Special offer

Real Estate Self-Marketing is a Hybrid

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with Marte Cliff Copywriting

 Real estate self-marketing isn’t like Madison Avenue marketing – written to promote the brand, with no call to action. It also isn’t like Direct Response Marketing – written to cause an immediate purchase.

That’s why, when reading about marketing, you can sometimes come across poor advice. No – not poor advice, just advice for the wrong audience.

I’ve read: “You don’t need to start a conversation. My sales manager wouldn’t be at all impressed if I turned in a report saying I hadn’t sold a thing, but I’d had plenty of good conversations.” And of course, if you were selling cars, roofing, or even shoes, that would be true.

In real estate marketing, you reach out to hundreds of people, only a few of whom are ready for your row of mailboxesservices at a given time. Therefore, conversation becomes important – even if it’s only you talking (in writing) and the prospect silently agreeing or thinking “I didn’t know that,” or “That’s interesting.”

Good real estate self-marketing is based on relationship building rather than instant sales.

That’s why marketing with prospecting letters, web pages, and blog posts that inform is good marketing. That’s why blogging about your community and your market is good marketing. That’s also why letting your personality shine through in your agent bio and in your blogs is important. People do like to have a sense of who you are.

Every message should, of course, have a call to action, but a soft one. Instead of “BUY NOW” it can be “I’m ready, willing, and able to help just as soon as you need me. Call me any time.”

Of course, actually conversing with people is good marketing too. In fact, taking time to talk with people ahead of the time when they’ll take action can be the tipping point that causes them to choose you.

And don’t forget, taking time to talk with past clients is good marketing – even if real estate is not the primary topic of conversation. It reminds them that you’re the agent they’d like to use again or to refer their friends to.

All these forms of marketing work together, building layers of trust in addition to recognition.

Real estate marketing is a hybrid – and good real estate marketing has no short cuts. It requires consistency and effort.

Of course I haven’t even touched on the self-promotion you must do once your marketing has caused a prospect to contact you. That’s a subject (perhaps more than one) for another day.

What have you done to market your services today? If the answer is “nothing,” then get busy. Do something before you go to sleep tonight.

Image courtesy of anankkml / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

Comments (12)

Endre Barath, Jr.
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties - Beverly Hills, CA
Realtor - Los Angeles Home Sales 310.486.1002

Marte, Real Estate is all about relationships, ie.: conversation  so often I have potential sellers and buyers I connected with on the Internet and it takes years before they are ready for th next step...totally with you on this post, Endre

Oct 27, 2017 10:43 PM
Marte Cliff

Endre Barath, Jr. - it's definitely not a short term "buy now" business.

Oct 28, 2017 09:25 AM
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

Thank you for the reminder and for the great tips. I will bookmark this post.

Oct 28, 2017 03:07 AM
Marte Cliff

Thanks Gita Bantwal.

Oct 28, 2017 09:25 AM
Kat Palmiotti
eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

Real estate marketing definitely requires different methods. Conversations and relationship building are very important in this business.

Oct 28, 2017 04:10 AM
Marte Cliff

Yes Kat Palmiotti - different methods, and more than one of them at a time.

Oct 28, 2017 09:26 AM
Barbara Todaro
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA
Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

Good morning, Marte Cliff ... I market so much, I think I brand and market us all day long from the time my eyes open until they close!!!  no matter where I am.... or what I'm doing...it's marketing... 

Oct 28, 2017 04:53 AM
Marte Cliff

Barbara Todaro - your team is so fortunate to have you there keeping it going for them all day every day. Agents working alone - or with less dedicated help - don't stand a chance in your market.

Oct 28, 2017 09:28 AM
Silvia Dukes PA, Broker Associate, CRS, CIPS, SRES
Tropic Shores Realty - Ich spreche Deutsch! - Spring Hill, FL
Florida Waterfront and Country Club Living

Marte,  you are right, in real estate a great deal of transactions come about because we've been nurturing contacts and relationships sometimes for years. 

Oct 29, 2017 03:40 PM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Silvia Dukes PA, Broker Associate, CRS, CIPS, SRES - Some may think real estate is about houses and other property - it's really about people.

Oct 29, 2017 03:51 PM
Silvia Dukes PA, Broker Associate, CRS, CIPS, SRES

So true!

Oct 29, 2017 03:57 PM
John Wiley
Fort Myers, FL
Lee County, FL, ECO Broker, GRI, SRES,GREEN,PSA

Marte, thanks for the focus on marketing. It comes in a variety of ways and each has an intended purpose.

I like your summary statement: Real estate marketing is a hybrid – and good real estate marketing has no short cuts. It requires consistency and effort.

Oct 31, 2017 08:50 AM
Marte Cliff

John Wiley - the Internet has made marketing easier in terms of reaching more people, but it sure has piled on marketing tasks that agents didn't have 30 years ago!

Oct 31, 2017 09:53 AM
Mary Hutchison, SRES, ABR
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate-Kansas City Homes - Kansas City, MO
Experienced Agent in Kansas City Metro area

Relationship building is so key!  One of my favorite things to do is after the deal is done....visit with my client at the new house to see how it's been turned into a home--or go out for lunch and talk about other things besides real estate. Just dropping pp a note every so often makes them think of you and shows you care!

Nov 01, 2017 09:12 AM
Marte Cliff

Mary Hutchison, SRES, ABR - I think that's a beautiful practce. It does make people feel good to know that they mean more to you than a paycheck.

Nov 01, 2017 03:30 PM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

This should be featured, Marte! There are so many good points in your post about long-term relationship building, and about maintaining the relationships we already have, and how to go about maximizing these abundant opportunities!

Jeff

Nov 04, 2017 11:12 AM
Marte Cliff

Thank you Jeff Dowler - I appreciate your kind words.

Nov 04, 2017 11:31 AM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher

Hybrids are always good in this case if you do them right and I think you could do it right. :)

Nov 05, 2017 10:22 PM
Marte Cliff

Thanks Laura Cerrano.

Nov 11, 2017 08:51 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Hi Marte

I'm glad Carol featured this especially since AR did not. It's well deserved. I came back for a second read and to bookmark it!

Have a great weekend.

Jeff

Nov 11, 2017 08:07 AM
Marte Cliff

Thanks Jeff Dowler - I appreciate your kind words.


Happy Saturday!

Nov 11, 2017 08:52 AM
Anonymous
Tim Titchmarsh

Hi , Thanks for your post. I found it really useful.
I've just posted on a similar topic on my blog at https://blog.bizzblocksmentor.com which may be of interest.

Thanks Tim

May 07, 2018 02:46 AM
#12