High-Impact, Affordable Marketing Tools for Realtors

Studies show that 85% of home buyers use a realtor to make their purchase, but the competition can still be steep. How do you stand out as a realtor without breaking the bank? Read on for tools that will stretch your marketing budget further.

Offline Marketing Tools

• Yard signs – Make sure your yard signs are well-maintained. You should expect to replace them about every four or five years.
• Create a 1-800 Google number – Creating a Google number for your listings will allow you to track results.
• Use a flyer box outside the property – A flyer gives potential clients the option to engage with you later. Don’t put all the information on the flyer, however. You want them to contact you for details.
• Delay taking your sold sign down – Once you’ve made a sale, keep your sold sign up for a week to continue to generate interest in your business.
• Handwritten notes – Handwritten notes go a long way in building relationships. You don’t need fancy stationery. Get some envelopes from the clearance section and brand them. Use them whenever you have a memorable interaction with a potential client.
• Send postcards to your contacts – It’s recommended that you send postcards to everyone in your sphere of influence every three months. Postcards are a low-cost way to make a good impression.
• Engage with business owners – Consider interviewing local business owners to increase your sphere of influence and get referrals. You can put the interviews on your blog or website. You’ll also be helping the businesses by giving them exposure.
• Ask for referrals – Did you know 39% of sellers using a real estate agent found their agent through referrals? Boost your referrals by following up with clients about six months after they have settled into their new home.

Online Marketing Tools

• Craigslist – Potential buyers often search Craigslist to see what is available even if they don’t yet know if they are prequalified for a mortgage. Post your listings with an HTML link, or post other properties available in your area to increase your exposure.
• For Sale By Owner – Search online for FSBOs and reach out to them to offer to help them generate more exposure. You can specifically target listings that are having trouble selling. Those owners may be ready to enlist help.
• Expired listings – The owner of an expired listing may be especially ready to work with a real estate agent to get their home back on the market. A strong cold call that gets them excited about your marketing strategy will likely turn into a closing.
• Have a blog – With a blog, you can create content optimized for SEO that ensures your posts show up in search results from your target clients. Tools like Google Analytics will help you figure out which search terms your clients are using. Don’t forget to make it easy for potential clients to navigate to your website.
• Create a Zillow profile – Zillow has over 188 million monthly viewers. Create a free agent profile in seven easy steps and get your listing in front of thousands of potential buyers.
• Virtual staging – Virtual staging, as opposed to physical staging, will save you time and money.
• Make your own videos – Your video doesn’t have to be highly produced and cost thousands. You can use video software and record a video from your laptop to pitch to potential clients. Video can set you apart from other realtors.
• Host a webinar – Team up with a local lender, title service or even a home improvement company to give potential buyers and sellers an idea of the current market. You could also host a home improvement store to give sellers advice on what home improvements need to be made to get their home market ready.

Online Marketing Tips

• Use a CRM tool – A CRM tool will help you manage customer relations, build your database and track contacts.
• Make sure your website is mobile-friendly – Your website should be mobile responsive and search engine optimized.
• Ensure that your website is visually appealing – Some website builders such as Wix and Weebly allow you to build a website with very little technical expertise.
• Have a Facebook business page – Experts say that having a Facebook business page is crucial, as most potential clients are on that platform.
• Use email drip marketing – Drip marketing allows you to be in touch with your contacts regularly. You can also send timed messages to cultivate leads.

Do you still have questions about which marketing tools are right for your business? We’d love to help. Reach out to us at 571-234-5589 or email us at [email protected]. For videos on lead generation, Facebook tips, handy realtor tools and more, be sure to check out our YouTube channel.