How To Market Yourself as a Real Estate Agent

Written by Posted On Friday, 31 March 2017 09:50

Consider that there are more than 1.2 million real estate agents in the United States with new agents being licensed each and every day. And each of these professionals is actively vying to attract buyers and sellers. With growing competition, only those who are savvy marketers reach the level of success that generates a viable income.

The days of being the neighborhood real estate agent and garnering new business by simply knocking on doors is long gone. Real estate marketing is now about driving name recognition in the local community, - across both on and offline channels using a comprehensive marketing approach. Whether you’re just starting out or are finding it difficult to stand out in a saturated market, the following tips can help you jumpstart interest from those who are buying, selling, or leasing properties.

Website
Your website is the foundational component of your online presence. It should reflect who you are and what makes you unique from your competitors. Because it’s such an important piece of your brand identity, invest time into functionality and design elements. Professional photographs, expertly written copy, and interactive tools, such as mortgage calculators, will enhance your clients’ experience on your site. It can also not be stressed enough that you need a strong, clear call to action. Consider creating a mobile-friendly site with a click-to-call button to make it convenient for clients who are searching for information on mobile devices.

Another important consideration is search engine optimization. There are tremendous opportunities to reach targeted audiences via geo-specific content. Carefully choose keywords that align with who you are trying to reach and track their success using Google Analytics or other website monitoring tools.

A website is a commitment to your success. Keep it updated with the latest listings and information about market changes. Consider adding a blog where you can share your personal observations about local communities to help your clients as they navigate through the process of buying and selling properties. 

Social Media
On social channels like Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Yelp, current and former clients can make or break your reputation. This is why it’s essential to actively manage social media so that you can effectively manage your brand. The good news is there are time-saving social media and reputation management tools that can slash the time it takes to get your message out there. Not only can you keep track of the latest comments so that you can promptly respond to them, you can also share the latest information on listings, mortgage rates, industry trends, and other newsworthy items that clients and potential clients would want to know. 

Direct Mail
Of course, successful real estate marketing requires more than just digital marketing. A direct mail campaign can still be incredibly beneficial for generating new leads and reaching out to current and former clients. Direct mail is also tremendously versatile. A campaign can consist of a single postcard or flyer that is targeted to residents in a specific zip code. It can include a newsletter or calendar. A more personalized letter with your signature on it can be a great way to reintroduce yourself to those you’ve worked with in the past. The possibilities are endless, and the response rates can be particularly high if you have the right mix of design, messaging and targeted recipients.

Because real estate agents wear many hats, it can be difficult managing the design, printing and mailing of direct mail campaigns, along with the day-to-day tasks of showing properties, researching the market, and writing up contracts. A direct mail solution that offers customizable templates, list services and print on demand can save you a lot of time and hassle.   

Brochures
Along with high quality flyers of property listings, a personal biography brochure that highlights your service capabilities and competitive differentiators can be a calling card that sets you apart from others. A tri-fold brochure that showcases your areas of expertise, experience, notable successes, affiliations and community involvement can give a potential client the peace of mind that he or she has chosen the right agent.  A brochure can also be made available in print and as a PDF on your website and social media channels.

Presentations
Sellers will want a clear understanding of what you’ll provide them for the commission they’ll be paying. You need a professional presentation deck that can be customized for each seller. This should not only include an overview of the marketing plan for the property, it should also provide research and statistics to guide sales price and goals.

Keep a core presentation continuously up-to-date so that you can quickly plug in details to make it specific for a potential client. And make it available both online and in print to meet the needs of your sellers.

Mobile Ads
There are tremendous opportunities to reach targeted audiences via geo-specific content. One of the most effective ways to take advantage of these opportunities is to launch a targeted mobile ad campaign. With the right tool, you can publish ads on top-trending apps in a specific area in real-time. Mobile campaigns are not only a great way to track results and monitor engagement, but they can also generate a high return on investment. 

Putting It All Together
Successful marketers don’t focus on just one channel or method of marketing. Rather, they are continuously evolving a comprehensive plan that maximizes results and return on investment. To develop a plan, the first steps include understanding your goals and your target market. If you’re focused on selling multi-million dollar estates in exclusive gated communities, your approach will be different than if you’re hoping to capture market share of commercial real estate deals in an up-and-coming commercial center.

With an understanding of who you’re targeting and what you want to achieve, you can fine-tune a plan that includes both digital and offline marketing strategies. These should work together to build a solid brand message that drives leads, referrals, and plenty of repeat business.

It's important to have quality marketing partners that can support your efforts. This includes a marketing solutions provider who can help you automate your marketing, reduce overhead, and gain access to marketing products that will help you stand out amongst your competitors.

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Xpressdocs

Xpressdocs is a leader in direct marketing solutions for enterprises and franchises. Their robust and customizable online marketing platform comes with a complete suite of on-demand marketing products and programs branded for businesses. With unique technology and production capabilities, Xpressdocs helps consolidate marketing efforts, giving clients an edge over the competition

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