- Set up a content calendar of what you are posting and when
Maintaining a comprehensive online marketing strategy can seem overwhelming if you try to remember what to post and when on your own. Instead of relying on your memory, set up a content calendar that outlines exactly what you have to post each day. Take the time to include topics for your blogs; the extra time you spend in the planning stage will pay large dividends throughout the month when you are able to complete all your social media and content marketing in less than an hour a day. A typical calendar will include:: - Facebook – 1-2 posts per day with photos
- Twitter – 6-8 posts per day; photos can be included with some posts
- Google+ – 1 post per week
- Linked In – 1 post per week
- Pinterest – 1 post per week
- Blog – 1-2 posts per week
- Website – 2-3 posts per week; post pictures and videos of new and featured listings or neighborhood areas of interest
- Collect email addresses and business cards wherever you go
Think about the number of new contacts you make in the course of an average day – how many of those could lead to new clients if you followed up on that meeting? Approach this as a numbers game; the more contacts you make, the more chances you get to sign a new client. With a decent scanning and OCR program on your smartphone, these contacts’ info are at your disposal in an instant. Remember, networking is only effective if you follow-up with your contacts! - Use a social media monitoring program for a consistent marketing effort
Consistency is the key to successful marketing, but if you are interrupting your work every hour or so to make Twitter or Facebook posts, your business is going to suffer. Use a social media management program like Hootsuite that lets you upload all your social media posts, email messages, etc. at the same time and then posts them at the optimal times throughout the day. This enables you to execute a consistent, targeted marketing strategy; listening tools allow you to monitor social media conversations for emerging trends so you can supplement your strategy with spontaneous posts for up-to-the-minute relevancy. Available analytical tools allow you to track the success of your campaigns and adjust for maximum impact. - Engage customers using visual postings on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest
Real estate marketing lends itself to the visual; invest in a good camera phone so you are always ready to snap shots of your properties’ best features and capture moments of beauty that show local neighborhoods off to their best advantage. Post and tag your photos to Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest for maximum impact. - Add video postings to rev up appeal and build interest
Short videos will showcase the best features of your properties and neighborhoods in a way that even the best blogs and photos never could. Ideally, you should mix property tours, neighborhood areas of interest, and informational videos to get the best results. And don’t worry – your videos don’t need to be Hollywood productions, just 15-30 second snippets that bring the featured property or subject to life. - Write a weekly blog to bring visitors to your real estate website
If you’re wondering how to drive traffic to your real estate site, a well-written weekly blog is the answer. Blog writing is easier than you may realize, especially if you create a calendar ahead of time with topics based on these basic themes: - Local Information – Area happenings and networking events, information on neighborhood schools, local areas of interest such as restaurants, galleries, etc.
- Helpful Tips and Guides – Home buying guides, moving tips, checklists for buyers and sellers, and more
- Marketing Information – Familiarize visitors with marketing strategies and services that may be of value to them
- Send out a monthly email newsletter
An email newsletter with 3 or 4 well-written articles on real estate matters such as financing, homeownership issues, etc. is a great way to keep in touch with clients. Create three versions of your email newsletter: one targeted to appeal to the specific interests of buyers, one to sellers, and another to renters, sending each to the appropriate portion of your email list. Add a “how-to” video and pictures to maximize the impact of this powerful marketing tool. - Maximize your lead generation efforts through online and offline social networking
Actively participate in online groups and forums, answering questions, commenting on posts, and sharing your expertise with consumers and business professionals. Take the time for friendly interactions that have nothing to do with business; with just a few minutes a day spent on non-business related emails and follow-ups to postings, you can develop the long-lasting personal relationships that are so valuable in the real estate business. Personal referrals remain one of the best ways to generate real estate leads, so keep the networking up once you are offline by joining local business associations, attending networking events, and holding/attending seminars. - Highlight your real estate expertise using off-website postings
Local newspapers and magazines are always searching for new and relevant content; approach several with guest written articles that showcase your professional expertise. Take the time to scan articles on their sites once or twice a week; take advantage of any opportunity to post relevant comments that will demonstrate the breadth of your real estate knowledge. - Put on your party planning hat and turn your open houses into social events
Approach each open house as a public relations event, giving it a full allocation of time and resources to ensure its success. Publicize your open house using all your online and offline channels: create a Facebook Event to invite your client list, send out email invites, post teaser photos on Instagram, model lifestyle décor looks at the home on Pinterest, etc. Have your open house catered or provide sophisticated food offerings on your own, include music, and plan the event for the time the property receives the most traffic (from rush hour commuters, Sunday Service attendees, etc.). Find a creative approach that will make your open house an event that everyone will want to attend, such as turning it into a wine testing (white only!).
For help implementing these top real estate marketing ideas, you can count on the real estate marketing experts at For Sale Marketing. Our dedicated team can provide you with comprehensive real estate marketing services that include social media marketing strategies; expert email and blog writing services; professional real estate photography and video production; and much more.
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Contact For Sale Marketing today at 954-779-2801 for more real estate marketing ideas and expert real estate content services that will build your business!