ET Graphics Blog

The Importance of Marketing

Sun, 25 Apr 2010 15:00:00 -0500

The Importance of Marketing

Never cut back on your business advertising

Look carefully at how effective your advertising is

Believe me, it will get even tighter if you cut back on marketing your business, so the answer is to rearrange your marketing to get the biggest bang for your bucks.

Measure your response rates
Give value for the valuable time you take up from your reader
Include images whenever possible
use good headlines
Break up your copy with sub headlines
Use bullets to get across important points
Keep it short and to the point
Take a targeted approach to your marketing - not the shotgun approach
Include a response device in your ad if possible
Seek advice from an expert

A good Headline

A good headline can make your ad 10 times more effective and the use of subheaders allows your reader to skim your ad without having to read every word. Remember that your readers time is valuable and there is a dozen things they would rather be doing than reading your material, SO MAKE IT INTERESTING AND KEEP IT SHORT.

At Elizabeth Taylor Graphics we try to help you focus on what's important in your business advertising. You will get good advice and hopefully a good response.

Tim Beere

Posted by Tim Beere on 25th April, 2010 | Comments | Trackbacks | Permalink
Tags: Marketing, business promotion, promotion, marketing my business, business marketing, business advertising

Business Boom

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:00:00 -0600

Business Boom

What a year! Records Broken.

It's certainly been an up and down year. Being 50% dependant on the real estate market has it's drawbacks, especially when the bottom falls out as it has done over the last 2 years. However the really good news is that the last 4 months have set new records in on line sales beating 2007 by up to 60%! Naturally we are delighted and look forward to growing the business even more in the New Year.

Of course none of this would be possible but for the great support we have had from the real estate industry. By trying to help our customers be more successful we in turn have risen on the back of that. Thank you for the support. The new decade is going to be a good one.

Posted by Tim Beere on 16th December, 2009 | Comments | Trackbacks | Permalink
Tags: Real estate marketing, On line ordering

Real Estate is on the Move

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0600

Real Estate is on the Move

Are you getting your share of the recovery?

There is no doubt the recovery is under way as we have set new records for on-line ordering 3 months in succession. Our sales are taking off as proactive agents get their marketing out there and the rewards are certainly showing for those who have done the hard yards over the last 12 months.

If you are not getting your share then are you contributing to the perception things are getting better? Every time you send out a positive message you are contributing to the 'Talking up' of the market. When a photo sign goes up in a streeet there is often another and another following.

Being visual works

Be very visible in your farm area. That's where it counts and where you'll get the best return on your marketing and promotional budget. The two ways to do this are:

Photo Signs
Personal Promotion

Marketing your property correctly will give you huge profile. Your next listing comes on the back of today's marketing. The best marketing is highly visible such as photo signs and letterbox drops. Never get so busy you don't do your marketing correctly.

You still need to be top of mind when vendors decide they are ready to sell. Be there in their home on a note pad or calendar.

We know all the successful agents.

Want to be right up there? I can tell you how.

Cheers

Tim 0800 93 8700

Posted by Tim Beere on 9th November, 2009 | Comments | Trackbacks | Permalink
Tags: Real estate marketing, Photo sign boards, For sale signs, Real estate upturn, marketing in a tight economy, building your business

How to ramp up your business

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:00:00 -0500

How to ramp up your business

Which business wins the customer?

At any given moment there is a potential client out there looking for goods or a service. The trick is being in front of them when they are looking. Advertising is generally expensive and can be very hit and miss. at Elizabeth Taylor Graphics we specialise in affordable ways to target your client, and to stay in front of them.

If you are in front of them when they start looking then you have a better chance of winning the business, and print is one of the best ways to achieve this.

Simple and affordable still work well. Calendars, note pads, invitations, special offers via direct mail. Now is the best time to do it. Don't get bogged down in working in your business and forget to work on it.

