more information? Hmmm, I didn't think so.
You see, most people pick up flyers at properties just to appease their curiosity. Most people picking up those flyers are not serious buyers. It could be the nosy neighbor down the street wanting to know what the house is listed for. The young family around the corner who's thinking of selling is picking up comps in the area. The "dreamer" who is always looking at homes they'll buy "one day" but "one day" never comes. Someone selling in the neighborhood wondering how this home's features and price stack up against his.
Info Tubes are a waste of time, money and trees! You'll never see an Info Tube on my properties. It won't do my seller any good for me to put one there. So how do I better serve my seller's need to get his property info out there to someone who is standing outside the house and absolutely, positively needs to know all about it right now? I use a toll-free hotline with recorded information about the house instead. This information is available 24/7. It's also free. You won't have to set up a pin number or give me your first born to get it. You just call the number and listen to the information. Pretty simple.
Even though the caller doesn't have to provide anything to get the information, I do get something in return for the phonecall. The caller's phone number. You see, the hotline is set up to pick up the phone number making the call. Then the system sends a text message to my cell letting me know the number and the house they're calling about! Smart system.
How is this helping my seller get his house sold? Well, now that I have the phone number, I can call the party back and weed out the "lookers" from the interested buyers. I now have the opportunity to tell them more about the house and quite possibly set up an appointment for them to view it. It all about getting more qualified traffic to the home.
Yes, I will still need to deal with the nosy neighbor, the young family, the "dreamer" and the other seller. But I will also get to talk to the serious buyer who may never have seen your house because the last flyer he picked up that day was better than yours and he had already forgotten what was so pretty about yours anyway.
I won't let him forget.
Maggie Dokic, SFR is a licensed real estate broker in the state of Florida selling residential real estate in Miami, Palmetto Bay, Pinecrest, Coral Gables, Gables by the Sea, High Pines, the Redland and other select areas of SW Miami-Dade County.
Maggie has earned her SFR certification to be able to better serve the needs of her customers in today's non-traditional real estate market. SFR is a Short Sale, Foreclosure Resource Specialist. Designees have been trained to understand the highly specialized options available to Sellers facing short sales & foreclosures and Buyers looking to buy them.
For more information on our local real estate market, or to see or sell a home in Miami, Palmetto Bay, Pinecrest, Coral Gables or the Redland, visit my Miami Real Estate blog or contact me at Maggie (at) TheBlogThatAteMiami (dot) com.
The opinions expressed herein, are those of the author, and not necessarily of Keller Williams Realty.
None of this information is to be deemed legal or financial advice. Please contact your attorney or accountant for same.
Maggie,
I was wondering if anyone had any luck with those recorded lines, sounds like this system is a winner with capturing the number. Good post. :)
Maggie, I love how you write. :o)
You also make a very good point, and I love your sign! LOL!
Maggie, I don't like them either for the reasons you mentioned. Sometimes I have sellers that want them so I comply for a month. It tell them if the phone doesn't ring.......off they go. I'm sure most of us in the industry know this but the sellers do not.
How many homes do they sell a year. I think this is a 5.
Hi Maggie - I've used brochure boxes off and on for several years. Sellers like them, but I have to say I don't think I've gotten a single call off of any of them. Effort and time with no return. They get wet because the last person didn't close the box, kids take them, neighbors take them, who knows where they disappear to, but not the return on that effort that one would think we'd get.
LOVE that sign - how'd you do that???
Ann
Maggie-you know your real estate, that's for sure! Goes to show that Miami real estate is no different than here. Those info tubes are a waste of money, time and trees.
Most of my sellers are alright with no brochures, but I have one coming on line that really wants them. What company do you use for your sign calls?
I really need to get on board and get a hotline! I don't use info boxes, either. I have been asked, and I always say "I can definitely put one up if you prefer, but..." and then explain WHY they might want to reconsider having flyers so easily available in their front yard.
Maggie,
Some years ago ( about 20 ) when I first started in business, I was the first agent in my small community to use Flyers in a flyer box. I discovered two things very quickly.
Hence I dropped the flyer box and have never looked back. The argument by agents " you need to do this to appease the Seller's " is pure Bull... . The only thing you need to do to appease Seller's is to sell their home.
I tell my potential Seller's this. You are considering using me to sell your home because of my success rate and track record. I have developed a system that has created that success and although I am always looking for new ways to improve it I am not looking to fall back on unsuccessful methods that erode my success.
Maggie
You don't really see many in our neck of the woods - Most agents don't use them, so sellers don't ask for them. Great post.
Sandra
Maggie, well giving you my first born or better yet my second born would have been a real selling feature, sure you don't want to re-think that ....... LOL
One of the Realtors that I call on uses a similar system and he loves it. He feels that it is a major reason for the increase that he has seen in his business this year.
Hey Maggie,
Well girl, I realize I'm swimming upstream on this one, but I'm taking the opposite view here. I had a 800 # hotline for several years, recorded info, etc. and finally did away with it. I prefer the flyers for several reasons.
