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| Love the free press
"Here is a copy of the great free story I got in the Tahoe Daily Tribune. We all did a great job pulling this together. Thanks for your help. Chuck Day |
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| How to get busy . . .
"Last month I ordered the Talking House Transmitters (5). I’ve been primarily a Buyers agent, so I knew I was taking a chance with this form of advertising. I had one listing expiring at that time and of course I placed a Transmitter in the home. I got 10 calls the first week! The owner was thrilled, and extended his listing with me as a result! But wait - that's not all! Here are the results of my first 30 days using Talking House. These numbers come strictly from my Talking Houses: 63 Phone Calls – 4 Listings – 3 buyer sales – 7 more buyers working with me. I am busier now than I have ever been! I love it! Thank you for your innovation!" Michael Vaughn |
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| It sold our home
"We first became aware of Talking House when we sold our home in California. All of the agents we interviewed had equal credentials. It was the Talking House that won the listing for Dan Griffith of Tarbell in Rancho Cucamonga. He has 15 Talking Houses. By the way, our house sold in 10 days." Robert & Lisa Jones |
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| Sellers thank me
"My sellers actually have thanked me for choosing to put a Talking House in their home! Does it help sell homes! I like the fact that I’m one of the few who chooses to use it. It helps me get listings, and listings are the name of the game — I just spent 10 hours with three separate buyers today and didn’t write an offer. I love listings! Because I have increased my listings, I have been able to hire an assistant to start showing properties for me after getting them into the office after a sign call — or should I say a Talking house call." Doug Sisk |
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| Unique FSBO Tip
"I have a unique way of using Talking House with FSBOs. Each Friday, I look in the newspaper for FSBO open house ads. On Saturday, I go to their home with a Transmitter in hand. I explain that I’m not there to list their home! I’m there to let them use the Talking House radio, so they can sell their home and then be out of the business. I explain that ‘they can use the radio and a yard sign free for Saturday & Sunday only.’ When I return Sunday afternoon, they are very excited about the use of the radio. They tell me about cars backing up or driving by again just to hear the message. Most of the time these sellers want to use the radio again the next weekend. I explain that ‘I only have one reserved for my next listings,’ and if they agree to list with me now I will leave the radio and yard sign. Six out of ten times I leave with the listing contract signed. The ones that don’t sign often call within 2-3 weeks wanting to list their home. Pretty neat, eh?" Calvin Lee |
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| "What I like best about Talking House is...
. . . they make me stand out on a listing presentation! Very few agents in my market offer such extra service. I give sellers real-life examples of how buyers seem to tune in on Sunday, and then how my phone rings all during the evening with buyers. They ask questions, and they make appointments. And they buy houses. I then show sellers a stack of customer service questionnaires. The comments show how the home’s buyer found me and the home because of Talking House. That sells them on Talking House, and they list. After 2 years of success with Talking House, I’m sure sold too! Marlene Ginsberg |
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| "Oh what an article you got me!
The press Democrat - the Major Major paper in our area, ran a huge story on me and my Talking Houses. It broke Saturday - the front page of the real estate section. It was wonderful. It had a picture of me and the sign in front of a listing. People keep coming up to me and telling me what an incredible story it was. Talking House just blew the reporter away, and it came across in the story. Plus, KZST took your press release, and did a nice spot on me 3-4 times a day for at least 4 days in a row. This free press coverage is amazing. Thanks again. Jay Smith |
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| How to Handle Busy Open Houses
One of the moments I wish I could be in more than one place at a time is during a busy open house. I will sometimes have 3-4 buyers or more at one time and have to scramble to keep up and answer questions. I now carry 6 small battery-operated radios with me and strategically place them throughout prior to the open house. They are tuned into AM 1610, and continually tell ALL guests the story I would tell them if I was standing next to them. If there is a pool and patio area, a radio is there too. If there is an upstairs or basement or large back yard, you’ll hear my message there as well. It really works. Robert Wagener |
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| "What I like best about Talking House is...
...with Talking House, people just need their car radio. My messages include all the answers I would expect a buyer to want, plus a description of all the hidden features. When I get calls from buyers off a Talking House, they are well qualified. And they always comment how much they appreciated the convenience. They are in a great frame of mind because I have treated them with consideration, and I have demonstrated that I am willing to give, not just take." Rob Merriman |
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| Make Your Calls Warm Calls
"Talking House is more than just great advertising for my listings. It also gives buyers a positive introduction to me, in the comfort of their own car. This non-threatening introduction is more comfortable for many clients. They feel they already know me. That feeling makes it easier to call me rather than another agent they don’t know. And when prospects do call, our conversations quickly elevate to the level of a warm ‘second call’ feeling, instead of a cool first call ‘maybe.’ This is more than a little advantage!" Tracy Gross |
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| Fun Messages
Using the Talking House has been a lot of fun for me, and I try to keep the messages light and fun...such as, ‘Hi, out there! We saw you driving by...that’s right, you’ve tuned into the Talking House at XYZ Street...’ I always say in the announcement, ‘we have loan officers standing by to assist any buyer who might like to be prequalified.’ It works. It’s going to be another great year! |
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| Two Message tips
"My sellers are so excited by my Talking Houses! They see all the cars stopping and tuning in. And they're telling all their friends to stop by and tune in! It's so important that your sellers feel you are working hard for them! Here are two message tips for agents. When you have an articulate seller, let the seller do the message. I had a man who did an enthusiastic, upbeat message about his home. I think everyone for miles heard about it -- he told everyone to come by and tune in. That helps. And when I do a home anywhere near my own home, my message stresses that I live right near by, I've raised a family here, and I know the neighborhood the way someone who lives here would know it -- intimately. It helps. People want the inside word if they can get it." Irina Bennett |
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| Show the Tough houses
I ordered my first batch of Talking Houses with one tough house in mind. It had not had a showing in 3 months. Very frustrating for me and the seller. I made that home a Talking House, and had 3 showings that same weekend. The comments were ‘We tuned in and had to see it.' The seller is thrilled with Talking House and with me! Send me another 3 Transmitters. Joan Chiaramonte |
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| "I get one of those radios, right?"
