In real estate, the focus for buyers is often "location, location, location!" For real estate agents, though, the focus these days has evolved into "marketing, marketing, marketing!" Real estate marketing is how you ensure people know who you are so they come to you when they want to buy or sell properties in your region.
The real estate market is highly competitive, so your marketing must highlight your expertise, make you easily recognizable, and set you apart from the other real estate agents. That’s why it’s a good idea to come up with a marketing plan for your real estate company, which may include some or all of the below:
- Build your Google Business profile & ask for client reviews
- Build a social media presence
- Host webinars on local real estate
- Host virtual tours and staging
- Purchase paid social media ads
- Send out a local real estate newsletter
- Do regular or automated outreach to check-in
- Hand out branded swag and merchandise
Real estate marketing ideas for new clients
Your newest clients are sometimes the hardest people to get onboard. Knowing how to reach them on their terms so they can come to you on theirs makes all the difference in this competitive landscape.
- Build your Google Business profile & ask for client reviews
- Google has become vital for all businesses in the digital age. It’s easy to set up and it gives you an online, location-based presence. It also allows for reviews, which is helpful for lead generation if your reviews are top-notch and helps Google to identify you as an expert in your field. After all, people work with people they trust, and having positive reviews online builds exactly that.
- Google will also prioritize placement in the search engine for agents that have higher ratings, cementing the importance of actively requesting your clients to post positive reviews.
- Build a social media presence
- Social media and digital real estate marketing are increasingly becoming more vital for real estate professionals. Social media allows you to become more familiar to your target market, share your ideas and expertise, and build a loyal following.
- Determine which social media platforms—Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube—your ideal clients are on, and make sure you have an active account on that channel. Post regularly and engage with your audience. When people comment on your posts, timely responses are not only appreciated, but oftentimes held in high regard; and don't forget to engage with other people’s posts as well!
- Host webinars on local real estate
- Webinars are a fantastic way to get attention from curious home buyers and highlight your local knowledge of real estate. Not only can you host them live, but you can record webinars so people following along can ask questions. Then, simply post the best or most engaging questions and answers across social platforms so others can view the discussions on their own time.
- Webinars should be catchy and full of information, such as “10 Important Considerations When Buying Your First Home,” or “Thinking of Downsizing? 5 Signs It Might Be Time.” Make the topic relevant to real estate but not focused solely on selling so that your audience will perceive you as a reliable and objective source of information.
Real estate marketing trends for your sales
It’s great if people know your name and recognize your face, but it also helps to market your available properties. After all, some people will find you by searching properties online, and you want to make those listings work for you, too.
- Host virtual tours and staging
- In-person tours aren’t always feasible, and people often want to view properties from the comfort of their own living rooms. Hosting virtual open houses and tours of properties gives people a first peek into real estate they’re considering without missing any of their creature comforts.
- Technology allows you to virtually stage a home, where you create a different look for the home using 3D simulation. Using virtual staging, you could stage a home to suit the tastes of a wide range of potential buyers, customizing each version of the home to a different market.
- Purchase paid social media ads
- People look for properties online and on social media, so don’t be afraid to pay for social media ads. Social networking platforms offer ad accounts, allowing you to funnel your target clients, as well as a wide range of audiences, in front of your online presence and, hopefully, to you for your services.
Real estate marketing strategies for existing clients
Your existing clients aren't just people you've closed deals with, they're people you've built relationships with. When it comes time for them to refer a realtor, will you have left a long-lasting and positive impact on their real estate experience?
- Send out a local real estate newsletter
- Email marketing is a great way to stay in touch with existing clients while also nurturing leads. A local real estate newsletter containing valuable information for your client base adds value to your services and fosters a relationship with your market.
- The newsletter can focus on real estate or it can focus on topics relevant to property owners. For example, you could include "Seasonal Tips for Safely Decorating a Home," or "Year-Round Maintenance Tips to Keep Your Home Climate-Controlled."
- Do outreach to check-in
- Stay in touch with your existing clients by sending them holiday cards, keeping track of birthdays, or using home-buying milestones to check in. People love to be remembered and they love a personal touch. In today's tech landscape, email automation is easier than ever, too, meaning it really doesn’t take a lot for you to see how previous clients are doing or if they need any support.
- Hand out branded swag and merchandise
- It’s true that people love getting something for free. Hand out items like keychains, pens, and other types of swag that you can put your branding on. Give extras to people in your network so they can share them with others, too. It’s a great way to keep your name in people’s minds when they need you.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or an opinion on any issue. It should not be regarded as comprehensive or a substitute for professional advice.