The nation is in a residential real estate slump, but that doesnt mean that homes are not selling. People are still buying and selling, just not as many as a year ago. You, the realtor, must figure out a way to get those buyers and sellers to contact you instead of your competitor. You do that with advertising, of course.



So, you just plunk down $5,000 for a month’s worth of radio advertising and wait for the customers to crowd into your office, right? Not quite. Television ad campaigns are equally cost prohibitive. Print media is declining in readership, so why would you spend you advertising dollar in a shrinking market? The answer is something that has been used by realtors with great success for years. The promotional calendar.





The Simple Calendar



Get a good picture of yourself. Perhaps with a nice home in the background, or by a big \"Sold!\" sign in a yard. Have the manufacturer print that picture along with your office information on a quality calendar product, and you have a winning combination. Your picture is the key here. It’s human nature for people to feel more comfortable with a business if they can put a face with it. You don’t need to look like a runway model or Hollywood star, either. Just a nice smile is all you need. Potential customers will see your portrait on a daily basis as they refer to the calendar, and in a short while they will feel like they know you a little bit. They will have developed a relationship with you. It doesn’t make sense, but that ’s the way human beings are wired.



So Why Not Take Advantage Of It?



You know you are a decent, likeable person, but it doesn’t hurt to try to spread that fact around by using a promotional product like the calendar with your name and information on it. Give the calendars away at business fairs, at the county fair, at open houses, or just leave a stack of them in other non-competing businesses that will let you do it. People in general love calendars, and especially a \"free\" one. They may not be thinking about buying or selling a home today, but months from now they might be. When that time comes they will recall your calendar, go to their fridge and get your phone number. When your phone rings, it will be them asking you to help them buy or sell a home.



The Cost?



Calendars can cost as little as 25 cents each. When you consider how much exposure each one provides, a couple hundred dollars of them will go a long way to generate more business for you. Check out a reliable, quality vendor to see what is available. There are many different styles from which to choose. One will be right for you.