There’s a party going on online and everyone is invited! But, just how are you supposed to show up and once you are there, what are the best things to do?
Here are some ideas you can use over and over again, that anyone can easily follow for a successful online marketing campaign.
You know how to market your homes for sale, but many agents feel at a loss when it comes to getting themselves some exposure. The concept is the same. Get professional photos, highlight your features and benefits and with everything you do, let your personality shine through. Make it emotional. A typical post I see online shows an empty room of a listing, with a heading such as “price adjustment” and the Realtor’s name.
This could be so much better with just a bit of attention. For example, this could have had the text, “I’m empty without you.” It allows viewers to feel an emotion about the home.
Keeping your good ideas on a spreadsheet is a practical way to stay organized. I recommend a simple Excel document divided into months of the year for your big-picture plan and then additional pages for each month to hold your social media ideas. This way, if you get a brilliant idea for a Halloween promotion (for example) but it is still summer, you have a safe place to tuck the idea away – and find it when it’s time.
Being clear and organized is key.
If you would like the resource that I use with my coaching clients, email me and I am happy to send you my Annual Marketing Excel Spreadsheet for you to use.
Here is a simple exercise to help you expose yourself online (appropriately) with great ideas – enough for five weeks worth of content.
Five stories
You need to share your story of why you are compelled to be a real estate agent. People need to be able to feel that you will do the best job for them. Think about what owning a home means to you, or your parents or what it meant to your grandparents. Brainstorm advice your father gave you about business, or money. Share memories of family gatherings from birth to death that centre around the family kitchen and a safe place to be together.
Five staged photos
Who doesn’t love a bit of real estate “porn”? If your own listings don’t show the glamour of a life well-loved, then capture some ideal interiors that will take people’s breath away and give your network something great to look at.
Do not use social media as a listing service. I see agents who just post listing after listing, open house after open house, price reduction after – well, you get the idea! Stop it.
Five calls to action / invitations
Just posting can be a waste of time if you aren’t consistently asking for business. You must let people know that you want to help them. However, please don’t resort to over-used gimmicks such as “Are you looking to buy or sell?” Imagine a new attention-grabbing, out-of-the-ordinary way to invite people to connect with you. Perhaps something like:
“Cocktails are on the house when discussing your real estate investments”
“Coffee at your place? I’d love to see your home”
“I’ll buy the wine, you choose the time”
Do not hide your contact information. How many times have I gone to email a real estate agent but could not find their contact info? In your “About” sections, make sure you list your cell number as well as your direct email.
Five throw-back Thursdays #tbt
Everyone loves going back in time to view your embarrassing hair-dos, cars, homes and more. Gather some memories and post them. You can use houses, neighbourhoods, businesses and your personal history.
Do not forget to use hashtags! Even LinkedIn is encouraging the use of them. #usethem
Five memes
These can be quotes you love, things you say, things you have heard your clients say, photos you love, words that match with your brand.… Gather them and brand them.
Do not steal original work and pass if off as your own. Always give credit to the owner of the quote.
Five personal posts
Let your peeps get to know you. An agent who is doing this really well right now is Tanya Eklund from Calgary. She just filmed some pieces to share her life with her network. It is done professionally and hitting the mark.
Do not be afraid to get real!
I often recommend spending an hour one afternoon or evening gathering content that matches your brand and elevates your reputation. Save everything to a marketing folder so you have a variety of options at your finger tips. Then, use something like the annual marketing plan mentioned earlier to strategically plan out your material for each month, and ultimately throughout the year.
Sue Styles is the VP of Real Estate and Mortgages at Relo.ca. She has nearly two decades of experience coaching real estate agents and is the CEO of Maximized Results Consulting. She guides real estate agents to maximize their potential and reach unwavering results by revealing their possibilities, challenging the status quo, and setting up their systems for success. She is the author of three books and a professional speaker; reach out for business coaching and resources!
