Content Marketing ROI in Commercial Real Estate: Metrics That Matter to Stakeholders

If content marketing were a building, most commercial real estate professionals would construct it with beautiful architecture but forget to install the electricity meters. They create stunning market reports, insightful blog posts, and glossy property showcases—but have no idea if the investment is paying off.

Let's fix that, shall we?

Beyond the "Trust Me, It Works" Approach

Picture this: You're in the boardroom, and someone asks, "What are we getting from all those fancy reports and LinkedIn articles we're publishing?" If your answer involves nervous laughter or vague statements about "building brand awareness," this article is for you.

Content marketing without measurement is like leasing space without collecting rent—it might look impressive, but it's not sustainable.

Start with the Right Foundation

Before measuring anything, you need to connect your content to business goals. Are you trying to:

• Generate new property inquiries?

• Retain existing tenants?

• Position your firm as the go-to expert for a specific property type?

• Support higher lease rates through perceived value?

Different goals require different metrics. If you're measuring everything, you're effectively measuring nothing.

The Metrics That Actually Matter

Forget vanity metrics like page views or social media likes. Those are like counting how many people glance at your building without coming inside. Instead, focus on:

1. Conversion Metrics

Track how many people take meaningful actions after consuming your content:

• Property tour requests initiated from market report downloads

• Contact form submissions from blog readers

• Meeting requests from webinar attendees

2. Influence Metrics

Measure how your content influences the leasing process:

• How many prospects mention your content during sales conversations

• Whether leads who engage with content close at higher rates

• If content-engaged prospects have shorter sales cycles

3. Revenue Connection

The holy grail of measurement:

• Closed deals influenced by content engagement

• Lease value from content-sourced prospects

• Retention rates of tenants who engage with your content

Making It Digestible for Stakeholders

Now for the tricky part: communicating this to people who don't care about marketing jargon.

Create a simple quarterly dashboard that shows:

• Content cost vs. revenue influenced

• Top-performing content by business impact

• Stories of specific deals where content played a role

The Attribution Challenge

"But wait," you might say, "how do I know if the content actually influenced the deal?"

Fair point. Commercial real estate decisions involve multiple touchpoints and long timeframes. Your solution? Ask people directly. Build content engagement questions into your CRM process:

• "Did our market report influence your decision to tour this property?"

• "Was our industry analysis helpful in your leasing decision?"

Start Simple, Iterate Often

Don't try to build the perfect measurement system overnight. Begin by tracking just one or two key metrics tied to your most important goal. As you prove value, you can expand your measurement approach.

Remember, demonstrating content ROI in commercial real estate isn't about proving marketing's worth—it's about ensuring you're investing resources where they'll generate the greatest returns. Just like you wouldn't develop a property without running the numbers first, don't create content without a plan to measure its performance.

Why Your Personal Brand is Your Most Valuable Real Estate Asset

I've seen it happen countless times in this industry: a qualified, hardworking agent loses a listing to someone who might not even have more experience, but who has a stronger personal brand. Time after time, when we follow up to understand why, sellers say things like: "We just felt like we already knew the other agent from their content online" or "Their personality really came through in their marketing, and it seemed like a better fit.”

This scenario plays out daily across the real estate landscape. As a marketing professional who's worked with real estate brokers, I've seen firsthand how personal branding has become the decisive factor in who thrives and who merely survives in this industry.

The Digital Shift That Changed Everything

Remember when real estate was primarily about yard signs, open houses, and newspaper ads? Those days are gone. The agents I started working with fifteen years ago relied on flip phones and printed flyers. Now we're creating virtual tours, running targeted Instagram campaigns, and helping them respond to potential clients' DMs at all hours.

The pandemic only accelerated this transformation. When agents couldn't show homes in person for months, they had to find new ways to connect. Those who thrived were the ones who had already built strong online identities that clients could trust without meeting face-to-face.

Why Your Personal Brand Matters (From Someone Who's Seen the Difference)

Many agents I consult with initially resist "brand building." It feels inauthentic to them, like they're trying to become influencers instead of real estate professionals. But here's what I've observed: a personal brand isn't about creating a fake persona—it's about strategically showcasing who you genuinely are.

I've witnessed this transformation countless times in my marketing work. After repositioning agents to highlight their authentic expertise and genuine interests - whether that's historic preservation, investment properties, or sustainable building - their referral rates typically jump dramatically. When clients refer these agents to friends and colleagues, it's rarely just because the transaction went smoothly. It's because they connected with the agent as a person who shared their values and priorities. Those authentic elements of personality become central to a powerful brand.

