{"id":11391,"date":"2020-01-28T14:43:59","date_gmt":"2020-01-28T12:43:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.become.co\/blog\/?p=11391"},"modified":"2021-10-04T09:19:22","modified_gmt":"2021-10-04T06:19:22","slug":"real-estate-marketing-tools-strategies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.become.co\/blog\/real-estate-marketing-tools-strategies\/","title":{"rendered":"9 Best Real Estate Marketing Tools & Strategies for Agents"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n

Bringing in leads. It\u2019s an essential part of any successful real estate business.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

It can be tough to make it happen, but there\u2019s no need to reinvent the wheel to get more clients!<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Need some inspiration?<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve listed out the top real estate marketing tools and real estate marketing strategies to help you design a plan that will bring your business to new heights.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The real estate industry in 2020<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n

When discussing the state of the real estate industry, no conversation would be complete without mentioning the \u2018housing bubble\u2019 that caused the Great Recession. While it wasn\u2019t the only factor, the risky financial behavior that was going on within the real estate market was definitely a big contributor to the 2008 recession.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

We won\u2019t dig too much into the details, but suffice it to say that by the end of 2007 more than <\/span>2.5<\/span><\/a> percent of all American households were in foreclosure. This was largely due to risky lending practices on the part of bankers and other financial institutions – something they were incentivized to do as a result of record-low interest rates on acquiring capital.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s just say it was a \u201cperfect financial storm\u201d that took many homeowners and real estate agents by complete surprise. The result was an economy flooded with debt.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Since the real estate industry tanked during the financial crisis of 2008 though, it\u2019s been slowly but steadily recovering. Today the number of American households that are in foreclosure is below 0.5%. That\u2019s a nearly 80% decrease in the number of foreclosures in a little over 10 years – impressive numbers to say the least!<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Facing new competition<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n

One of the effects of the Great Recession was that people with new ideas found opportunities to enter into those struggling industries – including real estate. For example, Purplebricks (founded in 2012) and Opendoor (founded in 2014) both started up in the wake of the huge dip in the housing market and are both aimed at providing \u201cradically simple\u201d ways to buy and sell homes.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

In an industry such as real estate which has traditionally been focused on building a reputation through face-to-face communication, the newly successful online approaches are putting the pressure on their more old-school competitors. Similarly to the \u2018<\/span>brick-and-mortar stores vs online retail<\/span><\/a>\u2019 situation, it\u2019s evident that even the most well-established real estate agencies are in need of new and creative approaches to remaining competitive in the digitalized world we live in.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

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Of course, part of the effort to remain competitive should be placed on developing a strong real estate marketing plan. If you\u2019re looking for the best real estate marketing ideas, you\u2019ve come to the right place! Keep reading to get the top real estate marketing strategies out there.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

8 real estate marketing strategies to grow your agency<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n

1. Optimize your SEO practices<\/span><\/h3>\n

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the reason why certain websites show up on the first page of a Google search and others don\u2019t. The basic idea is the better your SEO practices are, the closer to the #1 spot you\u2019ll come. It should go without saying, but you definitely want to be among the first few results when people search for you online.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Make no mistake – it will take time to <\/span>improve your website\u2019s SEO<\/span><\/a> and ranking positions, but when you see the difference having a spot on page-1 makes to your bottom line, you\u2019ll understand why it\u2019s worth the effort.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

2. Make yourself a website<\/span><\/h3>\n

We\u2019re living in the 21st century – the digital age. If you don\u2019t have a website at all, then you better change that as soon as possible! If you do have a website, but it looks like you last updated it in 1999, then you also have some work to do. Either way, this has got to be a key step in your real estate marketing plan.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Particularly since smartphones exploded onto the world stage, people search for services in their area online. Without a reliable and well-designed site for potential clients to find you online, you\u2019re likely doing yourself a big disservice. Set up a website that provides all necessary info for clients, and also has a personal touch to it, and watch your revenues climb.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

3. Develop a presence on social media platforms<\/span><\/h3>\n

Traditional real estate advertising isn\u2019t always the way to get results. Billboards might make you feel good, but with millions of people active across the top three social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram), there exist enormous audiences that are accessible to you at the click of a button.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Okay, it\u2019s a bit more complicated than just signing up. You\u2019ll have to take a bit of time to learn how to best use the different types of social media and grow your number of followers. But once you get the ball rolling, you\u2019ll see that engagement on your posts will grow and – ideally – bring in more leads!<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

