5 ways to take advantage of fall and make your yearly goals

With Labor Day and fall selling season almost upon us, this is your last chance to make the production goals that you set at the beginning of the year. If you’re ready to end 2018 on a high note, here’s how to do it.

1. Capitalize on the ‘3-season punch’ for evergreen marketing materials

Whether it’s a single flaming sycamore tree in the local park or a beautiful mountain panorama, these types of photos are “evergreen” in that they can be used for many years in your print, online and social media marketing campaigns.

The great thing about the late summer/early fall is that you can capture three seasons in less than 90 days. With the leaves turning in early fall, you still have a few weeks now to catch the beautiful green summer foliage.

You can also take pictures that capture the fun summer activities in your area such as water skiing, cookouts, lounging poolside, hiking, biking, etc. In the winter, it could be skiing, ice skating, hockey, etc.

To illustrate another approach, one innovative agent decided that she would photograph the front of every home in her farm area during the summer. That winter, her summer photos helped her to capture and sell more listings. The reason? Her photos stood out from the snow-covered competition.

Remember, the great photos you take now can form the foundation for your marketing throughout the year.

2. Shoot seasonal community videos

Video continues to be an important vehicle for marketing your listings and the lifestyle in your community.

Zillow has just launched Trulia Neighborhoods, a new service that allows users to experience the lifestyle in various areas including reviews from people who live there.

Even if you opt to use this service, however, you can still personalize it to be even more detailed than what it offers by capturing the best of your local summer lifestyle. Here are some ideas:

• Shoot a video as you enjoy a hike or bike ride in a local park.
• Hold an end of summer client appreciation event. Take videos of your clients enjoying themselves, and post them to your Facebook and Instagram business pages (with their permission). Chances are your videos will go to the top of their newsfeed and that they will also be shared.
• If you or a friend have a boat, shoot a video of the waterfront homes in your market area.

There are thousands of things you can do to capture what’s great about the local lifestyle. Late summer videos are a counterpoint to winter’s gray skies, bare trees and freezing temperatures. Also, be sure to post your videos on your personal website, Facebook business page, Instagram and YouTube.

3. Plan your fall marketing campaigns

The time around Labor Day is an excellent time to plan your fall marketing campaign. Some items to consider:

• Update your photos and videos of all your listings, especially if there is a price reduction. You want the property to look different and fresh so that it captures the attention of both brokers and their buyers who may have seen it when it was listed at a higher price.
• Search the local newspaper archives for the Labor Day Parade pictures from 50 or 60 years ago. Use them in your September client newsletter, and post them to the various social media sites where you are active.
• If your area is fanatical about your local football team, interview the local coach and/or sponsor a tailgate party for your fall client appreciation event.
• Sponsor an Oktoberfest client appreciation event in conjunction with local craft brewers. Serve brats, potato salad and other tradition German food. You could even have a polka band.
• At Halloween, many agents host pumpkin carving contests. You could also sponsor a local Halloween parade. For refreshments at your open houses, serve pumpkin lattes, pumpkin bread and maybe pumpkin pie.
• Hold a Veteran’s Day Client Appreciation event where you invite your past clients and their families who have served in the military.
• Send out paper or digital “Happy Thanksgiving” cards to your present and past clients.

By planning these activities now, you can set everything on autopilot. This will free you up later in the year to spend more time on lead generation as well as more time to celebrate all those different holidays.

4. Perform fall maintenance 

Use your postcard marketing campaign to remind your past clients and sphere about the importance of handling fall maintenance. Items to include:

• Clean downspouts and falling leaves.
• Routine roof and chimney maintenance.
• Check heaters, and clean and replace filters.
• Conduct an energy audit to cut heating bills this winter. Provide links to energy rebates for any of the work they may do.
• Include coupons to local vendors who supply any of these services

5. Make time to give back

In Steve Kantor’s book, Billion Dollar Agent – Lessons Learned, two-thirds of the billion dollar-selling agents Kantor profiled attributed their service to their community as primary source of leads for their businesses.

For example, you can host a back-to-school backpack drive for needy children or a clothing or food drive to support a local charity or food bank.

To illustrate how this can help grow your business, an agent wasn’t getting the results he wanted from his SEO marketing campaign. He decided to take that money and contribute it to a local food bank. He also took his daughter to volunteer at the food bank every Saturday afternoon. During this time, his business increased by 15 percent.

To end your 2018 with a bang, there’s no better time than right now to gear up for fall selling season.