Response to Ghost Ad

I haven't had luck with Ghost Ads yet, but I have seen that "stop spamming people." response before. That's frustrating too.

This is why i say NEVER use Ghost Adds, because you have to LIE to people and make up a story why you dont have the property anymore, (and never did)!! I will never understand why some people resort to using ghost adds, there are so many HONEST ways to conduct your buisness....

I have found that but the way I counter myself is I tell them: " Well unfortunately that property is pending and under contract, but if the buyer does not perform I will keep you posted!"

Also I do come across a lot of good deals like this and I would like to add you to our buyers list for any future properties we may have just in case the buyer does perform!"

Then start asking questions and get criteria, then you got a buyer! I have found just like everything else some buyers adapt to the technique of ghost ads so you got to make it seem you get these deals everyday and can produce the results they desire or need!!

This is just a guideline or you can use it exactly as stated! Make sure you mention also possible discounts they can receive by working with you! You have to be their friend and create the desire in them that they would be missing out on some serious discounts!

"Sales Success Tip: There are only two people you can sell anything to and thats Family, and Friends! So if they are not Family make them a friend!!!" FutureREMillionaire

Creating Success and Wealth Together!

Yeah, I haven't had any luck either. I posted a ghost ad about two weeks ago my first one ever. I got quite a few phone calls...even one from a guy with $250K cash. And then I got one phone call that stopped me from posting ghost ads. I guess I made the mistake of putting up a picture with my ad. But I just chose a random house. Well the owner of that house called me on the phone with his lawyer. You can only imagine how that conversation went. Needless to say I do not post ghost ads anymore. Most of the buyers I get come from marketing REAL killer deals anyway.

I suggest you go to Craigslist and look for "We Buy Homes" ads. You can possibly get cash buyers/investors. Start interviewing them and asking them for what they want in a house (WHAT/WHEN/WHERE/HOW/WHY , exit strategy, areas, prices,etc). I have been so far successful in getting 3-4 of them on my list in the past week. I will also attend a REIN Conference this September and bring lots of my business cards. I hope this helps.

I have had great feed back from my AD..Never had anyone tell me to stop spamming.You have to be able to think on your feet..If you sound like your ad is a joke that is what your going to get..I have more Buyers than I do Properties..Im not even looking for Buyers right now

Yeah you need to be able to think on your feet, lie like a politican, have no integrity,climb the ladder of lies .... True success comes from HONESTY....Honesty is always the best policy...

I agree with Mike.

I posted my ad two days ago and I'm still waiting for a response however, I believe I took the high road. I headlined my ad : INVESTORS NEEDED for (city name) PROPERTIES.
I then went on and said "houses 20%-40% and better below FMV.
For more details, please call xxx or Emailyyyyyyy@xxxm

In today's day and age, HONESTY might actually be a marketable commodity.

Hope this helps.

Andy Sager
DG's AndyS

If someone were to post an ad (perhaps on craigslist.org) for a property, and it were to sell immediately or within a few hours of the time of the original post, then that ad effectively would become a ghost ad too.

I'm an IT consultant. I know what the true definition of spam is, and I've helped to design and implement systems to fight it. A ghost ad isn't spam. (The legal definition of spam is fairly straight-forward.) Spam is unsolicited content that's sent to an unwilling recipient. A reader has to click on the hyperlink of a craigslist ad to view that post. That action is implicitly an opt-in.

Think about if for a moment . . . anyone who doesn't like the content of a post could label that content as spam--provided the legal definition weren't as clear-cut.

Having said that, I've had a great response with my online ads--whether ghost ads or otherwise. jfree98, you probably should have used a picture of your property or a picture of one of your friend's or family's properties (of course with their permission).

Keep in mind that every successful enterprise markets their products/services based upon past work. A ghost ad doesn't have to be a lie; it could be marketing based upon a past deal that you did close.

For that matter, proformas are essentially another form of ghost advertising, because the deal as depicted doesn't exist. The selling party is trying to market/sell that deal based upon their ideas of its potential, and sometimes their ideas are out-of-line with reality (but that's a different issue). The point is that ghost ads are a legitimate form of marketing: its practitioners are marketing potential just as with any other form of marketing.

