Bliss Sawyer's Marketing Blog

Movie Event

I have heard about loan officers having movie events for the database over the years and always thought it was a great idea, just not something I wanted to organize.   Luckily for me, I work with a few amazing loan officers and three of us decided to work on this project together.  It helps to split the costs, the tasks and work with a team.

We have a large theater reserved for opening weekend.  We each ended up with 181 tickets and it has been a blast calling up my Realtor partners to see if they want a few tickets.  Saturday at 12:30 is our show time and now that discovered the entire weekend is sold out, I have suddenly become very popular.  I always wanted to be popular - who knew this is all it took. 

The Theater is providing us with a table to have set up with our stuff and a microphone to say a few words before the movie starts.  We have also purchased small lights sabers from the dollar store to give out as people are leaving.  We looked into having Chewbacca be there for pictures but can't find a costume to rent locally.  Brilliant idea if we could have pulled it off. 

Look at the movies coming out over the next few months and see if there is one that would make a good Movie Event for your business.

Balloons!

Rhonda Johnson of AlaskaUSA Mortgage was recently invited to a housewarming party by one of her clients.  She wasn't able to make the party, but decided to drop off a few balloons.  The client was so touched by the gesture, she will be singing Rhonda's praises to all.

I love this idea - so simple and inexpensive!

Saying thanks with a pie

One of my Realtors invited me to be part of her customer appreciation pie event.  Easy way to say thanks to your clients and have a little face to face time.

Random Acts of Thanks

A few months ago I saw this video of a bank in Canada that changed their ATM into an "Automated Thanking Machine."  (Have a tissue ready when you watch.)  I was motivated!  I talked to a couple of my Realtors about doing Random Acts of Thanks to clients that we have closed together.  Well... we finally did it!  Good intentions are like crying babies - they should be carried out.

Karla (awesome agent) and I went one evening to visit two families.  This was especially fun for me since I rarely see the homes my clients purchase.  The first visit was to the Caro family.  They had just had their second child so we took a baby gift, pumpkin bread and a note.  To the second family we took a nice wall clock, pumpkin bread and a note.  Both families were amazed that we would take the time to visit and loved showing us their new homes.

I plan on carrying out Random Acts of Thanks one evening each month.  Such a fun way to stay memorable to clients and strengthen referral relationships.

 

Karla and homeowner Rachel Hales

Gone Skating.

It snowed last week... which was very fitting for our semi-annual customer appreciation event.  (To see our other event, click here).  My company rents out a local ice rink for the evening and all the loan officer's invite their database.  They've been doing this for many years and our clients love it!

 

             

 

Here are a few details of how we handle this event:

• Simple postcards are mailed out inviting up to five people per card.  RSVP's are requested, though historically we only get about 25% that RSVP
• As people came, they were greeted by LO's and given tickets for their skates.  This year we also gave them a card inviting them to LIKE us on Facebook for the chance to win an iPod touch.
• We offered soda, popcord and brownies for free.
• One rink was only for skating
• On the other rink, we played games.  The picture above shows the sled game were we push kids towards a soda bottle.  If they knock it down (with their sled) then they get the soda.  We also had games with frisbees which had our logo on them.
• As people left, we thanked them for coming and reminded them again to like us on Facebook.

House warming par-tay.

One of the great tips in Michael Maher's 7 Levels of Communication is to have a house warming party for your buyers after they move into their new home.  One of my coaching clients has held two of these and I love his email after the second one:

I wanted to shoot you an email this morning to tell you that my 2^nd house warming was a rousing success!  There must have been 40 people there and it would appear that I will pick up a minimum of 1 loan, but probably 3 or more loans, by the time all is said and done!  I brought food…other people brought food and gifts and the weather was perfect!  I think it was about 92 degrees and everybody was having a great time!  It was good and I am anxious to do the next one in a few weeks!

 Just thought you would like to know.

Offering to put together a joint house warming party can also be a great Realtor marketing tool.

 

 

 

Huge success!

