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Marketing yourself as a real estate professional is key to generating leads. The more leads you get, the better chance you have of building a decent client base. Marketing yourself is a constant back and forth of figuring out what works for you and what doesn’t. The first step in any successful marketing plan is to set goals for yourself. Making an outline before you begin developing your marketing strategy helps shape your ideas and content to be successful.
Here are five common real estate marketing mistakes you should be avoiding. 1. Investing too much time on the wrong social media platforms. A great example with this is Tik Tok. 69% of TikTok users are between ages 13-24. Although some in this demographic may be interested in buying a new home, the percentage is probably on the lower end. It will not get you as many leads as other platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram, which have more established users. 2.Not doing any video marketing. A video coming across a user’s feed is more engaging than a static photo. Facebook, YouTube, Instagram video posts are great for driving engagement. Short videos talking about the market, real estate tips, upcoming neighborhoods, or recent accomplishments give your audience a greater idea of who you are and helps build a connection. 3. Only posting your closings to social media. Some brokers only use social media as a tool to post their closings, which is both repetitive and impersonal. When social media really should be used to be social. Be personable, genuine, and engaging. People want to know the person behind all those awesome closings. 4. Not being consistent. Starting your marketing for a month then stopping for a while, then trying again a few months later, is not going to get you very far. Someone who is consistently marketing, whether that is daily, weekly, or monthly is going to see a lot more return on their efforts. In the marketing world, you should execute a strategic marketing campaign for at least six months before giving up. 5. Disregarding email or direct mail marketing. There are many brokers that still use this type of marketing and are successful with it. Email and direct marketing can generate leads that social media may not. Email marketing campaigns or sending out a postcard when you have a closing are still effective ways to market. However, it is important to remember not to spam your client list. The most important thing to remember is to take note of what will work for you. If you know that you are never going to be the person that posts to social media 5 times a week, then do not invest your time there. Make sure that you are setting yourself up for success by picking a marketing plan that you can stick with. If you are noticing the marketing side of your business is taking a back seat because you are focusing on other aspects of the job, consider hiring someone to help with your content marketing strategy. We are coming up on the fourth quarter, which means that now is the time to double down on your marketing efforts to end the year strong. Refining your online marketing strategies is the best way to do that. If you have not spent much time on your online presence, you need to. Your clients are searching for homes, mortgage options, and real estate professionals on the internet, if you are not there then you are missing out on a ton of business.
Here are a few tips to strengthening your online presence before the year is over. 1. Content Creation Content creation consists of designing graphics, short videos, or stories that you can use on social media. I always like to spend some time up front making templates that I can reuse over and over again. Just listed and just sold templates are a great place to start. It might take a little time in the beginning, but once you have a template created that you love you just need to drag and drop photos and change property details for each new transaction. Creating templates that you consistently use also increases your brand awareness. Establishing a brand not only brings awareness to your business, but it also creates a sense of trust. Your potential clients feel like they already know you by the time they are ready to buy a new home. 2. Social Media I know so many real estate professionals that are not active on social media. They claim that they do not see the value in it. However, real estate is one of the best industries to utilize social media platforms because real estate is extremely visual. With all of the beautiful listing photos, property tours, and happy clients, there is more than enough content for you to share. Even if you are not closing on homes regularly, most large brokerages will provide their team with pre-made social media content. The key is just being consistent. Scheduling out your posts is the best way to do this. Like content creation, it takes a little bit of time up front, but it will pay off in the end. 3. Google My Business Google My Business is probably one of the most underrated online marketing tools out there. Google gives precedence to businesses that have a My Business page in searches. That means when a potential client Googles “real estate agent” or “mortgage broker” in their area, My Business pages come up before other companies that do not have this set up. This platform is free and you just need a Gmail address to set it up. Once you have your profile set up, then you just need to add photos and products regularly to your page. Just remember to geotag the back end of the photos to get greater exposure. This trick will get help establish you as an expert in your local area. While developing an online presence might take some time, it is the best free advertising out there. If you are looking to end 2021 strong and have a plan going into 2022, now is the time to start planning. Technology has made it easier than ever to bring your home décor or home staging ideas come to reality. There are countless smartphone apps that help you plan a space. Here are five apps to use on your next decorating or staging project. Most are available on both iOS and Android devices.
