While talk of Canada’s real estate markets is often dominated by what’s happening in Toronto and Vancouver, many Realtors thrive under the radar in small and mid-sized communities.

Different dynamics are at play in these markets, requiring unique strategies for success.

Building a reputation in a close-knit community

Richard Pochylko, associate broker with Century 21 Advantage, serves Red Deer, Alta., and its surrounding communities, covering a population of about 130,000 within a 30-minute radius. Pochylko, who says he’s averaged 58 transactions annually since 1999, explains the region mostly consists of working-class buyers, with the average home price currently around $390,000 to $400,000. High-end buyers exist, but they’re fewer in number compared to Calgary—75 minutes south.

“Your reputation can precede you very easily in a smaller community,” Pochylko explains, noting that people talk, especially about Realtors. “If someone has a good experience, they’ll tell people and push them to use that agent. If they’ve had a bad experience, they’ll do the same going the other direction.”

The role of traditional and digital marketing

Pochylko has found success through both traditional and digital marketing techniques. For about 12 years, he committed to print marketing, distributing over 28,000 flyers every month. This exposure was invaluable; people he’d never met started recognizing him around town.

When his print strategy eventually peaked, Pochylko shifted to radio ads. He explains that people have trouble pronouncing his last name, so he leaned into that, using humour that verbally played on the name so people would remember it. He recalls his daughter being embarrassed when it came up on a weekend away with friends. “It worked! That’s the whole point of advertising—good, bad or indifferent,” he surmises. “They never forgot my name.”

Strong, honest relationships—and pricing— as a success strategy

“The type of experience I try to create with every person I deal with is one of blunt honesty,” Pochylko explains. For example, when viewing homes with buyers, he’s very clear that the goal is not to purchase that day but for him to see their reactions.

“You can tell right away by body language if they don’t like a house, (so) I’d say, ‘This place sucks. Let’s get outta here.’ And we’d leave.” Pochylko knows he isn’t selling the house, so he’ll work with clients for as long as it takes them to find the right home—whether it’s two weeks, six months or even longer.

He’s equally honest with sellers. “No one really cares about where you’ll advertise, how big your brokerage is or how many ends you’ve done. They care about how much money they’ll get and how you know they’ll get it.”

This is the idea behind his detailed pricing strategy. Instead of finding out what clients want and trying to meet their often above-market-value goal, he sets them up for the truth—even if it’s tough and not what they want to hear. “Then, you can’t really fail.”

The importance of engaging the community

Three hours south in Lethbridge, Justin Myer team leader of ViewLethbridge, says his small town has been busy. Since 2019, his team has completed 1,725 ends, totalling about $580-million. 

While Lethbridge is home to many families, the region has recently seen an uptick in interprovincial migration and job transfers. The area’s average home price sits at about $336,000, Myer says, which attracts young families and first-time buyers.

Myer stresses the need to engage the community. He says Lethbridge, like most small communities, is a referral-based town. “Your reputation matters—being a good person, volunteering in the community, all those things add up over the years. Of my 38 agents, the ones with longevity are out there (in the community).”

Diversity in marketing is key

Like Pochylko, Myer experienced success with radio advertising. This was solidified when a stranger at the golf course overheard him and recognized his voice.

However, he stresses that diversifying is key. “You put a bench (ad) out not because someone will buy a house today, but for long-term recognition.” He says combining this with other mediums like radio and social media gives agents social proof and high recognition. He feels that Realtors can pigeonhole themselves by not considering multiple strategies. For example, if the target audience doesn’t watch YouTube all day, they might not get any content if that agent does videos exclusively.

But he certainly sees the power of social media when used intentionally, with a hook, to collect email addresses. For his team, email marketing is about offering something of value and seeing who responds over time. This creates qualified leads, even if a transaction takes years. “As soon as they raise their hand, it’s me taking over and having that conversation…That human element gets missed by a lot of agents. Everyone’s going on Instagram, making a funny video—how many houses did they sell?”

Be resilient, be humble and know your stuff

Myer follows a similar pricing philosophy to Pochylko. He finds it especially useful in what he calls the “Steady Eddie” Lethbridge market, which he says fluctuates within a couple of percentage points annually. “We do our best to price using all available data, but there’s less data (than in cities),” he notes.

For example, he might get an acreage outside of town with no comparable sales from the previous year. This becomes a best guess, which can be tough to manage if that guess is too high for the market. So having a strong client relationship, he says, is crucial to moving forward successfully.

“(If) we’ve had no one see it in two months, what’s next? Is it always lowering the price? Is it different marketing? Those conversations are needed, which are a little tougher here.” 

It’s those tough conversations, Myer believes, that offer learning experiences and make for better agents. “You have to have thick skin because your clients will argue with you more. You have to be okay with the fact that you’re not a superstar. You have to really be on the ball.”