I received my first code enforcement call today… Telling me not to put signs out anymore or I will be cited… that really bites… I guess this is going to make me change how i post my bandit signs… if anyone has gotten these calls how have you adjusted your marketing with bandit signs…
How much for the citation ? How much do you make from the bandito signs…It’s only money.
Darin
Yeah, if you citation is $200 and you could make $5K-10K – hey, that is expense.
About a week after putting out 25 or so bandit signs I got a call from code enforcement also; $1200 per day for each sign…I took them down. It’s a shame since they generated 2 or 3 calls over the course of the week.
I even had a code enforcement officer take down my “For Sale” signs that I had permission to install; township ordinance stated signs only allowed on the actual property for sale. I found the signs ($75 each for the large one’s, $35 for the small ones) in a pile behind twp hall and stopped in after hours and retrieved them.
Now I only put signs out from Friday night to Sunday night (I’ve never met a government worker who would lift a finger while not on the clock) and have never been called or had signs confiscated.
jmd_forest
I’m in Central Florida and around here the fines are around $1200 per day as well. They can add up pretty fast.
You could always just get an anonymous phone number and voicemail. That usually frustrates code enforcement pretty good :biggrin
Stop wasting your money with bandit signs… Nevermind what was I thinking… I buy houses because of bandit signs investors put out…
Michael,
Bandit signs are only one of several marketing activities I use and they provide some of the best bang for the buck. I advertise in the local “Ad-Lines”, put out door hangers, and do direct marketing to NODs and estates but the bandit signs generate the most leads.
jmd_forest
Fantastic on your success however you are still wasting money on bandit signs… There is a way to have calls from bandit signs without using bandit signs… And stop using door hangers too… They are not the highest and best use of resources…
After doing hundreds of deals and spending thousands on marketing I have learned what works and what doesn’t…
make sure you read the code carefully and they follow the correct procedurefor the fine. I got a $4200 ticket but got out of it because the
building incpector didnt give me wriiten notice and the time to take down the signs like it says in the town ordinance. So read it carefully you probably have more time than you think.
Hey Michael…
I enjoy you post, you are always informative and present a wealth of information… You are saying stop using bandit signs and Door Hangers… as a wholesaler with limited marketing dollars. I seem to think and agree that bandit signs give you quite a bang for your buck… door hangers aren’t as effective, but for the dollars, it presents another area for an investor with limited marketing dollars to be affective, I would love to hear from you, how I can replace this avenue of marketing and still be affective…
Thanks…
I disagree with the doorhanger opinion, while this may not bring you better results than TV or multipul forms of marketing at one point in time; doorhangers are very effective being left at foreclosures. Of course we dont leave them on the door so our competitors can remove them. When you do multipul forms of marketing people dont even know where they saw your info, but they just call. So having a vanity # or something easy to remember is key. If the marketing looks nice and has a specific message people save them, ie; I had someone call me from a doorhanger that we left 2 years ago when she was in foreclosure but at the time she was able to refi. We took over this one with it only being 1 month behind because she saved the doorhanger. Im not saying that doorhangers are the best form of marketing, but you have to give credit when they have helped to buy a lot of properties.
That is nice story but rather an exception. In general, I would agree with Michael, like with many of his posts – doorhangers are not working.
Michael,
I’m always open to learning new things. So… how do you get calls from bandit signs without having bandit signs?? Also, what do you consider the most effective marketing techniques? Specifics would be appreciated. Thanks for your help.
jmd_forest
Our out come may very well be the exception, we do advertise multipul medias which is a big help, but i think the big difference is who you are marketing to and what your copy says. For the cost of a door hanger and gas money someone new could do it fairly cheaply.
The way to get others to call you from bandit signs or other marketing is to have memorable phone #'s and/or marketing that everyone relates/remembers when they are in a perticular situation. So when they see the “we buy houses” bandit signs everywhere they end up just calling the guy that has the # 1800cashforhouses ect… even though that wasnt the # on the sign, just an example.
Ps; rama1 have you ever seen a 6x17inch door hanger they get some attention :beer
I tried posting an article I wrote about advertising but it was over 2000 Charactors… Sorry…
Door Hangers dont work… No matter what size they are… that doesnt mean they dont get results… But working is defined as the highest and best use of your money and time… Door hangers are not.
As for bandit signs… Again I buy houses from them but I dont use them… I have the 411 listing for I buy Houses and we buy houses…
I have to stop saying this…
Anyone who wants the article just tell me how to post it…
Thanks
Michael Quarles
yeah I would agree that you need to stop saying that, haha (nice hint for those that read this)
Michael knows what hes doing so if he says doorhangers dont work there is no reason to doubt the man, but rest a shored we will never stop using doorhangers. Although a flyer could work equally as well.
We dont hang them on the door they get slid under the door jam, to prevent the competition from stealing them.
We get results from them and we veiw them and the persons time that places them as inexpensive.
Sorry I get carried away a little about marketing… I remember the time I sent out Giant postcards… These things were the size of a For Sale Sign… Bright Red and Yellow.
Guess what happened? The postal carrier folded them for me and stuck them in the mailboxes… So my giant sized postcard became this wrinkly thing all bent up and ugly…
And they say size doesnt matter…
Michael Quarles
PS Its good to chat with you again…
i happen to agree with you… the thing you have to realize is some things work better in different markets than others; I personally know of people who strictly use postcards for marketing and a buying a few houses per month; i mailed 283 postcards got 2 calls, one of which was a lady looking work. on the other hand i did 45 handwritten letters in small gift card sized envelopes and got (2) short sales under contracts, 1 short sale on the way and 1 loan modification.
IMO bandit signs & door hangers do work for the average small investor looking to buy 1-2 houses a month depending on your market. i personally built a fairly successful mortgage company using strictly bandit signs (and bought/flipped several homes in the process)
Find what works best in your market and go hard at it…
Some locations just don’t permit bandit signs and if they aren’t allowed, you have to do something else.
It’s very rare to see bandit signs here and on the few occassions when they appear, they are gone by the next day and don’t come back.
Real estate isn’t the only buiness that uses bandit signs and it is more common to see “Lose 40 pounds in one week” bandit signs. Those disappear quick, too, but they come back more often. I suspect that the diet guru graduates don’t newtwork like the real estate investors.
If a real estate guy gets fined heavily, he is going to warn his friends and the word goes out on the grapevine. Apparently, dieters don’t have that grapevine.
How would one go about getting the 411 listing for I buy houses and We buy houses? Sounds like a pretty good plan of attack. Thanks.