So I got my marketing materials in yesterday – YAY! I feel like a real marketer again now!

I have a very distinctive look and feel to the items so that they “all look like my stuff” and I really like the one photo that I used as the focal point of the pieces (it is a group of realtor looking people, from diverse backgrounds, who are dressed professional casual – I know too much information BUT this is the only time I am going to make you listen so bear with me!) The color scheme is neon green and black and is very distinctive and will be easy to use in numerous pieces.

When you have your logo and marketing materials designed you should LOVE them! You should also ask other people what they think since you are trying to appeal to humans in general. I had one person (Pam, our closing coordinator) who didn’t like my realtor group, but in general everyone else either liked them or was neutral. I can live with that! While I DO care about what people think I also have to take into consideration that personal taste does come into play sometimes and what I like will not be what everyone likes.

That having been said…. I used a different picture on the front of my tri-fold brochure that has caused SEVERAL people to recoil in horror and say they don’t like how the one person looks. That is not good AT ALL. She doesn’t offend me, but my message is getting lost in general reaction (who knew!). Anyways, she has got to go!

I will be resending the file with a new picture. It will cost about $10 to change it since I ordered only 25 copies to start. That is one of my big tips, order small quantities to make sure you like how things turn out. Imagine if I had ordered 10,000 of them!!! I would be hesitant to send them out so they would last even LONGER. I would develop a reply to people who hated her, “well she isn’t that bad and I have 10,000 to use so please try to get past it”.

Public opinion will never be 100% on your side, BUT if you hear something more than a couple of times (we would have liked more communication, our flyer box is always empty, my clients liked it but there was too much wallpaper) that is something you need to fix TODAY!

Related posts:

1. Not just a pretty face!

What is the one thing you can do to give yourself instant credibility? Have some FABULOUS collateral made!

When I started as a realtor the one thing that I did which helped me most was to design some really impressive marketing materials. When I went on a listing appointment I could feel confident that my materials would be a great representation of my level of committment and professionalism. That committment included providing great representation to my clients and to spending all my time learning my real estate skills, not dealing with the fact that I was a new agent.

What kinds of collateral do you need? The most basic answer is you MUST have a great business card. I am not a fan of the head shot cards, enough said. What you need to make sure you have is enough contact information that someone could reach you by whatever means they prefer (mail, phone or email). Having 3 or 4 ways to reach you via phone means that they may have to have to chase you down and that is never a good sign!

Tri-fold Brochure – Whether you are a small business owner or a realtor this one HUGE. It allows you to give a comprehensive look at your background and credentials as well as all the products and services you can offer your clients. It is great for leaving behind after a sales appointment, listing presentation or a buyer appointment. It is also good for networking events and for open houses where you might want to have something more than a sales sheet to leave behind. I prefer to have my Tri-folds act as a mailer also so that if I want to send them I do not have to put them in an envelope when mailing.

Presentation Cover – On any sales call you make you need to have a professionally designed cover that matches your marketing materials. Use it for sales proposals, RFPs, listing presentations and buyer appointment books.

Oversized Postcard – Last but certainly not least you should have a postcard that you can pop into the mail. I recommend having a BUNCH of different ones depending on the situation that you encounter, BUT to start, get one good solid postcard that covers most of your products and services. He

How much of each should you order? This is a tough one since ordering larger quantities can reduce the per piece price BUT with the new color print shops online I would not order terribly expensive or large quantities of any one item. Your services may change and if you have thousands of pieces you will have to throw them out. Also I have done jobs in the past for clients who ordered REALLY top of the line materials and then were hesitant to send them out – if you have to think for one moment whether you can afford to send a prospect a card or brochure you have spent too much!

If you can’t tell I am a HUGE fan of having professional marketing materials and think EVERYONE in business should have them also!

Related posts:

1. Popular Opinion – When To Change!