It’s a new year and I’m sure you want to increase your sales over last year. Making your marketing more effective is the best way to make more sales. So here are the seven areas of your marketing you should focus on if you are 100% committed to growing your business.

1. Develop a Prospecting System
Do you have a specific system to ATTRACT and find quality prospects? Or do you only rely on referrals and cold calling? Do you know how to get sellers and buyers calling you, instead of you chasing after them? Today you need "a Multiple Lead Generation System". This means having lots of different marketing tactics to ATTRACT quality leads.  You need a system instead of prospecting in a hap-hazard, hit or miss way.

2. Get More Referrals
Acquiring referrals is an effective way to find and attract new listings. So it’s really essential that you develop specific referral programs. Don’t just be passive and wait around for the odd referral, you must implement pro-active marketing activities that will encourage friends, family and current clients to give you referrals.

Do you have a strategy to get referrals from other professionals, like lawyers and mortgage brokers? Attracting referrals must be a planned activity, not based on wish, hope and luck.

As part of your referral program make sure you have a way to thank and reward everyone that gives you a referral.

3. Build Trust
According to Dan Richards, author of “Getting Clients, Keeping Clients”, building trust with your prospects and clients is absolutely critical your long-term success.The public is very skeptical advertising and sales people in general, so building trust is getting even harder.

Sellers and buyers want to feel secure that they are dealing with someone who has strong ethics and integrity. However, it’s not enough to just say you are trustworthy, you must demonstrate it daily with your actions.

The easiest way to start building trust is to keep your word or promise. Do what you say you are going to do. People must be convinced that the advice you offer them is 100% in their interest, and not because you might gain a nice commission.

Get 10 testimonials from your clients and use them in all your marketing materials and activities. This is an effective way to build trust.

4. Add Value to What You Offer
This term has become a cliché, but it’s not well understood. In my opinion adding value means providing extra services that exceed industry norms and the expectations of your clients and prospects. Sometimes it’s helpful to look outside your industry for ideas on how to add value. One strategy is to identify non real estate issues and problems that your target market is struggling with and help them find solutions.

5. Build Long-Term Relationships
Maintaining long-term relationships with your clients is a major ingredient to your success. You don't want to treat clients like a one-night stand. The better you know and understand your clients the easier it is to provide outstanding service.

Building and nurturing your relationships will keep your name “Top of Mind”, encourage repeat sales and promote referral giving. Communicate with your clients and prospects once a month. An e-mail newsletter is a very cost-effective way of doing this.

6. Get Yourself a Contact Management Program
Your client and prospect list is your number one business asset. Do you have your client list in a database like ACT, Goldmine or Maximizer? If you are serious about building long-term relationships with your clients and prospects you will need a contact management program to get organized. Following-up on leads and keeping in-touch will also be much easier and more efficient if you invest in a good program.

7. Make a Commitment to Invest in Yourself
Life-long learning is a sure path success in the real estate business. What books do you plan to read this year? How about investing in an audio program that you can listen to in your car or a video program for your laptop?

I recommend that you invest in learning and improving your marketing and sales skills. Learning and implementing what you learn will bring you success beyond your wildest dreams.

As you begin to develop your marketing plan for 2010 make sure you focus on these seven critical areas. You are developing a written marketing plan right?

If you want some HELP to develop your marketing plan for 2010, give me a call for a FREE 12 Step Marketing Plan (204-783-6342). It's simple and easy to implement.