Morris Real Estate Marketing Group Blog

Boomers, Millenials & Xennials: What Real Estate Agents Need to Know

Thu, 12 May 2022 08:00:03 -0700

Understanding and knowing how to effectively communicate with all age groups is a must for real estate agents. But it’s not always as straightforward as it appears. While it’s true that virtually everyone prefers open, consistent, and honest communication, different generations have differently nuanced communication styles and preferences, not to mention motivations and buying habits. Here are three articles that can help you as a real estate agent with a diverse range of clients.Understanding Xennials: What Real Estate Agents Need to KnowMillennial Home Buying Facts, Stats and Marketing Tips that Realtors Need to KnowReal Estate Agents: Land More Boomer Listings with These Two InsightsFind more real estate marketing tips and information, covering everything from geographic farming to social media to referral & repeat business, on Morris Real Estate Marketing Group’s website.Do not hesitate to contact us for help with your real estate marketing needs.

How to Make Your Real Estate Marketing Stand Out

Thu, 05 May 2022 08:00:02 -0700

By some accounts, the average person is exposed to more than a dozen marketing messages by the time they finish breakfast. Throughout the day, that number grows well into the hundreds.So how do you ensure your real estate marketing stands out and generates all the real estate leads you need?The trick is to not depend on an occasional “lightning strike” with your marketing. If you hope to create some stand-out ad or social media post that breaks through all the marketing noise out there, you’ll probably end up disappointed. And broke.The reality is, effective real estate marketing isn’t about standing out as much as it is about consistency. When you consistently stay in touch with prospects and clients — in a way that adds value for them — you create a building marketing momentum that results in more and more people seeing you as their go-to agent.And the more people who see you as their agent-of-choice, the more real estate leads and referrals you’ll get.Of course, your marketing does need to stand out as much as possible. For example, your real estate newsletter for client referrals should be eye-catching, show your photo and branding, and feature a personal message from you. That will get your real estate direct mail piece noticed in the mailbox.But if you’re not consistent with your real estate newsletter, mailing it to your best past clients every month, then you risk losing ground.The same is true of your real estate email marketing, blog, and real estate social media marketing.Think of your marketing as a snowball rolling down a hill, gradually going faster, and picking up more and more snow. What happens if you stop that snowball? Well, it will stop growing!So, when it comes to your marketing, don’t stop the snowball! Consistently reaching out to your clients — as well as your real estate geo farm prospects — keeps your reputation and relationships with your contacts growing.Think about it. Does it really make sense to try to create a “stand out” billboard or advertisement that will rock your market? What’s the chance of that happening?To truly make your marketing stand out, get noticed, and work well with the people that matter — your prospects, past clients, and geographic farm residents — consistency is a must.And a good real estate marketing system with consistency built-in will make that happen for you.Something to think about!

8 Work-life Balance Tips for Real Estate Agents

Thu, 28 Apr 2022 08:00:00 -0700

As you well know, real estate is a fast-paced, performance-driven career. So, it’s no wonder many agents struggle with work-life balance.Perhaps you do as well?If that’s the case, it’s worth doing something about it. As Rob Errera writes in the Toner Buzz blog, the better your work-life balance, the more productive, energetic, and effective you’ll be.In fact, productivity and work-life balance go hand-in-hand. So, when you make improvements in both those areas, you’re likely to enjoy your career more, generate and convert more real estate leads, and achieve more successes for you real estate clients.If those aren’t enough reasons to prioritize work-life balance, nothing is! So, with that in mind, here are some practical strategies worth trying.Eat that Frog! In Brian Tracy’s bestselling book, he recommends scheduling the most challenging tasks and appointments first rather than putting them off for later. That way, you gain a sense of accomplishment early in the day, which gives you a significant lift.Create buffers What are the chances something will come up today that is unexpected and likely to require your time? Probably 100%! And whatever that may be, you might have to sacrifice personal time to deal with it. That’s a work-life balance killer. So, when scheduling your day, expect the unexpected. Block out “buffers” in your calendar. For example, an extra 10 minutes before and after appointments.Beware the to-do monster To-do items tend to accumulate throughout the workday. You get a few client emails, a couple of prospecting leads, a message from the office. Before you know it, there’s a long list of call-backs and emails you need to do. Don’t let that “To-do Monster” grow too big! Commit to getting these tasks done throughout the day.Tame the tech As a busy real estate agent, you’re constantly on the move, on your phone, online. So, during personal time — with your family, for example — unplug as much as possible. Don’t let your phone and email rule your life. Take some time each day away from the tech.Ride your peak energy times Are you a morning person? Or do you peak later in the day? Most people have specific times when they’re most productive and energetic. Pay attention to your “productivity rhythm” and schedule accordingly. For example, if you’re an “after lunch” person, schedule an important listing presentation for the early afternoon.Take real time off Most professionals in performance-driven careers have difficulties taking time off. Usually, a day off ends up being just a slower-paced version of a working day. That’s no time off at all. Instead, try to take real days off free of all work-related activities. That way, when you come back to work, you’ll feel rejuvenated.Automate Your real estate marketing can be a time-consuming chore if you let it. Do you sometimes have trouble keeping up with all the real estate marketing tasks that need to get done? If so, embrace real estate marketing automation as much as possible. The more automated your real estate marketing is, the less time it will demand of you. You’ll see better results, too.Get it done for you In addition to automation, try to get as much of your real estate marketing done for you as possible. After all, you want to be chatting with prospects and working with clients, not coming up with blog and social media posts. The best way to do that is with a real estate marketing system where most of the marketing “heavy lifting” is done for you. That frees up more time for your career — and your personal life. Next step: Risking burnout won’t help your career. So, consider trying some of these work-life balance strategies this week.This article was originally published on the Morris' Real Estate Marketing blog. Please visit us for more great real estate marketing tips, news and info.

New Agents: 6 Articles to Get Your Business Off the Ground

Thu, 21 Apr 2022 08:00:00 -0700

If you are just starting out as a real estate agent, want to build a marketing program from the ground up or just want to make sure you are on the right track, here are six articles that you will likely find very helpful:21 Real Estate Marketing Truths Every Rookie Agent Should Know Rookie REALTOR®: 15 Reasons to Start Your Real Estate Geographic Farm — Today 15 Ways to Make Your First Year as a Rookie Realtor a Big SuccessReal Estate Marketing for New Realtors: Building Your First 50 ContactsNew Real Estate Agents: 5 Things your Marketing Must DoWhich Real Estate Marketing Strategy Works Best?Of course you can find many more real estate marketing tips and information, covering everything from geographic farming to social media to referral & repeat business, on Morris Real Estate Marketing Group’s website. Please check it out, and do not hesitate to contact us for help with your real estate marketing needs.