1. Color Capture: Ever see a color that would make for a perfect paint scheme? Benjamin Moore’s Color Capture app allows you to take a photo of anything and instantly get a matching paint color. 2. iHandyLevel: Hanging photos and artwork? Rather than searching through your toolbox for a level, you can use something that’s already in your pocket: Your phone. The iHandyLevel app functions just as well as a level, turning your phone into the ultimate picture-hanging companion. 3. LikeThatDecor: Let’s say you see the perfect Chesterfield sofa in a coffee shop, and you want to see where you could get one of your own. Use the LikeThatDecor app to take a photo of furniture and instantly see similar items from dozens of retailers. 4. IKEA Catalog: Forget about the nightmare of navigating the parking garage, showroom, and warehouse at your nearest IKEA. The IKEA Catalog app allows you to virtually place furniture in a room. If only there was an app for easy IKEA assembly! 5. DesignSponge: DesignSponge is one of the best DIY and home decor websites out there. Now there’s an app that makes it easy to access all of their awesome content on your smartphone. Curb appeal is a big factor for home buyers. The exterior of your home is the first thing buyers will see when they come to a showing or open house, and you want to make a great first impression. And even if you’re not selling your home, these are low-cost, low-time investment fixes that can make a big difference.
Fix landscaping eyesores A brown, dead lawn—or an overgrown one—isn’t the best way to welcome buyers to your home. If your lawn is in need of repair, consider watering it regularly. If your grass is healthy, keep the lawn freshly mowed. An appealing lawn can be worth more than $1,500 in the final price of your home. Shutters and siding It’s easy to let your exterior walls fall into disrepair, or even to let them get a little dirty. A good scrubbing or power washing can make your siding look brand new, and you can touch up any major issues with some paint. The same goes for your shutters. Add some living accents So far we’ve covered fixing what’s broken. Next, it’s time to add a little personality. Planting flowers will add some much-needed color to an otherwise ordinary outdoor space. Potted plants will do the trick too, especially if you have a deck or patio that needs a little decorating. Work on your walkway The path to your front door should be inviting. A stone walkway from the driveway instantly upgrades your curb appeal. And if you’ve already taken care of that part, tidy up by removing weeds and debris, and then line the walkway with some subtle lighting. It’ll make your home look cozy and appealing, day or night. Moving into a new home is an exciting time in your life. You’re making plans for renovations and picking out furniture, but before you get too far ahead of yourself, there are some more important matters to attend to.
Staying safe: Make plans for home security and emergencies. What’s your escape route in case of a fire, or shelter in case of a severe storm? Do you have a home security system, a protective dog, or weapon available in your bedroom? Choose your “Stay Safe” tactics and make a plan for the worst-case scenarios that put your safety at risk. A disaster kit: Even if it’s as simple an inconvenience as a power outage, you want to be ready. Stock a flashlight, non-perishable food, water, a first-aid kit, and warm clothes/blankets that you can access in case of an emergency. A spare (secret) key: It’s no fun getting locked out of your house—especially in cold or wet weather—and no one wants to pay a locksmith to access their own home. Hide a key somewhere outside (just be more creative than hiding it under the welcome mat). There are plenty of devices you can purchase, such as magnetic key hiders, that can help you hide your key in places that a trespasser wouldn’t consider. Phones have come a long way in the last few years, and there’s a ton of sensitive information—email access, bank accounts, photos, contact lists—that are easily accessed if your phone falls into the wrong hands. This is especially true for real estate agents. Here are a few tips for keeping your smartphone secure.
1. Use a passcode! This is one of the easiest steps toward securing your phone, but research shows that 54% of smartphone users do not use a passcode. Whether it’s a four-character PIN or a pattern lock, set up the passcode on your phone so that only you can get past your lock screen. 2. Be careful with WiFi: Smartphones can be set to automatically connect to available WiFi networks, but this can lead to your phone being vulnerable over an untrusted network when you’re not aware of it. Turn off WiFi when you’re not knowingly using it—it’ll also help with battery life. 3. Careful with Bluetooth, too: Bluetooth isn’t as vulnerable to security breaches as WiFi, but it’s still a good idea to have your Bluetooth set to undiscoverable. 4. Consider the downside of rooting: Many cell phone users will root or “Jailbreak” their phones to open up new features, but this can override your phone’s security settings—and void your warranty. 5. Choose better passwords: Make a passphrase—a short sequence of words that are easy for you to remember, but difficult for anyone else to guess. What is the best type of social media content that real estate professionals should post?
