There are many perks to becoming a realtor. Having control over a business is one of the top reasons realtors enjoy their career. Being your own boss means you can set specific hours, choose clients and have the final decision on how the business is run. Having a successful career as a realtor usually involves marketing. How that is accomplished, is entirely up to you.
How Much Marketing Do You Need?
As much as it takes. Depending on where you live and who you know, the amount of marketing will vary from person to person. When calculating how much marketing is necessary, clear goals should be defined up front.
Common measurements of success include:
– Quarterly income earned
– How many clients you see vs. retain
– Amount of engagement through websites or social media
Depending on where you are in the process of your career, goals may be different as your business progresses. As a beginning realtor, social media and online engagement may be a good place to start.
Digital Marketing Trends for Realtors
Realtors can greatly benefit from using a multitude of online platforms to showcase their skills. Social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram prove especially helpful because of their focus on photographs and imaging.
Social Media
Using social media to improve real estate business is a smart investment. Whether you’re hiring a company or doing it yourself, social media must be maintained on a regular basis. By creating a professional site that represents you as your business, you can build trust with prospective clients. Regardless of whether you are using Facebook, Instagram or other user engagement sites, a location, call-to-action, phone number and email address should be clearly listed.
Adwords
Some websites encourage users to write blog posts. As a realtor, showcasing photographs may not be enough to engage meaningful interactions. Blogging on a regular basis can give you the chance to effectively use keywords that can lead google to your site. Understanding Adwords is often crucial to a successful website. To understand the tone for what you write, try looking at other real estate sites for common language.
Offering prospective clients the opportunity to receive emails about upcoming open houses or events can be especially helpful when growing your business. To avoid the spam trap, make sure to offer a checkbox they can click to opt into on-going email. Being transparent about all transactions from the start also helps build trust for future clients.
Old Fashioned Marketing For Realtors
Old fashioned marketing is the tried and true approach that has worked for decades. Although the internet can capture more people, the quality of these leads may not be as positive as the ones that come from real-life marketing.
Word of Mouth
Easily one of the best ways to gain quality leads for potential customers is through word of mouth. Positive encounters for those who have worked with you can bring many more clients to the table. To spark the conversation, a little thoughtfulness goes a long way. Sending birthday or holiday cards to clients are often remembered. Small discounts or extras offered never hurts either.
Physical Involvement
If you are new to the area, getting physically involved can help you meet more people at once. Volunteering or giving to a charity of your choice are great ways to both give back and meet others who are interested in the community. By involving yourself in the community, you can also learn more about the area while gaining helpful PR.
The Importance of Direct Mail
Mailed letters and postcards are an affordable and effective way to market. Services that specifically tailor direct mail for realtors can help you target the right location for marketing. By using the accuracy of zip codes, classic mail marketing is especially helpful for those in the real estate business.
How to Use Direct Mail
1.) Goal setting is the first step to any successful endeavor. When sending mail, first understand what it is that you hope to gain. Do you want to target high income buyers? Do you want to build awareness of your business? Do you want leads? These are all basic questions that should be answered before sending direct mail.
2.) Targeting your audience is key. Luckily, with direct mail, you can target the zip codes you think work best for your specific audience. Sending mail for house buyers vs. house sellers is different. Knowing who you’re sending to will dictate the tone you want to use.
3.) Mail with precision. Just like it’s important to know who you are sending mail to, finding the appropriate time will also benefit business. November through February can be slow months for realtors. Spring, however, is the peak season for selling houses. Understanding the arc of buying and selling can influence when you want to send direct mail. This can also impact whether you plan to spread awareness or acquire leads. Selling during the holidays is usually a great time to boost awareness marketing.
4.) Consistency works best. Using direct mail on a consistent basis can remind clients without annoying them. By sketching out a frequency plan based around peak seasons and personal business marketing goals, you can send perfectly timed mail. Sending mail once a month is generally a good rule of thumb. Sending weekly mail can seem pushy, but not sending enough may also have consequences. Sending direct postcards once a month is a great way to stay relevant without seeming aggressive.
5.) Don’t forget special occasions. Even if this type of sending may not generate new clients, sending cards around the holidays can pay off. By personalizing your cards, you can remind clients of your business while staying an active part of the community. Cards are a much more personal way to stay in touch than email.
Conclusion
Forming a successful real estate business can take time. Although there are a variety of options to choose from, marketing does not have to be expensive. With options like direct mail and do-it-yourself social media experience, realtors can retain quality clients.
To read more on topics like this, check out the marketing category.
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