Real Estate Marketing - Secrets Shared at a Private Event

Sitting in on a real estate marketing meeting was never on my list of things to do. Until one day, I was shamed by my best friend Shawn into going.

Looking back on the experience, I can say that it was truly an eye opener. The people were friendly, the food was excellent and the drinks were killer! Most impressive were the topics and ideas presented to the 30 men and women that day.

Following are the enlightening real estate marketing tips that were presented by Don and Pat (husband and wife real estate wizards).

Build a Website That is Capable of Generating Leads

Don began by explaining how the methods of marketing had dramatically changed over the past decade. People’s attention span was about 2 seconds and if your website content couldn’t deliver a clear benefit quick enough, it would fail.

He then showed us the differences between successful websites and poorly managed one’s. The successful sites were well structured with pertinent information, high-quality and captivating photos of all properties, video walk-throughs, and other features that enhanced the process for a buyer or seller. Take a look at this video walk through virtual tour example:

After delivering valuable information and rich content, the website left you asking for more but required your email address or phone number. This turned visitors into leads, and made the website more than a digital brochure.

After Don’s presentation, it became obvious how certain elements could greatly impact the effectiveness and value a website delivered.The two core principles Don presented that stood out were;

Navigation through successful sites was obvious and always simple. Even the novice users could get the information they needed without getting “lost” or having to search. Visitors come to a website for their own benefit; make what they are looking for easy to find and they will reward you with their attention. In the web design industry, intuitive design and ease of use is known as “user experience”. Ensure your web development company is proficient in this department, or little else will matter.

Branding and curated content that spoke to a specific segment of the market. We can’t be all things to all people. A real estate website is no different, and must clearly indicate the market and people it serves. A first time homebuyer has vastly different needs than someone looking for a luxury home. Or consider parents buying a home in a great school district and the things that would be important to them. Knowing and displaying this information on your website speaks volumes, and subconsciously lets the customer know you understand them and their specific needs. Feeling understood is an intangible that makes your customer comfortable. When setup properly, your website can help earn the goodwill and trust of a potential client.

Take a look at this well branded website that is catering to luxury condo owners:

Establish a Referral Program

Pat took over at this point and provided an interesting and shocking statistic. She said, “On average, out of every 100 people that call you, only 18 will come from your marketing efforts. The other 82 will be referrals from past or current clients.”

This made perfect sense to me. All my adult life, I have understood the building power of “word of mouth” and how important it is in any business to keep your clients buzzing about your products and services.

Thus this staggering statistic cannot be overlooked, or you will fail. Put into perspective, 8 out of 10 calls are a function of your network and six degrees of separation amongst people you know, or people that know you.

With this in mind, a large part of your marketing efforts must be to encourage and facilitate said referrals from this group. In essence, your job in marketing is to create visibility and awareness while fostering deeper relationships within your existing network.

She went on to explain how simple “rewards for referrals” would entice people to spread your name. Be creative she said, “rewards can be in the form of any number of fun things, like concerts, dinners, or money.” People want to be acknowledged and appreciated for their efforts.

However, Pat warned us, “Your service and product must contain superior quality in all of its aspects. Without quality, there will be no referrals to worry about.”

Remaining Relevant With Social Media Profiles

Don picked up seamlessly where Pat left off and asked the room for a show of hands, “How many of you have a Facebook profile?” Everyone had a hand in the air. He then went on to explain that social media is the new-age dominant word-of-mouth marketing medium.

“Everyone in some way is connected by social media, Facebook alone has over 2 billion users.” and that “Anyone shying away from building and asserting their brand and value on social media is losing out on potential clients and revenue in a big way.”

After taking us on a quick tour of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat, Don said this: “Quality and engaging engaging content is your #1 goal. Not sales! If you can’t focus on quality content that’s relevant to your customer, don’t waste your time.”

Home buyers and sellers are interested in a wide variety of things. Use your social media platform to call attention to the important ones that are directly affecting your clients. Some examples are: pricing trends, housing inventory levels, interest rate hikes, a new home coming available in a highly sought after area, or highlighting the schools and local amenities within a neighborhood.

Relevant facts and statistics are critical in getting people to pay attention. Stop and think, how many of us randomly post images, phrases, and comments without giving much thought to them. What if we were (as Don put it) focusing first on the end-user and their needs.

The majority of the time you should focus on their interests, but being entertaining also has its benefits. Watch how this young realtor uses her YouTube channel to be personal and showcase a day in her life:

Sponsorship of Local Teams, Charities, and Events

At this point, we all expected Pat to pick up the microphone. She did not and Don sat down. They toasted each other with their martinis as Brad came from the back of the room (microphone in hand) talking about sponsorship.

“Sponsorship of local events, charities, and athletes is one of the fastest ways to create visibility, awareness, and build trust in a community. With banners, flyers, hand-outs, and signs, you are able to personally engage and show the people your investment in their well-being and the local community.” He went on to explain, “For your yard signs to be effective, there must be a level of trust behind the brand. Only then will the SOLD sign be attached.”

Turns out that Brad is Don and Pat’s son. Also a very successful real estate agent (and great bartender too). His message ended with an emphasis on the quality of all printed material and again, “Your content on everything printed must contain the highest quality customer-focused information, otherwise it will not convey your message and simply be tossed in the trash.”

This is part one in a two part series. For the rest of these real estate marketing tips, check back here: www.clashgraphics.com/printing-tips/

Clash Graphics Print Shop Atlanta Flyer Printing

2233 Peachtree Rd NE Ste 202 Atlanta, GA 30309

(678) 235-3464

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