6 Ways to Reduce Your Real Estate Marketing Workload

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 08:00:00 -0700

How much time does your marketing take? That might be a little like asking, “How long is a ball of string?” For many agents, real estate marketing is an activity that can go on forever — if you let it.Take a look at your real estate marketing to-do list. Are there items you probably won’t get to this month? Or even next month?What you want is your real estate marketing working like a well-oiled machine, humming along each month generating a steady flow of real estate leads and referrals.The good news is, you can have that without having to devote an excessive amount of time and work to your real estate marketing each month.Consider these tips for cutting your real estate marketing workload.Focus on what works There are real estate marketing tactics that are proven to get consistent results. For example, sending a high-value real estate newsletter to past clients results in an increasing number of referrals year after year. We know that first-hand from our work with thousands of agents who use our client referrals system (which features a direct mail newsletter for REALTORS®.)Avoid shiny diamonds Have you heard about the latest “killer” marketing funnel? Oh, and what about that new “magic formula” for using Tic Toc to attract website traffic? Each week, another new, “game changing” marketing technique is being hyped to agents. Although they can sound exciting, they usually end up wasting your time and money. Unless a real estate marketing tactic has been shown to get results for thousands of agents, stick with what is already working well.Be consistent If you do something each month, you’re naturally going to get more efficient and better. But that’s not the only reason why consistency is so important. If you’re working a real estate geo farm, for example, you want to stay in touch with those residents regularly. Ideally, monthly (with a good geographic farming newsletter.) So, being consistent not only makes it easier for you, it also makes your marketing work better.Embrace Done-For-You Chances are, you want to spend most of your time meeting prospects, working with clients, and selling properties. It’s time-consuming to have to write posts for a blog and social media, compose marketing emails, or manually prepare and mail a newsletter to contacts. That’s why, for our clients, we do all that work for them: writing, design, printing, and mailing.Automate The more you automate marketing tasks, the less work you have to do. But automation does more than simply reduce your marketing workload. It also ensures the quality and effectiveness of your real estate marketing is top-notch, always. That gives you the edge over other agents whose marketing is sporadic or “hit or miss”.Get a system By far, the best way to generate more real estate leads and referrals with the least amount of time required by you is to use a comprehensive real estate marketing system. With the right system for staying in touch with your past clients, or building your brand in a real estate geographic farm, you have a marketing machine that’s working hard for you — while you do other things. Takeaway: Stick with what works and use an automated, done-for-you marketing system. That’s the best way to maximize real estate marketing results while minimizing your workload.This article was originally published on our real estate marketing services blog. Please check it out for more real estate marketing tips, advice and info about our programs and services.

Real Estate Marketing Tip: How to Be Where Your Prospects Are

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 08:00:01 -0700

You’re probably familiar with the “Rule of Seven”. It’s an old sales adage that states you need to connect with prospects at least seven times before they begin to know, like and trust you — and then hire you as their agent.As over-simplified as that adage is, the general idea is based on rock-solid sales psychology.Many prospects do need to hear from you regularly before they feel comfortable hiring you. That is especially true of long-term prospects (those who may be listing and/or buying some time in the future), residents of your real estate geographic farm, and past clients who can be excellent sources of real estate referrals.But if you’re staying in touch only by making calls and showing up unexpectedly on their doorsteps, you’re making a big mistake. That kind of “interruption-style” real estate marketing gets tiring very fast — for you and your prospects!A more effective approach is to be where your prospects are looking and interacting. And when they find you at that place, be sure you’re adding value.What we mean is this:Be in their mailbox each month. By sending a value-packed real estate newsletter each month, you’re “being there” when they go through their mail. Assuming your real estate newsletter features your personal message and branding, along with helpful tips and news, prospects and clients get to know you better and appreciate the value you bring.Be in their email inbox. Most people check their email several times a day. So, real estate email marketing should definitely be part of your real estate marketing mix. Just be sure you’re adding value in your emails, not just pitching. Share tips, advice, client stories, Just Sold, Just Listed, etc.Be there when they’re interacting on social media. Depending on the demographic you target, upwards of a third of your prospects and clients are active on social media. So “be there” when they are! Share motivational quotes, new listings, client success stories, and highlights from your blog.Be there when they check out your blog. The number one reason a prospect will click to your blog is to see what kind of agent you are. Are you the kind of agent who shares their wisdom and experience; providing helpful tips, suggestions, and ideas? Make sure your blog features at least two new articles a month.Be there to greet them at client appreciation events or community events you put together. If you want to generate more real estate leads from real estate geo farming, put together a community event of some kind each year. That’s a great way to make personal connections in the community, and the ideal complement to your monthly geographic farming newsletter. Client appreciation events are also a smart way to maximize real estate referrals and generate a fresh crop of real estate leads. When prospects and clients see you regularly in places that look and interact — mail, email, social media, events, etc. — they’re more likely to see you as the go-to agent. And the good news is, managing all these prospect touch points doesn’t need to be difficult or time-consuming. Our automated and done-for-you real estate marketing system will make it easy.This article was originally published on our real estate marketing services blog. Please check us out for more real estate marketing tips, ideas and programs.

Social Media 101: How to Avoid Posts That May Be Perceived Negatively

Wed, 09 Mar 2022 08:00:03 -0800

There are basically two types of “viral” social media posts. There’s the type of post you may have dreamed of. That’s the one where you post something that’s positive and helpful to your target audience — and they reward you by sharing it with their friends, and those people reshare it with their friends, and so on. That, in turn, results in a flood of visits to your agent website and quite possibly several good real estate leads. But there’s another type of post that can go viral. That’s the one where you say something offensive — perhaps unintentionally — that results in a slew of negative reactions. A post like that being shared over and over could adversely impact your real estate career. So, how do you avoid posting something that may not get the reaction you expect? You don’t want to be walking on eggshells with your real estate social media marketing. But you should be careful about sharing certain things. Here are some mistakes that others have made countless times, along with tips to avoid doing the same:Jokes that may be perceived as tasteless. Tip: Would you tell this joke to your parents and children? If not, don’t post it.Reinforcing stereotypes. For example, making a big deal, however positively, of a woman being promoted to fire chief. Tip: Mentally replace the person you’re highlighting with someone who would traditionally be cast in the role you are discussing. Does your post or comment sound silly now? If so, don’t post it.Offending a cultural group or minority. Tip: Perform the same exercise as in the previous tip. Also, place yourself in the shoes of the group or person you are discussing. If you feel uncomfortable, don’t post it.Offering a controversial opinion. Tip: Ask yourself, is it necessary to post this opinion? What will I gain from posting it, and what could I lose?Resharing someone else’s post that your audience might find offensive. (You don’t want to be perceived as guilty by association.) Tip: Do not simply skim a post or watch the first few seconds of a video before reposting. While you might agree with the overall sentiment or title, there could be hidden bombs in the OP (original post) that you do not agree with or could be construed in a negative light.Posting personal information about a prospect or client without their permission. Tip: Do not post anything about your clients without express permission.As you can see, many of these blunders and tips are pretty obvious. But the reality is, it’s all-to-easy to say something — such as a joke — that gets misinterpreted. People can’t read your mind, so they don’t know your intentions. They just see what you post. So, if you’ve written a post that you suspect might get the wrong reaction, don’t post it. The safest and most effective way to do your real estate social media marketing is to post news, updates, and how-to advice that helps your prospects and clients. For example, an informative article on how to prepare a home for sale. Or an insightful update on the local real estate market. That’s why posting snippets from your blog, with a link back to that page, is an effective strategy. Takeaway: Focus on social media marketing posts that your prospects and clients are going to find helpful. If you’re not currently using a real estate marketing system that includes social media content, such as done-for-you social media posts and blog articles, sign up for one this week.

