Know-How Exchange : Advertising/PR

Its riksy but then you have to see the Risk-Reward ratio, sometimes smaller companies lose out in "share of voice" because of smaller advertising budgets and are overwhelmed by the biggies ad budgets.......i think you can try a more "focussed approach" to get results, do something non-traditional which gets people eyeballs.....and has a shock value........to get attention and retention........its like the game atleast we used to play in India....where we put a magnifying glass over a piece of paper and you see the results......that is "paper starts to burn" since we foccused the sun rays to a a particular point....but if we remove the magnifying glassnothing happens to paper.........focus can get us results........

Instead of pulling all-out, change the ads. Instead of a full page, how about a number of 2x2 ads throughout the paper (1 per listing)? Highlight the "small" aspect of the company (we're small - we give better service - we have to).

I wouldn't make someone read a printed ad and then go to the website to find a listing. That should happen naturally (if they have the technology and interest). What you really want to happen is for a prospect to call you. Show a home for sale. State what makes the company unique (besides smaller) - Better service? Better connection to the community? Donations to local charities? Lower margins?

The ad has a secondary value - you want to place the name in the mind of someone who's thinking of listing their home.

Definitely don't play "me too" in the ads - you're getting mediocre results right now. Make sure that you're paying attention to which ads are generating leads. Keep tweaking your ads until you've gotten a desirable return on investment.

I live in the real estate world, both through family ties and working for them.
Advertising has very little in helping a small real estate thrive VS. a big competitor.
There are many extremely successful real estate agencies in markets like mine (Chicago) who do very well based on reputaion only.
The consumers are less interested in the advertising of real estate borekrage agencies.
They are interested in inventory, budgets, and good service.
Real estate agents do not enjoy a great reputaion, and they stand at the same level as used car slaesmen.
Just watch the movies and see how real estate agents are portrayed (American Beauty and others)
Just see how real estate agents are treated by the public, and you'll understand that advertising has almost no roll in elevating one agent against the other.
Its only hard work and results that count.
Ask your client to give you a list of achievements plus testimonials fro satisfied customers, and than think which is the best way to use that material. I will not rush to the newspapers first...