I have a confession: bad marketing drives me bonkers. Whether it’s “do it yourself” or “one size fits all”, it just translates to a recipe for disaster so far as I’m concerned.
Many Realtors are on a shoestring budget just trying to make a go at their business, and they don’t want to empty their pockets for marketing. I get it. That said, sending out poorly written, poorly designed and poorly targeted marketing messages can be a career-killer.
Here are a few tips to not only get the biggest bang for your buck, but to transform your marketing message:
1) Just say no to DIY. Toss the Word and Publisher newsletter, flyer and mailer templates. They look unprofessional no matter how many images or fonts you use. Instead, go with a professional marketing service such as Imprev; you’ll get quality materials. If you happen to be with a larger brokerage or franchise, take advantage of the marketing services they provide. That being said, if you are going to DIY, there are some great self-service templates like what Canva.com provides! TIP: If you can foot the bill, hire a designer who can help define your brand standard, which goes beyond your logo.
2) Just say no to clip art. Your marketing materials should not include a cartoon of a house or “fun fonts” such as Comic Sans. These belong on a family holiday newsletter, not your website or listing brochures. TIP: Use no more than two fonts. More than that and you’ve got a cluttered, unprofessional look.
3) Change it up. Do you send 500 postcards to your database each month – just like you did last year and the year before that? Yes, that may be effective for some of your clients, but is that how all of your clients want to connect with you? TIP: Use a free service such as SurveyMonkey that lets you set up an online survey to evaluate how your clients would like to hear from you.
4) Don’t throw away time and money on things that are sort-of working. If you’re getting minimal calls on an effort that’s costing you money, it’s time to re-evaluate where those dollars are being spent. Be diligent with your time. TIP: A professional photographer is one of the best ways you can spend your money; they can help make the best possible impression of your listing by providing great images.
5) One size does not fit all. Client contact should be meaningful. No longer is it sufficient to just “touch” someone once a month with your marketing efforts. Ideally, you’ll have a variety of marketing techniques taking place each month depending on the client: this may total out to 100 postcards, 10 coffee dates, 100 emails, 10 handwritten cards and multiple Facebook comments as part of your overall keep-in-touch strategy. TIP: How about sending an anniversary card each year on the day they closed escrow?
6) Make friends with social media. If you’re still on the fence, now is the time to hop off. Get yourself a Facebook presence now. Start with your personal profile and take 15 minutes each day to connect with people by liking and commenting on photos and posts. Put up interesting articles about your local area. TIP: Create a Facebook list of the 10 to 20 people you think are in the market in 12 to 18 months. Use that list once a day to interact with those key people in an authentic way.
7) Become a master content curator. People spend an average of 12 to 18 months looking for homes on the internet before they ever contact a Realtor, so use that time to connect with them online. TIP: A few times a month, find an interesting article from Inman News, the Wall Street Journal or Houzz and post that on your wall or the wall of someone who you think might enjoy it.
I’m so passionate about this because I’m tired of seeing agents throw away money on strategies that don’t work, that are outdated and that don’t represent who they really are. Take the time to be thoughtful and mindful with your marketing and it’ll pay off a thousandfold.
What type of marketing mistakes do you see from Realtors? I’d love to get your feedback, so post your comments below or on my Facebook Page!
