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Why You Need to Create a Customer Plan for Your REI Business

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By Sharon Vornholt

Today I want to talk about why you need to create a customer plan for your real estate investing business (in addition to a marketing plan) and exactly what a customer plan is. This is a new concept for real estate investors, but it’s something savvy businesses have been doing for a while.

What’s the Difference Between a Marketing Plan and a Customer Plan?

Simply put, a marketing plan is used to get leads. It’s used to attract motivated sellers.

Your customer plan details your process or what you do to keep those leads. The goal should be to have a repeatable process for nurturing the people that come into your business as leads.

Let’s Look At Your Marketing Plan

One of the first things you probably learned when you started your investing business was that your #1 job is marketing. You won’t be in business very long if you don’t have a steady stream of leads coming in the door. There are a lot of things you can put off but marketing isn’t one of them.

In order to effectively market your real estate business so that you always have leads, you must have a marketing plan.

Once you have implemented your marketing plan, it’s time to move on to your customer plan.

Exactly What Is a Customer Plan and Why Do You Need One?

A customer plan is a document that you create for your specific business. The customer plan for a real estate business would look much different than one a doctor created for their medical practice.

If you look at most businesses, they spend a lot of time writing business plans and marketing plans that attract customers. However, almost no one has a plan for keeping those customers (AKA motivated sellers) once you have gotten them to call you. Real estate is no different from any other business; it’s all about the customer. In our business they just happen to be folks that want or need to sell a property.

Your customer plan should be a detailed document that outlines everything needed to create a remarkable customer experience. This is the time for innovation; the time to think outside the box. If you really want to be the standout company in your marketplace, you need to find a way to reinvent the way you do business and deliver that exceptional customer experience.

Once you have created your customer plan, it also serves as a roadmap for making your company the absolute best company in your market.

Companies that got it Right

When you talk about companies that disrupted their markets, the first two companies that immediately come to mind are Uber and Airbnb. These companies “reimagined” the taxi business and the hotel business.

Uber changed the model of taxi business forever. People everywhere like riding in a regular automobile much more than a stinky taxi. Airbnb is another company that completely changed the customer experience. They reinvented the way customers choose accommodations when they travel. They are definitely giving hotels a run for their money.

What about cameras and voice recorders? Smart phones have pretty much replaced the need for both of these devices. They forever changed the way we take pictures on the go.

When I think back to the company that changed the way real estate commissions were traditionally paid, RE/MAX was responsible for that major change. Agents no longer had to share their commissions with the broker/office. If you are a RE/MAX agent, you pay a fee for everything; office space, copies etc. but you don’t share your commission. They reimagined the way Realtors get paid.

So the next question is …. how can you create a customer experience that is so different than what people are used to that you become “the one” they all want to work with?

It All Starts with the Customer

The first step is to know your potential customers. Don’t worry about your competition; worry about your customers. Once you know who your ideal customer is, then it’s time to create the best customer experience possible. Focus on creating the experience and the rest will take care of itself.

Of course ultimately this is about getting the deal. But more than that, it’s about creating raving fans that result in referrals, testimonials and repeat business.

Nurturing Your Leads

It’s easier (and cheaper) to nurture a lead than get another one. That’s a fact. Now don’t mistake this for trying to make a deal work that really isn’t a deal. That’s not what I’m talking about. This is about creating an experience for the seller at every touch point that is remarkable.

Anatomy of the Average Real Estate Deal

This is a very basic overview of the way a real estate deal goes from start to finish.

  1. You spend a lot of time and money generating leads
  2. Your marketing results in the seller contacting you about the property
  3. At some point you will have a phone conversation with the seller
  4. The next step is to look at the property if the initial screening call went well
  5. You inspect the property and decide whether or not to make an offer on the property
  6. After negotiations that offer is accepted or rejected
  7. If the offer is accepted you will proceed to the closing/settlement (and get a testimonial)

If you look at the process it’s all pretty mundane. Ask yourself this; looking at these steps, is there anything there that would create a remarkable customer experience? I don’t think so.

So let me ask you this:

  • If nothing were off limits, what could you do?
  • What would you change?
  • Is there a way to “reinvent” the way this process evolves?
  • Where can you innovate?

Let’s Do a Little Brainstorming Here

Let’s start with #1 which is lead generation and look at how you might reinvent the direct mail process.

If everyone is sending the same direct mail pieces; letters and postcards, what can you do differently? How about sending out a newsletter with helpful homeowner tips as your first mail piece? Instead of starting with a letter or postcard that says “I want to buy your house”, you begin your relationship with “Hi I’m Sharon, and I have some helpful tips for you today”. The point is to make a different first impression than everyone else.

Think of it this way; send the sellers something they will enjoy reading and in the process they will be introduced to you as a person rather than a business that wants something from them (their house). By doing this, over time you become the trusted resource in your market. At the bottom of your newsletter let them know that you buy houses and share your contact information.

Taking this thought one step further, why not replace one letter or postcard every quarter with something that would be useful to the sellers like a quarterly newsletter or market update? Information to create these information pieces is readily available on the internet, so it’s really pretty easy.

Doesn’t that make a whole different impression than a “we buy houses” letter or a postcard that’s all about you and your company? You bet it does.

Final Tips

I would like to challenge you to look at each one of those steps in the average real estate deal and think of a way you can “reimagine” the way you do business. Find ways that you can be remarkable in this crowded marketplace of real estate investing.

