MON Talks » e-Pro

Farm a Neighborhood for $5-$10 a month?

Don Eagle — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 20:15:33 +0000

Good gravy. We heard this one from a REALTOR that looked over the Neighborhood Web Center. He saw it was something that his area of over 20,000 people would use on a regular basis. Merchants, schools, clubs, organizations, residents, buyers and sellers – all using the Neighborhood Web Center. And one REALTOR or a small group of REALTORS would be standing in front of people every day and be seen as one of the Neighborhood Real Estate Experts. And he said that would be worth $5-$10 a month. That is even worse than the ones that say they don’t spend anything.
In what business would you even imagine running and only spending $5-$10 a month to reach thousands or even hundreds of potential clients?
What could you do for $5 or $10 dollars? Shoot, that would only pay for 1/4 of a For sale sign. “Sorry sir, I can’t take your listing because I can’t afford a sign for your house.”
It wouldn’t pay for an ad to market it. It wouldn’t pay for flyers. It wouldn’t pay for postcards to even 20 homes. It wouldn’t pay for open house signs. You could buy a poster board, write on it in marker – HOME FOR SALE- and stand in front of the house every day- yea, that would work.
And what could you spend that $5.00 – $10.00 on to let people know you are in business? I can’t think of a thing.
And what could you spend $5.00-$10.00 on to give buyers and sellers a reason to choose you over the competition? !”
As Dr. Phil would say, “How’s that working for ya?” .

Neighborhood Websites aren’t just for REALTORS any more.

Don Eagle — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:54:18 +0000

Back when we started in 2001 our goal was to deliver a fully functional neighborhood web site to the community and bring in one REALTOR to run it and advertise within it. From experience we knew that if the neighborhood saw the site as theirs and not one that was another real estate site or belonged to someone else they would get behind it, tell each other about it and promote it. And the payoff for the REALTOR? Having thousands of people driving traffic to the site they were within- kind of a Trojan horse kind of thing. And running the site, promoting it and keeping it lively and up to date did not take much time. And it was more fun than an open house and got us in front of many more buyers.
Anyway, that was then.
We did everything we could to instruct, encourage and motivate to get the REALTORS that sponsored the neighborhood site to do the right things so they could get the ultimate payoff- more buyers and sellers.

But no matter what there was always some that would sit back, watch TV and complain that nothing is working. Drats, it’s you that’s not working!

So today we have changed the game all around. During the past 8 or 9 years we have had civic clubs, community organizations, community minded businesses and individuals ask to be the one behind the neighborhood website.

It’s time now. Today, our Neighborhood Websites have grown into Neighborhood Web Centers – all full of services, media and live video hosts that make each neighborhood a place that all return to day after day. We hoped with REALTORS they would manage and keep all the merchants, schools, clubs, organizations, churches and residents involved.
Today that is going to take a very special person or group- The Neighborhood Ambassador . Read all about it at www.NeighborhoodAmbassador.com. Now we aren’t saying it can’t be a REALTOR- but it doesn’t have to be any more. Now it is open for applications to find just the right person or group that is a good match. Are you the Neighborhood Ambassador type?

So you want to Farm your neighborhood – but you can’t afford the plow?

Don Eagle — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 12:24:16 +0000

We’ve been thinking about this for a long time. How can we help REALTORS that really want to farm and market their neighborhood but just can’t come up with the money to do it?
Now we know we can position them as the one REALTOR that the neighborhood, community or small town sees as their neighborhood REALTOR. And for much less than anything else they can do- postal mailings (5000 homes month after month- $2000-$2500 a month), walk the neighborhood and knock on doors (doesn’t cost much except for time- but you’ll get in better shape), bus benches ( if you are riding a bus are you going to be buying a house?), real estate magazines (regional – not honed in on the neighborhood and still costs lots) or borrowing other REALTORS listings and sitting in Open Houses ( I fell asleep just thinking about this one). Yea, we can get a REALTOR in front of a neighborhood of 5,000 – 10,000 – 20,000 or more every day for just $279.00 a month as the one – the only – Neighborhood REALTOR. Less than anything else they can do.
But what if we can place a small select group of REALTORS in front of the neighborhood for $69.00 each. Sure you would not be the only one- but would it not be better to be one of 5 or 8 select REALTORS that are identified as The Neighborhood Real Estate Experts?
Of course there will be some that say – “if I can’t be the only one I don’t want it.”
And go back to being just another REALTOR – one out of thousands – yea, good plan.

Real Estate Farming is back!And we make it fun and easy!

Don Eagle — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 12:13:34 +0000

It is amazing how many have forgot the importance of farming. And no we aren’t talking about a bunch of radishes, tomatoes and corn in the back yard. But the principle is the same.
If you carefully cultivate a garden, take care of it, plant, feed, water and weed- you will have results. Yes, food for the table.
Real estate farming is no different. Sure it takes work. But there is no payoff without effort.
I know some are saying – there used to be. I could plant a sign in a front yard and buyers would line up and I would take orders. No work- just lots of money.
Now REALTORS that are smart are moving back to basics. And farming is as basic as it gets.
So whether you have decided that your specialty is vacation homes, first time buyers, relos or the one that everyone is chasing – short sales – you need to cultivate your market. And we think the best specialty is to be The Neighborhood Expert! Turn your neighborhood into one big farm working for you. And we have the best and easiest way to do it.

So what does that have to do with what is new?

Next post, I promise.

Lot’s to talk about – New Stuff!

Don Eagle — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 11:54:43 +0000

We have been busy! So let’s get right to it.