I started using a headline for the Ghost Ads just to get them to click on my post (Ugly House for Sale $50,000). Then for my actual post itself I say I am a real estate investor looking for cash buyers to work with because I can handle all my deals at once. Then I say I'm looking to sell some of these properties so cash investors can make a lot of money with me. After my little pitch to get them in I give an example of a property "that just closed recently" not a property you just closed recently. That way you can say you work with other people. In the example show "sold price, market value, estimated repair cost, ARV and estimated rental income. I've had a good response using that method over the actual ghost ad itself.

hi well i post an ad on criaglist on 08/31/11 and about 30 min i got a respond saying where is the house located so i send back thaat i,m sorry that property is no longer available how ever i come across deals like that all the time if you let me know of your criteria i would be happy to let him know. he sent me his criteria i was like wow is this for real than it kind of scared me because it happen so fast i call my coach well one of the coaches ms peggy she that was great and than told me what to do . so now i have a realtor working with me email me a lot of homes in his area, this would be my frist i,m really scare hope this is the real deal wish me luck thanks mary.

hey i have had good response to my ghost ads matter afact most of my buyers list came from ghost ads i run occasionally to see if i can get new buyers added to my list! so yes they do work it is just if you dont see any replies back from your ghost ad within 24-48 hours you probably worded it wrong!

subtract your ARV from total cost (buying fixing resaling etc....) equals percentage of profit! now the higher your percentage the more likely you will get responses!

use this one but you may want to reword it just a bit! but i can garuntee you will get buyers from this!
i have great success using this ad:

I am practically giving this property away!!!

GREAT FOR INVESTOR OR HANDYMAN!

Asking ONLY $35,000

After Repair Value $ 125,000

3 bed, 2 bath

Property is an estate sale and in need of cosmetic repairs

Cash Buyers only!

Mike is right! There is no need to lie. Ghost ads about properties you don't have prove one thing. You don't yet have the capability or knowledge to get a real deal under contract. Once you can do this, there is no need for a ghost ad! You are doing the real deal!!!!
You can post ads now that do NOT lie about a property you never had. Like: We provide great wholesale deals. OR Rehabbers, landlords look no further. Get on our list and receive information on our latest property. ETC ETC Stuff along those lines. Then concentrate your efforts on getting a real deal under contract. THEN YOU WON'T HAVE TO LIE AND SHOW YOURSELF AS A ROOKIE!!! Believe me, real cash buyers have heard this stuff from 1000s of newbees from a 1000 different trainings. Try something different.( like telling the truth!)
Like I always say, No offers, no money. No property, no money. What good does 50,000 buyers do you when you have NO idea how to find or what a good deal is!!
That is the hard part, DEALS, not buyers. You might as well go out and learn your market and your product starting today!

Michael Mangham
MD Home Acquisitions LLC

DEALS aren't hard to find or close, and I've close my fair share of them.

A buyers list isn't necessary to close a deal, but it can help. I've closed several deals without having built a buyers list. A smoking, hot deal will stand on its own 2 feet, and it will flush out the buyers.

Good, effective marketing leads to good sales that eventually close. Ghost ads are a form of pre-sales (ie selling a product/service before it's delivered). It's no different than a Microsoft salesperson doing cold-calls for pre-sales leading up to a product launch for a new version of Windows.

Either both ghost ads and pre-sales are both lies, or they're both not.

Hi, Mike,

I do have the same feeling about putting ghost ads properties I don't have. What's your option or how do you conduct your ads?

Thanks for sharing!

Li

I had a notice that my ad on Craigslist was flagged. I did't follow up yet but all it said was we buy & sell houses working with motivated sellers and motivated buyers. I do know Norton did a sscan and took off some cookies about the same time.

I was not prepared for results from bandit signs and flyers I put out. I got a call late this afternoon I didn't ask enough questions. I was unprepared as I have never had much luck but never used Greg's wording before. The said he would consider a fixer upper, I saw one on Sat that the father said would probably take 20K to get it in shape and it was part of his wife's estate. His daughter is handling it and if I offered 35K I might get it as she doesn't want the bother of it. The county has it appraised at 90K and market value of 100K. I haven't been able to get ahold of the daughter. Those signs just might do the trick.

