Marketing with only $200. What would you do?

Yonkers, NY · Member since 2017 · 506 posts · 95 votes

Hi everyone, I am bird dogging for some investors to learn the ropes and have about $200 more or less to spend on marketing. I understand that this is a very little amount but that's all I can make do for now since I'm a beginner and if I mess up I don't want to get messed up. I'm also very young and can't be blowing off lots of money. Well anyways, how would you guys go about my situation in your shoes for marketing, specifically direct mailing. Would you buy lists off of places like listsource, then have a company send out some letters? Or would you do another way? By the way, I have some properties as well from public records too, and I don't have good handwriting. So if you were in my shoes what would you do with about $200 for direct mail marketing?

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Mark Gallagher

Flipper/Rehabber · Allentown, PA · Member since 2011 · 1k+ posts · 701 votes

@Account Closed

I'll give you an answer you weren't looking for.

Take $150 and buy a used lawn mower, weed whacker, and snow shovel. Take $50 and make nice business cards and fliers to promote yourself as a property care taker.

Look up all of the big real estate agents in your area, and drop them off fliers to promote your lawn and snow services. Someone will end up calling. You start getting an in with the local Realtors as a hustler. They'll call you with work. You'll make money and can slowly learn the trade. Ask the Realtors questions. Save your money. By the time you're 18-20 you can buy your first investment property.

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Brad Schultheiss
Overland Park, KS · Member since 2016 · 30 posts · 23 votes
8y
do you have someone to take you to look at potential properties once you find them? It seems to me people would have a hard time taking you serious since you're so young and talking about all cash offers.
I would dig deep into the business of wholesaling and get to know all the cost and time requirements inside and out. With this information you could sell yourself to an investor and probably negotiate a marketing budget with an investor.
The experience you would gain over the next 3 years would position you to either open your own company straight out of school or at the very least help narrow down your real estate passion.
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Rob Burns
Flipper · Jacksonville, FL · Member since 2014 · 17 posts · 22 votes
8y
Michael, great job thinking as an entrepreneur at your age! Here's my advice for what it's worth, I applied for a commercial mortgage at 18 and was turned down but finally saved up and purchased a duplex at 20 so your on the right track. However I also own an eCommerce and marketing company now and someone your age should be focused 100% online. No one knows how old you are online. Learn everything you can about SEO and social media marketing and set up landing pages (plenty of free services like Wix and Weebly) then build solid relationships (get the in writing) with any type of business, Investors, Realtors, Trades ect.. and sell them your leads. All this can be done for free if you know what your doing. Or highly targeted Facebook ads can be pretty cheap. Any business including real estate investing is built on great marketing and the internet can help you reach people not just in your area but all over the world.
Good Luck!
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Fort Worth, TX · Member since 2017 · 25 posts · 7 votes
8y
I really dislike how condescending a lot of people in this thread are being about your age. I wish I had the insight to do this kind of stuff at 14 (I'm 21).
I would tell you to go out on your own, but I'm afraid that you may not be old enough for a lot of the legal stuff. Like if you're under the age of 18, you signature may be void on contracts.
What I would say to you, and to my 14 year old self, is save. But beyond saving, learn personal finances. Learn how to make a budget (I suggest the app You Need a Budget), learn how to save, and learn how to invest. I say all this, because I'm just starting out, and I barely have enough money for marketing, and I would have loved a small lump sum to get me started. I remember when I was younger and I thought it was futile, it's not, you will thank your past self.

