Phil Bremer

On-line marketing and using Websites, email and Social Media

It comes as no surprise that the Internet has forever changed the way we market product and services! We can promote ourselves, generate business, buy and sell things, do our banking and communicate with others.

During this recession, and if you have time, we should be spending time thinking about our presence on line. Is my site the best one? Does it do what I created it for? Does it generate leads? Are my photos out-dated (Summer vs winter pics)? Most importantly, does it represent ME? Does it represent my Business? After viewing my website and meeting me, will the person think of one individual or two?

Everyone should set a goal as to what they want to accomplish with their on-line media, emails and social sites.

I work with a life coach, who viewed my website www.leisuretimeland.net After her initial reading, she said that is "Sounds" nothing like me. My response was, What? Are you Kidding? How am I suppose to make it "Sound" like me? This has caused me to "Think" about what I want others to think. If my life coach picked up on this immediately, so will every person that sees my website. It is currently running, but I am constantly making changes to make it more "ME" all the time.

Ask someone, preferably a stranger, about your website. Then ask the person if he has a good sense of who you really are, and what services you offer. If the stranger has a hard time explaining anything, you should update the information on your site.

Making information Clear and Easy to understand is key! We have the ability to form opinions about ourselves in the minds of our readers. By answering the questions about what we want others to think about us and our services, we should know exactly what should be GREAT content.

This is true for emails, letters, social media sites and telephone communications. Our goal should be clear communications coming from 'Me" not a programmer or web designer.

Couple of suggestions.

1) Be Consistent in your message and your Branding.

2) Do not OVER complicate the process of communication

3) Make it easy to contact you directly.

4) Be Honest. (At least, don't exaggerate too much)

This will benefit your clients, improve communication and create a professional image of you and your business.

Have you been to Northern Minnesota?

Our lakes and Lakeshore is fantastic. The State of Minnesota has over 10,000 lakes and is an excellent place to visit and spend your vacation time.

When it comes to Real Estate, North-Central Minnesota is an exciting area withhundreds of Lakes, State forests, state parks and numerous outdoor activities through out the year! We have Skiing, Hunting, Fishing, Boating, along with business and Adventure! Our Real Estate market is far enough away from the turbulent areas of the South, East and West, so that our High's aren't as High, and our Low's aren't as Low. We have been blessed with moderate fluctuations. This does not mean we haven't seen our share of Foreclosures and short sales... We have them too!

If you have ever dreamed of owning Lakeshore property or living by the waters edge, I encourage you to consider Northern Minnesota. There are many great buys when it comes to lake front properties. You can search the local listings at www.firstrealtybemidji.com

The City of Bemidji and the surrounding area is very scenic. Our area is growing, thanks in part to the wonderful staff at the City and County levels. A new addition to the area is the Bemidji Regional Event Center or BREC. We will have a new sporting event center and concert venue. This is under construction and will be finished for the 2010-2011 school Year! For more information on Northern Minnesota, click Here for the City/Tourism Website and Here for the Beltrami County Website.

Here is a couple pictures of a current listing of mine. If someone is going to list properties like this, it might as well be me. I truly enjoy discovering properties like this.

It is amazing to see some truely wild places, show them to prospective clients and see their own 'Discovery'

If your dream of owning lake shore seems out of the question. The reality, may be that it's a great time to buy. When considering a lake property, do not forget about Northern Minnesota. We have plenty of lakes to offer.

"PICK YOUR OWN NEIGHBOR" Campaign

Thats right... I go around the neighborhood where I have a New Listing and ask if they would like to "PICK" their new Neighbors. It sounds kind of funny, but they always ask what I'm talking about. I then go on and explain to them, that a house in their neighborhood is for sale, Give them a flyer of the 'New Listing' and a Handout, then proceed to ask them for any leads or referrals they may know of.

I also get a few precisous moments to ask them about their Family and Friends. I say something like "Do you have any Friends or Family that would like to live close to you?" or "Haven't any of your friends mentioned that they like your neighborhood?" This leads the conversation to other members of the family and friends group that are considering moving... and MORE PROSPECTS!!!

This is a Great Tactic and gets my name and flyers into the hands of the neighborhood. It works not only on your listings but 'New listings" from other agents in the area...

I forgot to mention, the Handout... The Handout, is simply an "Offical" looking form created by me. It simply has my logo and contact info along with blank lines for the Neighbor to fill in with the names of any potential contacts who may be interested in the neighborhood.

You have to give this a try... It's Simple, inexpensive and Fun

Enjoy the Great Weather, Sincerely

Phil

Seller Financing Options - On Lake shore Properties

When people think of buying lakeshore, Lake Lots or a lake home, is it just a Dream? The answer is NO! It can be a reality for just about any buyer. The key is knowing where to look, what questions to ask and knowing all the Financing Options.

When it comes to Financing Options on Lake lots or Lake shore: Do you consider asking the seller for some Help? In many cases this will not be an option, because the seller needs the proceeds to buy another property, if it is his primary residence, But this is the narrow minded or tunnel vision approach.

Seek out the Real Estate Developers... The current economic climate is hard on the developers too. In my case I happen to have access to dozens of Lake lots and several lake homes with the sellers willing to work with potential buyers. What kind of HELP? Lets look at a few Seller Financing options:

Option 1) The Seller may be willing to 'Carry back' a portion of the mortgage, allowing the buyer to finance less up front and make it easier to qualify

Option 2) The seller may put you in-touch with his financing team, to get your better than average rates and/or terms

Option 3) You can ask for additional land (if available) for the same asking price.

Option 4) Trade / Swap something of value for your down payment. Ex. another parcel of land, motorhome or business equipment. The point here is to be creative in your financing. The worst thing that can happen is the seller may say 'No'. At the same time, you will never know if you don't ask!

As a Real Estate professional, I know that all transactions are different but are also similar in many ways. They all have a price, terms and possible contingencies but that is where the similarities end.

When talking about Price, be specific on what the price includes! Does it include an association fee? Maintenance? Boat slip access? a Trade or Swap? The 'Real' price includes everything, so keep that in mind.

When talking Terms, this usually refers to the structure of the financing, but can also include repairs, Closing dates, other personal items included in the sale and so on. It is best to understand the Financial arrangements and the Terms associated with the repayment of the Mortgage. Working with the seller is a great way to understand his needs and coming up with an acceptable transaction.

When it comes to Lake shore or Lake home properties, do not underestimate the value in Seller Financing options. These can be very valuable to both the buyer and the seller... Keep your options open in your search and don't forget about the Real Estate Developers... They may have access to many different lakes, parcels of land and other People.

Keep your mind and options open when looking for your piece of Lake shore.

Go to my website for an example of some properties that have Seller Financing Options available.