| Do you have a personal brochure? If so, is it only a | | | | include full names and towns. Anonymous testimonials |
| marketing tool designed to showcase your services, or | | | | are always suspect and often believed to be false. |
| does it reveal who you are when you're not wearing | | | | You can reveal your niche, which is important when |
| your real estate hat? | | | | you really want to devote most of your time to |
| I believe it should be the latter, because prospective | | | | working in that niche. If you prefer working with first |
| clients really want to know more about you before | | | | time buyers, why try to attract luxury buyers - or the |
| choosing you to represent them. They want to know | | | | other way around. If you're experienced in listing and |
| what kind of person you are so that they can feel | | | | selling horse property, why attract waterfront |
| comfortable in trusting you. Gone are the days when | | | | homeowners? |
| customers were happy choosing an agent without | | | | Once you decide what to include, you can do it in two |
| seeing anything but their professional face. | | | | different ways. Either create separate sections in the |
| Perhaps this is a reaction to the news of late. It seems | | | | brochure, or integrate all of it into more "story-like" |
| like every time we turn on the TV we learn about | | | | copy. |
| someone else who shouldn't have been trusted. | | | | For instance, you could say something such as: "Our |
| Whatever the reason, consumers now have a natural | | | | family spends its free time on horseback, and I spend |
| inclination to doubt everyone. Your personal brochure | | | | my work time listing and selling the fine horse |
| can help relieve some of that doubt and assist | | | | properties to be found just minutes from (town.)" |
| prospects in feeling good about choosing you. | | | | Or, "I enjoy staying in touch with many of my first time |
| In a well-written personal brochure you can reveal your | | | | homebuyers on week-ends when we gather to watch |
| personality and give prospects reasons to feel that | | | | our kids play little league ball." |
| you are "like them" in some way by mentioning | | | | How about "Weather permitting, buyers interested in |
| previous occupations, hobbies, volunteer work, pets, | | | | my lakefront listings can expect to go from home to |
| and family. Remember, soccer moms are inclined to | | | | home in my (name of boat). They find it a great way |
| trust other soccer moms, and dog lovers are inclined | | | | to get acquainted with the lake while getting a |
| to trust other dog lovers. | | | | "waters-eye view" of the homes they're considering." |
| You can offer a snapshot of your education to | | | | "Working with relocating buyers is one of my joys. I |
| reassure prospects that you do have the background | | | | always include a tour of the area to help them get |
| and knowledge to serve them well. But a caution here | | | | acquainted. And, if they're interested, the tour includes |
| - if you include a list of alphabet designations, you do | | | | a brief stop at my farm to let my girls show off our |
| need to clarify what they mean. Most consumers | | | | herd of llamas." |
| have no idea. | | | | Writing your personal brochure can be fun, and it will |
| You can include short testimonials from satisfied clients. | | | | act as a personal introduction to those future clients |
| Be sure you have permission to use them, and then | | | | you have yet to meet. So get busy! |