Realtor Marketing Gone Bad

by Jay Thompson on April 15, 2008 · Comments

in Humor, Marketing

Realtor marketing gone bad - flying the Realtor flag

I don’t even know what to say.

Immediate thoughts were:

“Oh Dear God”

“What the heck?!”

“I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit”

Francy said posting this might offend someone (incidentally, she took the photo. We’ll try to get a better one, but you get the idea.).

I said, “As a Realtor and an American, *I* am offended.”

Good marketing, or Realtor marketing gone bad? Would love to hear your thoughts.

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  • As someone who helps teach marketing, this is pretty low on the totem pole for ways to market yourself, below tacking up your business card at the local bar.

    As a consumer who is being force-fed from the media that the market is terrible and from NAR that the market is great (when it appears to differ market-to-market anyway and somewhere in the middle seems reasonable), the R flag tells me that this person is going to repeat everything NAR tells them instead of offering their own expertise.

    Just my $0.02
  • "Does the "R" stand for Retard?
  • Unbelievable. It's certainly a lot easier to show your a REALTOR via goofy flag, than actually going out into the marketplace and create value. Be on the lookout for him planting his own yard sign in his yard, to get his name out to the community. That should really get the calls coming in!

    On the bright side, at least he didn't put the Big "R" above the Stars & Stripes!
  • >“Does the “R” stand for Retard?

    That was too funny, I laughed out loud on that one.

    But I don't see the issue here. At first I wasn't really sure what you were upset about. At least they put the Realtor flag below the American flag. I see it as stupid and useless, but I am not offended.
  • I wonder if this is just an accidental development. I really cannot imagine anyone being so obnoxious.
  • @Ned - I find "stupid and useless" offensive. Realtors have a poor perception with the general public, and flying a Realtor flag outside your home certainly does nothing to help that perception. Tends to make us all look like fools.

    I don't recall *ever* seeing a flag for any other profession flying with Old Glory.

    It's just stupid. "Obnoxious" is a good word too, thanks DRS!
  • This is at his home? At first I thought it was at a business. But a home? Maybe he can get one of those "seasons" ones and make it a trio.
  • Laura - it's hanging right on a home. Now he/she could be working out of their home, but still.....
  • I guess - I just - don't - get - what's - so - offensive.

    I mean seriously - what is so offensive, or stupid, or useless about it? Maybe it's their way of putting up signage without 'putting up signage' so their clients know which house to meet at?

    There are flags for every conceivable thing under the sun - sports teams, companies, pictures of nothing, etc. Why is this any different?
  • HHmmmmm...so I guess you'd think an 'R' tattoo would be inappropriate too?? Good thing I waited.
  • LOL @ Lisa.
  • @Christina - maybe "offensive" isn't the really the right word. For me, it's just so "in your face". I don't know of any other profession where someone flies a flag outside their home advertising to the world what they do for a living. I've always struggled with that sort of "look at me" marketing.

    If I were expecting to meet a client at my home (and we do run our brokerage out of our home) I would just rely on the house number for people to find it. I think most people are capable of finding a home without having to look for a flag.

    But to each his own. If it works for them, good for them.

    @Lisa - depends on where it is? ;)
  • Kind of wierd, I guess some people have no idea what exactly marketing is. Could this person actually think someone may be looking for a home in the neighbhood and see there "flag" then decide to stop at the door for their help to purchase a home? If only it were that easy. This is strange I have never seen "plumber flags" or "lawyer flags" but Realtor flags seem to exist and even be used just wierd.
  • Deltagirl_42
    Well at least they had the decency to put the Realtor flag below the American flag.
  • That is a little different but it's not too different than some other flags that people fly. A little out of it's league on the same pole as the American flag but it is an association and sure beats a confederate flag or worse flags that idiots fly along side American flags.
  • Too many people do not understand flag etiquette.
    With that said: Technically, there is nothing wrong in the picture. But I wouldn't fly it that way...... and although I am not offended, I am a little annoyed that someone would not honor our colors better.
    Another flad stick would cost $5..... *sigh*
  • Sue
    Lisa, your comment is priceless!! Thanks for the laugh. The flag...ugh...another prop supporting "cheesy realtor", darn.
  • Etiquette ok, but really I am with the guy who mentoned the $5 extra for an additional pole, but I guess this person is too cheap to for $5, jjust look at his marketing.

    Has anyone wondered if that is similar to hang out the "Shingle" in your neighborhood? There will probably be no one to visit this "REALTOR" but this begs the question, is he violating is HOA CC&R's?

    He may need a third flag posting the hours of operation ( The time they sit home and watch tv and not at the "real" job.
  • I was not born or raised here in the US - and oddly, I EVEN find that offensive.

    Hanging a Realtor flag is no problem, cheezy at best. But for crying out loud - hang the flag seperately...not attached to the American flag.
  • I'll take uber cheesy marketing for $100 Alex.
  • I don't find it offensive but all the other adjectives yes. I was once a Realtor and now consider myself a marketer. I can tell you that in my experience Realtors as a whole are the worst marketers on the planet. Don't tell their clients but they don't market anything. I've run into this blog several times on my ventures around the web and I always have the same thought. Huh, this is a rarity, a Realtor putting out useful up to date information on the web. Really strange.

    I did write an article on marketing real estate online once a long time ago

    But then what do I know, I had a hard time adding the numbers for your capcha
  • Definitely Realtor marketing gone bad! Wow is all I can say to that picture.
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