Last night was the Pictures with Santa event that we hosted along with a real estate group.  I was a little unsure what kind of turnout we would have, but it was a fantastic success!    Everyone pitched in to set up and keep things running with the games, food and cameras.

It was a great time to reconnect with clients and also deepen our Realtor relationships.  Santa had a few helpers running around secretly finding out names and wishes from the kids before they sat on his lap.  The kids were amazed that Santa knew them and what they wanted.  

Buddy the Elf was a huge success...

 

I was also amazed at the amount of food we collected for our local food bank.

Turkey Shoot

Every November my company invites Realtors to a Turkey shoot.  It's simply a time to get together and have a little fun.  We headed up into the mountains to the local gun club for an evening of hot dogs, hot chocolate and little shootin'.  I'm not a gun person so this was a learning experience for me.  Did you know...

1.  We didn't shoot turkey's, we shot clay pigeons.  And they aren't even in the shape of a pigeon, they were round.  And not-so-very-easy to hit.

2.  You shoot "shells".  If you call them "bullets" people make fun of you.

3.  It's very important to listen to your coach.  I have a 4" bruise on my shoulder to prove that he was right about where to hold the gun when shooting.  Sorry coach.

4.  A 12 gauge is stronger than a 20 gauge and a 410 is for wimps like me.  

5.  I met a 12 year old that really thought it was great when he hit everything I missed.  My self-esteem was shattered.

Girl-Power!

We started off with Annie Oakley.
Not my favorite game. 

 

My builder and his evil,
never-miss-a-shot son

 

Yes - I did actually hit three pigeons.
and no - I won't tell you out of how many. 

Follow up on Pictures with Santa

If you are putting together a Pictures with Santa event (bookmark this if you don't have time this year but want to do this event next year) here is the Flyer we are using and the email I recently sent out to all the Realtors and Loan Officers that are participating.   Just making your job a little easier :)

Email subject line:  Marketing Pictures with Santa

Email Text:  Hi all!  So glad you are participating in the Dec. 8 Pictures with Santa event!!  Here are a few ideas and a time line for marketing to you SOI.  These are my suggestions…. Feel free to modify, do more, do less, or dance around the Christmas tree in your elf-tights.  Whatever you think will work!  I will also send you the pdf flyer from Erica .  Let me know if you have any questions or if I can help with anything!

Bliss

 By November 21

1^st Email –  Subject:  Mark your calendar!Text:   Bring the kiddos for pictures with Santa and Buddy the Elf on Thursday, December 8 from 3-7 p.m. at 576 S. State in Orem.  This is going to be a fun Holiday event for the kids and YOU!  For every canned good you donate, you can enter to win an iPad and other fantastic prizes.  Your chances of winning are fantastic!

I look forward to seeing you there!

Other:  Paste flyer below your note and email signature

1^st Twitter – Mark your calendar Dec. 8, 3-7.  Picts with Santa & Buddy the Elf.  Games and fun for the kids and you might win an iPad!  576 S. State Orem

1^st Facebook or other social media - Mark your calendar for Dec. 8, 3-7 p.m.  Pictures with Santa & Buddy the Elf.  Games and fun for the kids and you might win an iPad!  576 S. State Orem.  Look forward to seeing you there!!

USPS –  You can do a postcard or if you print the flyer and put it in an envelope I recommend you write (or pay a high school kid with good handwriting) “Hope to see you there!” and your name on a 3x3 post-it note.  Stick this over a corner of your business card to the flyer.

Between Dec. 3-5 

2^nd Email – Subject:  Pictures with Santa and Buddy the Elf

Text:  I hope the holiday season is bringing you joy and want to help with cross “pictures with Santa” off the to-do list.  Next Thursday, December 8 from 3-7 p.m. Santa and Buddy the Elf will be in our building pictures with the kids.  There will also be fun games and food.  And for you – there will be a chance to win an iPad and few other great prizes.  For every canned good you bring to our food drive, you will be entered to win one of the prizes.  This party is for everyone!

Let me know if you have any questions and I look forward to seeing you!