Should You Use Video in your Real Estate Email Marketing?

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 08:00:04 -0700

Consider the following two scenarios…Scenario #1. You want to send a message to an important past client. This is a client that can potentially be a good source of real estate referrals for you. So, you compose an email saying how much you appreciate their support and offer to send them a regular real estate newsletter.(That is a great tactic, by the way!)Now let’s look at this same scenario with a slight variation.Scenario #2. You want to send the same message to the same past client. But instead of just writing a message, you email a personal video. In that video, you speak to them directly, thank them for their support, and offer to send them your real estate newsletter. You even hold up a copy of your newsletter so they can see the contents and value for themselves.Which scenario is likely to make the biggest impact on your client? #1 or #2?If you instinctively picked #2, your instincts are correct. A video makes an impact that a text-only email can’t match.In the past, emailing a video was a cumbersome affair. First, you had to record the video, which wasn’t always easy. Then you had to insert a link into the email and hope it works. What often happened was your prospect or client would have difficulties viewing the video.Those days are gone.Today, assuming you have the right tool or app, you can easily record a video using your phone, tablet, or desktop and — in just a click — insert that video in an email. What your client sees when they receive your email is a clear thumbnail of the video that they can click and play.So it’s worth thinking about how you can leverage emailing videos in your real estate marketing. Here are just a few ideas: Alerting a client of a new home for sale that fits their needs. (You can even record the video while standing in front of the house.) Reaching out to a prospect with helpful information. Replying to enquiries from your website and other real estate lead generation sources. (Video will help you stand out from other agents.) Providing updates on a client’s listing. Re-engaging long-ago prospects. The possibilities are almost endless.The bottom line is, sending a video by email is now easy for you to do and even easier for your prospects and clients to view. So, when you want your email to make a unique and personal impact, consider video. Of course, you may not want to send a video with every email. Still, you should be thinking about how best to use video to boost real estate lead generation, improve conversions, and build stronger relationships with clients.By the way, our real estate marketing system for client referrals includes email marketing with BombBomb integration, enabling you to send video emails with just a click.This article was originally published on our real estate marketing services blog. Please check us out for more real estate success tips, info and news.

How Paresh Found the Ideal Real Estate Marketing Service

Thu, 03 Mar 2022 08:00:02 -0800

Imagine three years ago, an agent — let’s call him Paresh — wanted to generate more real estate leads and referrals. He knew he needed better tactics and, overall, a more effective real estate marketing system to reach his ambitious goals. So, he went looking for a real estate marketing company that could help.Fast forward to today and Paresh has significantly increased the number of real estate leads he’s getting from geo farming. He has also doubled his client referrals.He credits his success in large part to the real estate marketing service he selected.So, how did he make that choice?Let’s look at the criteria Paresh used to get the expert real estate help he needed.Paresh searched for a real estate marketing company that: Focuses exclusively on real estate marketing. It’s all they do, so they do it better than anyone. Has been in business for several years, ideally decades. Has a track record of helping thousands of agents accomplish what he wants to achieve. (In Paresh’s case, he wanted to get more geographic farming leads and real estate agent referrals.) Has glowing client testimonials from agents just like him. Provides a complete real estate marketing system, not just one part. (Paresh didn’t want to have to work with multiple vendors.) Has a system that is mainly automated and done-for-you. (He didn’t want to have to do a lot of “marketing grunt work.” Instead, he wanted to maximize his time meeting prospects, working with clients, and selling properties.) Includes direct mail as part of its real estate marketing system because, as Paresh discovered, real estate direct mail creates a unique impact and helps to build loyal relationships with his prospects and past clients. Has real estate marketing experts on staff who can help with advice and ideas. Can help him become a “referral-worthy” agent. Paresh knew that’s the key to him building a thriving career. Genuinely cares about the success of their clients. And it shows. As you can see, Paresh had a lot of checkboxes that needed to be ticked before he was satisfied that he’d found a real estate marketing service to partner in his success.He was careful about who he chose, and it paid off. Three years later, his real estate geographic farming leads and client referrals are growing. As a result, Paresh feels confident — excited! — about his future.This story accurately represents the experiences of thousands of our clients using our real estate marketing systems. So we’re not shy about saying, we meet all of Paresh’s criteria!What is your criteria for choosing the right real estate marketing company? Let us know.This article was originally published on our real estate marketing tips and advice blog.

It’s Never Too Late to Re-Establish an Old Client Relationship

Thu, 24 Feb 2022 08:00:01 -0800

Your contact database is, arguably, your most valuable real estate marketing asset. It includes current and long-term prospects you’re working, business contacts you’re nurturing, and past client relationships you’re building.Of the three, past clients are the group that sometimes get neglected by agents. In fact, it’s not uncommon for an agent to have a few previous clients they haven’t been in contact with for years.That’s unfortunate.When you consider that the average past client is in a position to recommend you two or three times a year, the loss in potential real estate leads and real estate client referrals adds up. Fast.We discussed re-engaging with previous clients in an earlier blog post. But what if you have a client in your database you haven’t been in touch with for several years? To them, you may have become a distant memory. Is it worth attempting to re-establish that client relationship?It definitely is. Getting even one new real estate referral from that client, and that client’s next move, makes it worth the attempt.Here’s how to reach out:Step 1: Call them.Pick up the phone and call your old client. Let them know that, although it’s been a long while, you’ve been thinking about them and ask if you can meet (safely.) If a meeting isn’t possible, request a ZOOM call. Your goal is to get some genuine face-to-face time with the client.Step 2: Apologize.When you meet with your old client, apologize for not staying in touch as often as you originally intended. You don’t need to make too big a deal about it. Simply say something like, “Ena, I meant to stay in contact with you and Tom. I’m sorry for letting the years slip by and not keeping in touch. I’d like to make up for that now.”Step 3: Be the resource.Ask your client if they have any questions regarding the current value of their property or the local real estate market. Offer to answer their questions and provide any advice they need. Remind them that, although it’s been a few years since you last worked together, you still consider them a valuable client, and you’re there for them whenever they have questions or need real estate help.Step 4. Offer value.Commit that you’ll stay in touch with them regularly. To do that, say you’ll be mailing them a valuable real estate newsletter each month. Then, go over a current issue with them. Show them examples of the tips, how-to articles, and market updates they’ll be receiving.In addition, let them know that you’ll be staying in touch in other ways via phone calls and an annual real estate checkup.By taking these four simple steps, you stand an excellent chance of rebooting that old client relationship and, as a result, the probability of getting real estate agent referrals, as well as that client’s next move, goes way up.Takeaway: Don’t let an old client slip away. It’s never too late to re-establish that relationship.

