People who are trying to sell their homes themselves are a delicate proposition for real estate agents. They may have “I’ll do it myself” mentality (and they probably do). Such attitudes make them difficult for you to approach in a professional capacity. Or, they may be “testing the waters” of selling their house, without being highly motivated to do so. They may have an inflated unrealistic view of the value of their homes. They may actually resent real estate agents, thinking they can do your job and keep that percentage of the sales price in their own pockets.
How Do You Win Them Over?
With a FSBO Postcard campaign designed to offer them the information they need to become better educated home sellers, to begin forging a relationship with them and then, eventually to list their homes. Your best approach IS NOT to immediately ask for them to list with you. The best approach is to HELP them achieve their goals, which should start even before they list with you. A FSBO postcard campaignis a great, cost effective way for you to do it. Focus on a single topic for each postcard. For instance:
- Offer tips on preparing the exterior of their home for improved curb appeal.
- Offer tips on repairing and upgrading the interior – with ROI in mind.
- Define “staging” and offer short, bulleted tips to improve appeal.
- Give them marketing information (statistics on sales and outlook).
- Offer tips on proper pricing to sell a home.
- Cover legal and contractual terms and concept.
A FSBO Postcard series will not only open a line of communication between you and potential new clients, it will also showcase your skills and build confidence in the FSBO’s view of your abilities. A Few Things to Remember: Send FSBO owners your “Just Sold” postcards to show that you get results. Send FSBO owners your “Just Listed” postcardsto demonstrate your marketing for your listing clients. Make sure your postcard contains information that benefits the FSBO client, this is not a place to blatantly self-promote.
How Do You Promote Yourself?
- End your FSBO postcard content with a variation version of reminding them that you are available to them. Consider saying, “I may not be your real estate agent, but I still want to help you.”
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- Always offer a link in the text of your postcard to a blog entry or web-based article that expands on the topic covered on the postcard. Consider saying, “To learn more about staging your kitchen for showing, visit http://myweb.com/staging.”
- Consider using a QR Code for a convenient way for FSBO postcard recipients to reference more information on the topic, or to share your contact information and invite questions from FSBOs.
- Branding should be subtle – especially with FSBO’s – keep it about them, not all about you. When you offer contact information, be sure it is ONLY your preferred method of contact, not every possible number and email address you possess. Simplify it for them.
The goal of FSBO Postcard campaigns is to build a potential real estate client’s confidence in you, your abilities, your knowledge and your willingness to help them sell their home. Even if they don’t list their house with you, they may select you to help them find their next home, or recommend you to family and friends who plan to buy a house or sell a current home.