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What tactics work for successful real estate professionals in today’s market? Well, certainly not everything. Only the proper steps generate fruitful results.
Over the last few years, competition has grown to be fierce. Low inventory has only compounded the issue since the start of the pandemic. Therefore, expertise and skills online and offline are necessary.
If you and the agents on your team are not engaging the right tools to attract clients and sell properties, you might be struggling. That’s why I’ve put together a dozen tips to help you experience a quantum leap in real estate marketing.
1. Make use of social media.
In the 21st century, you cannot afford to be absent on social media. Make sure you’re engaging with your clients and prospects on all the top tier networks, like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.
Snap and post a lot of real estate pictures—such as houses, neighborhood activities, and local events—to help interact with other users interested in your area and to promote your properties. Don’t forget to comment on what people in your sphere post, too.
2. Add social sharing.
Home shoppers are always eager to share their top housing pictures of the day (or week) with their friends and loved ones on social media. So, add social sharing buttons to your website to give home buyers an easy way to share property listings to their accounts.
3. Use local images.
In addition to focusing on the houses you wish to sell, your social media marketing should also showcase the very best the area has to offer buyers. Not everyone is familiar with the community, so you have to show off the neighborhood with quality images. Beautiful photos of local town landmarks will help show buyers what it’s like to live in the area. You cannot assume that all the buyers looking at your listings will know what restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues are nearby. Make them aware of the fun and beauty that is available.
4. Work on your content.
Consider crafting articles that cover topics buyers should consider before purchasing and sellers should know before listing. You might also decide to offer e-books in exchange for an email address.
5. Hire a professional photographer.
Poor-quality photography can potentially lead to more days on the market and a lower sale price, even amid a low-inventory market. Good photography may be the most essential part of selling a house. It’s imperative to have professional photos taken of your properties.
The vast majority of home buyers start their home search by looking online, which means they base their first impression of a property off the listing photos. They will most likely look at photos and decide whether or not to read the description or move on to the next property.
We have all seen listings with grainy or pixelated photos, pictures that aren't taken with a wide-angle lens, or images of bathrooms with toilet seats up. Don't get me started on the photos that are uploaded sideways and upside down. Amateurs make these mistakes—don’t let that be you or your team.
6. Monitor the competition.
Keep an eye on what the top firms and agents are doing with their marketing. Look at their websites and their listings to see how they word their content and descriptions. Check out their social media and see what types of posts they are sharing. This research can help you determine what’s working, what’s not, and maybe where there are gaps in the market. If you have questions or need help, many agents and brokers are more than happy to offer advice.
7. Make sure you are convenient to contact.
This one may seem obvious, but there have been many times where I’ve visited another broker or agent’s website and I cannot find a phone number or email address. Then there are those who have a contact page, but they don't answer their phone or respond to email messages. Make sure it's easy for people to contact you and that you are responsive when they do.
8. Use creative business cards.
Who says business cards have to follow a specific, rigid pattern? You can be flexible with yours. Come up with a memorable design and hand them out to prospects. You’ll be amazed at the results you generate.
9. Offer virtual tours.
Since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, we have seen virtual tours take many different forms. There's technology like Matterport, which gives buyers a way to see every nook and cranny without being there. You could also have a professional video shot of the home. You can offer live virtual tours to clients via Zoom, FaceTime, or Skype. You can also do a live video on social media, or record a video on your phone and post it to your social channels after. Not all buyers feel as comfortable looking at properties in person as they did before the pandemic. If you’re not using any of these virtual tour methods, you are missing out on potential buyers for your listings.
10. Have a mobile-friendly site.
We live in a technological world, and many people would rather spend time house-hunting on their phones than perusing properties in person. Having a mobile-friendly site will make it easier for customers to navigate. It will also generate more leads. Nowadays, if you don't have a mobile-friendly website, Google will penalize you by not surfacing your site as high in search results. There are dozens of great platforms to choose from for creating a mobile-friendly website, and many are specifically built for real estate.
11. Create a newsletter.
Email marketing is a strategy that works wonders. Capture emails from your website or create a sales funnel by using Facebook ads to market your content to prospects. Make sure your emails provide timely, detailed information related to what your clients or prospects are looking for. For instance, include information about “coming soon” listings or open houses, or send market stats and information of interest.
12. Use email nurture campaigns.
Nurture campaigns can help you better connect with your potential clients. However, your nurture campaigns should contain content that will assist those clients in effective decision-making, such as steps they need to take before buying or listing.
Like most things in life, there is more than one way to get a job done. Put these tips into practice and you’ll start to see greater success attracting prospects and selling your listings.
Broker-to-Broker is an information network that provides insights and tools with business value through timely articles, videos, Q&As, and sales meeting tips for brokerage owners and managers. Get more Broker-to-Broker content here.
