You Can Only Take Advantage of the Power of the REALTOR® Brand If You Use It

So include the REALTOR® “R” in your marketing materials and on your business card; tell clients and potential customers that you’re a REALTOR®; use the materials available to you at www.realtor.org; and wear your REALTOR® pin with pride.

It's important to use the trademark REALTOR® correctly.  For a look at pointers on how to do that, see this animated video produced by NAR and starring "Mark" the proud defender of the REALTOR® trademark (note it will take a few seconds for the video to start).

For more about the national campaign and related resources you can use, visit www.realtor.org/awarenesscampaign. 

KCRAR Campaign Enhances National Effort

Locally, advertising addressing the Homebuyer Tax Credits was an important part of the KCRAR campaign in 2009 and 2010.  Ads began running in March 2009 to educate consumers about the credits. Here and here are the print ads which ran prior to the tax credit's April 30 deadline. The message about the tax credit was also delivered online on the real estate page of www.kansascity.com, www.inkkc.com and through sites pin-pointed by behavioral targeting through Yahoo! search.

In addition, this print ad ran in mid-2010 to encourage consumers to "Get the Facts" about their local market by contacting a REALTOR® in their area.  Online advertising with the same message ran concurrent with the print ads.

Since July 2010, consumers have heard KCRAR radio commercials about the remarkably low mortgage interest rates available today.  Combined with the large number of attractively-priced homes on the market, the commercials say, today's conditions present an outstanding buying opportunity.  Go here to learn more about the radio campaign and listen to the commercial.

The same message telling consumers that buying now could be one of the best decisions they'll ever make is appearing in print.  Here is the ad that's running in The Kansas City Star, Sun Newspapers (in Johnson County and the Northland) and the Examiner Newspapers in Eastern Jackson County.  And to see the online version of the ad conveying this message, go here to the real estate homepage of KansasCity.com - the #1 local website for KC news and information.

Local advertising also promotes www.KCHomePrograms.com as a source of consumer information about:

• the homebuying process
• mortgage financing options
• grants and other programs for first-time and moderate-income buyers
• the KCRAR non-soliciation homebuyer classes and more. 

A television and online campaign was added to the media mix promoting KCHomePrograms in June 2010 and will run through October.  Go here to see the commercial and learn more about the campaign.

The homebuyer classes sponsored by KCRAR and the Mortgage Bankers Association of Greater Kansas City also receive additional advertising exposure prior to each month's class.

Monthly articles in the Saturday real estate section of The Star promote REALTOR® services and inform readers about homeownership issues impacted by REALTOR® efforts.  Other articles run in several local publications, often with comments from KCRAR leaders.  Here are some that have been published this year:

• From The Kansas City Star, July 31, 2010 - LOW MORTGAGE RATES PRESENT OPPORTUNITIES
• From The Kansas City Star, April 24, 2010 -  DO GROUNDWORK BEFORE HOUSE HUNTING
• From The Kansas City Star, March 20, 2010 - TIPS ON THE TAX CREDIT AS DEADLINE NEARS
• From the Kansas City Star, January 23, 2010 - HOMEBUYER TAX CREDITS AVAILABLE THROUGH APRIL 30
  

All of this takes place under the umbrella of the NAR campaign funded by each and every REALTOR®'s annual payment into a fund dedicated to the Public Awareness Campaign.  It includes network TV and radio schedules and, new in 2010, consumer magazines.  Visit www.realtor.org/awarenesscampaign for more details.