Building Trust When Clients Are Skeptical

Let's be honest—real estate agents don't always have the best reputation. They're fighting against stereotypes of pushy salespeople who care more about commissions than clients.

I've watched this dynamic play out in initial client meetings, where potential buyers come in defensive and suspicious. The only thing that breaks through is consistently demonstrating expertise and values over time through content, community involvement, and client stories. The agents who invest in these brand-building activities see dramatically different results from those who don't.

Standing Out in a Sea of Similar Agents

In most markets, there are thousands of licensed agents. Many have similar qualifications and access to the same listings. What makes a client choose one over another?

The most successful agents I've observed found their answer when they stopped trying to appeal to everyone. When agents start openly focusing on their true specializations - whether that's historic properties, new developments, or specific neighborhoods - something interesting happens. They may attract fewer leads overall, but they connect with clients who specifically value their particular expertise. I've tracked this effect: closing rates typically double or triple, while marketing costs decrease.

The Authenticity Challenge

Being authentic online isn't as simple as it sounds. Every agent I work with struggles with how much of their personal life to share. Should they post about their hobbies? Their families? Their political views?

Through testing different approaches with dozens of clients, I've found that selective authenticity works best—sharing genuine parts of yourself that complement your professional expertise. The best content I see in the industry comes from authentic enthusiasm - like neighborhood tour videos that showcase both knowledge and genuine passion, which naturally connects with clients who share those interests.

Social Media: The Tool That Transformed the Industry

The most successful content? Simple series where agents walk through different neighborhoods, pointing out architectural features and sharing little-known historical facts. These videos get shared far more than property listings because they provide actual value to viewers whether they're in the market or not.

Expertise as Currency

The pandemic reinforced what I'd been telling clients for years: expertise shared freely builds incredible goodwill. When the market froze in 2020, the most successful agents adapted quickly by hosting virtual sessions explaining market conditions and answering questions—with no sales pitch.

These informational sessions established them as trusted sources during uncertain times. When the market roared back, these same agents reported a significant surge in new clients—people who remembered who had been helping them understand the chaos for months.

The Local Connection That National Brokerages Can't Match

Big real estate platforms have massive marketing budgets, but they can't match genuine local knowledge. When agents post about new school boundaries affecting specific neighborhoods or explain why certain streets flood during heavy rains, they're providing insights no algorithm can match.

Some of the most powerful testimonials in real estate echo this sentiment exactly: "You didn't just find us a house—you helped us find our community."

Building Relationships That Last Beyond Closing

The most successful agents I've worked with treat each client relationship as potentially lifelong, not just a transaction.

The top-performing agents have built businesses where 60-70% of their listings come from past clients or referrals. The pattern is clear: they maintain genuine relationships over years. They send thoughtful follow-ups, remember important details about their clients' lives, and occasionally share relevant resources. These aren't just marketing tactics—they're relationship builders that reflect the agent's authentic interest in their clients' long-term well-being.

Evolving in a Changing Market

The most effective personal brands evolve significantly over time. When agents pivot to focus on luxury properties, their entire presentation needs elevation while maintaining authenticity. When sustainability becomes increasingly important to certain market segments, successful agents invest in relevant certifications to align their expertise with evolving client needs.

The agents struggling today are often those clinging to outdated approaches or trying to be everything to everyone.

The Real ROI of Personal Branding

Leads that came through personal brand channels (social media, blog, podcast appearances, community events) converted at nearly three times the rate of purchased leads or general referrals. They also spent an average of 20% more on their home purchases.

Even more telling: these clients were simply more enjoyable to work with because they were already aligned in values and expectations before the first meeting.

The Bottom Line

As a marketing professional who's specialized in the real estate industry for two decades, I can tell you with certainty: building a personal brand isn't about becoming famous or creating a facade. It's about strategically showcasing authentic expertise, values, and personality to attract ideal clients who will value specific strengths.

In a world where clients can find listings on their own, an agent's unique approach to guiding them through the emotional and financial complexities of a real estate transaction is what truly matters. Their personal brand communicates that value before they ever shake a client's hand.

If you're a real estate professional who hasn't invested in your personal brand, you're leaving your most valuable asset undeveloped. In today's market, who you are and how you communicate that is ultimately more valuable than any listing currently in your portfolio.

Does Marketing Work in Commercial Real Estate?

