5 Steps to Real Estate Marketing For Beginners
Successful Real Estate agents know how to market themselves and their services well. Here are 5 simple steps to get you started.
#1 Exist Online - Register on Google My Business
Every real estate agent who owns their own business should register on Google My Business. When a potential client types your name into Google, the last thing you want to happen is NOTHING.
Google My Business is an easy way to get yourself online, even if you don’t have your own website or a single social media account yet. You can upload basic information about how to connect with you, a few photos, a brief description – and, you immediately set yourself one step ahead in reaching your customers and generating more leads.
And, best of all – it takes about 5 minutes and is FREE.
Not sure where to start? Click Here for step-by-step instructions on how to sign up and verify your business.
#2 Social Media
I know, the thought of managing social media accounts may make you want to close this window right now and run, because you have ZERO time – and, you never know what to post. I get it.
But, social media is one of the most lucrative places for you to generate new leads, take full advantage of your referral system and networking – and, it also costs you nothing.
At a bare minimum, you can post about your featured listings (but, sparingly - don’t be spammy!) and occasionally ask your friends and family to send you referrals. Step one is making sure your friends and family know what you do for a living!
When you’re ready to really put your social accounts to work for you, create a social media marketing calendar, a content drip system that makes it MUCH EASIER for you to generate consistent communication, and start strategically gaining followers and generating leads!
Getting turned off again? Stay with me. If you’re not sure where to start, find another realtor out there who is making social media work for them and ask them to coach you and share their secrets. It sounds complex, but with a little effort, you can start putting social to work for you.
*Includes 75+ specific, industry-relevant content ideas that you can use as a template to create your social media posts - forever!
Or, get a head start right here. After speaking with a number of Real Estate agents who wanted help with their Social Media campaigns, I created a Social Media Start-Up Guide - specifically for Real Estate Agents - that will help you if you’re brand new, or if you’re already established and looking to grow.
Save HOURS and hours of time. Get on the road to taking advantage of the fastest growing lead generation tool in the industry. Get tips and tricks on how to write engaging posts, practical steps to help you simplify your process and maximize your results, and over 75 industry-relevant content ideas that you can use as a template to create your social media posts - forever.
#3 COVID is your Snail Mail friend
You know what I’m talking about. Mail is on point right now.
Admit it – all those ads and postcards that typically go straight to the garbage (or recycling bin, if you’re feeling green) – you are reading them just a LITTLE bit more, right? At least giving it a 5-second glance vs a 1-second glance?
Snail mail is more exciting right now. If you use this as a marketing tool, now’s the time!
Put something out there worth reading.
Make it engaging and beautiful and as personalized as possible. And, send it!
#4 Video
Yup, video is the buzz marketing medium right now, and it’s not going away anytime soon. Camera shy? Don’t think you have the technical expertise to use video in your marketing? You can do it!
Videos don’t have to be long (in fact, it’s best to keep them short) and you can produce one simply and quickly, using your smartphone. When you’re ready to level up – purchase a simple tripod that can hold your phone for you.
Not sure what to video? Share your favorite place in a local neighborhood or do a 30-second virtual walk through of a favorite feature in your latest home listing! Tell your viewers what you love about the neighborhood, show them a favorite local hangout and what makes the area a great place to live.
#5 Get a Website
Social media and direct mail are great, but they can’t replace the standard – a website that can grow with you, as you grow your business. Display featured property listings, start a blog, create forms to capture new leads.
The opportunities you can take advantage of with your very own website are nearly endless. You can start with a simple landing page and grow it as you’re ready.
The more places you exist online, the more likely new clients are to find – and trust – that you take your business (and theirs) seriously!
Some brokerages offer personalized agent landing pages on their sites, where you can add your own photos and text. Or, you can build your own custom website using a hosting platform that makes it easy for you to get started – we recommend Wix, Weebly, or Squarespace (our current favorite) if you’re a website DIYer.
Of course, if you can afford the investment, we always recommend working with a professional. Having a website designed for you is an investment, but it will generate much more return for you over the long term when done well.
Anyone can upload pictures and text to a website. Some of these website builders make it sound easy. Anyone who has taken on this challenge knows it’s not as easy as it looks. And, anyone who says they can get you up and running TODAY for $100 – run don’t walk away.
A well-rounded professional should help you:
tailor your content and keywords to drive traffic to your site
optimize your site for viewing on mobile devices
help your site show up and rank higher in search engine results
set your site up so it links to and views beautifully when shared on social media sites
give you a professional look that stands apart from other cookie-cutter sites out there
Not to mention do the heavy lifting for you! Wouldn’t it be nice to sit back and let someone else make you look awesome? That’s what we do. For a free estimate, contact us.
No matter what tools you use to market yourself and produce leads, always remember – the more personable, relatable, and REAL you can be – the better.
Don’t think about marketing as just sales and advertising. Think of it as sharing life, loves, advice, and building community. Be yourself and be a good human – and, your efforts will return to you!
When it comes to marketing, you can’t do everything at once. Pick things that interest you or that you think you could do well. Write a marketing wish list with actionable items on it, and commit to doing just 3 of those things each week.
Over time, you will build and develop a system that works as hard as you do – for you.