Microsoft actually has a product coming on line, not some newbees fantasy! Big difference from saying you have something that you may never have. The Microsoft salesman is not mis representing himself or what he can provide. There are many ways for a new investor to advertise his new business other that a fake ad for a property that he does not or ever did have control of. This is all just my opinion of course. Represent your self how you wish.

Also, I am always looking for real wholesale deals and you say you have no problem finding them. PM me with a couple. Also, if you close deals all the time you should get your diamond icon. Just provide proof to DG and they will put it up for you. I think thats how it works, that is what I had to do anyway.

Good luck!
Michael Mangham
MD Home Acquisitions LLC

I can see both sides of the story here so with that said, my simple solution is this... Do what I call "Spirit ads" one of the definitions of a spirit is that it has some kind of form to it.

Still following me? Great. How that applies here is you use a number of ways such as a foreclosure finder, or MLS system in your area and place an ad with one of those homes listed. That way you have an actual property to start with if you choose to go this route. It's a step above just obliviously putting ad's out there without real property attached to it.
Happy investing!

Cam-

I agree completely that ghost ads are LIES. No offense to anyone, but I just can't bring myself to do it. The person on the other end has GOT to know it's a lie and the person touting it can't possibly sound legit. I know there are tons of ways to market yourself and they've been mentioned above. This was one of the MAIN reasons I could not complete the Success Academy (amongst other things). It was the very first thing they told me to do and I couldn't get past it. Sorry, I couldn't do it!!! I just couldn't. But, one of these days this caterpillar will sprout her wings and become that beautiful butterfly!! Anyway, the methods Michael and Mike stated are stellar ways to market. IMHO.

You need to stop

posting properties that you don't have. That's a strategy that really doesn't work effective anymore. If the guy is a real cash buyer then he feels you are wasting his time and propbably won't do business with you in the future.

Put yourself in his position, I know I did when i started. If I call on an ad that went on CL today and you tell me that one is gone but give me your criteria and I will contact you with others, I hang up and throw away your number. You posted a property you didn't have with a price then you tell him some are higher some are lower????

If you have a property and you have done your homework on it and the numbers are really good you will sell it if it's priced right. ghost ads work maybe 20% of the time and most times the people you are talking to are just like you.....fishing.

Bottom line.....If you build it they will come. If you have a deal that's priced right and the rehab is figured properly then you will sell it. That's what a real buyer is looking for. It's not a matter of patience, people's time is important. Time is the only thing we can't make more of so use yours and others very wisely.

Good luck!!!!

au contraire!

my buyers list came from that exact method! matter afact im in the works of 2 deals im just waiting on replies back!... so the ghost ad strategy for buyers does work! i got 12 from 2 ads and i run them every so often to update my list!

No one is saying that ghost adds dont work, we are saying that advertising a property you dont have is a LIE, and wrong!!! Its always best to conduct your buisness >>>HONESTLY<<<...

I didn't say they didn't work, I said they don't work effectively anymore. You are the fortunate one that actually got buyers to work with you, however I know more people than not will not do business with false ads. I know several people that can't use CL anymore with actual properties because of these ghost ads. If you have a property and it's priced right you will sell it......this is the HONEST way to do things.

That's what we are saying here.

how these deals work out for you. Looking forward to the details.

im still waiting on replies!

these deals, I hope they aren't people just like you that are wasting your time.

With ghost ads you don't need to lie. Keep your ad simple, describe a type of property that you can get. When people call on your ad simply tell them that you are a wholesaler or investor and that this is a type of property that you could possibly get below market value and that you place these ads to market your business. Then turn the conversation to how you can help them, what are they looking for etc. You don't have to lie or mislead anyone. Be honest and have integrity in your business. Honesty pays off and people appreciate your honesty. Remember, any type of advertising is all about numbers - you'll sort through a lot of calls to get the deals. Ghost ads work, they aren't for everyone though - don't give up!

Good Luck!

Karen

Thank you for opening my eyes, Michael! I posted a ghost ad and got response from really serious buyer and had to lie him that the property was no longer available and ask him to be in my buyer list. I never heard from him. Well, I will come up with the truth from now on.