When you start marketing to the different lists you found in step one it is important to create a message that will get your prospects to respond. It is critical that you separate yourself from the competition. Otherwise the prospect will see you as just another investor trying to buy their home. 

To create your marketing message you need to start with the end in mind! In other words you need to define your goal. Most likely it will be something like this – To get the most motivated sellers to contact you first! The way to accomplish this goal is to entice these potential sellers with benefits that are geared towards their specific needs. 

Whether you like it or not, people are only listen to the station "WIIFM." You’ve heard of that radio station, right? If not it stands for "What’s In It For Me?" If you don’t answer this question, no one will respond to your marketing efforts. 

Also, realize that sellers in different situations have different needs. What this means is that you need to create unique marketing messages for each list or prospect you are marketing too! You can’t use the same message for a probate prospect and a pre-foreclosure one! 

The next thing your message must have is value. People don’t want to be pitched. What this means is that your marketing material should educate the prospect by giving them important information and leave them wanting more. The idea is to position your self as consultants not salespeople. Being seen as a consultant will separate you from all the other investors that advertise that they buy properties for cash. 

Getting this right will open the flood gates and leads will start pouring in.

Lets face it. In todays economy no one can afford to spend a fortune on advertising that does not work. So you have to approach your marketing efforts from a guerrilla point of view. 

You have to be smarter than your competition and you must find creative, low cost, high impact ways to bring sellers to you. 

So how do you do this right? The answer is by targeting your marketing to the sellers who have the highest likelihood of being motivated to sell at a discount.

Therefore, you must start by identifying the motivated sellers. We define a motivated seller as an owner that has a problem that a real estate investor can solve! The vast majority of the time the problem is a financial one but there are other reasons as well. What you need to know is that if the problem is significant enough the owner will want to get rid of the property quickly and at a discount. 

Your job as a marketing investor is to identify these groups of sellers and marketed to them. The tried and true method for doing this is by mailing your offer to lists of people with the motivations stated above. Lists to consider are, pre-foreclosures lists, bankruptcy lists, probate lists, tax lien lists, fire damage property lists and eviction lists. There are countless places you can get these lists and one example is NextMark.com.

Well, I have a secret for you! 

Here is the deal. Would you like to be able to go back and see the crashing real estate market before it happened? If you could do you think you could have found a way to profit from that crash? I do and I have a crystal ball just for you as you read this!

Everyone knows that the commercial market follows the residential one, right? Well you have probably heard how much trouble commercial mortgages are in right now just like the residential ones are and were initially. This is not the main focus on the news but its true. Commercial properties are foreclosing in huge numbers. 

But there is a difference in the commercial loan market that is not true of most residential loans. 

The vast majority of commercial loans are written with a ballon payment. This is when the full loan amount is due on the mortgage after a certain period of time. In the majority of commercial loans that is between 3 and 10 years. Unlike a 30 year residential mortgage, commercial property loans are for a much shorter term. 

Here is where the problem lies and the opportunity!

If you own a commercial property in most cases your property value is less that what you owe on your loan. Just like many in the residential crises. However, people with a home loan could if they choose to stay in the home and continue to pay their mortgage for years to come because few have a ballon payment. 

But commercial property owners can not just keep paying the loan payments. Why because once the term is up, lets say 5 years, then the full loan amount is due. However, because they are underwater with their loan they can’t refinance like would be the case in a healthy market. Banks will not lend them the money. So unless the owner comes out of pocket they get foreclosed on! Its just that simple.

Here is your opportunity. There are a few high quality commercial loan modification companies that can negotiate to get the owners ballon payment extended. This is the key so they can buy time for the market to come back. I was never a fan of residential loan modifications because I didn’t see them providing a real benefit. To me it was all smoke and mirrors. But I do think that a commercial loan mod can be of huge help to the property owner as it can prevent foreclosure and the loss of that property. 

So if you think this is something that you could get into and would like to get set up with a company that can do these for you, submit a ticket under the support tap. We will get back to you will more info!

So here it is, the most important thing you can do for your investing business in todays market. Its Professional Networking!

Notice I did not say just networking but instead professional networking. There is a huge difference. Going to random events with people of various backgrounds in hopes to meet a solid business relationship is what I call networking. But a professional networker attends specific events that relate to their business. Not only that but they are prepared to share their knowledge, resources, time and energy to provide value to others. 

You might be wondering why you should take the time to go to an event just to give away what you know. Well, it is the true act of empathy and compassion that you give to others that will bring rewards to you. You need to do this with the simple intent to give. I promise if this is you sole goal you will get more than you ever though possible. 

The last point that is important to understand in this world of online communications is that success in any field is about working with people, not against them. Business is a human enterprise, driven and determined by people. You have to get out and build relationships with others. No mater who you are or what you know, you simply can not do it by yourself. People make the world move so be sure to join the movement! 

People almost never throw away a book. What, your thinking? What does that have to do with anything right? My answer is everything! 