Think about the humble note pad for a moment and consider these points:

Note pads are never ever thrown away
They are used every day, usually by the telephone
Notes are handed to others with your branding on them
They are very affordable - but very useful
Their shelf life is usually measured in months

Real Estate Agents know what they are doing

They use thousands of notepads in letterboxes because it works. A recent note pad offer achieved huge sales and we are still printing them. Maybe this is what you need to get top of mind with your clients. It's the best way I know to stay in front of your clients.

Posted by Tim Beere on 19th October, 2009 | Comments | Trackbacks | Permalink
Tags: marketing in a tight economy, building your business, Grow your business, Business Mentor, How to grow business, building my business.

Recession Over for Elizabeth Taylor Graphics

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:00:00 -0500

Recession Over for Elizabeth Taylor Graphics

What happened?

We all know that greedy people in the northern hemisphere were the problem. New Zealand caught a cold but we didn't get the flu. I'm delighted to say that Elizabeth Taylor Graphics has weathered this period extremely well. We did keep some creditors waiting and the overdraft certainly got uncomfortably high, but on the back of a growing real estate market we are doing well.

How to survive

TRUST Well a major lesson we learned was don't always trust unconditionally. A couple of people left our employ and set up another business in competition. I guess it's karma, but it did not go according to their plan, otherwise we might not be here. Our whole team have been really suportive through this whole thing and Elizabeth and I are really appreciative for their collective loyalty. The lesson is that you should keep a proper accounting of what is happening in your business.

MARKETING The other main point is to keep your marketing pedal to the metal through good times and bad. It will eventually pay dividends and in this case it certainly saved our business we have worked so hard to build up. Just 10.4% drop in turnover is testiment to the power of good marketing.

Our thrust has been to support our clients with the best deals we can come up with. Our business depends upon their business so it makes perfect sense. By regularly offering good deals we have maintained turnover and profitability. Getting in front of your clients on a very regular basis does work and it keeps you top of mind. I don't care what business you are in, just make sure you keep communicating.

I know we are heading for a great year and I hope you are too!

Posted by Tim Beere on 29th September, 2009 | Comments | Trackbacks | Permalink
Tags: Marketing, Recession over, Signs, banners, cards, personal promotion, business promotion

The true cost of the office copier

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:00:00 -0500

The true cost of the office copier

What does your office copier cost to run?

What is the true cost of your office copier?

Cost of the machine amortised over 3 years
Cost of card
Cost per click
Operator labour
Design cost
Cost to cut card for distribution

When you add up all the costs you may well find that the difference with Eizabeth Taylor Graphics print is very marginal at best.

If you compare the results of each then there is one big plus for Elizabeth Taylor Graphics print, and that's the quality. Colour edge to edge, superior finish and a professional look.

At least one copier company is putting up the price per copy because of falling profits. If you are on the receiving end of that then maybe it's time you looked at what you are really getting for your money. We invested in the best laser printer in New Zealand, the Canon 7000VP. It's nothing short of superb. It's so good that most printers can't tell it's digital print. What's more, your prices are still the same as 2 years ago.

Your company is judged on the material that is put in letterboxes. You know you can't get close to the quality a $300,000 digital printing press because it's an office copier fit for running off a few paper copies, but nowhere near good enough to meet the exacting standards of commercial print.

If you would like to see print samples then we will provide them for you. We will also show you how to build reputation for being professional with quality print. Your clients deserve the best and when comparisons are made you want your office to be the one looking good.

If you are not using Elizabeth Taylor Graphics for your marketing then we'd like to invite you to try us out. You'll be delighted with the simplicity of ordering, the quality and the speed of delivery. That's a promise.

The true cost of your office copier may be your companies reputation.

Tim

Posted by Tim Beere on 21st September, 2009 | Comments | Trackbacks | Permalink
Tags: personal profiling, building your business

Recovery Evident

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:00:00 -0500

Recovery Evident

Green shoots

Record Growth At Elizabeth Taylor Graphics we are seeing a very strong surge this month in the real estate market. Demand for sign boards and marketing cards is rising rapidly and already this month looks like being a record for on line ordering. The last two months have both seen significant gains with July being an all time high for total business turnover. August was 18.5% up on last year. This month already we have seen a doubling in on-line orders.