If you're a commercial real estate (CRE) professional, you've likely asked yourself, "Is marketing really worth the time and effort?" With properties to lease, tenants to manage, and deals to close, it can be tempting to focus solely on the transactional side of the business. But here's the truth—marketing isn’t just helpful; it’s essential. Done right, it positions you as a leader, builds trust, and creates opportunities that wouldn’t otherwise exist.

At its core, commercial real estate thrives on trust and relationships, and guess what? Marketing amplifies both. Whether you're looking to attract high-value tenants, brokers, or investors, your marketing strategy is your modern-day handshake—it sets the tone and opens the door.

This guide dives deep into why marketing works in commercial real estate and how to position yourself as an authority while generating measurable results.

Marketing in CRE: More Than Just Listings

When you think of marketing in real estate, what comes to mind? Listings, maybe a billboard or two, and perhaps a few social media posts? While those are foundational, marketing in CRE goes far beyond snapping property photos and uploading them to a few websites.

Marketing for commercial real estate serves to:

• Build your personal or company brand.

• Position you as a key opinion leader in the industry.

• Create a consistent stream of high-quality leads.

• Establish trust among prospects, tenants, and investors.

Picture this: You’re a commercial landlord with office spaces to lease. Without marketing, you're relying on luck—waiting for the right tenant to stumble upon your listing. With effective marketing, you’re actively attracting those tenants, showcasing your property's potential, and addressing their needs—even before they pick up the phone to chat with you.

Why You Need to Be Seen as an Industry Authority

Trust is the currency of commercial real estate. High-net-worth individuals, major corporations, and institutional investors aren’t signing long-term leases or multi-million-dollar deals with just anyone. They want to work with industry leaders—professionals who exude confidence, expertise, and reliability.

Marketing = Thought Leadership

Here’s the kicker—being the best-kept secret in your market won’t cut it. The goal is to ensure that when someone thinks "top broker in logistics warehouses" or "go-to office space expert," your name immediately comes to mind. You achieve this by building thought leadership in your space.

What does this look like in practice?

• Publish educational content (like blogs, LinkedIn posts, or podcasts) that tackle industry-specific pain points.

• Post market insights and trends regularly, showcasing your knowledge of the region or asset class.

• Create guides for tenants or investors, such as "10 Questions to Ask Before Leasing Industrial Space" or "How to Add Value to Underperforming Retail Assets."

These efforts not only differentiate you but also build trust and credibility. People do business with people they see as leaders in their field—it's as simple as that.

Marketing Shortens the Sales Cycle

When marketing positions you as an authority, potential clients come to you pre-sold. They’ve read your reports, seen your predictions play out in real-time, or resonated with your authenticity. Rather than explaining why you know your stuff, you’ll find yourself answering questions about how you can get started together.

Key Marketing Strategies For CRE Professionals

Now that we've established why marketing in CRE matters, let's break down the "how." Implementing these strategies can help you maximize results.

1. Invest in Professional Branding

Your brand is more than a logo; it's the experience and impression people have of you or your firm. Ask yourself:

• Does your website communicate professionalism and expertise?

• Are your marketing materials clean, modern, and easy to digest?

• Is your LinkedIn profile optimized with updates on deals, market trends, and thought leadership content?

A polished brand positions you as a serious player in a crowded market. Remember, you're not just selling properties—you’re selling your expertise.

2. Leverage Content Marketing

When done right, content marketing turns you into a trusted resource rather than just another salesperson. Think beyond your property listings and write or produce content that speaks to your audience’s pain points.

Ideas include:

• Blog posts on trends like "Why Flexible Office Spaces Are Booming in 2024"

• Market reports that discuss localized real estate performance

• Thoughtful LinkedIn posts with actionable insights for tenants and investors.

Bonus tip? Personalized videos work wonders. A simple video walk-through with commentary can engage potential clients far better than generic photos alone.

3. Use Paid Ads to Target Decision-Makers

Google Ads, LinkedIn Ads, or even Facebook's targeting options can position your services and properties in front of your ideal audience. For instance:

• Use search ads to target businesses looking for office spaces in specific regions.

• Leverage LinkedIn’s precise targeting to reach CFOs, CEOs, or real estate decision-makers for industrial warehouses.

• Retarget website visitors who engaged with your property pages using dynamic display ads.

4. Engage Through Email Marketing

CRE marketing is a long game, so staying top-of-mind is critical. Email newsletters help you stay visible to past tenants, investors, and prospects. Share your latest properties, market updates, and deals closed. But avoid overly promotional content—provide REAL value.