How to Make Smarter Decisions About your Real Estate Marketing

Thu, 17 Feb 2022 08:00:03 -0800

It can be tough making decisions. In fact, there’s a whole field of psychology dedicated to the topic.You already know, intuitively, that the choices you make have a huge influence on your future. Make good decisions, and good things happen. Make poor decisions and… well… you know the rest!So how do you make better decisions, particularly when it comes to real estate marketing and generating real estate agent leads?Say, for example, your goal is to double your client referrals in a year. The choices you make now will either drive you to that finish line or cause you to fall short. How do you make the right moves?One of the best ways is to break up an important decision into a series of steps.In this case, your first step might be to review the options available. Make a list. Your options might include phoning your past clients regularly, holding an annual client appreciation event, or signing up with a more comprehensive real estate marketing system like the one we offer.As motivational guru Tony Robbins often says, “If you want to make better decisions, ask better questions.” So, your next step might be to ask a series of qualifying questions, such as the following.Which of these options: will work within the time I can commit each month? fit within my budget? are likely to work best for me? have a proven track record? (That is, thousands of other agents have been successful with this approach to getting real estate referrals.) are most likely to help me create the future I want? fit best into my day-to-day and how I want to spend my time? will help me have a more organized and easy-to-manage approach to getting real estate referrals? require work by me that falls outside my strengths? (After all, I want to spend most of my time working with clients, not stuffing envelopes!) gets me working with a company that cares about my success? A company I can work with for the long-term? There might be other questions you’d want to ask to determine the best option for you.The third step in your journey to making the best decision might be to schedule a call or quick ZOOM meeting with a mentor or real estate marketing expert to ask questions and get more information.After these steps are completed, the decision will be much easier to make. It will likely be obvious.Takeaway: If you need to make an important decision regarding your real estate marketing, think of the steps you need to take — and then take them.And, by the way, if you want to grow your client referrals, our automated, done-for-you real estate marketing system is worth considering. Check it out.This article was originally published on our real estate marketing blog. Visit us for more real estate marketing news, info and tips.

4 Myths About Real Estate Geographic Farming

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 08:00:00 -0800

If you’re working a real estate geographic farm, or are considering focusing on one, it’s all-too-easy to be influenced by misinformation. Just about everyone in the industry has an opinion — and not all those opinions are correct!So, let’s look at the most common myths about geographic farming and what the actual facts are.Myth 1. Real estate geo farming is a thing of the past. True, real estate geographic farming has been around for a while. And for good reason! It’s an effective way to build your reputation in an area, be seen as the go-to agent, and get the lion’s share of the real estate leads.Yes, the internet and digital marketing techniques have given agents new ways to generate leads. However, a real estate geographic farm can become a lead-generating asset for you that can last for years.Myth 2. All the good geographic farms are taken.At first glance, it might seem that agents have already planted their flags in every real estate geo farm in your area. But, in most cases, that’s an illusion. The reality is, there are likely several potential farms that could be a good fit for you. (Check out this article on how to choose one.)Every farm has at least some competition. But you don’t necessarily need to be number one to reap the benefits. If enough residents in a real estate geographic farm come to know, like and trust you, you’ll generate leads and referrals.Myth 3. It takes too long to get results.That begs the question, “What is ‘too long’?”It’s true that digital marketing techniques to generate online leads can work faster. However, those types of leads tend to be lower in quality compared to geographic farming leads. In fact, when you get a geo farming lead, it’s not uncommon for you to be the only agent that person called.When you start your farm, it may take 12-18 months to start seeing good results. But isn’t that worth it considering you’ll be generating high-quality real estate leads that increase each year, and for your entire career?Myth 4. Real estate geographic farming is too much work.Real estate geographic farming involves staying in touch with residents and building those relationships. The best way to do that is with an eye-catching real estate newsletter packed with value: market updates, how-to articles, tips, and more. You should also host a community event each year and build your reputation in the area in other ways.A lot of work? Yes. But you don’t have to do all that heavy lifting. If you have the right Geographic Farming System in place — one that is automated and done-for-you — then your investment is just a few hours a month.The bottom line here is that creating a thriving geographic farm can be one of the best things you do for your business. So don’t let the myths sway you. Go with the facts!

Making Real Estate Referrals an Active Part of Your Marketing

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 08:00:01 -0800

It would be difficult to find a real estate agent who doesn’t want more referrals. In fact, in the hundreds of conversations we have each year with ambitious agents, the one thing we hear most often is, “I’d like to get more of my business through referrals and word-of-mouth.”The problem is, many agents still see real estate referrals as something that “just happens.” You do a good job for a client and, eventually, they’ll recommend you to a friend or neighbour. Isn’t that how it works?Sure, some agents lean in a bit more than that in pursuit of real estate referrals. For example, they might put a “We welcome referrals” message on their website. There’s nothing wrong with that! But that’s still a passive real estate marketing approach.The reality is, if you want to get more referrals, you need to make that an active part of your marketing mix. In other words, you need to have a proven client referrals system in place that predictably generates referrals for you, year after year. Otherwise, you’ll only get a small percentage of the real estate referrals you could — and should — be getting. (Your competitors will be getting the rest of those real estate leads.)Think about how hard you work for your clients. Consider the stellar job you do for them. Don’t you deserve to get 100% of the potential referrals from those contacts — or close to it?Of course, you do.So don’t buy into the idea that real estate referrals should be “organic” and naturally arise from the great work you do for clients. The surprising truth is, many of your clients would be happy to recommend you to their friends and neighbours — but often don’t. There are many reasons for that phenomenon. But rather than get into those, let’s look at the solution.How do you make “getting more referrals” an active part of your marketing?As we referenced earlier, a Client Referrals System should include a monthly direct mail newsletter, blog articles and social media marketing, email marketing, regular calls and visits from you and, ideally, an annual client appreciate event.Working together, these components maximize relationship-building; positioning you with your past clients as the kind of agent worth hiring again and recommending to others.Yes, this is a comprehensive, and very active, approach to getting more real estate referrals. You might think, “Whoa! That looks like a lot of work.” However, if you get the right real estate marketing system in place — one that’s automated and mostly done-for-you — it will only take you an hour or two each week to manage.Takeaway: Get active with your referral marketing this month!This article was originally published on our real estate marketing blog.

