HamondB3
Monmouth,#2Author of original report
Tue, May 07, 2013
Houzer
Edison N.J.,#3General Comment
Sun, April 21, 2013
Fact 1. What the Real Estate Book tries to sell to brokers is offered free from the very company they work for. Tex messaging, Mobil websites, Social networking, internet listings, advertising etc. its all out of there commision. Coldwell Banker, Prudential, Century 21, Remax just to name a few. Fact 2. There are green publishers in Pennsylvania that will print the exact same book for 20 25% less. Same quality paper, same quality pound paper exact same formatt. But here is the kicker the months home owners chose not to move from November to Febuary and July and August you can reduce your printing run saving you money. In other words you tell the printer the amount of books you want printed opposed to The Real Estate Book telling you what to print. Fact 3. Your cost printing more copies is reduced by private printing, your cost with the Real Estate book increases. Fact 3. When was the last time you heard a radio advertisement from The Real Estate Book ? But you do hear advertisements from all the large brokerage firms. The Broker is better off with the company then an out dated media. Fact 4. The Real Estate Book uses a Company called Key Measures Report. This report measures the amounts of hits on all the major real estate sites. The Real Estate Book is usually in the top 20 or top half. Realty Trac, Zillow, and all major multiple listings lead the top. The Real Estate Book is listed under New Media Point which prints multiple private magazines all the hits are combined to put them in the top 20 or top half. This is to lead brokers to believe the site gets more hits then the brokers they work for, Remax Prudential etc.
Print is not dead buit it is not so centrex to the real estate industry. Vinyle records, VHS tapes, Sony Walkmans, and Flip phones along with print are still around.
Like Paul Harvery always said, here is the rest of the story.
Houzer
Edison N.J.,#4REBUTTAL Owner of company
Sat, April 20, 2013
Scott Dixon is the CEO of New Media Point, he is also part owner who bought the bankrupt company at an attractive price. While he says intergraded media social media along with print receives optimal results he fails to mention print which really is the core of there business has declined. Of course his has no trucks, no fuel cost, no labor unions, fewer employees, less trees.
He states from 2008 the real estate business has declined everyone knows that. But hear is the difference. The Real Estate Book took two hits, the internet and the housing market. The Real Estate Book was the Google business of the day. You could not touch them. It really was the only way to advertise a home. When the internet evolved there revenues declined dramatically Almost every publisher has gone digital. Next time you are at the supermarket take a look how thin the magazines are. Smart business people do not invest in the past they invest in the future. Before you even think of investing in The Real Estate Book go to at least 15 or 20 Realtors and see if they would buy a page from you for 399.95 dont forget you must sell at least 3 issues at 1,200.00 in order for an ad to get a response. Realtors would be happy to sell 3 houses in 6 months these days. Remember if they dont buy pages you still have to print 18 to 20k books per month.
If your book is less then 30 pages you are losing money every month. So his comment about the business is not for everyone is like saying losing money is not for everyone.
Think about it even Readers Digest has gone digital.
Buster
Charlotte,#5Consumer Comment
Wed, January 23, 2013
I have always wondered why i see full bundles at Real Estate offices with the band not even removed and bundles sitting in front of many businesses due to the fact that they were closed when delivery person came by...I guess i know the real answer now...They make you print books you do not need
I agree with most of your post,however i do not agree with the statement that print is dead.
You just need to have professional delivery drivers with just a little bit of sense and a publisher that stands behind them when they tell them that they are wasting their money printing books that do not have to be printed...
These types of companies prey on advertisers by bragging about how many magazines they print and advertisers eat it up,when in reality it does not matter how many are printed,but how many are picked up...These types of companies are not very good environmental stewards and the amount of paper wasted is a sin against nature...I am not a tree hugger,but i will always call out waste.
I have been in this business for 17 years and i know what i am talking about.
Do not give up on print,there are people out there that pick it up and use it...I manage a grocery chains free publication program personally(27 stores) and the number of books picked up by consumer monthly is 25000+...I also contract with 6 different publishers to distribute their books to other locations and that number also exceeds 25000 so print is not dead.
Scott Dixon
Lawrenceville,#6REBUTTAL Owner of company
Thu, January 10, 2013
I am sorry that this individual did hot have a positive experience in our system. We work very hard to provide training and support to help ensure success at the local level and we take that responsibility very seriously. But like any business, we do not guarantee success. We are not for everyone and make that clear at the start.
Some helpful facts:
There is also no question that we, like anyone else serving the real estate industry, have experienced a decline in our business between 2008 and 2012. But that has already begin to shift positively as the housing market began it's recovery in the second half of 2012. The Real Estate Book enjoys a healthy, respectful and balanced relationship with hundreds of Independent Distributors throughout North America serving nearly 20,000 paying real estate professionals. We operate fewer books from our Atlanta area HQ telemarketing center than at anytime in the last three years, a testament to the recovering market and our ability to secure local Independent Publishers who share our vision.
At the core of this individuals complaint is the issue of belief. Belief that local print exposure for real estate professionals and the homes they represent, when combined with a full compliment of digital and mobile solutions will provide optimal results. We believe a fully integrated marketing solution will provide a far greater ROI for our customers than a print only or online only approach and work diligently, daily towards that end.
Scott Dixon
CEO
NewPoint Media Group, LLC