I don't know if you like to read, but I'd recommend three books. "I Will Teach You To Be Rich" by Ramit Sethi (personal finance, but don't listen to him about real estate, it's a proven method), "The Smartest Investing Book You'll Ever Read" by Daniel R. Solin, and "The Millionaire Real Estate Investor" by Gary Keller. These will not only help get your personal finances in order, they will also help get you into the mindset of an investor. And if you have any questions, always ask.
Edit: I would also say, stay motivated. I have everyday reminders of how to stay motivated, and I suggest you do the same. Set goals and stay hungry.
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OP
Yonkers, NY · Member since 2017 · 506 posts · 95 votes
8y
Brad Schultheiss I don't have anybody to take me, but can't I just get people to call my phone number? This way they won't even know my phone number.
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OP
Yonkers, NY · Member since 2017 · 506 posts · 95 votes
8y
Tom Gimer do you mean I should get and intern or do you mean in the meantime?
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OP
Yonkers, NY · Member since 2017 · 506 posts · 95 votes
8y
Rob Burns thanks for the great insight! This is a great strategy, but what would I do, and how can I execute it at my age? Would my age effect what I'm able to do, and how much would this cost? How can I learn about this, because I know very little about this. Would it be possible if I can pm you and we can talk a little more, or do you want to talk in the forums so everybody can learn?
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OP
Yonkers, NY · Member since 2017 · 506 posts · 95 votes
8y
I can learn for sure if I need to because I'm young and I'm pretty tech savvy as it is.
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OP
Yonkers, NY · Member since 2017 · 506 posts · 95 votes
8y
Jonathan Westerdale your right, at my age I can't sign any contracts that's why I can't do to much. Also I am going to start saving now for later on, also I do like to read. Thanks for the recommendations and the motivation!
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Tom GimerBusiness Member
DMV · Member since 2017 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
8y
Originally posted by @Account Closed:

Tom Gimer do you mean I should get and intern or do you mean in the meantime?
While you are educating yourself by reading and watching, you could certainly get a job somewhere in the real estate industry. Even something like installing signs or working on a cleanup crew would give you insight into things you'll be dealing with as an investor.
Gimer Law516 Reviews
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Rob Burns
Flipper · Jacksonville, FL · Member since 2014 · 17 posts · 22 votes
8y
Youtube will teach you everything you need to know and if you learn social media marketing and use free websites it can be done for free. It took me years to teach myself web marketing and it changes daily so all the advice I can give is watch what others do and do the same, Grant Cardone is a great marketer you may want to check him out. Also Alex Becker has a good channel. At your age I would be building a huge following in a niche and doing affiliate marketing, you get paid for sending traffic and sales to other websites and don't need to service the customer at all. Get paid while you sleep.
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Mark Gallagher
Flipper/Rehabber · Allentown, PA · Member since 2011 · 1k+ posts · 701 votes
8y
@Account Closed
I'll give you an answer you weren't looking for.
Take $150 and buy a used lawn mower, weed whacker, and snow shovel. Take $50 and make nice business cards and fliers to promote yourself as a property care taker.
Look up all of the big real estate agents in your area, and drop them off fliers to promote your lawn and snow services. Someone will end up calling. You start getting an in with the local Realtors as a hustler. They'll call you with work. You'll make money and can slowly learn the trade. Ask the Realtors questions. Save your money. By the time you're 18-20 you can buy your first investment property.
5 Reply
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OP
Yonkers, NY · Member since 2017 · 506 posts · 95 votes
8y
Ok thanks Rob Burns I'll check it out! But will this have to do with real estate or not, because all I want to do is something with real estate so I'll be prepared for the future.
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OP
Yonkers, NY · Member since 2017 · 506 posts · 95 votes
8y
Mark Gallagher That's a great idea! But the only thing is I don't have a ride and I don't have the time, I would have the time only during he summer possibly but still I won't have a ride. But thanks for the idea anyways!
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OP
Yonkers, NY · Member since 2017 · 506 posts · 95 votes
8y
Tom Gimer who should I talk to to get jobs like this? Property management companies, investors, or other companies or people?
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OP
Yonkers, NY · Member since 2017 · 506 posts · 95 votes
8y
Rob Burns is there a way I can do real estate online marketing to learn about real estate? What are some options? Also is it just affiliate marketing or is there any other things? Please help me, thanks!
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