Making the First Move When You Get a Real Estate Referral

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 08:00:02 -0800

Imagine receiving the following email message from a past client.“Over the weekend, I was chatting with a neighbour and he mentioned he is looking for a real estate agent. I immediately recommended you and gave him your contact information. I said you did a great job for us last year when we moved here.”Now that’s the kind of email any agent would like to receive more often! And, in fact, you can get more referrals like that if you sign up for a proven real estate marketing system for client referrals.So let’s assume you have a client referrals system in place and did get that email. Ideally, that new prospect will contact you. But what if he doesn’t? Should you make the first move and reach out to him?Yes, you should.After all, there may be many reasons why that referred prospect hasn’t contacted you. He might not have taken down your name and contact information correctly. He might be relying on remembering your name and Googling it later (and not finding you!) He might even assume you’re going to call him first.That’s why it’s smart to be proactive and follow up on a new real estate referral right away. Reach out to that potential new prospect and get the conversation started.Here are some tips for doing just that. Contact the prospect as soon as possible. Studies show that the sooner you follow up on a real estate lead (including real estate referrals), the more likely you are to get a meeting. Explain that your client suggested you reach out to them. Instead of pitching, position yourself as a helpful resource. Offer to answer questions and provide any data and other information they may need. During your initial interactions with the prospect, look for an opportunity to suggest a bigger next step, such as a listing presentation, market value assessment, etc. Of course, if you get an immediate sense that the prospect is keen on hiring you right away, then jump right into that role. That’s the advantage of using a real estate marketing system to generate real estate referrals. A referred prospect is often eager to work with you and may not even be talking to other agents.As you would any client, give the referred prospect your best effort. You can assume they will be talking to your client, so you want them to report back that you’re doing a terrific job. That way, your client will become even more motivated to send you more real estate referrals.In general, real estate referrals have the highest likelihood of quickly turning into a new client. But if you’re not careful, you can still end up dropping the ball just a yard from a touchdown! So when you get a referral, follow up promptly and in the right ways.

5 Ways to Give Yourself a Quick Boost of Confidence

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 08:00:00 -0800

Every agent has days when they feel less than confident. You wouldn’t be human if you didn’t! But that doesn’t mean you have to remain that way all day. In this fast-paced world of real estate — where you’re following up on real estate leads, working with clients, and selling properties — you need to summon motivation at will.How do you do that? Here are some tips worth trying. Do a reality check.One of the most common reasons for lack of motivation is having doubts or concerns that don’t match reality. For example, you might worry you won’t get any leads by working your real estate geographic farm. You might even be afraid that the effort is pointless.But does that concern match reality?If you’ve chosen the right farm and have a solid geographic farming system in place, the probability that you’ll succeed is high.Oftentimes, simply thinking it through and considering facts (not feelings) can pull you out of negative thinking and boost your motivation. Note your progress.When you’re having a tough day, it’s all too easy to feel like you’re getting nowhere with your goals. For example, if you just made a listing presentation that didn’t go well, you might get back to the car and beat yourself up emotionally.A better approach is to review your progress when it comes to listing presentations. Think back six months ago when you were less skilled and effective during meetings with new prospects. Then notice how much more effective you are today. You know more. Your listing presentation materials are better.Even in an area where you feel you’re not doing well; chances are you’ve made some progress. Pay attention to that. If you do, you’ll find that perspective will give your motivation a lift. Set a goal for the day.How do you feel when you reach a goal? Motivated! So a great strategy for improving your level of motivation is to set an achievable goal for the day — and then achieve it.For example, if you’re having a down day, you could set a goal of reviewing and updating your contact database. Doing that will likely reveal a couple of opportunities that could result in more real estate leads. You might notice that you haven’t contacted a particular past client for a while. Doing so might prompt that person to recommend you to a friend or neighbour, giving you a new real estate referral.By the way, our real estate CRM — a component of our real estate marketing system for client referrals — includes goal and sales pipeline tracking. Record your wins.Chances are, you’ve achieved something important last week — and have forgotten all about it. That’s because you didn’t take the time to record and celebrate that milestone.Record your wins each day. That way, you create a kind of winning streak that keeps you excited and motivated. That’s why professional athletes, who depend on motivation to perform at a world-class level, keep a record of their accomplishments.A “win” doesn’t need to be big. Customizing and sending your real estate newsletter is a win worth jotting down. Take action to gain momentum.One of the things that keeps people unmotivated is dwelling. We stay in our heads and think, think, think! There’s nothing wrong with that, especially if it results in an action plan. But you’ll never get anywhere until you take that action.Doing something, anything, tends to create momentum. And momentum builds confidence.Say you’re not happy with your current real estate marketing. You find it time-consuming and ineffective. You’re not getting many real estate leads from your efforts. Sure, that’s depressing! But focus on what action you can take to make that situation better. For example, you could look into a real estate marketing system that’s automated (less work for you) and proven (more real estate leads and referrals for you.)Takeaway: Don’t let a temporary dip in motivation ruin your day or impact your performance. Try these motivation boosters to keep you energized and inspired.This article was originally published on our real estate marketing blog. Why don't you check it out? It's pretty cool!

Why You Should Focus your Real Estate Marketing on “Inner Circles”

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 13:15:37 -0800

If you’re like most agents, you can probably define your professional network as a series of concentric circles — starting with a small inner circle and growing outwards to a larger outer circle.The inner circle are your clients (past and present) and your current hot prospects. You know them well, and they know you.The next circle out represents your longer-term prospects and residents in the real estate geographic farm you target.After that is a circle comprised of casual contacts and online leads that tend to go nowhere.Finally, the bigger outer circle represents those people you don’t know at all. Strangers.Of all these circles, which group is most likely to be a lucrative source of real estate leads and/or real estate referrals?Obviously, your inner circle — past clients, hot prospects — are a prime source of new business because they know you and, ideally, like and trust you. As we’ve said in our real estate blog before, the average client is in the position to recommend you to a friend or neighbour two to three times a year.The next circle out is also a potential goldmine of real estate leads. Homeowners in a geographic farm, who see you as the area’s go-to agent, are likely to call you first when they’re ready to move.So here’s the question…Where do you invest most of your real estate marketing efforts? Do you focus on those inner circles most likely to generate real estate leads? Or do you sink your marketing budget into trying to convert from that outer circle — mostly strangers?The reality is, the more you grow and nurture those contacts in your inner circles, the more real estate leads and real estate referrals you’ll generate. And the best part is, those leads and referrals will tend to increase year after year, without any additional effort by you.The lesson is clear. If you want to improve your real estate marketing, you need to be: Adding new contacts to your inner circles. (A great real estate CRM will help.) Staying in touch with past clients and geographic farm residents, and building those relationships. If you’re not focusing your real estate marketing on those two things, you may end up constantly scrambling for new clients and listings for years. Who wants that?The good news is, getting the right real estate marketing systems in place will not only make it a lot easier, but also maximize real estate referrals from past clients and leads from your geographic farm.Takeaway: Review your real estate marketing efforts. Are you neglecting your inner circles? If so, fix that today.Get more info on our website's real estate marketing blog

New Realtors: Does Your Real Estate Marketing Plan Match Your Vision?

