Real Estate marketing is an essential component of lead generation and selling property. Even in boom times, it is a competitive industry where lead generation drives results. With gloomy economic forecasts and rising interest rates, the property industry is facing lots of external pressure. So how do you achieve your goals in a downturn?
Build a list of buyers and sellers in your Real Estate marketing software
Before you can market your listings, you need to have a contact database of buyers and sellers. The more people who know about your business, the better chance you have of making a sale.
The first step in building this list is by creating a website for yourself that includes all pertinent information about your real estate services. You should include your contact information, specialties and areas of expertise. It’s important that you include your social media profiles so potential clients can follow along with all of your updates in one place. They’ll be more likely to contact or share with friends if they see their names on there.
Once these basics are set up, it’s time for some serious networking.
Get to know your community
You have to know the community you are working in. In order to be successful, you need to know its history and culture, its demographics, what is happening in that community now and how it will develop over time. You also need to understand what is important to people who live there–their interests, needs and desires.
If you don’t know who your buyers are going to be or where they live then how can you sell real estate? It’s like trying sell ice cubes at an Eskimo convention!
Attend industry events; join local organizations like Rotary clubs; speak at community colleges or churches; invite friends over who may be interested in buying/selling property soon, the possibilities are endless.
Ensure your Real Estate marketing makes it easy to reach you
You need to be easy to reach.
The most important way you can do this is by having a website that has your contact information clearly displayed and easily accessible. You should also use social media (Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn) to share updates about yourself and your listings with potential clients. If possible, include links on these pages that take people directly to the listing they’re interested in viewing or buying.
If you don’t have a website yet, or if yours looks like it was built during the dot-com bubble, get one! It doesn’t have to cost much money or take long at all; many real estate agents create their own websites using WordPress or Weebly without hiring any professionals for assistance.
And don’t forget about email! It’s one of the most cost-effective ways of communicating with clients who may not have time for phone calls but are still interested enough in what you’ve got going on that they’d like some regular updates from time-to-time.”
Show up where your market is
One of the biggest mistakes we all make is not showing up where our market is. We’re too busy in our offices, at home, or on social media to get out and meet people face-to-face. But if you want to sell real estate successfully in a difficult economy, you need to get out there and create personal relationships with your clients, not just online but also offline.
Don’t just sit behind your desk waiting for clients who may never come through your door! Get out there into the community where they are spending their time and money so that when it comes time for them to buy or sell property (or both), they already know who YOU are!
Create a Real Estate marketing plan for success
You need to create a plan for success. This is important because it will help you focus on what’s important and keep your energy in the right place.
You should make sure that your plan is realistic, achievable and based on your strengths and weaknesses. It should also be based on how much time you have available each week or month (if this isn’t obvious).
Teach yourself how to get referrals
In a tough market, referrals are more important than ever. They’re the best way to get your name in front of new prospects and sell real estate without spending money on advertising.
If you have a great relationship with your clients and they love working with you, then ask them for referrals! This is the most effective form of marketing because it’s not just about getting a lead, it’s about being able to rely on past customers who already know who you are and what kind of service they can expect from you. It takes time and effort to build this kind of loyalty among clients; so when someone gives you their business, go above and beyond for them every single time.
Keep leads flowing with daily follow-ups and offers of help
- Follow up with leads on a daily basis
- Stay in touch with prospective buyers and sellers, even if they’re not ready to buy or sell yet
- When following up on a lead, ask if there’s anything you can do for them (e.g., offer advice)
Invest in effective Real estate marketing technology
The most successful real estate agents are those who invest in effective technology. Technology can help you be more efficient, get more leads, stay in touch with clients and increase your productivity. It also saves time and money.
Here are some examples of how technology can help:
- I use an phone or tablet to scan documents
- Use online cloud storage to store and share important files
- Create your marketing content using online tools specifically designed for Real Estate like ibenta.com
- Automatically collect Open Home attendee data with an app like ibenta’s Open Home
Master the art of social media engagement
Social media is a great way to connect with your target audience and engage with them. It’s also a great way to provide value, build relationships, promote your business and network with other agents.
Producing regular high quality content on social media will drive engagement. An engaged audience will make you top of mind when anyone is considering listing their property.
There is no substitute for hard work, strategic thinking and determination when it comes to marketing real estate in tough times
But there is no substitute for hard work, strategic thinking and determination when it comes to marketing real estate in tough times. You can’t sit back and expect the phone to ring or the emails to pour in. You need a plan to generate leads and keep them flowing.
The first rule of real estate marketing is: keep your options open! There are many ways that you can market your listings; some may work better than others depending on your location, target clientele, price range etc., but don’t limit yourself by saying “This is how we’ve always done it”, or “This is what everyone else does” because chances are good that things have changed since those days (or even weeks).