Real Estate and marketing. Google it and see the result hits, astounding, over one million. Why? It's simple. Real Estate agents can sell real estate but can they sell themselves? Looking at the fact that Google search brings up over one million, it says one thing..... Real Estate Agents need information on marketing.
If you are still selling real estate the way you did even 5 years ago, you need a marketing representative. You need a whole new approach to selling "you" to the next client. There are seminars you can go to, there are classes that you can take but then who does the work? There is social media out there, this you know. You can set up the Facebook page but do you know what you are doing? Do you know the right time to post on Facebook, the exact hours that have the most impact? What about your company website? Does it have a link that directs a client to you? Have you put a personal message or bio on it about you or does it just sit out there in cyberspace with a picture of what you looked like when you were pregnant and now your child is 5 years old.
There was a huge marketing rage about 10 years ago when all the Real Estate Agents went to Glamour shots, had their pictures taken and every one's business card had their picture on it. It was a great marketing plan for photographers but most of the pictures looked nothing like the agent. And seriously, I mean looked nothing like the agent. An agent didn't need to look like a model, they needed to look like a professional real estate agent and they needed to look like the person on the card. I still see these business cards out there and I cringe.
There is also the open houses, signs with balloons, is this still working? Well the balloon companies are making a profit. When an agent hires me to create a marketing plan, one of the many things we address is "When are you doing your open houses? How are you doing your open houses? Are you still doing them on Saturday and Sunday like every other agent is?"
The American family has changed so why aren't real estate agents changing too? If most families are spending their weekends running from the soccer field to karate class to ballet, then don't you think that maybe coming up with a different time of the week to do an open house might be a good idea? If your client's house in on the water and the view is amazing at sunset, why are you doing your open house at 12:00 on Sunday? Oh of course, because every other agent across the U.S. is, that's why.
A marketing firm for a real estate agent does exactly what it says, "Marketing 101 for the agent" What does this mean? A marketing rep should come to your office, sit across from you just like a potential buyer would, look around at your office, call your voice mail and critique it, re-visit your business card, create a social media plan and help you to manage it, create a six month or year marketing plan that is going to give you goals, direction and a plan to get selling again, increase your listings and get you excited once again about selling real estate.
So you want to get another closing, hire a marketing professional. You expect your clients to hire you because you know real estate, then hire a marketing professional because we know marketing!
Until next time.....
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