Marketing Matters: How to market to the reptilian brain

All to frequently I have heard real estate agents, and other sales people, lament over an under-performing marketing campaign, “what a waste of money, I did not get a single call off that ad”.  There is more to marketing that just a single advertising piece.

Here is some excellent advice on marketing, and marketing effectively, from Laura Ure and our friends at Inman News.  The old brain is skeptical, and it takes great marketing to make action to happen.  You need to take a long-range, strategic approach to marketing yourself and your real estate services.

• Getting your prospects to leave the status quo means talking about their needs. They don’t care that you are No. 1.
• Make sure your marketing conveys emotion; this helps prospects remember your messaging.
• Good visuals can help the old brain decide if something doesn’t seem trustworthy.
• When investing money in marketing, what you are doing is looking for ways to reach your prospects’ filter for making choices, to avoid having them default to the no-decision zone.

When investing money in marketing, what you are doing is looking for ways to reach your prospects’ filter for making choices, to avoid having them default to the no-decision zone.

The real battle exists in trying to get your prospects to leave the status quo and accept your offer, which in this case is selling their home with you — the expert.

The reptilian brain is the oldest of the three brain systems; it consists of the brain stem and cerebellum. Primarily, it controls the body’s vital functions. Therefore, it plays a crucial role in physical survival, and it calls the shots when it comes to making decisions.

This part of the brain is what American psychologist Robert Ornstein calls the “old brain.” The old brain quickly assesses a situation, giving you a small window to engage your prospects in the correct way. Read on at http://www.inman.com/2015/11/23/how-to-market-to-the-reptilian-brain/

HUD Town Hall Discussion on Millennials and the Housing Market

From the PenFed Realty Blog

Virtual Town Hall: HUD Secretary and Realtor.com Chief Economist Discuss Millennials and the Housing Market at GW University

The latest research in urban areas indicates that Millennials are the largest group of homebuyers at 32%. They compose 68% of first time homebuyers, and just under half of them will be looking for a first time home during the next two years.

A recent town hall was held called “Millennials and the Housing Market.” In the following video recap, U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro and two economists discuss millennial housing trends and answer questions before an audience of graduate students from George Washington University and online viewers.

Topics included:

• Millennial mortgages and the popularity of FHA loans
• The impact of student debt on millennial buyers
• The most popular housing markets for millennials

Be sure to watch this informative discussion.

Author: Sue Cushing

Seminary Road HOV Ramp at Last

New I-395 HOV Ramp originally scheduled for September completion is finally scheduled to Open in December 

You heard it here folks… for those of us that live off Seminary Road, we will finally be saved from the dangerous traffic snarl at Seminary and North Beauregard!   

After what seems like an eternity of construction, the long awaited and way overdue I-395 HOV ramp onto Seminary Road, near Mark Center, is now tentatively scheduled to open in December 2015.

Two thru-lanes will be added in each direction on Seminary Road highlighted by a dedicated left turn lane from Seminary westbound onto the HOV Ramp. As with other HOV lanes, the lane will be controlled with gates to prevent use when not permitted. Since the powers that be could not manage to build a new four lane road, on weekday mornings, the HOV ramp will be for northbound traffic, and the new ramp will be an “off ramp” for those turning left or right onto Seminary road. In the afternoons, the HOV will be for southbound traffic with the ramp acting as an “on ramp.” 

The construction will also include a much needed, new pedestrian bridge that will extend from Southern Towers/Mark Center Ave over I-395 to Seminary Shopping Center. The bridge will include improved fencing and lighting to provide as safe of a pedestrian experience as possible. 

This opening also marks another alternative for employees commuting along the I-95 corridor, as this change will help add carpools, vanpools and slugging lines. Make sure to check VDOT’s website and Slug-Line.com for the latest updates.