If you have found yourself asking this question, then you are not alone. Most real estate professionals that I work with have no idea what they should be posting to their social media pages. They just are not sure what their audience wants to hear about or what they would care to see as they are scrolling through their feed. I have been helping real estate professionals with their social media for a few years now and what I have found is that once you have a few topics to post about the ideas start flowing. Here are my five top topics that I use when I post to my clients’ social media business pages. 1. Community Posts- your audience want to know about the community that you work in. Post about community news, events, or local businesses. One of the best things that you could do is to share a local business that you love. Not only are you drawing your audience to your community and promoting a local business, but you are also showing them that you are an expert in that area. 2. This or That posts- in these types of posts you are asking your audience what they would prefer. For instance, would they rather have a game room or a theater room? Make sure to post a great photo with the two options and add your logo to it. These posts usually get a ton of engagement on social media and easy to share to your profile stories. 3. Business Accomplishments- your audience wants to know about your accomplishments! Many people feel like they are bragging or tooting their own horn, but you need to toot away! Your audience needs to see how successful you are in your career. Share that new designation that you just got. Let your audience know about an award your company gave you. Give people the opportunity to cheer you on! 4. Listings- if you are a real estate agent you need to be posting your listings. You would think that this is an obvious one, but you would be surprised at how many agents I know that are not posting their listings. Even if listings are flying off the market currently, you still need to post them to your social media pages so others are reminded that when it is time for them to sell, they should come to you too. 5. Personal Posts- your audience wants to see you! You might feel awkward posting photos of yourself on your business page, but your audience needs the chance to get to know you. They want to feel a connection to you and the only way to do that is to post personal things occasionally. Post your headshot or a photo of your family. Post a picture of you out looking at homes or working at your desk. These posts are the ones that get the most engagement on social media by far, so make sure to add some into your content calendar! If you want to learn more about what to post on social media, or need some help managing your pages, please reach out to me. I would love to help! It is no secret that listings are scarce right now. Inventory is low and there is no sign of that changing any time soon. If you are a listing agent, business might be slow while you wait for more sellers to put their homes up for sale. If you are a buyer’s agent you are probably waiting for new listings to pop up, just to be under contract as quickly as they were listed. It can be frustrating and discouraging. Here are five things that you can work on for your business while you wait for more listings.
Learn your CRM I know so many agents that start a CRM and then never use it to its full potential. Do you know all the features that your client relationship manager has to offer? Have you set up your email campaigns or entered reminders to call your past clients? Now is a good time to get your CRM up to date. Take out contacts that you no longer want to work with and get your new clients in that you have been meaning to add. Get social media posts scheduled Social media can be so hard to stay on top of. However, it is important to have active social media accounts. If you get your social media posts scheduled out a few weeks in advance it makes it so much easier to handle. There are some great scheduling programs (and many free options) to get multiple accounts scheduled in one place. If you would like any suggestions, I am happy to help! Work on your online presence You should be hanging out where your potential clients are and that is online! Most homebuyers or sellers research agents online before they decide to work with them. Do you have a website where buyers can search for homes or sellers can find resources? Have you created a Zillow profile and entered in your past transactions to show your accomplishments? The more places you are, the more you will be seen. Call up past clients Your past clients are a perfect place to start when trying to get new business. There has never been a better time to establish yourself as a valued resource for them. Let them know that even though the transaction ended, they can still come to you with all their real estate questions. Offer to provide an updated CMA to show them what their house could go for in the current market. Send out Just Listed and Sold postcards I am a big believer in Just Listed and Just Sold postcards. I think that it is a great way to get exposure and establish yourself in a neighborhood. Once a potential home seller sees what the house around the corner sold for, it might spark their interest to see what their home is worth. Especially right now, many people have no idea that homes are going for such high prices and it might make someone who was not considering selling to start thinking about it. We have no idea when things are going to turn around and start going in the other direction. So, if you happen to have some free time on your hands right now while you are waiting for listings, then you should take advantage and get some business items checked off your to-do list. However, if you are part of the special group of agents that are too busy to even think straight, then I would love to help you delegate some tasks. Give me a call to see how I can help. A recent survey from the National Association of Realtors® revealed that 77 percent of buyers’ agents said staging a home makes it easier for potential buyers to visual it as their own. That’s why I believe staging your client’s home, even just lightly, is not to be overlooked! Here are my top tips.
Dress up the yard. First impressions count, and the first one a home gives comes from the exterior. Have your clients mow the lawn, clean up shrubbery, rake any leaves, clean the walkway and driveway, plant in-season flowers, and pull up any unsightly weeds. Reduce personal items. Make it easier for buyers to imagine themselves making the house their home by having your clients remove personal photos and knick-knacks from shelves, walls, and counters. Instead replace them with clean, simple décor, such as abstract paintings, nature images, vases, plants, and more. Organize storage areas. Storage is a huge selling point. Make sure your clients tidy up and clear out the accessible closets and cupboards in the home and make sure to point them out during an open house or showing. Appeal to the senses. Consider ways you can appeal to potential homebuyers’ other senses. During a viewing or open house, have some fresh cookies baked or burn delicious smelling candles and play light, relaxing music in the background. Consider turning to an expert. With their knowledge of current trends and great eye for design, professionally certified stagers can transform a home in a variety of ways and have a keen sense of what homebuyers want and expect in a home. Investing in hiring a pro may pay off in dividends. |
Toni HillHi! I am the owner of Your Real Estate Essentials and I created this blog as a place to provide helpful tips, industry news, and fun tidbits to real estate agents. Archives
January 2023
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