Don't miss the boat The growth seems to be coming from businesses that have been maintaining a high profile throughout the recession, but there are some notable latecomers using personal profiling to ramp up their listings. If you are a late starter then you could be missing out on the real estate growth that will come over the next few months. There is talk of a real estate bubble and it is important that your personal, and company profile is right up there.

Posted by Tim Beere on 11th September, 2009 | Comments | Trackbacks | Permalink
Tags: Real estate marketing, Real estate signs, ON-LINE REAL ESTATE SIGNS, banners. real estate recovery

What an extraordinary result

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:00:00 -0500

What an extraordinary result

48 hour half price sign sale stimulates local economy?

We were blown away by the amazing response to our $49 sign offer. I can't say we actually make a lot of money from an excercise like that, but it is a great way to help build relationships with customers, and it's a good way to stimulate the real estate market in New Zealand. I'm sure that the tight times would have meant that a good proportion of those signs ordered only happened because of the price. The fact that they did happen will mean that there is a perception in the publics mind that the industry is ramping up.

The 80/20 rule

In any sector of business there are leaders and followers. There is the 80/20 rule which in this case says that 20% of the real estate agents will do 80% of the business. The trick is being one of the 20% and one of the ways to do that is to take every opportunity to market yourself. Big photo signs do that for you. Big open home turnouts do that for you. How do you get a big open home turnout?

How to get a big open home turnout

It's really simple and it works! You simply print invites to your open home and drop them in the letterboxes. You simply invite them

There are rules though:

The cards must have the same look as the sign and your other marketing
They must feature the same main photo to link everything together
They must show real quality (no one takes a scrap of paper seriously)
It must be an invite (Otherwise it is junk mail)

Regards

Tim

Posted by Tim Beere on 27th August, 2009 | Comments | Trackbacks | Permalink
Tags: Real estate marketing, Photo sign boards, For sale signs, Real estate upturn

What successful agents do

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:00:00 -0500

What successful agents do

What's the profile of a successful sales agent?

We know a lot about the people that do business with us and there is no doubt that successful people spend time on their marketing. Your next listing comes on the back of today's marketing, and successfil agents pay attention to the detail. The list below is what we observe.

Every listing gets street marketing - Photo Sign, open home invites / just listed cards
The distributed copy is of a high standard
They have good systems to make sure the marketing material actually gets into the letterbox
Top agents regularly write to their client database
They also regularly drop their farm area, both marketing and profile material

It's worth doing the research because every sales coach will tell you exactly the same thing. You must be visible, you must be consistent, you must appear professional and you must market yourself in quiet times and in busy times. The public have a very short memory. You really need to maintain the momentum when you achieve it, and keep it. By appearing to be successful you are successful . Marketing at street level is the least expensive way to get, and maintain profile, bar none!

Posted by Tim Beere on 27th August, 2009 | Comments | Trackbacks | Permalink
Tags: Real estate marketing, Photo sign boards, For sale signs, Real estate upturn

Green shoots

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:00:00 -0500

Green shoots

Building business in a tight market

In a tight market you need to be head and shoulders above the rest

In a tight market with a finite number of potential clients, you need to get a greater share of what's available, and that means doing stuff that others don't do.

Marketing is not an expense, no matter what your accountant says.

The impulse is to cut back on expenses when the going gets tough. I agree. Cut back on the cellphone, cut back on petrol, reduce your business overheads to make sure you stay profitable. Don't stop marketing! Marketing is not an expense, no matter what your accountant says. The right time to market is when there is an upturn in the economy. The kneejerk reaction is to pull your head in and weather the storm, but we all have to eat, we all have to carry on with the business of life. There is a movement to normality. The real estate market is showing real growth right now and we see this a grass roots level. We also notice the agents who are doing well.

