Real estate agents, lawyers, mortgage loan officers, dentists and car dealerships…the list goes on and on. If I have to look at another real estate agent with his or her arms crossed while leaning against a digitized image of his name I think my eyes are going to burst into flames. I may be exaggerating (a little) for effect but I think you get the point.
What gets me is that all of the verticals mentioned above, spend good money on producing high quality mailer pieces. Sadly they are spending a whole lot on…yellow page and newspaper ads too. Ouch! It would be one thing if the advertising pieces were creative but that is not the case. They are mostly all the same. The few exceptions stand out like sore thumbs and in marketing that is a good thing.
Here is an example of a good marketing piece I found for a law firm out of Southern California. Not the typical suit next to his name in front of a high rise building. Eye catching with a bit of shock factor.
And here is my the dreaded real estate agent lean.
I am not picking on real estate agents. I understand they are doing what other agents before them have done and what the cookie cutter photographer with limited props or the “marketing” company sold them through their starter package. If they took a little more time in coming up with quality marketing rather than quantity marketing, they would get better results.
The fix is not simple. It will take re-educating the entire population of small business owners. I am hoping that this simple rant on why I am so tired of lame advertising will do its share of good. If this post offends you it is because I struck a nerve and your marketing could use some pick me up. Please send all hate mail to your existing agency or mentor as I am merely the messenger.
Good Selling,
Byron
