Real Estate Views from St Pete

You know, I suppose it may one day fade out but not for awhile. Older generations are till comfortabe with print media, and younger people prefer iMedia. I do both, since I'm kinda young, and kinda old! But to tell you the truth, I toss all mailed advertisements in the trash before I even enter the house. When I do pick up a Sunday paper, I pull that 50lbs of junk in the middle out and toss it too.

I am still amazed, though, by the number of potential clients who AREN'T using the Internet. Yes, probably 75 to 80 percent are, but that means 20-25 percent aren't. In this market, I can't afford to leave out anyone. Plus, I find that our print campaigns drive traffic to our Internet marketing so I think they remain important.

It could possibly be on it's way out, but it is far from being out!

Michael - we're adaptive creatures. I blank out ads in newspapers and I blank out ads on the right side of a web page - except when I'm looking for something in particular.

Shannon - according to our ad tracking, print ads used to send more business to the Internet, now more go directly to the web.

Troy - I certainly don't think it's going to die, either. 

I guess I go where 80-85% are, especially because I object to spending my dollars to counteract the inaccurate information (largely) that the mainstream media perpetuates. 

I agree that print ADS are less effect but there is still a large portion of the population that still look to the newspaper for information and many of these people own real estate.  The Internet does give us a great opportunity to get our message out if it is packaged correctly.  I am amaze when I get a call or email on a post I wrote a year ago, newspaper doesn't give that sort of a return.

Sharon, in my area print is used to attract sellers, at least not by me. I market to the older population in my community. I've also found that my younger sellers, who found their homes on the internet, are the same ones who look for their home in our local paper.

Sharon, we agree on two out of three.  Not too shabby.  Thanks!       

Sharon, I am solicited once a week from a different print media outlet: newspapers, magazines, periodicals. It's very difficult to justify the high rates for a very limited shelf life when the Internet offers so much mileage.

I agree that print advertising (especially newspaper classifieds) is not the best way to spend your marketing dollars... UNLESS your target audience is 45+ and the internet is not something that they are 100% comfortable with.  If my sellers do ask me to run print ads, I always try to provide a vanity URL so they have somewhere to go for additional information and pictures.

** I still think that print flyers in front of the home are definitely needed.

Thanks for your blog!

One of the magazines I take is B2B News and it is a print magazine which caters to the online marketing and advertising community. Which is funny when you think about it and I guess it kind of proves your point. The most interesting of all is they talk about year over year increases in online advertising.

There are still opportunities in print advertising but they are far fewer and each year they get smaller and smaller. I don't advertise homes in print anymore. I will of course do some promotional advertising and post cards mailings but not specific housing adds in newspapers and magazines. The cost v.s return is just not worth it.

Its funny.  My team and I were discussing this yesterday.  We have decided to continue the print adversting.  I think its a marketing mix that reaches the most in your market.

I have kept my print advertising low from the first day.  I saw the writing on the wall and have decided to spend my marketing dollars in not just the internet, but other local venues.

Eric - that's the way with all marketing options. It's not that something is ineffective, just not as effective as an alternative.

Jennifer - I, too, am often surprised and appreciative when I get a response from something posted a year or two ago.

Maria - generalities are only that. In some areas, or in smaller newspapers, that may be the Go To place.

Kevin - You're welcome. I've enjoyed the dialogue.

Andrew - the print people contact me, too. Surprisingly, it's often new publications hoping to break into the local or the luxury market. Such optimists. I get more frequent calls from Lead generation companies or SEO companies. Sorry, not interested.

Kerry - you're welcome. We do use color flyers in front of every listed property where we're allowed a sign. On the flyer we point them to the property website.

Bill - we still do occasional  "institutional" or branding ads in print, but rarely properties.

Kimberly - if your tracking shows that print advertising is working for you and is cost effective, by all means continue it. 

Randy - that's smart. We need to remember that continued personal contact is also very effective in marketing. 

 

Print marketing is static in nature rendering it useless when it comes to price changes.

Vanessa - yes, that's another thing I like about material on the web - it can constantly be updated when price or status changes.