"I wanted to let you know how much fun I am having with my Talking Houses. Things are really taking off. Nobody can touch me with the complete package I offer, and Talking House tops the list. I've tried a lot of things in real estate, and I've finally found the one thing that actually works. It's the smartest investment I've made in real estate. By the way, I recently had a referral from a seller whose home had been a Talking House. The prospect made a big deal about Talking House -- ‘I'm going to get one of those, right?' I reassured him that he would, and that clinched the deal! Now I just need MORE Transmitters! And the Chicago Sun Times just ran a huge story on me on page 4 -- big photo and everything. It covered the top half of the page! Thanks. Larry Nowak |
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| Faster Sales
"The first two listings that I made ‘Talking Houses' sold in 10 and 15 days!! One of them sold at the highest price in the tract in two years. And this is a ‘bad' market! Thanks" Ian Dyer |
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| Testimonial letters for your presentations
"I just love my Talking Houses! I mention Talking House to just about anyone involved in real estate. I love to plant those seeds, so when they are ready to sell, they remember that I offer a special, ‘additional' service, along with all my regular Coldwell Banker services. My sellers think it's great. They love to see people tuned in. And buyers have told me they love to stop and listen. They find it so helpful, and appreciate that I've made their lives easier. In fact, I'm working with some buyers now to get ‘testimonials' on how they loved to tune in, and I'll share those letters during presentations with my prospects. Before I ordered my 2nd batch of Transmitters, I lined up a sponsor to pay for them. It was easy. I'm lining up more sponsors now to help pay for my next batch of Transmitters. That sponsor idea is a real winner! Thanks." Marlene Ginsberg |
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| It's So Easy...
I'm usually intimidated by high-tech stuff. But my Talking Houses are SO easy to use! By the way, I really like the new Video. Madeline Williams |
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| Video Tapes & FSBOs
"Here's an order for 10 more Videos. They're fantastic. I use the tape very successfully with FSBOs. I call them up, introduce myself, and tell them about Talking House. I let them know that I am the only agent in the area offering this great service to all my listings, and then I offer to drop off a "Selling Your Home" video tape that they can view at their leisure.) I know from experience the tape will convince them of the benefits having Talking House working for them.) It's a very non-threatening way to approach them, and I am offering them something of value. It works well, and the tape is great. I'll be putting these tapes to good use, and I may expand this technique to expireds as well! I'm keeping my 10 Talking Houses very busy." Alison Gwin |
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| Fast Listing and Fast Sale
I just had to call. I've only had my Talking Houses a few weeks, but they already got me a listing and a sale! Other agents in my office have been happy to let me hold "Talking House" open houses in their listings, so I've had a chance to show off my extra service, even though I didn't have any listings when I ordered. I actually make those listings Talking Houses 5l days before the open house, with the message inviting drive-bys to come to the open house. A good message should also invite prospects to call for a tour before the open house, if they would like. That exposure got me an instant listing. When I made that home a Talking House, I immediately got 3 good offers, and the home sold in just 8 days. The sellers were thrilled, and so was I. Thanks. Nancy Wynn |
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| Motivate Higher Offers
"I just had a home where a prospect made a low offer. The seller had not made a counter. Then I got my Broadcasters, and I made the listing a Talking House. The message made the house sound great. The next day the same prospect came back with a new, higher offer and bought the house. Charles Burk |
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| "Incredible Free Publicity!"
Phone Call #1: "Hi, Marie. This is the Loveland Reporter Herald calling. Would you consider letting us do a feature story about you and Talking House, including your picture on the entire front page of the HOME Section with your Talking House Signs?" My intelligent response was, "Sure! That would be Grea-a-at." Phone Call #2: "Hi, this is KNBC, Channel 9 News in Denver. We'd like to do a story on our 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. News Programs about you and your Talking House Broadcasters. Would you have time to work with us on this?" WHOA! You want to do WHAT? "Oh, well, gee Roger, I think I can re-arrange some of my appointments to accommodate your news crew." I still cannot believe all the free publicity I have received because of Talking House. I was ALSO covered in the Northern Colorado Business Review. Plus a feature story in the Ft. Collins Coloradoan, a town of over 100,000 just 9 miles from my doorstep. One Buyer who saw the TV coverage called immediately. She had tuned in to a Talking House earlier, and wanted to buy it. It is wonderful to walk into a coffee shop and have someone say, "Hey, we read about you in the paper this morning." Or have a client call and say, "Marie, you're famous. We saw you on TV." At one listing, I put up one of my Talking House signs. When I looked out the window I saw five cars lined up waiting to "listen" to the house! That home sold in just 5 days. Another recently sold in 7. Perhaps my greatest coup came while I was showing one of my clients a home listed with another agent. The lady who owned the home had stayed home on purpose, she said, when she found out that I was the agent showing her property. In front of my clients, she said "I wish that I had waited and listed my home with you instead. I know that your Talking House would have gotten my home sold by now!" My clients were very impressed. All I can add is that I seem to be smack in the middle of my "15 minutes of fame," and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. Thanks to Talking House. Marie Herl |
Talking House Comments from Coldwell Banker agents.