Syndicated post from InmanNews.
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Word of mouth is great, Stacey Ross Cohen writes, but in today’s ever-changing real estate landscape, a focused marketing plan is essential for long-term brand health.
Ready to take your marketing from zero to 80? From motivational messaging to attention-grabbing photos, agents have a powerful opportunity at their fingertips — to build a marketing program that runs laps around the competition.
Whether you’re new to the field or a seasoned pro, marketing can be the differentiator and key advantage that attracts clients, lures in listings and closes deals. Eager to build and stay on the right track? Follow these easy — but essential — tips.
1. Be where your buyers are
You don’t need to be everywhere — but you do need to be everywhere that your target audiences (buyers, sellers and referral sources) are. As masters of first impressions, agents understand the importance of a perfectly packaged marketing program. Whether you’re putting the finishing touches on a listing or crafting social media content, the right message and visuals matter.
Beyond the content itself, appealing to how stakeholders like to receive and process information is key. Most of us are visual learners. Enter eye-catching photos and creative custom graphics. Have a text-heavy home-staging guide? Consider turning it into a carousel of images for Instagram or even a reel to capture this visually inclined audience’s attention.
2. Own your local market expertise
From SoCal to Miami and Manhattan to Minneapolis, showcasing the nuances of the neighborhoods where you buy and sell builds credibility.
- Do you know when the newest coffee shop is opening?
- Have the insider scoop on a big new development?
- An expert at avoiding waitlists for the hottest restaurants?
- A pro at finding parking on crowded downtown streets?
- And let’s not forget that handy list of contractors in your contacts.
Giving prospects an insider’s perspective on everything from neighborhoods and attractions to amenities is a competitive advantage with high marketing value that can power everything from a podcast and Instagram to an e-newsletter and YouTube. Remember, great marketing isn’t just about what you’re selling — it’s also about the intangibles that people can’t buy.
3. Keep an eye on the data
The way buyers and sellers find agents is changing. Remember when the local daily’s Sunday real estate section was the place to be? With a multitude of marketing and communication channels available, buyers and sellers have a number of places to look for the best agent to suit their needs.
Be mindful of where your business is coming from, and focus on replicating those successes.
- Seeing a significant impact from event sponsorships? Perhaps it’s time to add more.
- Have you heard people mention your quote or interview? Strategically expand your list of media targets.
- Noticing common threads in client reviews? Extract the highlights and transform them into marketing messages that resonate.
Keeping an eye out for trends and having the ability to make data-driven decisions can be the difference between maximizing your marketing budget and wasting good dollars on bad investments.
4. Leverage your network
A bold departure from late-night infomercials that once graced many screens, authentic online reviews now do the heavy lifting, boosting an agent’s digital footprint and providing fodder for everything from e-newsletters to social content. These third-party messages can appeal to like-minded prospects and help diversify your marketing voice without straying from your brand.
When it comes to amplifying marketing reach, consider the strategic partners in your network and how you can help cross-promote, creating wins all around.
5. Stay in the driver’s seat
Aligning appropriately with your brokerage’s brand is important — as is staying in the driver’s seat of your own marketing program. Charting a steady, focused path will allow you to achieve measurable goals as you work to cross the finish line.
Why is it so essential to stay in the driver’s seat, you ask?
- Crafting and maintaining a clear, consistent brand voice and message
- Ownership over outcomes
- Ability to detour, when needed
- Laser focus on the final destination (leads, listings, sales)
In a competitive industry, clarity, focus and drive are all essential assets, and you need them to bring an impactful marketing campaign over the finish line.
Whether your niche is helping out-of-state clients relocate and find their dream home, working with first-time buyers, or serving the ultra-luxury market, building a strategic marketing program that is both goal-driven and audience-centric is essential for staying ahead of the pack.
For seasoned pros or those just getting started, now’s the time to step back, tune up and make sure your marketing is steering your business in the right direction.