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 08:00:01 -0800

Chances are, as you were working towards your real estate license, you formed a vision for what you want your career to look like in three to five years. You might have even set some ambitious goals regarding clients, income, how you’ll spend your workdays, etc.But have you ever met an agent who complained that being a Realtor wasn’t what they thought it would be?You probably have.So what happened with that person?It’s important you know because you don’t want to work hard for years, only to end up at a place in your career that’s the antithesis of what you imagined. So let’s explore that question.Take a closer look at where you want to be in three to five years. Be specific. How do you want to be spending your time? Why types of clients do you want to be working with? How many deals each month do you want to be handling?Also, pay particular attention to how you’ll get new real estate clients. That’s important because the methods you use to get real estate leads play an enormous role in what your day-to-day will be like as a Realtor.Right now, digital marketing and online leads are all the talk in the real estate industry. In fact, you might be feeling the pressure to subscribe to an online real estate lead-generating service or buy a website service that promises real estate leads.But with that approach, where will you be in three to five years?Actually, it’s predictable. You’ll be spending most of your time chasing competitive leads and trying to close them. That might be what turns you on. If it doesn’t, however, you’re on an express train to a future where your day-to-day is no fun at all (to put it mildly!)As you can see, how you decide to market your services — your real estate marketing system — is crucial.Here’s another example.Say your vision is to get most of your new business through real estate agent referrals from your network. You don’t want to be pouring money into an online lead service and desperately running down real estate leads. Attracting real estate referrals mean you’re talking to people already interested in working with you. And as your business grows, you get more and more referrals each year. Your day-to-day is spent chatting with high-quality real estate leads, working with clients, selling properties, and making deals happen.Your vision.How will you make that vision a reality? Again, it’s tied closely to how you decide to market your real estate services. In this case, you’ll need a proven real estate marketing system that will maximize referrals from your network. (Good news, you can get that here.)Bottom line: Make sure your real estate marketing matches your vision. The right marketing approach will take you where you want to go in your career. The wrong approach will take you… well… somewhere else!

Real Estate Geographic Farming from a Homeowner’s Perspective

Tue, 07 Dec 2021 08:00:05 -0800

If you want to be successful in your geographic farm, it’s essential to understand the perspective of homeowners in that area. How are they perceiving you? How are they getting to know you? How are they positioning you in their minds as compared to other agents? For example, say you focus on a geo farm and your approach is to mail a marketing piece every once in a while, and occasionally some door knocking.What is that going to look like from a homeowner’s perspective?A homeowner might see and take some interest in your flyer but one-off flyers are unlikely to build your reputation as the area’s go-to agent.To a homeowner in your real estate geographic farm, your random flyer isn’t making you stand out much.The same is true of occasionally door knocking. Yes, making that personal connection is effective. But if door knocking is all you’re relying on to become number one in your geographic farm, you’re in for a disappointment. Even if you had a wonderful five-minute chat at someone’s doorstep, they might not hear from you again for months. You risk that homeowner forgetting that conversation ever happened.Now let’s look at a different scenario.Say you have a comprehensive geographic farming system that keeps you in constant touch with homeowners. They receive a monthly geo farming newsletter featuring a personal greeting from you, your branding, market updates, how-to tips and articles, and more.Each month homeowners hear from you in this value-packed way, in addition to occasional phone calls and visits, and perhaps an annual community event, which you host.From a homeowner’s perspective, what does that look like?To them, it looks like you’re: The agent they hear from most often. The agent they’re most likely to recognize in the neighbourhood. The agent who adds value (via helpful updates and content.) The agent they’ve gotten to know well. The agent they see as someone who specializes in the area. The agent they feel most comfortable calling to ask questions and get real estate help. The agent who stands out from other agents in the area. When you look at real estate geographic farming from a homeowner’s perspective, the recipe for success is clear. Use a real estate marketing system that keeps you in touch with residents in your geo farm and consistently positions you as the area’s go-to agent. This article was originally published on our Real Estate Marketing Company blog. Visit us for real estate marketing tips, advice or to learn about our real estate marketing products and programs.

Is your Real Estate Marketing a Money Pit or an Investment?

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 08:00:00 -0800

We all know what a money pit is. It’s something that we keep having to sink money into, yet gives us very little return. For example, an old car might be considered a money-pit if you constantly need to take it in for repairs and the thing still keeps breaking down!The opposite of a money-pit is a good investment. That’s something you put money into that consistently pays off for you. In real estate terms, that payoff could be in the form of increased real estate leads, real estate referrals, or both.When it comes to where you invest your real estate marketing dollars, you definitely want to invest rather than just sink your budget into a money pit.Consider the following examples.Say you’re spending money on online leads. You’re either signing up with an online lead-gen company, or you purchase online advertising. Would that real estate marketing strategy be a money pit or an investment?Let’s take a look.According to studies: Less than 1% of online leads result in a new client or listing for anyone. An average of 16 agents receive the same lead. You need to follow up on such leads quickly, usually within an hour, to have any chance of converting them. Often, you’re up against teams of sales associates who are highly skilled at working these types of leads. As you can see, sinking money into online leads is mostly a money pit. It hits your credit card regularly, usually each month. The chances of you converting enough of these leads to make your time, and the dollars you spend, worthwhile are very low.Now let’s look at another example.Say you’re staying in touch with past clients using an effective client referrals real estate marketing system. That system includes an eye-catching real estate newsletter packed with valuable content, real estate email marketing, real estate social media marketing, and more. And best of all, it’s primarily an automated, done-for-you system.According to studies: Past clients are in a position to recommend an agent two or three times a year. If you stay in touch regularly with them, you’ll get the majority of those real estate referrals. In sharp contrast with online leads, real estate referrals have the highest likelihood of converting for you. Would you say focusing on client referrals is an investment or a money pit? Obviously, an investment. The more you stay in touch with past clients, the greater their loyalty to you builds, and the more real estate referrals you generate.So when deciding how to spend your marketing budget, especially if that budget is limited, make sure it’s in an investment and not in a money-pit! This article was originally published on our Real Estate Marketing Company blog. Visit us for real estate marketing tips, advice or to learn about our real estate marketing products and programs.

