Upload, Print, Give, Done!
Online self publishing site Blurb.com (which allows you to design a book and print it with no minimum order) recently announced that they have launched a feature called “PDF to Book” allowing you to use the design program of your choice and upload a PDF to Blurb.com. Creative controls (which are rare in book printing) that you have are:
- You can use a template or use your own guidelines regarding book sizes and cover types.
- Your design can be in any native file format (PNG, TIFF, etc) for high image quality.
- Images can wrap your cover, even the spine.
- You can market your book in the Blurb Bookstore.
Make a bajillion dollars with this tool!
Well maybe not a trillion, but let’s flesh out some ideas together about how this feature can improve your marketing efforts and solidify you as the expert in your farming area and get you closer to that trillion dollars! So below are some of my own ideas of how to make Blurb books work for you, add your own in the comments:
Seven wicked awesome ideas:
* Realtors can create a profile of homes they have sold, I’m thinking a picture of each home on the left page and on the right, the number of days it took to sell vs. the average DOM at the time, some of the home features, the unique url if there was one and any testimonial the homeowners were willing to give. This can be left over night after a listing appointment for home sellers to look at while they consider hiring you as their listing agent. Think of it as a sexy listing presentation tool and you only have to buy two or three copies!
*To be the neighborhood expert, you can create a book about your specific area, so not a book about Austin but a book about Allendale which is a neighborhood in North Austin. You can talk about the history, do interviews with locals, talk about the retail, highway systems, public parks, future plans and of course a blurb about real estate statistics over time.
*You could create a fine photography book of local photographers’ work that show the landscape of the area and as Teresa Boardman has mastered, leave a copy of the book at local coffee shops as coffee table reading!
*If you’re really generous, make a scrapbook style memory book for your sellers or buyers that is all about them and the ups and downs of your time together (including looots of pictures) and give it as a thank you gift. People love remembering their home and having a book to show others is a golden branding opportunity as people rave over your generous, genius idea!
*Create a book about a specific local event and gift a few copies to the organizers that you’ve interviewed. Drop it at the door of every new move-in to your specific subdivision or neighborhood even if they’re not your client and include a handwritten “welcome to the neighborhood, hope to meet you at [insert event here]” without selling yourself, just be a good neighbor.
*Write about all the ways neighbors can be green- study where paint and batteries can be recycled, note some local services for residential window tinting and include tips from experts on insulation types and cover what local laws are regarding solar panel installation, etc. You could even partner with a few local companies to cover the cost of this book and I’m thinking the flier-passer-outer-companies would deliver them if named as a sponsor (or included as the expert as to “where to recycle paper locally since we’ll be passing crap out to you”).
*Focus on your philanthropic efforts you are already involved in, let’s use breast cancer as an example. Partner with a local photographer and go talk to and photograph the willing locals and let them tell their story. Sell the book above cost and donate all proceeds to your breast cancer non profit of choice while raising awareness.
What ways can YOU think of to use Blurb (or other printing options) to create a book for your own marketing presence?
AgentGenius is not affiliated in any way with Blurb.
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Consumerism, Geo-mapping columnist
Marketing columnist
Most agents don’t even have blogs and you think they’re going to write books…that’s a stetch. but i’m sure some of the prolific bloggers out there could benefit..I can see the first greek real estate novel coming soon! ” The 9 and 99 Of Real Estate”
I had someone ask me about this recently. I’ll send them here. I think it would be helpful to some folks on my team as the buyer agents do have a Buyers booklet they give them when they meet the first time.
This is an awesome tool Lani. For the price of less than $20 I would add make a ‘property brochure book’ that could be left in the house that all prospective buyers could look through. What a reflection on the great listing agent wouldn’t you say? Thanks for sharing.
These are super ideas. I’ve seen these books that people have done to commemorate milestones – babies, weddings, vacations, etc. I’ve also come across a couple that sellers have done about their homes. In all cases they mostly consisted of pictures but I think your suggestions really bring it up several notches. The books definitely have a Wow impact.
Lani, this is FABULOUS! I especially love the idea of a real BOOK for a listing presentation. And strangely enough, just today I received a tiny book in the mail of some of Teresa Boardman’s photos. It’s a small thing, but a treasure, and it made me immediately wonder about using photos to represent an area and peak interest. Very hot idea, thank you for sharing!
I can see many uses for this application. Thank you so much for the possibilities!