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Are you clinging to the old marketing strategies that no longer work in today’s market? If so, it’s time to inject some creativity into your marketing efforts and make every marketing dollar count.
No matter how long you have been in real estate, there are always new ways to market your business. If your marketing could use a refresh, here are some great ways to market more effectively and to convert more leads into signed business as well.
1. Post-closing marketing
Having a “sold” sign on your listings is one of the most powerful ways to advertise, especially when you sell the property quickly at a good price. On the other hand, how can you, as a buyer’s agent, capitalize on the fact that you just sold a house to your buyer?
The classic approach to this issue is to send out a postcard that says, “I participated in the sale of 123 Main Street.” (In most areas, only the listing agent can send out “Just Sold” cards.)
Here’s a terrific way to overcome this challenge. Once the transaction closes, ask your buyers for permission to place a sign in their front yard. The sign should say, “This property sold by Jane Agent of ABC Real Estate 555-1212.” Give your buyers a gift card or some other item of value in exchange for allowing you to post the sign for 30 days after the transaction closes.
The agent who created this approach didn’t have many listings, but he did sell a lot of homes in this area. His approach really upset many of the listing agents. The reason? People are more likely to remember the agent’s sign that they have seen the most recently. Moreover, most people who see the “Sold By” sign conclude that the agent who sold the property actually had the listing.
2. Track your success
Most agents fail to track where their leads originate. A great habit to establish is to ask every potential client always, “Where did you hear about this property?” If someone is inquiring about your services, ask, “Where did you happen to hear about me?” Finally, if another agent shows one of your listings, do your best to determine where the buyer heard about the property.
Once you obtain this information, carefully evaluate which marketing strategies are effective and which strategies are not producing a return. Eliminate costly activities that don’t work, and focus on activities that result in closed transactions.
3. 3 creative open house ideas
First, instead of waiting until Sunday to post your open house sign on your listing, post it early in the week so that people who drive by the property can see what time it will be open on Sunday.
Second, posting your open house on your Facebook Profile page violates the Facebook Terms of Use. Here’s a much more effective alternative: Use the Facebook Event function. While you won’t want to invite all of your Facebook friends, do select those who may be a good fit for the property, live in the area or are current clients.
Third, people love getting something for nothing. A simple way to do this is with a small gift bag that includes information about the listing you are holding open, any other listings you may be marketing, as well as a piece of individually wrapped chocolate candies or anything else that will remind the client of you.
4. Return phone calls
Regardless of which generation a buyer belongs to, if they’re sitting in front of your listing and they’re very eager to see it, many will decide to phone you. For decades, the statistics on how many listing agents return buyer and buyer agent phone calls have been abysmal.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve spoken to all cash buyers who couldn’t get the listing agent to call them back, even when they said they wanted to write an offer.
In terms of your marketing, it makes no sense to waste money marketing if you are not going to follow up on the leads you generate. If you can’t personally return calls, consider hiring an assistant, or better yet, make the move to an AI assistant who is available to convert those leads 24/7. Two excellent sources are Structurely and Roof.ai.
5. Create a lead-generating brochure box
Brochure boxes are an often-overlooked source of lead capture. The secret is to combine old-school street visibility with on-the-spot-instant lead conversion using a QR code that links to a digital brochure or dedicated landing page.
Make sure the page includes a lead capture form, a quick video tour and perhaps even a neighborhood guide. Most importantly, add a call to action like, “Want a private tour? Text me directly at 555-1212.”
This strategy gives you 24/7 lead generation — all you have to do is call them back as soon as possible before they go on to another property.
6. Become a hyperlocal content creator
If your social media feed is 90 percent listings, it’s time for a refresh by doing a deep dive into being the hyperlocal expert. Be the agent who posts about what’s happening in your neighborhood or local market area.
Shoot short, engaging videos where you talk about the best coffee shops, farmers markets, new restaurants or hidden neighborhood gems. Interview local business owners and preview upcoming community events.
This builds trust and engagement. Most importantly, you will start appearing in local searches as a resource for people who are looking for information, not just homes. Less than 10 percent of the population will move this year, but they’re all interested in what’s happening around them. Best of all, who do you think they’re most likely to call when they get ready to list or purchase?
Refreshing your marketing doesn’t require a total overhaul, only a few smart, creative shifts that will keep you top of mind with clients and prospects. From leveraging your listings to leading with local expertise, small changes can generate big results. The key is consistency, creativity and a commitment to always tracking what is working in today’s ever-shifting market.