1. First of all, I want to present that home as best as I possibly can with photos. I'm a huge believer of "don't just tell me, but show me" (same reason I use multiple photos online). Unlike some, I use what I call "color at the curb" meaning full color photos flyers outside. I want to generate interest from a buyer's perspective, creating the desire (so-to-speak) to see the inside of the home. To me a b/w flyer, rolled up is trash, it looks like a ransom note and it'a a waster. However a full color brochure, (and yes they can be expensive at times) is far more inviting.
2. I also want potential buyers to have something tangible when they drive off, something that has the address, price, facts. I want them to "remember" my sellers home vs. another one. It's more than a phone number written down on a piece of scrap paper.
3. Also I want consumers to have a brief bio on me. Now keep in mind, my property flyers are just that, "property" flyers, not a full size photo of "wonderful me", like I've see at times. Yet I do have one small photo and a brief bio near bottom right. It says: "About the Broker". It's intended to come across like "about the author" on the back of a jacket of a book. I want consumers to feel like I have a level of competence about r.e. when they're calling.
4. The call capture is a whole another issue for me. No need to go into that one, it's just my personal opinion and not worth sharing.
Now with all that said, I do not use tubes, I use clear boxes with lids. In the past they were checked 3X a week, now usually twice. Some sellers track their own level of interest as a result of how many are taken. It's also a very visual level of interest, they can see the interest of lack of for themselves. As you know we don't have as much rain in So.Cal as many places, however I/we do try to monitor that too. Not too many in at one time, we do not want them to appear weathered.
Well guess, I've blabbed on for more than enough on this one. More than anything else, it's a matter of opinion and what works for you. And if the 800 is working better, then I say go for it!
Oh sorry, one more thing, I had a showing yesterday from a buyer who called to see the inside of a home. She said something to the effect "My Mom picked up a flyer for me on this house and I'd really like to see it".
Some of your clients will insist on them, because they have seen them.
Time to hone up on the 'overcoming objections' technique for this one. It is a thing of the past
Maggi Darlin' - We're just going to have to agree to disagree on this one. I do believe that giving the neighbors the info s a postive thing to do. I don't see them as "nosy neighbors" I see them as interested people who might know someone who wants to move into their neighborhood. I go one step further---I hand deliver a personal invitation for them to come to the first open house. I want to get the neighbors involved.
As for the call capture lines, I have them but will only call someone if they leave their telephone number for me on voicemail.
I don't think either of us is right or wrong---we just differ in style.
We are not even allowed to use the flier boxes or tubes. If the town sees one they will call you on it. But they don't ever tell the FSBO's they are not allowed to use them! LOL! Well, in most of our communities you can not even have a sign. So the toll free number and the flier tubes do us no good anyways!
We agree with you for the reasons not to use the flier tubes. They are tacky! They get wet! And they keep buyers from calling. When Nestor was in Texas and they did allow tubes he had the same experience as Herb. Also, on the properties that do allow signs, like lots out in Loxahatchee, the buyers just call us direct.
Hey folks. I'm on vacation and checking in =) Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate your input, even the differing ones. As much as I admire Lynda and Marlene, I'll have to differ on opinion here. And that's OK. =) Herb said it better than I could so I'll refer back to his comment above. I use Proquest and they offer the capability to have a fax of the flyer (the "F" word!) sent to you by just punching in your fax number. It's very simple and provides a take-away if people really want one.
I have nothing against flyers or making them. As a matter of fact, I absolutely adore making them with the marketing software EWM provides to all it's agents. The possibilities are endless. But I use them in different ways, just not in front of my listings.
ooops! Ann - I forgot to tell you. I used Image Chef to make the picture. I did a post on it a little while ago. They are too cool! ImageChef.com
Susie - the nosey neighbors really don't bother me. =) I'm just fond of being able to track the results my efforts have.
Maggie,
Around here they seem to disappear quickly - I suspect kids take them just because they can - who knows? I like your call system and am considering something similar myself. Right now I have ordered riders with my website address on them to direct curious folks to me online.
Stephanie - the nice thing about this hotline is you have 999 extensions available. You only pay for the minutes used so using them on all price ranges is quite affordable.
Cyndee - tell Jack I said he's a smart cookie =)
Rita - I love advertising my website but I try not to put it on my property signs if I have a hotline rider. It gives the person a reason to not call the hotline and just go to my site for the info. It would be nice if he fell in love with the property online and called me but I like the opportunity to call them back and try to sell them on the property myself.
I am the inventor and owner of the company that manufacturers InfoTubes and InfoBoxes. I have also been a real estate broker for over 25 years. I originally invented the products to sell listings. I quickly learned that putting an advertisement in the hands of a potential buyer for the price of the paper was a no lose situation in the down housing market in Texas in the 80's.
The product works just the same in this housing depression we are experiencing today. In addition to increasing property sales for myself and thousands of agent's, the products also increased my listings. Bottom line, they work and they work cheap.
The InfoTubes and InfoBoxes are outdoor containers designed to keep information dry. A smart agent or home seller can put CD's, flyers, etc inside the products. Arguing that Free, instant communication with an interested party is bad thing is something I don't understand from a business or cost standpoint.