Vancouvers Slow Market – The Acid Test of Your Realtors Marketing Plan

Any realtor can look like a rock star during a hot market when buyers are lining up and subject-free offers are pouring through the door. Its when things slow down and the market trends toward a buyers market that the real estate agent really has to earn her commission cheque.

In my experience, when things slow down, its the realtors with a concrete marketing plan that includes a healthy mix of traditional and online strategies that rise to the top. The agents that have simply been relying on the MLS to move their listings find their business grinding to a halt. Listings go stale, agents panic about a dwindling marketing fund and clients start to question whether their agents business model is doing enough to drive qualified buyers in a slow market.

First and foremost this is where a solid and diversified marketing plan is key. Without one, you are doing what 99% of all the other stale listings are doing. Make sure your agents plan includes a good dose of online exposure because without it you are selling yourself short in big way.

With todays technology tools such as laptops, Ipads, smart phones all connected by the internet with useful applications of every imaginable kind, potential buyers of your property might be in Hong Kong, Tokyo or London. They might want to communicate with you directly or might just be following your blog or tweets to get more information to help their purchase decision. You cannot afford not to be reaching this potential audience.

Take a close look at your agents online presence. Google them and their business to see what comes up. Chances are if they havent made an effort to build themselves an online presence, theyre not going to have a clue how to promote your property online. Most realtors will talk about their