What good sales people are doing now

Good sales people are marketing. If they have little stock to sell then they are marketing themselves. You need to be in front of your client base regularly. Giving gifts is a great way to get in front of them and so is regular relevant informatiob on what the market is doing. You need to love them to death.

Show you love your clients

We all need to be remembered

In good times and in bad you need to be communicating with your database and calling or remembering all the potential clients in your area. You need to do this regularly so they won't forget. If they like you then they are more likely to do business with you. Keep off the negative and accentuate the positive. Give them small gifts to build the relationship. It's simple stuff.

Posted by Tim Beere on 7th August, 2009 | Comments | Trackbacks | Permalink
Tags: Real estate upturn, marketing in a tight economy, Promotion on a shoestring, building your business, calendars, note pads, Marketing, Real Estate Agents, Door knocking, Cold calling, building business

Photo Signboards work 24 Hours a Day

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 01:00:00 -0500

Photo Signboards work 24 Hours a Day

Newspapers last one day.
Property magazines have all real estate agents competing head to head - It's confusing

A photo signboard sits out there on the street selling you and your vendors property 24 hours a day to every passing motorist. If you are not using this device to market property then you are missing out two ways. It works 24/7

You are missing out on new listings
You are missing out on potential buyers

It's focussed marketing and does not confuse. This stuff works!

How do you get new listings?

On the back of good marketing - End of story.

How do you get more property interest?

By good marketing, and this includes the long lived photo sign and the invitations to open homes.

Posted by Tim Beere on 7th July, 2009 | Comments | Trackbacks | Permalink
Tags: Real estate marketing, Online print ordering, Real estate signs, Photo sign boards, For sale signs, personal profiling, open home attendances

Online Print Ordering

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 01:00:00 -0500

Online Print Ordering

Innovation: Elizabeth Taylor Graphics had broken new ground with their innovative on line print ordering system. You can sample it yourself by going to order.greeting-cards.co.nz

Simple: The simplicity of the ordering system has to be seen to be appreciated. No longer do you have to struggle with proofs endlessly going back and forth. A typical business card order can be accomplished in just 5 minutes including data entry, proofing and submitting the order to print. Click Here to see how easy that is. Just choose a suitable template and have a play. To save your work you do need to register.

Save: This market leading technology saves you time, money, mistakes and you get your order within 48 hours.

Customised Templates: You can have your own customised templates set up for the most commonly ordered products. Anything from window posters to marketing cards, even vehicle graphics. It’s brilliant and what’s more it cost you less than conventional print.

Talk to Tim about your print needs and if we can’t save you money then no one can.

Posted by Tim Beere on 3rd July, 2009 | Comments | Trackbacks | Permalink
Tags: Online print ordering

Real Estate Marketing on a shoe string

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 01:00:00 -0500

Real Estate Marketing on a shoe string

Marketing can be expensive. Elizabeth Taylor Graphics however can show you how to get really high profile with a little effort and on a really tight budget.

What does every home owner do? The one thing they all do is read marketing cards for properties in their area!

Why? Because their home is their biggest investment and they really want to know what their neighbours are doing and how much they are asking. That is the benchmark for their property.

Do you think that $37.50 is a lot to pay for 150 marketing cards? If you do then I’m sorry, but you’re a cheapskate. That price includes delivery to you and GST. You have to make the effort to deliver in the area of course. The quality is amazing.

Did you know that 73% of your potential buyers for a given property live within 5km? Did you know that 43% live within 1 km?

Marketing cards work, but they have to be professional, crisp and feel like quality.

Explore this website to get a little inspiration. We have templates that mean you can make yourself look professional, and do it on a shoestring budget.

I will GUARANTEE you grow your business within three months of commencing this marketing

Posted by Tim Beere on 3rd July, 2009 | Comments | Trackbacks | Permalink
Tags: Real estate marketing, Marketing on a shoestring, How to get open home attendances up

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