Grass Valley (CA) Generates over $55,000 from Local Real Estate Agents
The Challenge
The Grass Valley Union provides a number of solutions to their area real estate advertisers that feature their homes for sale. But just as another newspaper within their group surmised, a need arose during strategic planning sessions, to a new method to help the agents with their most important challenge: How to generate more listings from local home sellers? With the assistance of The Blinder Group, the Union designed a multimedia real estate initiative that not only spotlighted homes for sale, but also generated an interactive platform that created more value for the advertiser, by marketing them as an area "expert" in listing a property for sale.
Program Overview
Each week "Your Neighborhood - Spotlight of Home" included a full-page color print ad featuring 16 real estate agents, each as an expert of a specific region. The Tribune staff divided the Greeley area into 16 specific "neighborhoods" offering agents the ability to be designated as the exclusive expert, of their "neighborhood of choice." In addition to featuring the agent's photo, contact details, the participating agent was given the opportunity to feature homes for sale in that "neighborhood"; or a home recently sold (at a high price). "Copy points" within the entire ad urged, readers to contact their local "expert" and inquire about the value of their existing home.
In order to increase the value of the program and the effectiveness for the advertisers, elements of each participating agent's print ad were also included on the newspaper's website, GreeleyTrib.com. Text links were rotated on various pages of the site that featured the various "neighborhoods" along with the designated listing" expert" of that neighborhood. These links "click" to an online version of the actual newspaper ad that features the weekly home "spotlighted" by that agent, for that "neighborhood."
Sales Strategy
One of the key elements in ensuring sales success of this initiative is garnering advertiser approval of meeting attendance as well as the validity of the concept in general. Some of these advertisers are wary of trying new ideas. One of the most effective means of accomplishing attendance and acceptance is to introduce the advertiser to an industry respected "outside" consultant who has had success with similar programs, with similar businesses, in similar markets, all across North America. That is why many media companies contract with the Blinder Group to perform "4-legged" sales training closing calls with traditional ad reps, to assist in the launch of programs like the one defined in this document. The Blinder Group supplied a proven "appointment- setting script" to the newspaper's sales team as an effective "tool" in assisting in getting potential advertisers to agree to attend a meeting with such an "outside" expert. The sales team set up appointments with local real estate agents. If possible a presentation was made to an entire agency in a sales meeting setting. If an office meeting as not available, appointments were set with individual agents. The Blinder Group performed numerous assisted "4-legged" sales training/ closing calls with the local reps to help train on how to present the multimedia program, as well as close business!
Results
The program generated over $55,000 in new revenue. Four days were set aside with the Blinder Group to assist in the sales call process. However, the program was so widely received by advertisers, it took only two days to sell out the 18 available ad positions. "Thanks to the Blinder Group's help we now have tens of thousands in new revenue from one of our toughest advertiser categories: Real Estate. Their assistance in strategic planning, program development and training methods which involved actual sale to advertisers, was invaluable in making this program a huge success," said Bill Lavelle, Advertising Director for the Union. "Our sales representatives are now just as comfortable selling Internet as print. This change in our sales culture will pay dividends for years to come!"
Contact Information
For more information about the sales strategy of this program, contact:
Richard Esposito, Associate Publisher
(530) 477-4265, richarde@theunion.com
William Lavelle, Advertising Director
(530) 477-4204, blavelle@theunion.com
Lead Consultant for The Blinder Group:
Mike Blinder
(917) 865-4827, mike@blindergroup.com
The Blinder Group
Tampa Offices: 6139 Fjord Way
New Port Richey, FL 34652 USA
(727) 847-2464 ~ (727) 847-5959 (fax)
profit@blindergroup.com
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