1. We’ve improved every neighborhood so that there is more value to the residents – and if there is more value to our REALTORS. Things like Twitter – yea, I know. We’re sick of all the Twitter stuff. Who needs it. Who cares what someone is having for breakfast.
But that is not what we are talking about. Think Neighborhood Watch. or Lost Dog ALERT!
When we add Twitter to the neighborhood site and the residents sign up to follow- every time a notice is posted on the site about a neighborhood alert or whatever – it tweats out to every follower.
See there is a practical application for Twitter! Beat they never thought of that.
2. Have you noticed the neighborhood video channel? Take a look. Now every business, club, church or even a resident or family can upload their funny, heartwarming or informative video about the neighborhood. We now have our own YouTubby kind of thing!

But there is even more to come. I’ll tell more in the next post. But it is cool- I promise.

Is having a REALTOR website the same as farming??

Don Eagle — Thu, 28 May 2009 19:12:01 +0000

How to Dupe a Realtor

You’ve been duped or you have misunderstood!

It is not all about the Internet!

For the past few years if you asked a REALTOR if they were marketing themselves, their listings or trying to reach buyers, most have the same answer, “Yep, I have 5 websites!” Or “Sure I do, I have a great REALTOR site!”

Ok, I’m going to say it. The Internet is not the all! It is not a replacement for farming, marketing yourselves, working a sphere of influence, searching for buyers where they are or becoming best known as the specialist in a neighborhood, community, small town, Church, Civic Group or in the PTA. It is only a tool to be used in each farming strategy. After all, if you asked a person with land if they were farming they would not say, “Sure, I got a hoe.” The hoe, is a tool, not the whole farming plan.

Look at the most successful REALTORS you know. Do they work hard? Do they have a full plan to reach buyers and sellers? Do they have a strategy to give buyers and sellers a reason to use them? They spent a considerable effort to be the best known REALTOR within the group or sphere of influence they decided to dominate.

You know they have. The fact they are tops is no accident. And if you read this again you will see there are 3 things that you must do to be one of those top REALTORS.

1. Work hard

2. Develop a Sphere of Influence – Find a way to reach buyers where they are (And the answer is Not the Internet -We are talking real places here- in a group, club, Church, community, neighborhood, or small town.)

3. Give buyers and sellers a reason to choose you. Get involved. Have value. Be more than a person with a license.

You need a whole strategy, not just one tool. And yes the Internet will be a part of the entire strategy. Or you could just be like 80% of REALTORS wandering around with a tool or 2 and not have any place to use them.

My Online Neighborhood joins RealTown Network

Don Eagle — Sat, 16 May 2009 13:48:00 +0000

We have been working with the folks at RealTown.com (They also teach the e-Pro course to REALTORS thru NAR and are highly repected in the industry) to put this together for 8 or 9 months. Read their news release.

Real Estate Industry’s Leading Internet Portal Partners with Neighborhood Social Networking Company

SANFORD, Fla — RealTown.com, the real estate industry’s premier internet portal, and MyOnlineNeighborhood.com, the leading provider of Neighborhood Social Networking tools for real estate professionals recently announced a marketing partnership. “We’re excited about working with MyOnlineNeighborhood.com, because we think that the services that they provide can be extremely valuable to Real Estate Professionals,” says Rich Hudson, Director of PR/Marketing at Internet Crusade.

The services of a real estate professional are more important now than any time in the last 10 years. Yet, with home prices in record decline, withdrawn buyers and expanding inventories of short sales, foreclosures and owner held homes, many real estate professionals can no longer compete. By leading their neighborhood social network with promotional tools from MyOnlineNeighborhood.com, real estate professionals can establish themselves as the neighborhood real estate professional. However, this opportunity is not available for everyone, as each neighborhood social network will have only one real estate professional.

Don and Diane Eagle founded MyOnlineNeighborhood.com in 2000 as a result of their frustration with the rising costs and diminishing returns of magazine and newspaper advertising. “Why spend thousands of dollars to advertise to people all over the state, when the buyers and sellers are in your neighborhood,” says Diane. “With MyOnlineNeighborhood.com, we give the community a way to connect and to build a relationship so that when the buyers and sellers need the services of a real estate professional, you will have already established a relationship with them.” Nine years after finishing their first neighborhood site in College Park, Florida, MyOnlineNeighborhood.com has expanded to become a Neighborhood Social Network with more than 1800 neighborhood sites across the country.

“We’ve been doing ‘Social Networking’ before there was a word for it,” says Don Eagle, co-founder of MyOnlineNeighborhood.com. “We put the Neighborhood online with Video Channels, Events Calendars, Discussion Boards, Job Listings, Merchant Listings and lots more. And each site has only one Real Estate Professional in the Real Estate Channel.”

MyOnlineNeighborhood.com’s service allows real to position themselves as Neighborhood Real Estate Professionals, by providing Social Networking tools to each neighborhood. “We offer all of the tools that we can think of to the neighborhood. And then we tie those tools in with Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and YouTube,” says Diane.

MyOnlineNeighborhood is different from other SEO-related marketing strategies. “Especially for smaller communities, if you need a barber or a florist, you aren’t going to type that information into google. But that same person would go to their Neighborhood’s website. And once the community starts to use the site, it takes on a life of its own. Its your community!” says Diane. “And with MyOnlineNeighborhood.com, real estate professionals promote their communities and themselves at the same time.”

RealTown.com is now promoting MyOnlineNeighborhood’s Neighborhood Social Networks on its website. If you are a real estate professional and are interested in learning more, visit MyOnlineNeighborhood.com to fill out an online application or contact Don and Diane Eagle at (800) 470-8730.