Some of the highest-powered agents will tell you that when prospective clients reach out to them, it’s because they feel as if they already “know” them. That’s because those agents are continually getting their name and brand in front of clients, and creating a relationship that translates into sales.
These tips can help raise your marketability, and help you figure out how your current marketing is measuring up.
1. Create specific financial goals. If you don’t know where you’re going, how will you know when you’ve arrived? Identifying your financial goals will help give you the motivation to carry out your marketing plans, even when you feel pressed for time.
2. Stay active on social media. Be where your clients and prospects are. More and more, that means social media! Do you have a presence on Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Facebook — or all four? Choose the platforms that work best for you and make sure that you are not only posting compelling content, but “liking,” “sharing,” and “commenting” on your followers’ content. Don’t forget, the key word here is “social.”
3. Sharpen your skills by attending four or more webinars/seminars a year. Continuing education keeps you up-to-date on what’s new in the field and shows clients you are committed to being the best of the best. Don’t forget to let your clients and prospects know what you’re learning by sharing nuggets on social media or in email marketing.
4. Learn best practices from other professionals. In combination with continuing education, make sure that you are in touch with leaders in the field by staying active in professional organizations like C.A.R., reading related publications, and following the blogs and social media accounts of thought leaders in the industry.
5. Referrals go a long way. Referrals can be your No. 1 source of business. Use tools to nurture your long-term prospects and clients in order to generate referrals. Maintain contact with your past clients to stay top-of-mind. Whether it’s sending them a card on the anniversary of their purchase, or reaching out at holidays or birthdays, these little touches can go a long way.
6. Consider advertising to elevate your brand and generate leads. With marketing, sometimes you get what you pay for, and advertising is a sure-fire way to reach the people that you want to reach. Whether you include a specific call to action, or just want to raise awareness of your brand in the market, find out what your clients are reading or watching and aim to be there!
7. Be responsive to leads. Don’t let your marketing go to waste! Respond to any leads you receive immediately. Research shows that the odds of reaching a new online lead drops more than 10 times if you wait longer than an hour. If a lead is called within five minutes versus 30 minutes, the chances of connecting increase by ONE HUNDRED TIMES!
8. Keep track. Use your database to track outreach to clients and prospects. Knowing what you sent to whom and when can be a full-time job in itself! Automate your systems as much as you can with tools that will help you manage your contacts so you know when it’s time to reach out again. The goal is to stay top of mind by following up, reconnecting and sending valuable information.
9. Know what works. You’ll never know which of your activities are working unless you track your success. Whenever possible, try to find out how a prospect found you, which can help point you to your most successful marketing methods. You’re likely to find that a combination of methods is driving your conversion rate, which can help you decide where to devote your valuable resources.
10. Boost your marketing. Consider investing 10 percent of your earnings into marketing, in order to grow your business. Ask any successful REALTOR® and you will likely hear that you can never market too much! More often than not, the more you invest, the more you recoup.
Taking your marketing seriously is one of the most beneficial steps you can take to achieve success in the real estate industry!