A Marketing Market, not a selling market

©Copyright 2010 Ian Keightley. All rights reserved. Feel free to forward and distribute but copyright is retained.

Hi [name] and welcome to my Weekly Insight for Monday 23rd August 2010  

A Marketing market, not a Selling Market. 

These are interesting times with 3 different markets operating. 

1. Markets with lots of listings and very few buyers.

2. Markets with with very few listings and lots of buyers.

3. Markets with few buyers and very few sellers. 

Whilst all 3 present their own challenges, the lack of good quality new listings is the toughest challenge. This is where marketing is critical. Marketing of properties for sale that is.

I was talking with an agent just a few days ago who was celebrating that they had broken their drought with a sale. Celebrations were appropriate but the pressure to make a sale and generate cashflow had seen that new listing sold in just a few days before any marketing commenced. This agent was now lamenting a lack of new listings and how hard it was to secure anything for sale. They could not see that the property they had just sold, so quickly, could have lead them to that elusive new listing. 

One of their colleagues who had a more strategic and mature view of the "business" had a good supply of listings, all well marketed and presented. In reviewing their business they agreed that many traditional prospecting activities were less effective in this market. What was effective for him was strong marketing of new listings for 3 - 5 weeks, not only to find the best buyer for this listing, but to meet the ACTIVE and REAL people in the market. This was the basis  of about half his new listings. The remainder were coming from repeat, referred and POP-IN clients. His focus was Marketing FIRST, Sale second. And its WORKING!

Reducing marketing costs and cutting corners is a dead-end. This is a Marketing Market! 

      Quote for the Week

  "Why choose to be right instead of happy when there is no way to be right?"

Hugh Parther 

Have an awesome week

There is strong interest in my 3 day ROOKIE ACADEMY planned for Christchurch late September. This is my 3 day course focusing on being excellent at the basics. Perfect for Rookies and experienced sales people needing to up-skill or set a new or better direction. Phone or e-mail for more details.

Dates: Sept  29 & 30 and Oct 1.  Book and see more details at www.salescoach.co.nz