For the 418th episode of the MailRight show, Robert Newman and Jonathan Denwood dive into effective strategies that will effortlessly help realtors attract clients in 2024. Robert Newman founded Inbound REMS, one inbound real estate marketing company focusing on content and SEO-driven results. On the other hand, Jonathan Denwood is a joint founder of MailRight.com, a CRM and lead-generative platform for real estate agents, and offers a library of WordPress real estate website themes from which you can choose one and utilize the power of Facebook to generate leads.
You Must Be Seen as One of the Leading Real Estate Marketing Experts in Your Area
An expert in a specific field knows a lot about that topic and can answer important questions about it. These questions could be about lifestyle, different types of homes, money, or buying and selling houses. Being seen as an expert in these areas can be very helpful.
If you’re the expert, it’s easy to help people with their questions nowadays. You can use platforms like Facebook and Instagram. With some training, you can share your answers with many people, often for free. Plus, if you learn how to improve your content, you can create good answers that stay online forever. It might take 30 minutes to an hour to make your answer the best possible, but then it’s free for anyone who needs it. Once you’ve answered many questions, people will see you as an expert, even your competitors.
There’s a person on YouTube who’s an agent. They talk about the local housing market, rental and property trends, and even show some properties that are up for sale or rent. They talk about overpriced properties, show property histories, and give general info about their area. They know how long houses stay on the market, how many are available, any new developments, and special deals from developers. They do this to show they understand the market and help people get good deals.
Being the first in the market is crucial, especially with new developments. Agents who partner with developers and know about the homes being built, who they’re for, and the design style can attract many new customers. They make videos about these developments and post them on YouTube. Developers often like this and might even send customers to those agents. New developments are significant for consistently attracting new customers. This advice is especially good for agents in growing markets like Texas and parts of Florida. If agents listen to this advice, they should see more success. This is the second most important thing for agents to focus on.
You Must Have CRM And Database Linked to an Effective Digital Marketing Platform
Facebook disrupted how they show ads. People who are interested in buying or sending something might see an ad on Facebook. Then, they might see something similar on Google. This helps to stay in touch with potential customers. Real estate agents, for example, have busy lives. Doing everything manually is hard. So, using these platforms can help, but you can also use them too much.
Most agents aren’t great with CRM (Customer Relationship Management), but if they send emails, texts, and newsletters, they can get results. It takes time, though. You won’t see instant results, but these methods work if done correctly.
Many people feel overwhelmed with the amount of follow-up messages they get from CRM systems. We’re used to sending lots of texts and emails. People often say they’re tired of all the messages from vendors and friends. Some people reduce their marketing messages. They send updates with relevant content and videos only once or twice a month. They invite people to join their social channels if they want more updates. This method works well with very few people unsubscribing or getting annoyed.
CRM is vital for inbound marketing but is not the most essential tool. It helps track customer interactions but is not at the top of the list.
Furthermore, this is like a mix of Push and Pull Marketing, where one can do traditional display advertising, like a video on Facebook. But it’s not just about advertisement; there’s some credibility involved. For example, if someone reaches out to you after you answered their question well, that builds credibility. It’s not like they’re asking you for something directly; you did a good job, and they decided to connect with you. It’s different from traditional ads, where you must reach out to people and convince them to buy something.
If you’re doing Facebook advertising, you’d have to direct people to a landing page and have someone ready to answer questions. There are two different systems: one where people come to you naturally and another where you have to reach out to them.
You Must Give Value to Your Possible Future Leads Through Your Social Media Content Marketing
Just put your mindset into it if you buy or sell a property. What types of things would you not want to see on social media that would build trust and confidence when this is the right agent for me to contact? If you get that mindset, everything you produce around content marketing puts you into the mindset of somebody selling or buying a property and what they want to know. And you consistently keep yourself in that mindset.
Moreover, having a niche is helpful. When someone is known for doing something specific, they start to gain the trust of others. People begin to see them as an expert in that area. Let’s say someone is good at yoga. When others have questions about yoga, they’ll ask that person for answers. Even if they know a bit about other things like SEO or Facebook, it’s the one specific thing that makes them stand out. And when people see them as experts, they’re more open to listening to what they say. This is where niches come in. They help a lot with this. You have to be known for something before you can help others in a big way. In marketing, you must give some of your expertise away for free.
Use Reviews And Client’s Success Stories
People are interested in the stories of clients with whom the agent has succeeded. They are interested in up-to-date reviews linked to a picture and a link or preferably to a video because then it proves that some property or the testimonial will be a success story. They are interested in some success stories and some videos. If you can back that up, it would give more legitimacy.
When someone is serious and likes a lot of data before deciding, video case studies are key. They can make or break the whole research relationship. They’re the final piece in a strong marketing plan. Answering questions builds credibility, but it’s usually not enough. What pushes them over the edge is reviews and success stories. It’s like a funnel: reviews and stories close the deal.
You will need success stories and reviews—the more, the better. For example, this person has 105 reviews and 520 30-minute case studies from customers at various success levels. These things generate warm leads. People call and say, “You’re my guy,” leading to big contracts. It takes a lot of credibility-building to get there. Case studies and reviews help. You can win million-dollar contracts if done right and in quantity, even in real estate. So, focus on these for better deals without intense sales efforts.
Be yourself, and Your Online Content Should Be Aimed at Your Real Estate Niche
It really is important to find your niche and aim at a certain type of client or property that will allow you to be yourself. When your content is your niche, you’re more relaxed in your thoughts.
Be bold and be yourself because, for some people, it will appeal to them. And when they do, you’ll connect with them more efficiently by being yourself. We all think we’re unique, and while we’re not the same as everyone else, there are others like us. Those people are essential as they are the ones you will work with. They’re independent thinkers, too, willing to put in extra effort to achieve their goals. They’re not looking for the easy way out. They’re focused on the long term. But here’s the thing: these people make up less than 1% of the real estate market. But they’re there. You probably have similar people in your life. Think about it: your show’s audience comes to you because they trust you. They know you’re an independent thinker. They might not agree with everything you say but they respect your honesty. And that trust is what makes them want to do business with you. It’s not about manipulation or tricks. It’s about trust. No matter how different you might seem, being honest and trustworthy is what matters.
Remember, Real Estate is a Personal Business
Always remember that real estate is a personal business that needs to build trust.
You like using Facebook, email, marketing, and SEO. But you know that just getting leads isn’t enough. You need a solid business system. When you first meet someone, it’s crucial to build trust. If they were hiring an agent, they’d ask around or get recommendations. They’d check the agent’s website and stuff. They wouldn’t choose someone they love; they’d pick someone who knows their stuff and gets results. They wouldn’t want to work with someone annoying, but they’re not trying to become best buddies. They just want someone credible who can do a good job.
If someone’s starting a small or medium-sized business today in 2024, it’s important to talk directly to their customers. It helps build trust. They should let their customers know they might make mistakes, but they’re working hard to do their best.
