Why our Marketing Plan will sell your home

Upper Bracket Homes and Country Estates Program

The special property requires a marketing program tailored to its individual needs and advantages. Jim and Nancy will tour your property and complete a "Marketing Information Worksheet" that will detail the many amenities, features, and unseen "pluses" your home has to offer. At the same time, we encourage the owners to also provide seasonal photos and any information they wish to provide. We even have a "What we like best about our home.." sheet for interested owners to submit. The goal is to gather the most information about your home to make us knowledgeable when putting together our marketing materials and advertising.

We also will advise you on ways to psychologically "present" your home for showings and how to "stage" your home for photos, realtor previews, etc.

2) Professional Photography

A picture is worth 10,000 words. We have retained a professional photographer to shoot all of our listings over $150,000. We purchase both interior and exterior service, and end up with high quality wide-angle shots. We then have the negatives to produce 4x6 reprints for picture-classified ads, homes magazines, local newspapers, and property brochures. One very important marketing advantage - we also submit our own photos to MLS, replacing the poor-quality shots so often found in the majority of MLS listings, even in the Million $ range! We also send in extra shots (back or interior) for "supplements" that make your listing stand out among its price competition. Note: We also "scan" the same quality photos for use on the internet and faxing!

3) "Feature Marketing"

"Feature Marketing" is Jim Hermes concept that produces "feature sheets," "flyers," and "brochures" you see in today's real estate business plus so much more. With the introduction of the internet and modern computer systems, its now possible to create marketing materials that simultaneously feature your home on-line, produce color brochures, and allow Jim to incorporate your listing into his 30-year real estate marketing database. High quality photos are scanned in, listing info is researched from county records, mapping sites, etc. Interesting and appealing marketing copy is written personally by Jim and Nancy after seeing your home and then edited by a professional ad writer.

4) Compu-Prospecting

They say "An Elephant Never Forgets" and neither does Top Realtor Jim Hermes with a state-of-the-art computer network to keep track of the details and inquiries about your listing. Two big advantages here. After 30 years of doing business from St.Paul to Taylor's Falls, it's hard to find a street where he hasn't sold a home or made a customer. With this information in his database, his marketing efforts to secure buyers and quality homes for sale is greatly amplified. He can target mailings to the right demographics for your home. Besides his local history, Jim is also known by many Top Realtors nationwide. He attends many national functions and keeps in touch by e-mail. This activity gives him an advantage in exposing your home to more potential relocation buyers.

Besides contact management and communication, Jim has installed a network of computers with full internet and MLS access. He has a complete home office setup that can even "dial up" his office computer and access his records. The Hermes Team is using sophisticated RE software that allows them to completely track your listing from start to closing. You can be easily kept informed via mail, fax, or e-mail.

5) Advertising Program

Every listing is different. Price Range, niche, buyer pool, even the time of the year make a difference in how Jim Hermes will market and advertise your home or property. A "standard" advertising plan only makes sense for a "standard" listing.

Jim believes in a "mix" of advertising, with the proportions of the mix changing with each listing. Local advertising is important, and Jim has maintained a highly visible ad campaign in the "Peach," the area's local paper that has the best Real Estate listings. From picture classifieds to display ads, Jim also uses the main metro papers for wider area coverage. Then there's direct mail, internet, and Realtor advertising too.

Jim's "Feature Marketing" system gives him the quality materials to make any ad better, whether it's a better picture for a picture classified, or a "catchier" headline in the Peach. He will sit down with you and show you his custom advertising plan for YOUR home!

6) Marketing "Savvy"

Besides the nuts & bolts of marketing, it's important to have the right person making the decisions. Jim knows what "works" after 30 years of success in this business. He has worked with hundreds (maybe thousands!) of buyers and understands the psychology of home selling better. MARKETING is what brings prospects and buyers in contact with your listing. SALES is what gets your transaction CLOSED!

In conclusion, there is no "magic bullet" that sells your home. What works is a comprehensive plan that includes technology, craftsmanship, professionalism, and intelligence. Jim Hermes has worked hard in the Real Estate business his entire career to provide this level of service. Wouldn't it be an advantage in the sale of your home or property to have Jim working for you?