Other:  Paste flyer below your note and email signature

2^nd Twitter:  Pictures with Santa and Buddy the Elf on Dec. 8 from 3-7.  Food, games and you might win an iPad!!!  576 S. State Orem

2nd Facebook or other social media – It’s coming soon! Dec. 8, 3-7 p.m.  Pictures with Santa & Buddy the Elf.  Games and fun for the kids and you might win an iPad!  576 S. State Orem.  Look forward to seeing you there!!

December 5-7 

Phone calls – This event is a great reason to reach out and reconnect by phone…. 

December 8 (by 11:00 a.m.)

3r^d Email – Subject:  Don’t forget!!

Text:  Today is the big day!  From 3-7 p.m. Santa and Buddy the Elf will be in our building (576 S. State) for a party.  Pictures with the kids along with fun games and food. Tthere will be a chance to win an iPad and few other great prizes.  For every canned good you bring to our food drive, you will be entered to win.  This party is for everyone!

Let me know if you have any questions and I look forward to seeing you!

Other:  Paste flyer below your note and email signature

3^rd Twitter:  TODAY!!  Pictures with Santa and Buddy the Elf from 3-7.  Food, games and you might win an iPad!!!  576 S. State Orem

3^rd Facebook or other social media – It’s here!  Today from 3-7 p.m. pictures with Santa & Buddy the Elf.  Games and fun for the kids and you might win an iPad!  576 S. State Orem.  Look forward to seeing you there!!

 

 

 

Pictures with Santa

Here's a great idea that one of my coaching clients mentioned and I love the idea so much I am doing it in my market.  

This is a customer appreciation event AND a marketing opportunity with your Realtors.  Here's a few details on how I am putting the event together:

• We've invited a large Real Estate office to do a joint customer appreciation event where Santa and Buddy the Elf are available for pictures.  They are excited and willing to split costs for refreshments etc.
• Loan officers and Realtors that want to take part in this are giving $30 each for door prizes.  We plan on having an Ipad and a few small things.  
• Event will be on a Thursday from 3:00 - 7:00 to get the after school and after work crowd.  We have a large space in our building that will work perfectly.
• Invitations will be done by email and social media.  Some have expressed interest in mailing a flyer to their database and they are on their own to do that.
• Refreshments will be brownies, hot chocolate and vegetable trays.
• We are going to have a table where the kids can write a letter to Santa.
• There will be three or four games for the kids to play (pin the nose on Rudolph, bean bag toss etc)
• We are also going to ask people to bring canned food to donate to the local food bank.
• We plan to decorate pretty extensively, relying mostly on what the decoration committee can bring from their homes.

I am putting together decoration, food and games committees.  Each committee will have Realtors and Loan Officers working together.  Great time to strengthen those relationships!  I'm excited to see how this turns out and am looking forward to the opportunity to work with these Realtors to really reinforce that I want to help their business.  

11/17/2011 update:  Click here for marketing ideas and text. 

Annual customer appreciation event

The company I currently work for has an annual customer appreciation event at a local swim park.  This event is costly, but has been a huge part of their branding and a great boost to marketing.  Here are a few pictures with notes about the event:

This was a private party - held from 4-8 p.m. on a Thursday after the local schools had started.  We placed signs everywhere.  Driving up to the park, in the parking lot and then throughout the water park.

Tickets were mailed out prior to the event to by individual loan officers to past clients, Realtors and others in their sphere of influence.  Each ticket was for groups up to five but the letter informed them that they could request more tickets by stopping by their loan officer's office.

We provided Popsicles and bottled water.  Last year they grilled hot dogs, but with over 3,000 in attendance it was too much so things were simplified this year. 

Yes - that is me and my broken foot.  

Everyone received a raffle ticket when they came in for door prizes (hats, shirts etc.)  Then there was another option to check in through Facebook and like our page for a chance to win 3 ipods.

One of our employees has a son with brain cancer so we also sold $5 raffle tickets to raise money.  Grand prize was a TV the company had donated.

It was a great turnout and a fantastic evening.