Off-Line Marketing:
Actively drive traffic to your web site:
- Ads in the news paper:
- Place an ad in the career / classified section
- Place ads in the Real Estate section: 20-50% of agents have had prior contact with the company that they currently work for.
- Identify where your prospects hang out e.g. the younger crowd may read the local night life magazine or experienced agents may subscribe to a local business journal.
- Use the sample ads in the sections below to immediately place an ad in the local paper.
- Use the “10 Steps to Build a Better Ad” document found below to help you to create a unique ad. This process will help you create ads that set you apart from your competition.
*Note: When your ad has been created, please take advantage of our services and send us your ad for an evaluation.
10 Steps to Build a Better Ad Document
While every Broker/recruiter works in a different market, there are some general guidelines that can help increase the effectiveness of online and print classified ads.
Here are 10 steps to help you achieve the results that you want by focusing on the text of your next recruiting ad.
Step1: Clearly define your target audience. Each ad should aim at only ONE audience (i.e. don't try to be all things to all people). That’s not to say that other audiences won’t see or read your ad. However, to ensure that you get a return on your investment, your aim should be one audience. When defining your target audience, here are some basic characteristics to consider:
- Level of experience
- Age
- Geographic region
- Economic need
Step 2: Identify what is important to your target audience. In identifying what is important to your audience, you may want to speak to your colleagues, survey your audience and review publications that are aimed at your audience.
Step 3: Clearly define what you offer and make it obvious that your company will meet their ongoing needs as an agent. Make it simple for them to differentiate between what you offer and what your competition does not offer. Determine your competitive advantage.
Step 4: Craft your core message based on Step 1 through Step 3.
Guidelines for drafting your core message: Your core message should be ONE single thought (or feeling) that you want your target audience to remember from your ad. This message is never a fact (i.e. your location or telephone number) but rather something that is meaningful. Another way to think about your core message is to ask the question, “How would I like our recruits to describe our company?”
Step 5: Identify content or data that reinforces your core message. You might provide your agents with a number of resources that foster growth and lead to success with little difficulty. Some of those resources could include a targeted training program or a generous marketing budget and an extensive community network. Include statistics that demonstrate your agent’s success if compared to others such as, “XYZ brand agents close four out of five sales transactions.”
Step 6(Optional): Develop a one-line description –a recruiting tag line – that captures your core message succinctly. For example, based on the core message where you ensure a supportive and attentive environment, you might develop a straightforward one-line description such as: “XYZ Brand – Where Success Lives.”
For example, based on the core message that you ensure that agents’ success is easy, you might develop a straightforward one-line description such as: “XYZ broker – where success is easy”
Step 7: Include ad relevant contact information along with ONE strong call-to-action.
For example, “Visit www.xyzbroker.com to Begin Your Career Today.”
Step 8: Review possible layout options and graphics that reinforce your core message. Select vivid images that properly convey your mission and reinforces your core message. Keep in-mind that graphic design, layout and images may increase the cost of an ad.
Step 9: Test your ad with your intended audience – not only with your colleagues. Ask them, “What does this ad say to you? Is this important to you? Is this important to you now/was this important in the beginning of your career? Would this grab your attention enough for you to consider a career change or switching companies? Would this ad peak your curiosity?”
Step 10: Try it out. Measure the results and modify the content if need be. If the message is a solid one and shouldn’t be altered then, try shifting the “call to action.” For example, change “Call Our office” to “Visit Our Website to Check Out Our Agent’s Testimonials and Take Our Simulator.” Or, change some of the features that reinforce your core message. Overall, it is important to think outside the box and to cross-promote whenever possible. Please be sure to call your Account Manager or Client Services for further tips and recommendations or to get our opinion on an ad that is set for release.
Good Luck!
Sample Ad Structure
“XYZ Realty… where success is easy (from step 4 & step 6)
Join XYZ Realty where you will find… (from step 5) |
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• Point 1
• Point 2 (from step 5)
• Point 3
Visit www.XYZrealty.com today to take a free and confidential test drive... (from step 7) |
Follow these additional guidelines to help increase the effectiveness of your hardcopy ad:
Placement of Ad in Publication
- Choose a section that is focused on people looking for careers
- Right side (of a two-page spread)
- Top half of the page
- Towards the outside edge of the page
- Rotate placement regularly
Choice of Publication
- Should be seen as credible by potential agents
- Should have the ability to track number of readers
- Should provide demographic breakdown of readers
Advantages of advertising in hard copy media
- Classified section – relatively inexpensive section that lets people know that you’re growing
- Career section – demonstrates your commitment to serious career professionals
- Business section – focus on people with an interest/track record in business
- Technology section – focus on tech-savvy individuals
- Night-life section/magazine – focus on younger demographic
- Sports section – focus on younger demographic
Advantages of online recruiting
- Online bulletin boards – capture the “candidate mindset”
- Online newspaper career sections – inexpensive and easy to determine return
- Career focused websites – wide distribution
General sample ads
These ads are a quick way to get started, but should not be the end of your ad development. We encourage you to use the 10 step process to create a unique ad such as the sample above so that you can highlight your uniqueness and captivate recruits thereby enticing them to contact you.
| Click here to view our sample ads. |
Neighborhood “For Sale” Signs:
- Add riders to the bottom of your “For Sale” signs
- If you pay for your agents signs, this is a perfect opportunity for you to mass market your desire to recruit the best.
- Highlight the success of your current agents
- Let potential agents know that agents that join your company are well supported and enjoy their time with you.
- Get testimonials from your agents and together with their pictures use these testimonials in your web site, ads, career nights, career brochures and mailings.
More Great Ideas:
- Add a message on the company voicemail system that will direct career minded individuals to your website and the Real Estate Simulator.
- Advertise on billboards
- Advertise on signs placed outside your office (if there are no restrictions)
- Advertise on bus shelters
- Advertise on the side of public transit or on taxi cabs
- Advertise on the radio / television
- Advertise in the publications / career centers of the local Colleges and Universities
- Advertise on websites that cater to new and or experienced agents
- Advertise on the back of cash register receipts at the local grocery store
- Leave brochures at the Career Centers at the local Colleges and Universities
- Advertise in movie theaters during ads/previews
- Place ads on your vehicle using wraps or car magnets
- Place ads in the restrooms of bars and restaurants
- Any blank space is an opportunity to market your company
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