There's no such thing as the magical, Real Estate unicorn

August 27, 2009 | Posted by Carolyn Pikoulas
OK, I am not Dr. Phil, so I'm not the best with analogies and metaphors. But, I'd like to take a moment and explain that the search for the perfect Internet marketing plan is futile. We often say that there are no silver bullets in marketing, and it's even more true today than a few years ago when the housing market was a bit more steady. So now, what has worked for your website in the past may not be working for you today.

Everyone wants their website to convert. Of course, that's the ultimate goal. We all want your customers and prospects to immediately pick up the phone and send you money after visiting your website. But that's like asking for a magical unicorn. In reality, it doesn't exist. No matter how much you want one, no one will ever be able to give you a real unicorn. We could glue a horn on a white horse, slap a Realtor logo on it (don't contact us PETA -- it's only theoretical), and call it "The Magical Real Estate Unicorn," but it will never grant your wishes, fly in the air or perform magic tricks. A website can't do that either.

A website can only do so much in a market such as this and in an industry as competitive as Real Estate. Your site could be #1 on Google, contain great offers and call-to-actions, and have the ability to capture leads. But if people aren't in the market to buy at the moment, no amount of marketing and advertising will change that.

Every company will tell you a different way to market your website. And there's more than one way to skin a cat. It doesn't mean one plan is better or worse than the other. Different marketing strategies can still lead you down the right path toward the same goal. What's important is that you don't stop your marketing efforts haphazardly. Those who wait for the smoke to clear will suffocate. Significantly cutting marketing budgets has instant and long-term negative effects on your brand. Studies have shown that businesses that maintain their marketing strategy will yield higher sales growth both during and after the economic downturn. So while your competitors make the mistake of cutting back, keep plugging away with your eyes on the prize.

Right now, many companies are finding that their marketing efforts present a troubling Catch-22: not enough business for marketing, and not enough marketing for the business. Fortunately, there are lots of creative and inexpensive ways to create marketing programs even with a small budget.

The secret to creating a high-impact marketing plan is to optimize your limited budget. A one-time print ad, billboard or glossy brochure will quickly eat away at your budget and spoil your marketing efforts. And expensive ads don't necessarily translate into increased sales. Statistically, your target customers need to hear your marketing message at least 7 times to influence a buying decision. Using marketing strategies beyond your budget does not allow you to repeat your message often enough to make an impact.

So, the moral of the story is: it's difficult to sell someone vanilla ice cream when they're asking for a pair of shoes. And don't say in return: "Ok - how about chocolate ice cream?"