Top Real Estate Professionals Disclose Marketing Secrets for Tough Times

October 29, 2008

Real estate professionals indicate that systematic direct marketing works - using targeted direct mail, emails and online forums. In fact over 67% of all agents are now members of online social networks.

AUSTIN, Texas - October 28, 2008 - QuantumDigital (www.quantumdigital.com), the complete online service provider for direct mail, on-demand digital printing and eMarketing solutions, today announced the results of a commissioned survey of 10,000 real estate professionals comprised of a variety of real estate professionals and brokers. The purpose of the survey, titled "Real Estate Marketing Survey," was to understand how real estate professionals are currently spending their marketing dollars; how much they are spending; how their marketing mix is structured; and what online and offline channels they are using to communicate with prospective clients, existing clients and other professionals in the business.

"Given the current real estate market conditions, it's vital for agents to truly understand how direct marketing can help generate business and increase name recognition with buyers. That means knowing what tools are out there, how often to use them and what medium is most effective for their particular markets," explained Eric Cosway, EVP and CMO of QuantumDigital. "This survey not only helped us gain new insights for our real estate product road map, but it also provides us with timely and meaningful education and best practices that we can share with our clients and prospects."

The top ten core themes of the findings include:

1. Direct mail, newsprint, email and online marketing are the defacto marketing channels for real estate professionals.
2. On average, agents and brokers typically spend 10 percent of their gross commissionable income (GCI) a year on marketing - 4 percent of which is allocated to direct mail and six percent to online/web/email channels.
3. Sphere of influence is still the number one way to get new business.
4. Email is used for customer retention and follow-up while direct mail and online marketing are used for customer acquisition.
5. Sixty-seven percent of real estate professionals are now part of an online social network.
6. LinkedIn and Facebook are the top two networking/social platforms.
7. ActiveRain.com and RealTown.com are the top two cited real estate blogs.
8. Realtor.com, Craigslist and corporate/brokerage Web sites are the three most popular listing sites.
9. Whether mailing or emailing, real estate professionals typically hit 200-400 local contacts.

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Top Real Estate Professionals Disclose Marketing Secrets for Tough Times

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