The average years of experience for realtors in the United States is 10, according to the National Association of Realtors. Ten years on the job means a wealth of experience, but it can also mean redundancy in real estate marketing ideas.
It’s easy to get stuck using the “stuff you’ve always done” and brush off new marketing ideas. This rut can limit your sales pipeline.
Remember to test your entrepreneurial limits. As technology evolves so do opportunities for marketing strategies for realtors. To get a fresh perspective on marketing ideas for realtors in 2018, we spoke with the industry experts to uncover cutting-edge concepts.
1. Upgrade Open Houses with Facebook Live
About 91 percent of realtors use social media to some extent, but most realtors aren’t using it well.
There is more to social media than posting your current listings or promoting ads. Realtors can use Facebook’s “live” feature during an open house to build buzz around the event. Here’s how:
- Pre-schedule: Facebook Live allows realtors to schedule a live broadcast up to seven days in advance. By pre-scheduling the event, you are building buzz (and an audience) before the open house just like if you did when advertise in the newspaper or another traditional outlet in the pre-social-media era
- Give a virtual tour: During this digital event, you can tour the home, answer questions, and interact with the attendees. You can use the live feature as your primary open house, or you can have a colleague manage your virtual guests while you greet the real guests to maximize open house attendance
2. Use Business Cards as Your Brand’s Packaging
Can you think of a time that you’ve chosen a product or brand based on its packaging — like a specific wine bottle at the market, or a restaurant based on its decor? Think of business cards as your real estate brand packaging. More than likely, your packaging is due for a more modern update.
A unique, well-designed business card can create a favorable perception of your service. Business cards can make you memorable and enhance your credibility.
I NEED SOMEONE TO GEEK OUT WITH ME ABOUT THESE BUSINESS CARDS pic.twitter.com/zV8SWe5yN3
— Zoey Jordan Salsbury (@zoeyjsalsbury) March 30, 2018
“When I work with new clients,” says Christopher Pagli, broker at William Raveis Legends Realty Group, “I upload documents pertinent to the brokerage process, as well as my business card, onto a key-shaped USB drive. New clients can then use the drive for anything they acquire throughout the closing process so everything is in one place.”
Pagli’s business card is also present on the drive, which means each time a client accesses the drive Pagli’s brand name is reiterated. This continued exposure makes his brand memorable.
A functional and ingenious business card can make a positive and long-lasting impression.
3. Give a Memorable Gift at Closing
Closing a sale with grace is important. A positive business relationship generates referrals and it can be memorable for clients who may list or sell a house again in the future. This may seem like common sense, but according to a study done by the National Association of Realtors, only 67 percent of sellers would “definitely” use the same agent again. How can that statistic be improved?
A unique realtor marketing idea is to seal the relationship with a meaningful gift at closing, and promote the idea throughout the process. Steer clear of gift cards or other commonly doled out items and focus on thoughtfulness.
For example, Mark Murrell, a business owner in Maine, explains how his realtor promises a Maine lobster to his clients after closing so the new owners can host their first dinner party on him. Another realtor in Southern California, David Bartels, says his firm pays for a buyer’s move if they buy with them.
These examples of extra effort solidify the customer relationship and encourage word-of-mouth, the most powerful form of marketing.
4. Build Property-Specific Websites
Try creating a website dedicated to each of your listings, or at least the most valuable listings.
Take photos with a high-quality camera and write award-winning descriptions to match. Bay Area real estate agent, Krista Mashore, uses drone footage to show sweeping shots of properties and high-definition footage of home exteriors.
Some realtors are dabbling in Matterpoint 3D camera technology which can stitch together a three-dimensional view of a property so a potential buyer can fly-through, even in virtual reality, and receive an accurate depiction of the space no matter how far away the buyer might be.
3D Matterport Tour Sample from Jason L. Vaz on Vimeo
Additionally, you can leverage the URL to market the listing’s address. For example, www.123MainStreet.com. This makes it easy for both buyers and agents to locate. It also helps your listings get more visibility and earn more qualified leads — your prospects know exactly what to expect with the property.
If you’re not a technically savvy person yourself, there are plenty of sites like Upwork, Fiverr or Skyword to find a freelancer to build the site for you.
5. Diversify Your Offerings
There are over 2 million licensed real estate agents in the United States. What do you offer that’s differentiating you from the competition?
Offering credit repair services is a unique realtor marketing idea.
By helping your clients repair their credit, realtors are able to get more people qualified for loans, especially clients who may not qualify at all without credit repair. This assistance not only differentiates you as a realtor, it also changes your clients lives.
For instance, did you know that 79% of all credit reports contain errors? That's nearly 8 out of 10. In many cases, removing those errors can improve the clients score quickly and drastically. This change improves your client’s financial situation and enables you to qualify that person faster.
Additionally, many people looking to improve their credit are doing so because they plan to buy a house. By adding credit repair services to your repertoire, you can bring you a steady flow of real estate leads for free.
Learn how offering credit repair services is a great marketing strategy for realtors!