4. Ask happy clients to write reviews<\/span><\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s face it, some clients will be unhappy for any number of reasons. There\u2019s always a chance that they\u2019ll go and leave a not-so-nice review about you, which can take a pretty big toll on your business if not handled properly.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

With that in mind, it should be clear why one of the best real estate marketing strategies is to simply ask your satisfied clients to take a minute and write a positive review about their experience with you. Word-of-mouth advertising carries lots of weight, so use it to your advantage!<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

5. Use social media paid advertising<\/span><\/h3>\n

Following up on the first step of developing a social media presence, you should also consider including social media paid advertising in your kit of real estate marketing tools. With a small investment, you can not only ensure that your real estate advertising will be seen, but that it will be seen by the <\/span>relevant audience<\/span><\/i>!<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

As mentioned, there are millions of people that are active across the different social media platforms. Having the ability to target specific audiences presents huge opportunities as far as growing and developing your business. Don\u2019t underestimate the power of paid ads as part of a <\/span>social media marketing strategy<\/span><\/a>!<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

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6. Nurture leads towards converting<\/span><\/h3>\n

Nurturing leads is a crucial step in anybody\u2019s real estate marketing plan. Clients often have hesitations that can be easily cleared with a bit of guidance, so be sure to touch base throughout the process so demonstrate an open line of communication. Plus, people don\u2019t like feeling like just another number – add a touch of personalization wherever and whenever possible, it can make all the difference.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Making initial contact with a potential client is possibly the most important step in communication. That said, if you don\u2019t follow up with leads and ensure a positive <\/span>customer experience<\/span><\/a>, you\u2019ll quickly find that a successful first-contact can end up being a fruitless endeavor.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

7. Establish a reputation in your community<\/span><\/h3>\n

In the real estate industry, you\u2019ll often times be working with clients that are from your surrounding community. For that reason, establishing yourself a good reputation in the local social sphere is one of the best real estate marketing ideas you can pursue.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

You can donate to a local fundraiser or even contribute some funding to a local little league baseball team. Think about opportunities there may be to co-sponsor local events such as the town\u2019s holiday festivals or high school graduation ceremonies. The list of ways that you could grow your reputation in the community is virtually endless – and even the smallest step can make a big difference.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

8. Step up your small business branding strategy<\/span><\/h3>\n

Small business branding strategies<\/span><\/a> come in many shapes. When it comes to real estate marketing though, your run-of-the-mill branding ideas might not cut it. That\u2019s because, so much of the time, the \u201cbrand\u201d of your real estate business is – <\/span>you<\/span><\/i>!<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

That said, creating a brand around yourself is not impossible. It\u2019s going to be a lot more focused on developing a voice and an emotional response from your audience than it will be focused on a creative, colorful, eye-catching logo.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The goal? Appeal to emotion by making your client feel comfortable in your care. Make sure they know that you\u2019ve been around the block more than once, and you can guide them along the way.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

9 best real estate marketing tools<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n

You can spend endless amounts of time searching for the best real estate marketing tools out there. For your convenience, we\u2019ve filtered through them to present you with the top 8. Keep reading to get the full breakdown.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

1. Mangools (SEO)<\/span><\/h3>\n

While you can go about improving your SEO on your own, it may be worthwhile to look for some help. That doesn\u2019t necessarily mean spending money – take a look at SEO tools like <\/span>Mangools<\/span><\/a> that offer free trials to get started. If it seems like a good fit, you can then decide to pay a little on top to get even more out of their services.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

2. Squarespace (web design)<\/span><\/h3>\n

You don\u2019t need to be a computer coding expert to design a website. With online services like <\/span>Squarespace<\/span><\/a>, creating a website is as easy as clicking, dragging, and dropping. There are plenty of pre-made templates to pick from so that you can keep your website looking unique and stand out from the competition.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

3. Hootsuite (social media)<\/span><\/h3>\n

Who has time to be active on social media all day every day? Probably not you, unless you\u2019re a teenage high school dropout.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

That\u2019s okay – you can still build up your social media presence without having your phone in hand 24\/7. You can use an online social media scheduling tool like <\/span>Hootsuite<\/span><\/a> to get your next few posts lined up in advance. This is extremely useful as a way to keep your audience engaged even when you\u2019re not posting in real-time.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

4. TrustPilot (customer reviews)<\/span><\/h3>\n

There are plenty of review sites out there that can be incorporated into a real estate marketing plan. For example, <\/span>TrustPilot<\/span><\/a> is one of the most trusted customer review websites nowadays with over 300,000 businesses reviewed.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Trustpilot is so well-regarded that Google even considers the TrustPilot \u2018star rating\u2019 when calculating the Google Seller Rating in organic search results. You can even qualify to have TrustPilot reviews appear beside your own website when it appears in Google search results, which will add a degree of credibility to your business.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