New Realtors: The Tortoise & The Hare & Real Estate Marketing

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 08:00:01 -0800

Chances are, you’ve heard the children’s story of the turtle and the rabbit. One day — or should we say, once upon a time! — they decided to race each other.The rabbit ran in fits and starts. He’d sprint for a bit, then tire and crash. Then run some more. The turtle, however, took a different approach. She raced at a steady pace.You know how the story ends. The turtle won.But she succeeded not because she was slow. That’s a myth. The real reason she won is that she created momentum. She did the right things, consistently, and got increasingly better results.What does this have to do with real estate marketing and your first year as a real estate agent?A lot of rookie Realtors take the rabbit approach. They jump into a real estate marketing tactic, work at it for a week or two, get frustrated, and then move onto something else. Their real estate marketing ends up being all over the place — an online ad here, a prospecting day there. Unfortunately, they end up getting very few quality real estate leads. That’s because they never gain any momentum.You don’t want to be the rabbit. It’s exhausting.What does the turtle approach look like when applied to real estate marketing for new Realtors? Let’s take a look at an example.Say you build a database of contacts comprised of previous clients, past and current prospects, and other connections, such as people you meet at an event. These are people who have at least some probability of giving you a referral or hiring you as their agent. (You’ll need a good real estate CRM to manage these contacts.)Now imagine you keep in touch with them in a variety of ways. Each month they receive an eye-catching real estate newsletter in the mail, featuring your brand and personal message, and packed with valuable market updates and how-to articles. They get a call from you once a quarter as you update them on the market and answer their real estate questions. Previous clients enjoy a visit from you once a year to do an Annual Checkup. Everyone gets invited to a client appreciation or community event you host once a year. That consistent approach to staying in touch builds loyalty to you. Your contacts increasingly see you as their go-to Realtor — so much so that they recommend you to others and call you first when they move.That’s the power of consistency. This steady approach leads to increasingly more real estate leads and referrals, year after year.How do you get this approach working for you starting this month? Sign up with a proven, done-for-you real estate marketing system that creates the consistency and momentum for you.Be the turtle! This article was originally published on our Real Estate Marketing Company blog. Visit us for real estate marketing tips, advice or to learn about our real estate marketing products and programs.

The 3 C’s to Better Real Estate Geo Farming Results

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 08:00:01 -0800

The great thing about real estate geographic farming is that you’re building an asset. Like any savvy investment, your geo farm will ideally pay regular dividends — in the form of real estate agent leads — for years to come.That’s the main benefit of being seen as the agent-of-choice in a specific area or neighbourhood.However, you’ll only get results if you do real estate geographic farming the right way. What’s the “right way”? A handy way to remember is the 3 C’s. CommunicationYou need to communicate with residents. They need to hear from you regularly and get to “know, like and trust” you.In fact, successful real estate geographic farming has more to do with building relationships than it does with traditional prospecting and advertising.That’s why a good geographic farming newsletter is a must, especially a printed version that is mailed. It’s the next best thing to you having an in-person conversation with each resident every month.Other ways of communicating include Just Listed and Just Sold announcements, stay-in-touch calls and emails, community events, and personal visits. ConsistencyIf you met someone only once several months ago, they’d still seem like a stranger if you ran into them again. Building relationships with your farming residents requires consistency. They need to hear from you regularly. Otherwise, they won’t come to see you as their go-to agent.Once again, your geographic farming newsletter plays a big role here. Because it’s mailed monthly, the consistency you need to generate real estate leads from your farm is built in.Consistency drives relationship-building. The more residents hear from you, the more the “know, like and trust” level grows.As this article in CSM Magazine points out, “The importance of consistency in building strong customer relationships can’t be overemphasized.” ContentWhile communicating consistently with your geographic farming residents is important, the “content” of your communications is also crucial.Take your geo farming newsletter, for example. It needs to provide information that’s helpful to residents. You want them to look forward to receiving it each month. So make sure your geographic farming newsletter is packed with value: market insights, how-to articles, tips.You should also be adding value in all your other communications with farming prospects, including when you call or email.Every time you add value with your content, it’s like making a deposit into an investment guaranteed to pay high returns.Takeaway: If you want to get better results, faster, with your farm, make sure your geographic farming marketing system is maximizing the 3 C’s. This article was originally published on our Real Estate Marketing Company blog. Visit us for real estate marketing tips, advice or to learn about our real estate marketing products and programs.

Help Stressed-Out Clients: Relationship-Focused Real Estate Marketing

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 08:00:01 -0800

Unless it’s a balanced market, there’s often stress on one side of the transaction or the other.In a buyer’s market, for example, your seller clients worry, “Will our home sell in time? Will we get enough money from the sale? What if our home doesn’t sell?”In a seller’s market — which is at record-breaking levels in many areas these days — your buyers are concerned and thinking, “Will we ever find a home in our price range? What if we find a home we like but there are multiple offers? How do we compete?”A big part of your job as an agent is to help clients ease that stress by working with them to successfully buy or sell — or both.How do you do that?Surprising, your real estate marketing plays a major role.Obviously, you want your marketing to generate real estate leads and attract real estate referrals. But your real estate marketing also needs to consistently communicate to prospects and clients that you’re the kind of agent who cares.To use a popular expression, your real estate marketing needs to build your “know, like and trust” level with your contacts.For example, say you’ve been staying in touch with residents in a neighbourhood you’re targeting. You’ve been smart about your geographic farming strategy; mailing residents a high-value geo farming newsletter each month and building those relationships in other ways.Now, one of those residents is ready to sell — and buy another home. But they’re stressed about the market. Who are they going to call to work with them?Chances are, you.When times are tough, people tend to gravitate to those professionals they know, like and trust. That new prospect trusts you because you’ve stayed in touch and provided helpful advice and information along the way. They feel less stressed because they’re dealing with you and not a stranger.Your relationship-building real estate marketing approach made that happen.The same holds true with past clients. When you stay in touch and continue to build those relationships — by mailing a monthly real estate newsletter, scheduling an annual visit, and adding value in other ways — that client is likely to call you again for their next move. For them, you’re the stress-free choice.In addition, those clients will be much more likely to recommend you to their friends and neighbours. So you get more real estate referrals.Even for new prospects who don’t know you yet, they’ll feel less stressed — and be more likely to hire you — if they see you’re the type of agent who values relationships.Takeaway: Review your current real estate marketing system. Is it positioning you as an agent that values and builds relationships? If not, get this advantage working for you today.

