Digital marketing tools available now are true game changers. If you want to succeed in this business, you have to start using them.
If you think this is an exaggeration, consider this. Could you survive in the real estate business today if you didn’t have a mobile phone with an Internet connection? It was introduced to the market in 2007, less than 10 years ago. These mobile devices are now an essential business tool for every Realtor.
But mobile phones were just the beginning. Digital marketing technologies have gone through exponential growth since 2007. Now there are even more powerful digital tools that can be used to bring you a steady stream of top-quality leads. But these tools are not yet being used by most Realtors. Imagine trying to compete in the long distance hauling business using a team of horses, when your competitors are using modern 18 wheelers? This is pretty much the situation facing many Realtors today.
Here are two examples of powerful digital lead generating tools, available right now, but seldom used by Realtors:
- Facebook is now the world’s largest social network and the ideal advertising medium for Realtors to connect with prospective home buyers and sellers. Through Facebook ads you can direct your lead generating activities to precisely targeted demographic and psychographic groups within a region of five km. With the availability of this technology, why on earth would a Realtor waste time and money using antiquated printed household flyers that cost more and can’t be precisely targeted to prospective home buyers and sellers?
- Using automated email marketing technology, you can – within six months – build a sphere of influence that extends to thousands of prospective home buyers and sellers. Before this technology was available it took many years to build meaningful relationships and a large sphere of influence. You had to keep in touch through phone calls, individual emails, personal meetings, doing charitable work and joining social, sports and special interest clubs or organizations.
In both of the examples cited above, the required technologies weren’t available even five years ago.
Don’t be intimidated by new technology. Keep this in mind when you are considering the use of new innovations: you don’t have to understand how something works to make use of it.
There are only three things you have to know:
- What can this do for me that I couldn’t do before?
- How do the costs and benefits compare to the lead generation tactics I’m currently using?
- Will this give me a competitive advantage in building my business?
You don’t have to be a highly trained programmer or know how to write code to use a computer. You don’t have to know how your car’s engine works to drive it. It’s the same situation when it comes to using the latest Facebook advertising platforms or using automated email marketing.
Conventional lead generating and relationship building programs typically eat up a huge portion of time for Realtors and their assistants. This is not the case with the digital lead generating tactics discussed above. These are autopilot systems that provide you with a steady stream of pre-qualified leads.
With these new lead generating tactics you no longer have to out-source printing, graphic design and home delivery of printed promotions. Instead, you will outsource the work involved to create and test various ads and email messages, manage the day-to-day placement of Facebook ads and the broadcasting of email messages.
When you’ve made a full conversion to the digital lead generating tactics described above, you will enjoy these benefits:
- You will have a dependable and steady stream of pre-qualified leads.
- On a day’s notice you can accelerate or cut back on the flow of leads coming in.
- Your cost per qualified lead will drop dramatically.
- You will get monthly reports on your cost per lead and the sales angle that’s most effective within your market sector.
- You will see a big reduction in the time you’ve been spending to go after new leads.
- You’ll have a big edge over your competitors.
Be an early adopter and capitalize on these amazing business building technologies. Realtors who want to stay at the leading edge in their profession should check out these powerful digital business building tools. They are true game changers.
Over the next 10 years, these technologies will improve your business building effectiveness as surely the mobile phone has during the past 10 years.
Ron Hume is the founder and president of Top-Tier Realty, a company that provides digital marketing services to Realtors. One of Canada’s most respected marketing authorities, he is a recipient of the American Marketing Association’s Donald D. MacAskill Award for Marketing Excellence. Email Ron Hume.
