To create a powerful, systematic and cohesive self-marketing program for its 700 agents in 15 offices throughout Colorado, Re/Max Alliance has contracted with Denver's SharperAgent to customize its intranet and power its new Internet-based Realtor marketing campaign, called Re/Max AIM, according to Brian Wildermuth, president, SharperAgent.

With SharperAgent, Re/Max Alliance, the third largest Re/Max affiliate in the U.S., receives a streamlined marketing service that is Web-based, which makes its easy for agents to create within minutes marketing materials and automatic annual campaigns that are specific to the exact wishes of each client or prospect. Realtors can e-mail newsletters, greeting cards, just listed and just sold postcards, listing flyers and sports schedules using SharperAgent's customized HTML marketing materials. For those customers and prospects who want to receive printed materials by mail, the Realtor can produce and print those same materials within 24 hours using SharperAgent's overnight services.

“This has been a challenging year for the residential Realtor,” Wildermuth explained. “The vagaries of fluctuating mortgage rates, consumers whose income has declined and whose household debt increased and a stagnant resales market have frustrated Realtors who had hoped for a recovery in 2003. The national do-not-call registry, anti-spam sentiment and looming anti-junk mail legislation make it imperative for Realtors to have multiple options in delivering information to consumers. Previously, agents relied upon either expensive or difficult-to-master software programs that were primarily transaction tools or the Realtor had to purchase several programs to accomplish what SharperAgent does in one simple system. Our system allows Realtors to email those that opt-in for email communication, direct mail those who prefer a printed piece and Web post for those who want to research realty information on their own time.“

“Re/Max Alliance is providing at its expense SharperAgent's services for all of its agents to provide them a quality marketing system that will help pre-qualify interested prospects and deliver specific and necessary information,” said Chuck Ochsner, president of Re/Max Alliance.

Ochsner explained that the Re/Max Aim marketing program will help agents with their individual branding and help to build and nurture relationships over time. “The Internet is the number one source homebuyers use to search for properties. Yet, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), only 30 percent of the real estate agents in the U.S. have a Web or Internet presence. This technology will help our agents grow their business faster, develop a strong profile and sustain a rewarding referral network.”

SharperAgent, an Internet-based customer relationship management (CRM) service that combines database contact management with the creation and distribution of marketing materials, is a privately held LLC formed in September, 2000 by co-founders Brian Wildermuth, president, and David Behrens, senior vice president and licensed Colorado Realtor. Additional company information is located at www.sharperagent.com.

Formed in 1978, Re/Max Alliance is the third largest Re/Max affiliate in the United States, according to the May 2003 report issued by REAL Trends, Inc., a publishing and communications company providing news, research and information-based services to the residential real estate industry. The REAL Trends 500 ranks the top real estate brokerages on<