More Than a Marketing Vehicle – A Win-win for Agents, Clients and the Community

By Kayla O’Brien

RISMEDIA, Sept. 17, 2008-Drive around Knoxville, Tennessee, during rush hour and you’re bound to see a friendly, familiar face. As a matter of fact, you will see two-the faces of Jerry Alumbaugh and Joyce Nave of RE/MAX Prime Properties-smiling as you pass by their On the Move truck. At a time when competition is steep and budgets are tightening, the duo realizes that when it comes to a smooth transaction, who better to trust and work with than a familiar face?

Alumbaugh has come to understand the importance of name recognition for real estate professionals first-hand. In the industry for over 14 years, she’s found a knack for establishing her business-and presence-no matter where life may take her.

After practicing and thriving in real estate in Pensacola, Florida, for several years, Alumbaugh’s local-based career was thrown a curveball when her husband got transferred to Jacksonville-and then to Tennessee-shortly thereafter.

“I had to start all over again,” says Alumbaugh, broker affiliate of RE/MAX Prime Properties. “But I learned that you have to build name recognition and a connection with past clients to better serve them-everything else seems to snowball after that.”

Given the fact that she wanted to spend half of her time in Florida and the other half in Tennessee with her husband, Alumbaugh made sure a few important details were in line to make the move work to her business’ benefit. She wanted to not only have a good partner in both locations, but also excel in client care by taking care of her clients before, during and after the sale of the home.

While locating partners (both Nave in Knoxville and Michael Morris in Jacksonville) who shared her passion for real estate, it wasn’t long before Alumbaugh discovered the convenience of On the Move trucks-a way to exceed the needs of buyers in her community in a way that other agents hadn’t yet caught on to in her market.

“I spoke with an agent in Pensacola who had one of the trucks and he said it was definitely helping his business,” she says. “He was surprised that he’d not only get calls from buyers-but also from sellers.”

To Alumbaugh, the truck was just what she was looking for to establish her presence in the Knoxville area and get acquainted with the new community. On the Move offers a billboard on wheels-turning trucks into marketing vehicles-literally.

“We invested in the moving truck and it was great,” she says. “My husband and son even used it to move our stuff from Florida to Tennessee.”

The team’s On the Move truck includes a custom graphic with both Alumbaugh and Nave’s photos, company name and contact information. Costing much less than a traditional billboard, Alumbaugh says this billboard on wheels puts her in touch with potential customers by simply driving around town.

“Along with the other things we do, we believe you need to cover all three mediums-billboards, television and direct mail,” she says. “So this is a form that is more usable than a billboard, and wasn’t as expensive as a billboard in one location in town. Customers love it.

“Since this is a new market for me, this year will be spent saturating the market to increase our presence,” she continues. “Our listings are coming from our database, clients Joyce has worked with, and referrals, and as far as new business, it’s going to be the truck that draws it in.”

To gain exposure in her local market, Alumbaugh uses the company’s On the Move truck as a way to broadcast their services on a daily basis. “We take it out three times per week on the road in both morning and evening rush-hour traffic,” she says. “I also drive it to the gym since it’s the most active gym in town. It’s also connected to a medical facility.”

When running ads that feature the truck in local newspapers and magazines, Alumbaugh and Nave include bullet points describing why someone would want a buyer’s agent, and outlining the benefits of choosing RE/MAX Prime Properties over a competitor.

Alumbaugh and Nave lend their trucks at no cost to their clients to assist in the moving process. While retail costs for renting moving trucks varies anywhere from $150 to $300-depending on time usage-according to Alumbaugh, the only cost to clients is the gas.

“It’s a tangible benefit,” says Alumbaugh. “They can see that nobody else is offering this service when they buy a home. We provide the truck free and people are intrigued when they get to use the truck or see it driving by.

“The truck leads to referrals from people who have used it,” Alumbaugh says. “It really sticks in their minds that they didn’t have to pay for moving so it helps when it comes to referrals and repeat business.”

In addition, the RE/MAX Prime Properties’ On the Move truck is often borrowed by community organizations. Whether it’s a local charity, religious institution, school or club, providing this truck at no cost adds to the exposure the company will receive and helps build company appreciation and recommendations in the area.

“People comment on it and say, ‘Hey I saw your truck!’ and it gets them intrigued,” she says.

While Alumbaugh says they plan to incorporate the truck more on their current website moving forward, both community organizations and clients of Nave and Alumbaugh have access to B4UMove.net where they can find out more about using the truck for free.

“I love the business and I love helping buyers find a home,” says Alumbaugh. “To me, it’s pleasurable. I hope that in the next three years we’ll have two or three trucks to offer our clients.”

For more information, please visit www.onthemovetrucks.com.