You need to be learning constantly in this business and should be ready many books. The ones you like pick up several of them. Endorse those books and write a personal note inside the front cover. Then give those books away as gifts to others in your investing world! 

These things end up on peoples coffee tables and get passed around. YOU end up being the benefit of those actions. 

But that brings me back to strategy 8. Its Specializing! 

Have you ever heard the phrase "specialize or die?" How about "The Riches are in The Niches?" If you have then likely you understand what I am telling you. There is simply too much information for anyone to know everything. So the key is to become the expert or specialize in a small niche in your field. 

This makes you the go to person for people interested in that investment strategy. So start figuring it out. Are you a short sale specialist, a luxury investment property expert? How about a lease option guru or an international properties expert? What ever it is that is how you want to promote yourself. This is not to say you can participate in other investment strategies it is just how you are building your reputation in the market place! 

Next up is the power of gifting!

The seven in our series is non other than starting your own REIA. Now before you run away in fear look at what you have already accomplished. You are an author a public speaker and now it is only right that you lead a group of others interested in investing in real estate. No one said you have to know everything about this business. No one does. You only need to know your little piece. 

Starting your own REIA will allow you to be the center of everything that is going on which in turn will bring even more opportunity. So get going. It doesn’t have to be anything formal. In fact it can be you and a couple friends with interest in real estate investing meeting at a local dinner. Over time this can grow into a much bigger event but the key is to get started and get the word out about what your doing! And one more thing. The real key to this is a desire to helping others learn what you already know. If you don’t have that desire then this is not for you. If you do, go for it! 

Number 6 is giving speeches!

I know, I know your heart just hit the floor. Well time to pick it up and listen to what I have to say.

There is no better way that to get out in front of people in the real estate business to build opportunity. You can’t hide behind the computer all day and think the deals will just happen. You need to get outside your comfort zone and meet people. Now giving speeches is even better because once you have written articles, you will be introduced as the expert and author. Yes speaking in front of others is the number one fear but you have to do it. Trust me after you do people will approach you for advice and there is your opportunity.

You will find partners and people who bring you deals and those you turn deals to. So just get out there and start speaking at your local REIA clubs, Chamber of Commerce and Local Board Functions. Tell everyone what an incredible opportunity exist now in the real estate market and explain why. You will not know what to do with all the opportunity that starts coming your way!

So what is it, right? 

Simple —- Its writing articles!

Want an example? How about what you are reading right now. You got it. Its an article and it works.

People are always looking for good information. So you should provide that information and reap the rewards of doing so.

There are 3 main advantages to writing articles I want to cover then I will explain how.

1. People pay more attention to articles than they do paid ads. Why you might ask? Its for the reason I already gave. People are looking for good information not to be sold!
2. You become an instant expert in your field by writing articles. By writing articles on property investing information and publishing those articles you will attract attention and name recognitions. The media might take notice and you could even be contacted for a story. Just more marketing for you!
3. You can even be paid for your articles, depending on where your article appears! 

Now your probably thinking thats all great but I don’t know what to write or even how! 

Let me address this by starting with the fact that you don’t need to invent some new real estate investing concept. Anything you can think of has more than likely already been tried and written about! So relax. All you need to do is pick a topic you know and take the approach you are going to teach someone how to do it! 

The last piece above really deals with the how to write part. Just take what you would say in speech to someone and write those words down. You can re-read it after you have written it and clean anything up you need to but its really not that hard if you just approach it like you are talking about it! 

Another point is you don’t need to be a professional writer. I’m not! In fact, writing was always my most difficult subject in school. I am certainly never going to win any writing awards but that is not the point. The point is that I am sharing with you quality information that can help you. So you see, its really not that hard!

Once your article is written you need to get it published. There are several ways to do this and a quick search on Google will provide you countless options. But here are a couple ideas. Submit your articles to your local newspapers, a magazine that publishes similar articles and of coarse to online article directories like ezine articles.

Just make sure before you complete your article and submit it that it includes some information about your business and a way to contact you. You are not making a sale pitch here. Just include the basic info above and wait for the leads to start coming in!

So where do you start? 

Try these ideas:

• Go to meetup.com and start your own group. Name it "Investors Group of (your city)." You will attract investors you would never have reached otherwise
• Get on the discussion boards and post anything you want to share. Doing so will plant seeds today you will harvest later. This is basically shameless self promotion that works!
• Send email blasts to your buyer’s list, investor list or any other list of emails you have. Promote what you have that will benefit them.
• Use Blogs and Podcast. Active Rain is a great one for the real estate field
• Add videos to your website and youtube!
• Join Linkedin.com and interact with other professionals
• Add your listings to kijiji.com – craigslist.com and heartsmartproperties.com to get tons of free exposure
• Use Skype to interact with other investors!

This is just a start to what is possible on the internet. Expand you reach and dive in now. It will pay huge dividends later.