$485,000 a completely reasonable price, given that most homes will sell for less than their asking price, and far better than what she would have gotten if she were only asking $450,000 in the first place. This is why you need the RIGHT real estate agent—one who knows what your home is worth and how to sell it, even if it’s been listed before without success. AN IMPORTANT LESSON FROM HOLLYWOOD I know you’re reading this book to find out how to sell your hard- to-sell home, but before we dig any deeper into things, I want to talk about a movie. Go with me here—not only is the story relevant, but the lesson behind it could very well help you finally close the deal. So: did you know that The Shawshank Redemption was a box office flop? Yes, The Shawshank Redemption, the film that was nominated for over 36 awards (and won 19 of them). The one the Internet Movie Database lists as the top-rated movie of all time. The one that gets 91% on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer (critic reviews) and an Audience Score that shows 98% of users like the movie. In spite of all that, it only earned $60 million worldwide. It was two spots behind a movie with Pauley Shore. Pauley Shore! And did you know The Flintstones, which came out the same year, gets 22% on the Tomatometer, has only a 24% Audience Score, and won Razzie Awards for Worst Screenplay and Worst Female Performance and was nominated for worst movie? Because for all its failures, it also earned $358 million worldwide. How is it possible that an awful movie could kill it money-wise but an awesome movie could be almost dead on arrival? Targeted Marketing. The people who marketed The Flintstones knew their audience and sold directly to them. In contrast, promoters for The Shawshank Redemption didn’t know how to sell it (they admitted as much)—and it shows. Co-star Morgan Freeman also thinks the title was a hindrance. He’s had plenty of fans come up to him and say the name wrong. Maybe a title that’s easier to say would’ve made a difference? It just goes to show you that every detail matters in marketing!
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