John Pemberton, the inventor of Coca-Cola, is known to have shared his original formula for the iconic soft drink with four people before his death. Asa Candler purchased the rights to the formula from Pemberton’s estate before making some changes and improvements to ensure that anyone who got their hands on Pemberton’s formula didn’t have the real thing. Today, the Coca-Cola company has sales totaling approximately $11 billion per quarter—and it all started with a secret formula.
Did the brand become iconic because Coca-Cola tastes better than any other soft drink? Or could it be the marketing instead? What do you think of when you hear the words “Can’t Beat the Real Thing” and “Good to the Last Drop?” I think of Coca-Cola when I hear the former, and Maxwell House Coffee with the latter. Believe it or not, both slogans were used by Coca-Cola. Of the 55 slogans used by the company in the last 116 years, very few were effective enough to be memorable today.
If the bulk of Coca-Cola’s marketing messages weren’t effective enough to be remembered, how did Coca-Cola build the brand? Could it be the fact that it wasn’t the specific messaging that was important, but rather, the consistency of the messaging? I believe that’s exactly what it was. Coca-Cola never stops reminding people of their product. Wherever you go or whatever you do, you’ll nearly always see a Coca-Cola logo or sign.
Start doing the same and focus on being consistent in marketing to your clients and others…without spending a fortune. Here are some tips to consistently remind your database that you’re ready, willing and able to help them, or anyone they know, buy or sell a home.
Stay on top of the details.
Keep your database updated every week by properly categorizing all prospects and clients. Once everyone has been categorized, put together a follow-up plan.
Stir the pot.
This can be as simple as having everyone in your database set up on a drip email campaign or sending out postcards 6- 12 times per year. The important thing is to communicate, communicate, communicate.
Provide reasons to reconnect.
Whether it’s a Thanksgiving pie giveaway, Valentine’s Day gifts or customer appreciation parties, provide opportunities for some face-to-face time.
Connect on social media.
Regardless of your preferred online networks, connect with those in your database and interact with them online.
Keep things simple.
The best marketing messages are simple, so don’t get analysis paralysis about what you’re sending out. More importantly, make sure your database sees your name, face, phone number and website each time they receive something from you. By doing this, you’ll end up being in the right place at the right time.
Whatever you decide to do to keep in touch with your database, be consistent, as this one thing will set you apart from nearly everyone else.
Cleve Gaddis of Gaddis Partners, RE/MAX Center learned sales the hard way selling vacuum cleaners door-to-door, and now his real estate team closes $60 million in sales annually in Atlanta, Ga. He loves to share his sales strategies and to see others succeed. He’s the host of the Call Cleve Atlanta Real Estate Show which can be heard on NewsTalk 1160 WCFO every week. Contact him at Cleve@GoGaddis.com.
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