Does your Real Estate Marketing Include These Two Drivers of Persuasion?

Tue, 02 Nov 2021 08:00:00 -0700

What persuades someone to do something?Social scientists have been researching that question for decades and have come up with solid answers. In fact, there is no longer any mystery as to how someone becomes motivated to buy a particular model of car, choose one insurance company over another — or hire you as their real estate agent.Persuasion is more of an exact science than you may have realized!A giant in this field of research is Dr. Robert Cialdini, who popularized the six core drivers of persuasion and mapped out how they work.Let’s take a look at two of these and how they can help you generate more real estate leads and attract more real estate referrals.Persuasion driver: LIKINGImagine a homeowner, “Jim,” who is ready to sell. Every week he’s contacted by agents who want his business. They call. They email. They knock on his door. Jim barely knows any of them.However, there is one agent that Jim does know. In fact, you could say he “knows, likes and trusts” him — even though Jim has not worked with that agent yet.Who’s most likely to get the listing? One of those agent “strangers” calling and emailing? Or the agent Jim has come to know well?The answer is obvious.According to persuasion research, we’re far more likely to do business with a professional we already know — or has been recommended by someone we know. In addition, we’re more likely to believe that professional and trust their advice.How do you leverage this core driver of persuasion? Focus your real estate marketing on building relationships. You can do that by staying in touch with past clients (for more real estate referrals) and working a real estate geographic farm (for more high-quality leads.)Persuasion driver: RECIPROCITYIf someone does you a favour, you probably feel a sense of obligation. Chances are, you’ll look for the opportunity to “return the favour” in the future.That’s the power of reciprocity.How do you use that in your real estate marketing?The best way is to add value each time you communicate with a prospect or client. You can do that with: A real estate newsletter packed with helpful content (market updates, tips, how-to articles.) An annual checkup for past clients. Community and client appreciation events. Being helpful each time you talk to a prospect (rather than just asking for the business.) Another way to think about reciprocity is making a goodwill deposit. The more deposits you make when you connect with prospects and clients, the more likely those contacts will be to hire or refer you.Takeaway: Does your real estate marketing system leverage these two drivers of persuasion? If not, consider making a change this week!(If you’re interested in Robert Cialdini’s principles of persuasion, you can find them here.)

How to Increase Conversions on your Real Estate Agent Website

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 06:55:25 -0700

Imagine a hot prospect visits your real estate agent website. They’re planning to sell and actively seeking real estate help. So, obviously, you’re hoping they’ll contact you.But will they?That depends, in large part, on the experience they have on your website. It’s a myth to think your website is like a magnet drawing people in and generating real estate leads. In fact, that’s not its primary purpose. What you need your website to do is: Position you as a referral-worthy Realtor. Make it easy for prospects to learn more about you. Build trust. Capture the real estate lead. In other words, when it comes to successful real estate marketing, the most important role your website plays is converting real estate leads into enquiries that you can follow up on.So how do you make sure your agent website does that effectively?When a prospect visits your website, there’s a conversation going on in their head. It usually goes something like this:“I need to find the ideal agent; someone I can trust. I want to feel comfortable I’m making the right choice. I want this agent to be knowledgeable and helpful. I also want to choose someone who isn’t in it merely for the transaction and commission, but who genuinely cares about doing a great job for us.”Make sure your real estate agent website content satisfies that desire. You want a prospect to explore your site and think, “Yep, this is an agent I should talk to.”One proven way to build trust and likeability is to add value. You should have a regularly published blog that features original content such as personal messages, market updates, how-to articles, selling and buying tips, and more. That helps position you as a helpful, knowledgeable agent who cares, rather than someone just trying to hook a listing.A blog like that is easy to keep up when you use a done-for-you real estate marketing system.Another way to boost conversions is to make information about you and your services easy to find on your website. Is it obvious which areas you specialize in? Can a prospect quickly learn more about you and your credentials?Also, check that your real estate agent website looks good on mobile devices. According to research by UseabilityGeek.com, not having a responsive design can torpedo the user experience. (And you don’t want that!)Finally, make sure there are lead capture forms on your agent website. Even when a prospect becomes interested in contacting you, they might not call or email right away. What a lead capture form does is gets their name and email so you can be proactive and follow up. Lead capture forms can rescue up to 30% of real estate leads on your website that might otherwise be lost.Takeaway: Review your real estate website. Is it optimized for conversion? If not, make some changes this week. This article was originally published on our Real Estate Marketing Company blog. Visit us for real estate marketing tips, advice or to learn about our real estate marketing products and programs.

Real Estate Marketing to Rookie Realtors: Advice from Your Future Self

Tue, 19 Oct 2021 08:00:04 -0700

Imagine your “future self” just walked into your home office. After you get past the shock and quantum-existential concerns, you’re eager to hear what that person has to say.What would your future self advise, you wonder, regarding your real estate marketing? What approaches will they recommend for generating real estate leads and getting more client referrals?If your future self is five years ahead of your current rookie realtor status, here are nine suggestions your future self will likely offer you today — especially if this is your first year as a new real estate agent.Start building your network now Leads and referrals come from establishing and growing relationships. Sign up for a good real estate CRM and begin adding contacts to your database.Be wary of “buying” real estate leads online Chasing those opportunities can be a tough grind. According to research, less than 1% of online leads convert — even for top agents with teams.Do a great job with every client If you do, that person can become a steady source of real estate leads and repeat business. (The average homeowner knows two to three people each year who are moving.)Have an effective real estate marketing system in place for staying in touch with clients and other contacts and building those relationships Be the “referral worthy” agent they trust and call first.Understand that your agent website doesn’t generate leads all by itself. It’s not a magnet Instead, the purpose of your site is to convert leads. So make sure it’s set up to do that effectively. (For example, it should have lead-capture forms.)Leverage the power of real estate direct mail marketing It is, by far, the most effective tactic for reaching and engaging your database of contacts. Use an excellent real estate mailing service.Add value every time you reach out For example, make sure your real estate newsletter is packed with original, high-interest articles, tips and updates.Choose a “right fit” geographic farm Use a proven geographic farming newsletter and other strategies to become the go-to agent in that area. A geographic farm is a lead-generating asset that can pay off for you for years.There are a lot of real estate marketing companies out there Work with one who has decades of experience, proven systems, and sincerely cares about your success. They should be as interested in building your career as you are! Chances are, that’s fairly close to what your future self would tell you. That’s because these real estate marketing tips are proven to create a solid foundation for you as a rookie Realtor.It’s great advice from someone you trust, your future self. Take it!