Become The Customer -
Try being the customer so you can be a better promoter. Online listings are a crucial component of any real estate agent. Therefore it is rather surprising how many listings are of poor quality. Poorly lit and composed photos haphazardly assembled. As a potential client I would rather see a neatly cleaned dwelling instead of clutter abound. One of my biggest irks are photos from the inside out. All too often they are not available because the view is just not desirable. I guess the common wisdom is “see for yourself” and be surprised. Not only is this approach insulting to the potential client but a straight out time waster.
As a potential buyer I would like to see the following photos:
- A cleaned up dwelling
- View to the outside from every window
- Laundry area, Kitchen and bathrooms
- Common areas
- Neighborhood
- View from the street and surrounding etc.
Naturally along with the photos a client needs potential data pertinent to the listing. If the list is not complete you risk to waste time answering questions or simply loose the client.
- Price history
- Home owners fees
- Taxes
- Schools in the area
- Grocery stores nearby
- Shopping locations etc.
A few tips to make your photos look professional:
- Mind the time of the day. Shoot early in the morning or evening. Make sure no harsh light enters a room
- Use a flash and point it at the ceiling to properly balance the brightness of the inside and outside. This will also allow for an image to show the important “view” to the outside.
- Use Lightroom or Photoshop to clean up your photos
- Buy a dedicated camera which also allows for video recording
- If in doubt hire a professional
Show And Tell
Every real estate agent should have a blog. There is so much to write about the industry. Potential clients are interested in the shift of the markets. The financial aspect, the hot spots, the trends and the economics. If you live in a culturally diverse region write about upcoming venues or culinary experiences. They always relate to real estate somehow. As a side effect you will increase your SEO (search engine optimization) exposure. Yes, Google and Bing will gauge your involvement and reward you with better search engine placement. Facebook and twitter is another place to get the proverbial foot in the door. Pintrest is a wonderful place to upload your real estate “gems”.
How about EDDM (every door direct mail)? A surprisingly inexpensive way to cover whole zip codes. Periodically send out a postcard with your accomplishments, news and trends. Hire an online printing service with great designs to help you create the look you need. Be careful with cheap five dollar labor as you will most likely get copied content. A professional will also make sure your mailer is up to USPS standards. The beauty of EDDM? You don’t need a mailing list and you can define your demographics.
Door hangers are very effective. Hire a youngster to place them around the desired neighborhood. A rather inexpensive approach to expose your business for very little money. What content may you place on those door hangers?
- Introduce yourself as the new expert
- Seasonal information
- Buy or sell inquiry
- New listings etc.
Marketing Basic
Real estate agents need a good looking business card. It is the least expensive investment that makes the most impact. Subconsciously we size a person by his/her appearance. Penny pinching is definitely not advisable and a few extra dollars spent will pay in dividends. I highly suggest to get at least 500 cards. Why? 500+ cards are printed on high end offset printing machines giving sharper text and better UV gloss coverage. 5000 business cards will give you breathing room to generously hand out your cards. It’s also the least expensive on a per copy basis. Pick a printer with great designs and a fast online designer to quickly play with ideas.
Some advocate not to freely hand out your business card but rather have the client approach you. This is nonsense. In the end, all that counts is your information transferred from you to the potential client. Later when the recipient looks at your card it either travels to the waste basket or a safe place no matter what. I once accidentally dropped a business card at the post office. I was surprised when weeks later I receive a call from a potential client. So you never know. Don’t be stingy with your business cards. REMAX agent business cards. Real estate realtors
Appreciation
For many, the purchase of a house is the largest investment in their life. With a hefty price tag the realtor makes a sizable profit. So why not periodically show your appreciation. A small postcard can go a long way. Pre-print a stack of thank you cards. Or how about jotting down the birthdays of your clients and surprise them with a tastefully prepared mailer. Tip: Print the address site matte and the front UV coated (glossy). Matte allows for easy address writing. Gloss UV makes the colors pop and protect your mailer from smutches.
Use MailChimp to keep track of your clients and send out a monthly newsletter. Open a free account to get started. You can also incorporate a signup page inside your blog.
Power Of Video
As a realtor you spend plenty of time driving to locations. Just like a properly prepared listing, a great video will sort out the less interested clients.
Use video to your advantage as the private concierge. To take proper footage either hire a company or invest in a gimbal. A gimbal will make your footage smooth and professional looking by stabilizing your camera. If allowed in your area utilize a drone to film for a top down look of the real estate property. 360-degree videos can help create immersive experiences for buyers. Upload the video to your YouTube account for everybody to enjoy. Talking about Youtube channel, use this venue to create your own vlog (video blogging). Try to keep a steady stream of new footage every two weeks. If you wish you can even monetize on your videos by opening a Google AdSense account.
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