Marketing Ideas wanted

[Jeff Horton]

I just lost a good client and I am looking to add new buisiness. I am looking for some some good marketing ideas. I am not a salesman and I hate making sales calls in person or on the phone for that matter. I am toying with an idea but looking for any input from others. How do we get our foot in the door? I am a area of small towns and there are plenty of appraisers. So I have to do something to catch their attention in order for them to give me a chance. If I can every get a chance then I can try to impress them.

One idea I am thinking about creating a buisness card on CD. Using some HTML programming and creating basically a version of my web page that they can look at on their computer. I am going on the assumption that everone who has a fairly new computer has a CD drive and if they are running windows they have some version of Internet Explorer even if they are not the internet.

I have tried a Joke of Week, faxing it to their offices. I always picked good clean funny jokes. I set up my computer to send it at night and had how they could get removed from the list. I had a few people tell me how much they enjoyed it but I got no buisness from it that I could tell.

Share with us your marking ideas!

 

[Julio E. Sune Jr. (FL)]

Go to appraisaltoday.com---look for "59 ways to market your appraisal services". You will also find other related articles.

Best Regards: JES

 

[Doug Ellwood]

Jeff thats a tough call. I feel a better approach is to join some local organizations. Some towns have small business clubs that meet for breakfast once a week. Unfortunately, you need to meet some people inorder to get some work. How about asking your current clients? They are always a good source besides they know your work etc.... Why did you lose the big client?

 

[Jeff Horton]

Why did you lose the big client?

I knew someone would ask that! Buddy of mine left his in-laws small Mortgage Company and went with a large bank. He and his boss had a run in and he left. he then went back to his in-laws Mortgage Company.

I still have his buisness but instead of 3-4 jobs a week now he is only doing 1 or maybe 2 a week now.

So time to beat the bushes and pick up a couple of new lenders.

 

[Dale Smalley]

and dial.

 

[Tim Hicks (Texas)]

Actually, sometimes I find the best clients when I am not looking for them. What lousy advice, I know. Sometimes it helps to visit an office that has one loan officer that uses you and has many others that don't know you. I have been known to knock on the office down the hall and say, "I know you use so and so, but if they are ever out of town or you need rush they can't get to, please give me a try." I don't like to to rush jobs, but sometime it endears you to a loan officer. Just be careful, sometimes there is a reason for a rush job. Sometimes, it is because the first appraisal is lower thatn they want and they are shopping for value.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Coming from a small southern town myself...my first question would be...(and I know you people up north may consider this heresy)...where do you go to church? More importantly...where does the loan officer at the bank you want go to church? A little Sunday visiting at a dinner on the grounds may bag the client.

Truth be told, in my experience, lenders tend to pick appraisers with whom they have an affiliation...the largest privately owned bank in my area uses the loan officer's (UNCERTIFIED!) father in law as an appraiser. (I lost a lot of potential work there, but still get their commercial work...go figure.) Another uses the (again, UNCERTIFIED) step-daughter of a member of the board. One uses AN ACTUAL MEMBER of the board's appraisal firm. One is a major lender who farms out their work through AMC's against the pleas of the local loan officers who want us (the local appraisers) to do the work.

Since you can't change your family...your best bet would be to travel in the social circles of the LO's and bank presidents, etc. Getting on the AMC's lists doesn't hurt, either.

Kathy

 

[Mountain Man]

Get to know the Realtors. If you help them with one when they are in a bad time crunch, that may be good for a few more request. Ask to be a guest speaker at one of their sales meetings. All sales offices I know of have weekly meetings (that goes for the banks as well).

I also get a lot of work from the AMC's. The local banks might THINK they have the mortgage biz rapped up in a one horse town, but they don't.

Basically, your new part time job IS marketing. I know you might not like it, but you better learn to atleast smile while you are doing it.
Mell.

 

[wade3333]

Small southern town,get to know Real Estate agents, tell them you will be glad to work with them when they need an appraisal shortly. I stopped by the C21 Real Estate office this week, one of the agents wanted to know if I could help them, did the appraisal for them the next day, they appreciate it and will help you.
I personally do not believe you should go to Church for business reasons, go for the right reasons and that will help in more ways than one. Be involved in a Civic Club. Believe it or not, play golf, I personally did not learn to play golf, one of my bigger mistakes, more business is done on a golf course than any other place that I know. I have been in sales most of my life and anyone in sales should play golf for business reasons. Join the Chamber of Commerce. It's all public relations. Wade So.Ga.

 

[Jeff Horton]

I personally do not believe you should go to Church for business reasons, go for the right reasons and that will help in more ways than one.

TOTALLY agree Wade!