Dollar For Dollar, Classified Advertising And Small Space Ads (Display Ads) Are Still Top Advertising Mediums For The Real Estate Industry, And Today, You Can Use The Classified Approach For The Internet As Well.

Why? Because your local newspaper is one of the first places an interested buyer or seller will turn to when they get the urge to research the market. The local paper is at hand in most every house. Because more than 30% of households are on-line, most newspapers also post their classifieds on-line. In addition, many search engines and other companies will post classifieds for free.

Classified ads are immediate. If the ad doesn't generate your expected return... you can have it changed virtually overnight. And they are relatively inexpensive when compared with direct mail, telemarketing, full color brochures, etc.

With that in mind, the astute real estate practitioner will make it a point to become adept in the art of writing lead-generating small ad space. Let's begin with the ad writing formula of direct response masters.

Every ad - be it classified, display, letter or brochure - should follow the classic AIDA formula - Attention, Interest, Desire, Action. AIDA is a simple formula which, when followed, virtually guarantees you will write a good solid, response-generating ad every time.

The purpose of your advertisement is not to sell a house or gain a listing. The purpose of your ad is to motivate a prospect to take the next step. What's the next step? Perhaps it is to call your voice mail. Perhaps to call your office directly. Request a free informational report. Call and request a free service.

So write your ads with that one ready to act now prospect -- not the masses.

Write your ads with the sole purpose to:

Gain the attention of your targeted prospect, maintain their interest long enough to create a desire great enough to overcome their inertia so they will take the next step and give you a call.

Think of it this way. You might have the best property on the market, listed at the best possible price with the best possible terms. But unless you write an announcement (an ad) which effectively gains the attention of your potential prospects, interests them enough to keep reading, creates a desire great enough to prompt them off the couch and make their way to the telephone where they will punch out the phone number you gave them... your listing isn't worth a dime.

"The more you tell the more you sell." But, if you fail to write a response generating ad, you're not saying a thing. In fact, the only thing worse than not marketing at all is spending your hard earned money marketing in such a way that no one pays any attention. What a waste.

There are a couple tricks you can use to gain attention. One, create a visual effect which will draw your prospect's eyes to your ad. In the classifieds this is easy... simply fork out the extra money to run a "classified display" and use a cartoon, big letters or eye-catching graphics. Use anything different from simple text and you will stand out in the classifieds.

Another proven way to gain attention is to offer an immediate benefit to the reader. Make s quick list of all the benefits you can offer a customer. Pick one which matches your intended audience and make it the headline of your ad... classified or display.

For example, let's target sellers:

FREE Home Selling Secrets Revealed. Call...

Sell Your Home in 90 Days or Less. Guaranteed! Call...

For Sale By Owner! FREE marketing analysis to determine the best price to sell your home...Call...

Put yourself in the shoes of a seller. See any benefits that might catch your attention? See anything which holds your attention?

Notice something else. Your headline should serve as a qualifier. That is, your headline should immediately address the type of reader or prospect you want.

People do not read ads for pleasure... they peruse ads because they have an interest in something in particular. They scan ads looking for something that meets their preconceived criteria. Do your best to help them find it by addressing them up front.

For buyers... the easiest way to gain attention is to begin your property ad with the area. This will serve as a qualifier. And you don't need to get fancy. Don't write something like: I help South Side buyers.

That sounds too much like a sales pitch. Simply state: South Side. Every person reading the classifieds who might be interested in buying a property on the South Side will know enough has been said.

For buyers, stating the monthly payment is the best way to catch and keep their attention.

Think about it. When you purchased your last car, were you really concerned about the price... or were you more concerned about the monthly cost?

Try this ad on for size:

South Side country home. $717 per month. $2500 down. 3bd/2bath. Call....

It looks deceptively simple. Yet this is one of the most powerful lead generating ads you can run. By announcing the area, you immediately gain the attention of people interested in purchasing on the South Side. By announcing the monthly nut, you immediately gain the attention of people who believe they can afford that price. You have, in a very real sense, qualified your prospects before they even pick up the phone. I mean, come on, the public is a lot smarter than we give them credit for. If they are serious buyers... they know what they can afford and what they can't so let them know up front. Make it easy for them to call you concerning your property!

Benefits create desire. Benefits, the answer to ‘what's in it for me’ is what will cause your prospects to pick up the phone and call you. Benefits, properly articulated, will prompt immediate action.

And that, in a very real sense, is the only purpose of your ad... to get interested prospects to take action, to take the next step in your determined marketing sequence.

Let’s look at some proven profitable winning ads and then call it a day...

When your prospect calls, and they will, you must be prepared to make good on the benefits you've so wonderfully outlined in your ad. If you promised a guarantee without pressure... make good on your word. If you've promised additional information... get it out to them quickly and efficiently.

Record their name, address, phone number, what ad prompted their call, and when they anticipate doing business. Attempt to gain an appointment if appropriate or plug them into your marketing system for further follow-up.

Published: January 8, 1999

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Robert Fore is the president and CEO for Realty Profit Systems. He is a nationally recognized marketing trainer and strategist who specializes in combining the proven principles of direct response marketing with the cost-effective, worldwide penetration of the internet. Realty Profit Systems publishes the Online Real Estate Marketing Report at http://www.hometeam2000.com and offers a free, weekly e-zine of real estate marketing tips at http://www.top10realty.com.