Posted by JT - IN on July 09, 2001 at 12:13:21:
You won’t miss too many people with the to and from WM signs. That just about covers everybody, these days. High traffic marketing ground, near a WM store! Travel at your own risk!
JT - IN
Small towns … - Posted by Sammy
Posted by Sammy on July 08, 2001 at 18:11:55:
I live in small town (only about 7,000 people) bordered by other small towns of the same size. The nearest “big” town is at least 30 minutes away. Now, I’ve started to put up signs and flyers in my small town, and a few surrounding small towns, but not getting much action at all. I was going to try advertising in the paper too, but from the people I’ve talked to they get 10 times more leads from their signs/flyers then they do from their ads in the paper, so that’s what I’ve been focusing on. My question is … does anyone else have any bright ideas on how to help motivated sellers in these small towns find me, or should I perhaps focus on some of the bigger towns in the area, even if it means driving 30-45 minutes or more each way just to go put up signs, look at properties, etc. Don’t get me wrong, I’m perfectly willing to do whatever I have to do, but just curious what others think. Surely some of you also live in tiny little towns … how are you doing it?
Fish where the Fish are biting… - Posted by JT - IN
Posted by JT - IN on July 08, 2001 at 23:50:53:
Sammy:
I live in a small town, of 1800. In fact, I am the Mayor. Not that that is relevant to anything in RE, except, due to zoning issues and conflict of interest possiblities, it is a slight hinderance and drawback.
One of the problems with small town America, (in the Midwest), is that people are much more like folks were 20, 30 or 40 yrs ago. Now that is good, in fact great, for quality of life issues. You can count of people to be accountable, and their reputation is very important to them and others. Not much of that going around in the “Big City” these days. So what is the problem here, with this scenario, you ask? Some of the very things that create a great environment for creative RE opportunities, is instability, due to divorce, financial problems, foreclosure, layoffs, etc. Well, what I am saying is, the rate of all the above is far less in my area, than that of the larger cities. So I drive about an hour to a larger metropolitan city, where the above mentioned problems are abundant, and RE investing is GREAT! “I fish where the fish are biting”!
Then, at the end of the day, I come home to my sleepy little town. Don’t need to open the door with a key, cause it is probably already unlocked, and say, “Howdy folks! Sure is good to be Home”!
Now I do get about 3 or 4 nice deals per year, that just happen to walk upon my doorstep, in this sleepy little town, cause folks here know, that if they got something to sell, I will have the immediate solution to their problem. Word does get around fast in a small town, ya know…
JT - IN
Re: Small towns … - Posted by Dee-Texas
Posted by Dee-Texas on July 08, 2001 at 20:28:36:
It takes a while for people to get to know you from the signs…ESPECIALLY…in a small town. If you have the time go to the morning coffe shop… you know…where everyone knows absolutely everything about everyone. If it’s like my town…you can go in and have coffee, talk, leave your cards and by the end of the week. Everyone will know that those are Sammy’s signs…I put signs, newspaper ads and ads in thrifty nickel…I keep something running ALL the time. I have a message on EVERY answering machine I own…Hello this is Dee’s house but if your calling about a house call 555-555-5555…Even if their not looking to buy, you just made them listen.
I live in a town of 10K…so yes it’s a challenge BUT when people find out your honest and try to make a win-win for everyone…you will have all the business you can handle from WORD OF MOUTH…in your little town.
GREAT SUCCESS!
Dee-Texas
Re: Small towns … HUH? - Posted by Ed Copp (OH)
Posted by Ed Copp (OH) on July 09, 2001 at 11:15:44:
My little town is not really a town at all. In Ohio if it has less than 2,000 residents it is a village My village has 1,800 and I am considered a newcomer, as I have only lived here for 13 years.
You mention 7,000 there are no towns of that size in my county or the next adjoining county either, for that matter. It is necessary to go out of the county for a big mac, or anything from wal-mart.
Now all that said, Dee has important info about the coffee shops. Even my little village has 3 or 4 (not much else to do here). There are however two groups of coffee drinkers. The yakety-yak group, and the group that shuts up when you enter the room. The shut up group moves around town from time to time. May be here one week and up the road next week. Everybody in town knows thier names. They are the movers and shakers, the old rich guys that make things happen. There is one of these guys in my town (might be more than one), that when he says it’s a done deal…well you don’t need a contract, and you don’t need to worry about financing. It is desirable to get into this group, and it is difficult. I got in by buying something from one of them (paid too much too).
As far as signs go, I have found them pretty effective so far. I am a real estate broker so my company name is on my bandit signs. I need to be a little more careful about where they are palced. Generally I am looking for working class people, so I post in thier line of travel, at the busy intersections. In my county that would be sometimes as many a 2 cars at the same time. We have only 2 traffic lights in the entire county, so what you folks consider busy might not be exactly what I think is busy.
I try to post the signs in an area where the reader can call me as a local call. It seems that there are some folks (lots of them) that will drive 20 miles to keep from making a 40 cent long distance call (my kind of people). The signs are working for me right now because nobody else, in real estate is doing this right now. One thing that is nice about a small town is that everybody knows who you are in just minutes, once you get a little name exposure. You’re ED the guy that buys houses, you have signs all over the place (I heard that comment when I had 6 signs out).
you win that IS small - Posted by Dee-Texas
Posted by Dee-Texas on July 09, 2001 at 12:07:06:
Hi Ed loved your post.
I had the same comment about my signs…someone I was showing a house to said… Oh, I know you…Your the one with all the signs out! I had two signs out at that time. One going to Wal-Mart and one coming from Wal-Mart!
I love this stuff!
Dee-Texas