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5. Facebook Ads (social media advertizing)<\/span><\/h3>\n

Since Facebook has the most monthly active users of any social media platform (<\/span>2.41 billion<\/span><\/a>), it\u2019s fair to say that <\/span>Facebook Ads<\/span><\/a> is one of the best real estate marketing tools you can make use of. Regardless of your budget or experience with advertising, Facebook Ads offers solutions that can help you reach your intended audience and start bringing in more leads.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

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Side note:<\/b> If you need an extra boost to your budget in order to cover the costs of improving your real estate marketing plan, an <\/span>unsecured business loan<\/span><\/a> can be the solution you\u2019re looking for. It\u2019s an ideal financing solution for real estate agents since there\u2019s no need to provide valuable assets as collateral. It goes without saying, but real estate businesses don\u2019t typically have a ton of big expensive equipment that keeps their businesses running.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

6. Manychat (lead nurturing)<\/span><\/h3>\n

Even the hardest-working real estate agents need to take a break. <\/span>Manychat<\/span><\/a> is an immensely useful way to give your real estate marketing a boost. You can create customized and automated message flows both for Facebook Messenger and SMS (and even combine them!).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

This will help your clients feel well-tended-to while simultaneously working to gather all of the important information you need at those early stages of interaction.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

7. Volunteering (community outreach)<\/span><\/h3>\n

While it might not qualify as a real estate marketing \u2018tool\u2019, per se, volunteering in your local community is one of the best real estate marketing strategies you can include in your broader real estate marketing plan.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Shaking hands and sharing smiles is always a reliable way to get people to remember who you are and what you do. While donations and the like are a great way to earn kudos, there\u2019s no price tag that can be put on a genuinely pleasant face-to-face interaction. Get out there and rub elbows!<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

8. Smarter Agent (branding)<\/span><\/h3>\n

Creating a brand for your real estate business doesn\u2019t require that you start from ground zero. Fortunately, there are powerful real estate marketing tools that you can use, like <\/span>Smarter Agent<\/span><\/a>, which provides a turnkey solution for your real estate branding needs. Get all of the essential functions you need to get up and running – plus the ability to personalize the app so clients can distinguish you from the crowd.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

9. InVideo (online video editor)<\/span><\/h3>\n

Videos have proved to be one of the most impressive marketing techniques in the 21st century.\u00a0 For a real estate business, the look of a property is critical if you want to create an impression. With the help of online video makers like\u00a0InVideo<\/a>, you can present gorgeous videos of the properties you wish to sell to your clients. Furthermore, you can upload these videos on your website and social media handles to get more views and grab the attention of your potential leads.<\/p>\n

InVideo also allows you to share your created marketing content directly to your clients via chatting applications and on your social media pages.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

How to create a real estate marketing plan<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n

If you want to <\/span>become a successful realtor<\/span><\/a>, then you absolutely <\/span>must<\/span><\/i> create a strong and effective real estate marketing plan. We\u2019ve covered the top 8 real estate marketing strategies, but how do you put it into action? Scroll down and find out!<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

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Important note:<\/b> Putting a real estate marketing plan into action may place a toll on your cash flow. If you\u2019re concerned that you won\u2019t have the necessary funds, consider taking a <\/span>real estate agent loan<\/span><\/a> to get the financial boost you need to take your business to the next level. There are plenty of funding options out there to choose from, and with one application through <\/span>Become<\/span><\/a>, you can find out which of them you qualify for – for free!<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Step-by-step guide to create a real estate marketing plan:<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

1. Define specific goals<\/span><\/h3>\n

What\u2019s your goal? Do you want to be the top realtor in your county? Do you want to become a millionaire in 5 years? Whether you\u2019re designing a real estate advertising plan, a pricing strategy, or any other business-related objective, having the big picture in mind is going to be necessary. If you start a project like real estate marketing without a clear goal, don\u2019t be surprised to feel like you\u2019re stuck running on a hamster wheel!<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

2. Determine your target audience<\/span><\/h3>\n

Are you looking to primarily work with buyers or sellers? Do you see yourself working in a quieter residential area or in commercial real estate? There are plenty of questions you can ask to help you determine who your target audience is or should be. The bottom line is, you\u2019ll want to define an audience that is likely to generate the sales you\u2019re aiming for.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

You may want to consider:<\/b><\/p>\n