Marketing tips for a small area

[Doug Pretorius (ON) 9]

I'm looking for marketing suggestions for locating buyers that would be especially effective for a small area, like 1 or 2 neighborhoods. The things I've got so far are:

 

1. Bandit signs.

2. Bus stop ads.

3. Any method of advertising available at shopping and community centres.

4. Community paper.

5. Anything that's delivered in the area, i.e. coupon books.

6. Door hangers/flyers.

7. Ad in the paper which specifies the area.

 

Any other ideas? And which have you found to be most cost-effective?

[mpine 0]

Have you asked any corner stores on busy intersections if you can rent a spot facing the road to put up a prominant sign? In my area that can be swung for like $100/mo and less.

 

Mike

:ph34r:

[Jason (AL) 1]

Hey Doug,

 

Maybe I can offer some miniscule feedback.

 

About this time last year, I ran an ad to find T/Bs (when I had NO house to sell).

I was just trying to see what folks had to put down in the particular town I was advertising.

The town I did it in had/has a population of ~5,000 people...I'm not sure how small you were talking about in your post, but to me it's considered small from where I'm from.

 

All I did was run an ad.

Actually, the paper I ran the ad only runs twice a week (Wednesday & Saturday).

That's all I used. NO signs, NO flyers, etc.

 

It read as follows:

 

RENT TO OWN

Nice 3Br. 2Ba.

205-xxx-xxxx

 

I received about 60+ calls from that ad, that only ran 3 times.

That may be small beans to the big areas..but around here, that's alot.

 

Now, if only I had done something with those potential T/Bs

 

Hope this helps,

Jason

[Doug Pretorius (ON) 9]

Mike, that's a good idea. The city in question has some heavy restrictions on permanent sign placement. Last time I checked they would allow them only on land that is attached to your place of business. So if that's still the case, I would need to lease a store/office somewhere. However, it might be possible to do something if I were able to partner up with a store somehow... it's worth looking into.

 

Jason, I can't find statistics online, but I read an article in the newspaper a year or so ago about one of the neighborhoods I'm considering focusing on. If I remember correctly it has 7,000 households, so I guess that's about 20,000 people.

 

I know exactly where to place an ad like yours and it would probably generate several hundred calls...on the front page of the Pennysaver...the hard part is convincing them to do it, their policy is NO commercial ads on the front page (except display ads, which are horrendously expensive!) But one time they let me run an ad for sellers for 3 weeks (once a week) and I got about 40 calls, which is better than any other marketing I've ever done.

[4Rmgt 0]

Bandit Signs, Newspaper Ads, Direct Marketing, etc. None work if they aren't written and focused to the correct audience. To many people think we need to focus on areas where properties are good for flipping or renting, etc.

 

Instead we need to focus on areas where you can get your ads/marketing in front of people that are motivated. So think of what makes a person motivated to sell.

 

Here are some ideas:

 

1. Job Loss

2. Job Transfer

3. Divorce

4. Death (ok the heirs would be selling)

5. Bankrupcty.

 

Think of where those people tend to mass and work those areas.

 

1. Unemployment offices

2. Outside of buildings that house attorney's offices

3. Funeral Homes

4. Divorce court buildings

 

etc.

 

Put your signs there, or ads there, and you will see a better response.

 

Hope that helps!

[Doug Pretorius (ON) 9]

Ryan, I appreciate your suggestions, however as my original post stated: I'm looking for motivated buyers NOT sellers.

 

Marketing for motivated SELLERS has been a total waste of time and money for me, for years. So I'm not even bothering to look any more. Instead I am refocusing my attention on buying nice starter homes for whatever I can get them for, and reselling them on contract for deed to prearranged buyers.

[-Tony- 0]

Last time I checked they would allow them only on land that is attached to your place of business.

write a lease for the portion of window space.....hmmm.....you have now got a lease for that store end of problem.

[Adam King (MI) 1]

Doug,

 

We Can Help

$100K and Up Homes

No Bank Qualify

Credit Issues Okay

877 xxx xxxx Ext xxxx

 

This brings applications into my email daily and you will need NOTHING more. Get them to call, that's it. We run the ad on sunday only, but EVERY Sunday.

Regards,

Adam

[Doug Pretorius (ON) 9]

Tony, that's a great idea, thanks!

 

Adam, the newspaper would run that ad everyday for about $300/mo in one section. The Pennysaver will run it in both the for rent and for sale sections for $70-$330/mo (depending on whether they decide to charge personal or commerical rates.) Which would you use?

[option8 0]

Doug,

 

here's my 0.02

 

Think about being not only a big fish, but a big LOUD fish...

Choose your colors carefully---the louder the better----NEON!

 

option8

[Doug Pretorius (ON) 9]

option8, for roadside advertising, asbolutely! I picked up some very bright neon posterboard the other day. It's much more expensive here, coated is $1.91/sheet, and I can't find non-coated anywhere. Still... cut in half and stapled on poles, $1.00 a piece isn't bad.

[mlantz7 0]

I remember reading a thread awhile back about getting some materials from Xpedx for a really cheap price. I went down to my local Xpedx and they didn't know what I was talking about.

 

Can someone elaborate on this? I am referring to poster board, etc, for outdoor advertising.

 

Thanks,

 

Mike (UT)

[option8 0]

Expedex pricing was for bulk purchases ordered from the factory---

Go to the local office supply store and look for Royal Brights Colored posterboard

 

option8

[Adam King (MI) 1]

Doug,

 

Adam, the newspaper would run that ad everyday for about $300/mo in one section. The Pennysaver will run it in both the for rent and for sale sections for $70-$330/mo (depending on whether they decide to charge personal or commerical rates.) Which would you use?

 

I used to run that ad only on Sundays. I have of today placed it for Saturday and Sunday because I don't like to sleep anymore.

 

Option 8

 

Think about being not only a big fish, but a big LOUD fish...

Choose your colors carefully---the louder the better----NEON!

You slay me...

 

Regards,

Adam

[Doug Pretorius (ON) 9]

Adam, believe it or not, it costs more here to run it just on the real estate day (which is Saturday here) than it does to run it everyday.