There are tons of realtors in your area. Whether you’re linked to an agency or not, you have to do a bit of work in order to set yourself apart. Thanks to technology, there are more realtors than ever. Many have taken classes online to receive their education and become accredited. With the competition stiff, branding yourself is more important than ever. Here are a few tips on how you can market yourself.
1. Get Involved on Social Media
One of the biggest ways that you can market yourself is through social media. There are various platforms that can help you become known in your area. The first is Facebook. This platform allows you to make a business page for yourself. On it, you can speak with your clients easily. Almost everyone has a Facebook account these days. Some people also find it easier to speak through social media than through texting or a phone call.
Facebook also gives you the opportunity to livechat with your clients. You can make a group chat and have everyone involved in the process right there.
Facebook also allows you to post statuses. You can post personal anecdotes to help people get to know you better. You can also use it to post listings and the state of listings.
Besides Facebook, another helpful social media platform is Twitter. Like Facebook, you can use its status update function to keep everyone in the know about your listings. This quick ability to market your homes also markets yourself. It shows both buyers and sellers that you’re innovative and willing to use new technology in order to sell their home.
One final social platform that you can really use to help market yourself and your homes is Youtube. Have you ever considered doing a video tour of a home? Before people even step foot in the home, they can tell if the house is for them or not by watching your video. This helps you in a few different ways. It can shave off the time with visitations.
People can receive their first look in the comfort of their own home. Those who contact you to physically tour the home are more likely to buy it because they are invested in the idea of owning it. This saves you a bit of time and gas money because it takes care of that initial tour that can often lead nowhere.
Youtube is also a great platform for allowing your clients to know you. You can post personal videos, how-tos, real estate advice, and other topics. A video blog, or vlog, can help you grow an audience on Youtube. With a larger audience, your name is going to be better known in your community.
You can even put your Youtube channel name on your business card, so your future clients can check you out before they give you a call.
2. Direct Mail
Another method for marketing yourself is through direct mail. While email has taken precedence for a lot of communication, direct mail still works as a great marketing opportunity. A company like Wise Pelican, who specializes in postcards for realtors, can give you the advice that you need to advertise yourself in an impactful way.
Everyone checks their mail. Not everyone checks their emails, especially if your emails are being filtered into their spam folder. Direct mail also gives you an opportunity to advertise all of your services in an eye-catching way. Include a graphic and a picture of yourself, so the clients know what you look like.
Other information that you should include is your business or agency name, your contact information, your Youtube channel if you have one, your Facebook business name if you have one, and perhaps a score sheet of the homes that you have sold. Statistics can look great in an advertisement. It also gives the client confidence about hiring you if they see how well you have done in the past with other homes.
One last thing to consider is slipping an envelope and stamp into your direct mail advertisements. While people are likely to call you instead of writing to you, including an envelope and stamp might encourage them to reach out to you. It shows them that you’re heavily invested in being their realtor and serving their needs.
3. Word of Mouth
Perhaps a realtor’s bread and butter comes from the old word of mouth form of marketing. When clients are looking for a realtor, they may ask their friends or family members about realtors that have served them well in the past. You want your name to be the one given to them. How can you make that happen?
It starts with building a strong relationship with your clients. Every client you have, even if you don’t sell a home to them, should be kept in a folder. You need to keep their contact information. Find out their birthday, anniversary, their children’s birthdays, and other big landmark days.
When those dates arrive, send them a card. You don’t need to push them into hiring you. The card, alone, is enough to remind them that you’re thinking of them and value them as a client. They’re likely to be touched by the small gift and may give your name to someone who asks them about a realtor in the future.
Christmas cards are also a great investment to make for your clients. While they may not be selling or buying a home during the winter, most families may be prepping for the journey in order to be ready during the spring and summer. A Christmas card may be just the reminder that they need to hire you when they’re ready.
Besides sending cards, your professional and devoted service can go a long way. Try and go above and beyond for your clients. Sometimes this might mean taking a bit of a pay cut by getting the house’s price down as much as possible. Or it might mean being brutally honest about the state of a home or a neighborhood which means you lose a sale. Those people will remember your authenticity and loyalty to them. They’ll trust you to have their backs and will likely recommend you to others.
4. Charity
To make your name well-known in your community, then one of the best steps that you can take is to give to charity. Involve yourself in the community frequently, so you can link your name with charitable donations. People are attracted to those who take a serious interest in their community and donate to great causes.
You don’t necessarily always have to donate either. You can volunteer to help at a charity event. If you’re volunteering, you may want to ensure that you’re receiving a good amount of PR, so people know exactly who you are and what you do.
Besides volunteering and donating, you could even run or host a charity. This can be a great way to receive PR since the media will want to speak with the host of the event. Besides serving a great cause, you’re sure to receive quite a boost in your marketing and reputation.
Get Started Today
Marketing, when it comes to real estate, is a long process. While there are small things that you can do to help bring your name to the front of the line, it’s mostly a time investment process. However, by implementing these few tips, you can market yourself in your area and start bringing in more clients quickly.
To read more on topics like this, check out the business category.
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