Getting Results with a Personally Branded Magazine
Why Use a Personally Branded Magazine from ReminderMedia?
“It shows that I'm a professional, and if I take this much care with my marketing, then prospects know I will do the same for their transaction.”
“My average commission is between $9K and $10K, and I get five or six referrals each year from the magazine. The ROI is definitely there!”
Gale’s Playbook
“You cannot just mail out the magazine; I coach agents and tell them you have to follow up. It’s the conversation that’s important, but the magazine makes it easy.”
“In addition to the print magazine, I use ReminderMedia’s Digital Edition. I also like the automated social media posts and the newsletter of events in the Louisville area. It’s really splashed my name out. I go to a lot of places, and people tell me ‘I see your name everywhere!’ I laugh and think what a compliment that is!”
Best Practices
Stay connected to your clients. Gale knows that in real estate, it’s important to nurture relationships, so she mails her magazine to all her clients—even those who moved out of state. In fact, she's gotten two referrals from such recipients, and those two then gave her additional local referrals.
Follow up after your magazine arrives. Gale isn't just an agent—she also runs the office. Even so, she makes sure to call every client after she sends their first issue, asking if they received it, mentioning that she hopes they like it, and thanking them for their business.
Consider other recipients who could garner business. Beyond mailing them to her clients, Gale sends them to local businesses she knows. Two examples are her doctor’s and dentist’s offices, where the office managers put them out on their respective waiting room tables.
Use promotional copies to stand out. Gale sends copies to herself to include in her listing packages and give out at open houses.
Employ a variety of touchpoints. In addition to mailing her magazine, Gale calls her clients and sends them a personal handwritten note card at least one or two times a year. And she always does something creative during the holidays.
Why ReminderMedia Marketing Works
“It’s unique. People are overwhelmed by email and social media, but when they get my magazine in the mail, they pull it out, see my face on the cover, and read it.”
Gale first discovered ReminderMedia when a newly hired agent showed her the personally branded magazine. “She told me she's a very relationship-oriented person,” she explains, “and that ‘it just makes me feel good to give [my clients] something special every month. I get compliments all the time.’ And that’s true! Every time mine goes out, I get one or two people who send me a text. Or if they see me somewhere, they tell me, ‘Oh, I love this issue, I love this, I love that,’ so I know they're reading it.”
The reason for such effusive reactions? "The magazine is a gift," Gale notes. "So there's the psychology of reciprocity as it relates to gifts.” In essence, when you do something nice for someone, it makes them want to do something nice back—and for clients, the easiest way to accomplish that is to offer a referral.
Case in Point
“I was sending my magazine to a couple I had helped move to a new home out of state. He had Alzheimer’s, so he and his wife, Kathy, wanted to be closer to their son. One day, he came in with the mail, held up my magazine, and said, ‘Hey, look at this! This came from Gale Cox. She's my Realtor®.’ At this point, Kathy told me, his disease had gotten to the point where he could barely remember his children. And yet, with every issue delivered to their mailbox, he always remembers my name.”
3 Things You Can Do Now
“The magazine wasn’t what I expected, nor was the price as expensive as I had anticipated.”
Collect the names of all your clients, past and present, and update their contact information in your CRM.
Call five of your contacts for five minutes each day for five days, and you’ll connect with 25 people every week! If they don’t answer, leave a voice message or send a text or video message. If it’s been a while since you last spoke, simply mention that they crossed your mind and that you wanted to reach out. Establish rapport with reference to a personal detail you noted in your database. Besides perhaps mentioning you’re still in real estate, don’t pitch your services or ask for a referral. If you're stuck for words, download and use these free scripts for inspiration.
3. Have a better reason to pick up the phone and experience easier conversations by using a personally branded magazine from ReminderMedia. Click here to get a free PDF sample sent to your inbox, then use this script when you call to follow up.