 

Sharon Vornholt

Louisville Gals Real Estate Blog

VERDICT: GUILTY!

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By Kathy Kennebrook (The Marketing Magic Lady)

“If you were arrested for being a real estate investor would there be enough evidence to convict you?” I was once asked! I wholeheartedly responded with a resounding, “YES!” You must be able to do that which makes you stand out from your competition. As you begin your campaigns as part of your overall marketing strategy and goal, continue to diligently test and track results as you go. You MUST be able to determine what marketing tools work best for you in your market place in order to draw the highest number of motivated sellers to your real estate investing business.

People often ask me, “What is the best way to find motivated sellers and buyers?” My response is to do that which your competition will not and do a lot of it. Dare to be different in your approach to locating motivated sellers. Analyze, discover and continue to rediscover the best combination of marketing methods that will generate the highest number of motivated sellers for your business. Develop three to five marketing techniques that give the very best lead-generating leverage possible and devote your resources to those marketing techniques which net the very best results. As simple as it may sound—don’t spend time on something that is not productive.

Constantly test and track new marketing techniques since your market and your business will continue to change over time. In most cases, change IS good, especially if YOU plan that change. Spend time listening or reading about those who have come before you and developed marketing strategies that draw high numbers of motivated sellers to you. Spend your time and energy constantly seeking new knowledge about new combinations of marketing methods to create even more leads. Pursue innovative marketing methods in your business to bring you the highest number of motivated sellers. Be innovative. You’ll get “status quo” results if you stick to the status quo!

Don’t be afraid to use unusual types of marketing products such as florescent orange or pink business cards, post cards or signage to attract sellers. Use t-shirts in your business and wear them all the time. We even had a t-shirt made for our German Shepard dog. When we would take him for a walk people knew what we do for a living. “Wrap” your vehicle in signage and be sure to include a web site address. Implement several different ways to attract sellers since you will need to reach your market in a variety of ways.

Direct mail is another essential tool to use to attract lots of motivated sellers. This is a method most of your competition is not using in their business. Implement mailings on a residual basis so you are in constant contact with these sellers. When their circumstances dictate that they do so, they will want to sell to you first, even if they have been contacted by someone else in the meantime, since you have taken the time to build credibility with these sellers. Use lumpy mail pieces in your envelopes to entice your reader to open the envelope and read your message. Design your direct mail piece so different that it demands people’s attention, so it gets opened and read.

Don’t be worried about people who make negative comments about you or your marketing methods. You will be the one who will get “the last laugh” all the way to the bank with the profits from your real estate deals. Throw your business cards out into the bleachers when your children’s team scores a point. Give business cards to everyone you deal with on a daily basis. Write an article on real estate and submit it to your local newspaper. Offer to do a free talk on real estate for your local radio station or your local library.

Become a local expert in the real estate field and sellers will seek you out first when they need to sell.

A marketing genius once said, “Perception is more important than reality.” People are more comfortable dealing with someone they perceive to be an expert in their field.

Most importantly, absolutely KNOW what your competition is doing. Literally track their every technique. Research and find out all that your competition is doing. Knowing about your competition gives you the ultimate edge over them. The more you know about your competition, the better idea you will have about your market. One of the best ways to find out what your competition is doing is to join local associations or clubs where you are likely interact with them.

There are lots of great ways for you to stand out in your business. Don’t be afraid to be different. Although you will still use some tried and proven marketing techniques, those who are willing to take a little risk are the ones who are the most successful.

Believe me when I tell you, some of these lessons come from difficulties, pain, and even a couple of failures along the way. But once you make a mistake, never make that same mistake again! Different gets attention and that’s what you want, to get the attention of sellers who need your services.

Very simply, if you don’t let people know that you buy and sell houses, you won’t! Dare to be different in your approach to finding motivated sellers and buyers.

So when someone asks you, “If you were arrested for being a real estate investor, would there be enough evidence to convict you?”

Your VERDICT must be: GUILTY!

Kathy Kennebrook

Contact Info:

Kathy Kennebrook
Dagger LLC
P.O. Box 14343
Bradenton Fl 34280

941-792-5390
941-795-6887 (fax)
[email protected]

Kathy Kennebrook is the ultimate success story. She spent several years in the banking industry before discovering the world of real estate. After attending some real estate seminars this 4 foot 11 mother of two got really excited and before you know it she’d bought and sold hundreds of properties using none of her own money or credit.

Kathy holds a degree in accounting and has co-authored the books- The Venus Approach to Real Estate Investing, Walking With the Wise Real Estate Investor, and Walking With the Wise Entrepreneur which also includes real estate experts Donald Trump, Suze Orman, Robert Kiyosaki, and Dr. Wayne Dyer. She is the nation’s leading expert at finding highly qualified, motivated sellers, buyers and lenders using many types of direct mail marketing. She is known throughout the United States and Canada as the Marketing Magic Lady. She has put together a simple step-by-step system that anyone can follow to duplicate her success.

Kathy has been speaking throughout the country and across Canada for over 14 years and has shared the stage with Ron LeGrand, Donald Trump, Dr. Phil., Dan Kennedy, Mark Victor Hansen, Ted Thomas and Suze Orman to name a few.

Kathy is going to share with you how she generates a seven figure income by mailing a handful of letters throughout the year to highly selected targets by knowing exactly what to send them, who to send them to and exactly how to deliver her message. She will teach you the secrets of pre-screening and automating your marketing and follow up systems to put your entire Real Estate business on auto-pilot.