Are you stuck in a marketing rut? While business cards, brochures, and thank-you cards are the bread-and-butter real estate marketing ideas, sometimes it’s good to try something completely different. Here are a few suggestions to get you started!
Pivot to Video
Video marketing works incredibly well for real estate—so why aren’t you doing it already? Make use of Instagram and Facebook to share those video walkthroughs far and wide. Create short videos aimed at home buyers or sellers to explain the basics, then upload them to your YouTube channel.
Start a Referral Program
Word-of-mouth marketing is one of the most powerful tools in your kit. When someone needs a real estate agent, they usually ask their friends and family for recommendations. That’s why it’s a great idea to have a referral program in place for past clients. Reward those referrals with something valuable—a gift certificate for a spa or a housecleaning service, for example.
Write a Column or Blog
Content marketing is, simply put, a way of offering useful information to your target audience. It’s a strategy that leverages the way people browse for information or resources online. You can create your own content on your real estate blog, but think bigger than that! Approach your local newspaper about writing a regular real estate column. Link up with sites that cater to your region and offer to do a guest post. The more you get your name out there, the better!
Give Back to the Community…
While it may seem cynical to think of volunteering as a marketing strategy, the truth is that you can raise your profile and do good for your community! Your brokerage or team has a lot of options here, such as organizing a food or clothing drive, or working with a local charity to help the homeless.
…Then Write a Press Release About It
Remember the good work you did in the tip above? Write a press release about it and send to local media outlets. Press releases are tricky, because you need to do something that’s actually newsworthy to get your message out there. You and your team giving back to the community is a great story, so get it out there!
Teach a Class
Many people—maybe even most people—have no clue about buying and selling property. You can enlighten first-time buyers or sellers with a free class at your local library, senior center, high school, civic center…the list goes on!
Targeting your class at students—high schoolers or college kids—might not pay off right away, but you’ll be preparing the younger generation to eventually become homeowners—and raising your profile, too.
Team Up With Another Local Business
When you join forces with another local business, you both double your marketing reach. For example, you might team up with a housecleaning service to offer a special deal. Moving companies are another natural fit for the real estate industry. Offer coupons, discounts, and reciprocal advertising to help each other out. Everyone wins!