Emails aren’t dead—they're personal, and for a high-value audience like HNWIs or C-suite executives, that personal touch goes a long way.

5. Build Relationships Through Networking Events

This one may seem old school, but real estate is—and always will be—a relationship-driven industry. Marketing includes the in-person experience, so don’t underestimate conferences, speaking engagements, or hosting personalized dinners for key clients.

Marketing is most impactful when it creates multiple touchpoints across various platforms and real-life encounters.

Measuring Success

Like any investment, marketing needs ROI. Make sure you’re consistently tracking metrics like:

• Inquiry volumes from your ads or content.

• Conversion rates from web traffic to emails or appointments.

• The size and quality of your social media audience.

Tracking these helps you double down on what’s working and refine what’s not.

Be Bold, Stand Out

Half-hearted marketing campaigns filled with recycled industry jargon don’t drive results or build trust. Bold, authentic, and value-driven marketing strategies do. At the end of the day, marketing in commercial real estate works because, at its core, it’s about building relationships and showcasing expertise—and that’s the very foundation of the industry.

If you're ready to level up your marketing or want tailored strategies, start thinking beyond properties; think about how you're positioning yourself. Remember, successful marketing marks the difference between being a solid choice and the only choice.

Why Your Personal Brand is Your Most Valuable Real Estate Asset

I've seen it happen countless times in this industry: a qualified, hardworking agent loses a listing to someone who might not even have more experience, but who has a stronger personal brand. Time after time, when we follow up to understand why, sellers say things like: "We just felt like we already knew the other agent from their content online" or "Their personality really came through in their marketing, and it seemed like a better fit."

This scenario plays out daily across the real estate landscape. As a marketing professional who's worked with real estate brokers, I've seen firsthand how personal branding has become the decisive factor in who thrives and who merely survives in this industry.

The Digital Shift That Changed Everything

Remember when real estate was primarily about yard signs, open houses, and newspaper ads? Those days are gone. The agents I started working with fifteen years ago relied on flip phones and printed flyers. Now we're creating virtual tours, running targeted Instagram campaigns, and helping them respond to potential clients' DMs at all hours.

The pandemic only accelerated this transformation. When agents couldn't show homes in person for months, they had to find new ways to connect. Those who thrived were the ones who had already built strong online identities that clients could trust without meeting face-to-face.

Why Your Personal Brand Matters (From Someone Who's Seen the Difference)

Many agents I consult with initially resist "brand building." It feels inauthentic to them, like they're trying to become influencers instead of real estate professionals. But here's what I've observed: a personal brand isn't about creating a fake persona—it's about strategically showcasing who you genuinely are.

I've witnessed this transformation countless times in my marketing work. After repositioning agents to highlight their authentic expertise and genuine interests - whether that's historic preservation, investment properties, or sustainable building - their referral rates typically jump dramatically. When clients refer these agents to friends and colleagues, it's rarely just because the transaction went smoothly. It's because they connected with the agent as a person who shared their values and priorities. Those authentic elements of personality become central to a powerful brand.

Building Trust When Clients Are Skeptical

Let's be honest—real estate agents don't always have the best reputation. They're fighting against stereotypes of pushy salespeople who care more about commissions than clients.

I've watched this dynamic play out in initial client meetings, where potential buyers come in defensive and suspicious. The only thing that breaks through is consistently demonstrating expertise and values over time through content, community involvement, and client stories. The agents who invest in these brand-building activities see dramatically different results from those who don't.

Standing Out in a Sea of Similar Agents

In most markets, there are thousands of licensed agents. Many have similar qualifications and access to the same listings. What makes a client choose one over another?

The most successful agents I've observed found their answer when they stopped trying to appeal to everyone. When agents start openly focusing on their true specializations - whether that's historic properties, new developments, or specific neighborhoods - something interesting happens. They may attract fewer leads overall, but they connect with clients who specifically value their particular expertise. I've tracked this effect: closing rates typically double or triple, while marketing costs decrease.

The Authenticity Challenge

Being authentic online isn't as simple as it sounds. Every agent I work with struggles with how much of their personal life to share. Should they post about their hobbies? Their families? Their political views?

Through testing different approaches with dozens of clients, I've found that selective authenticity works best—sharing genuine parts of yourself that complement your professional expertise. The best content I see in the industry comes from authentic enthusiasm - like neighborhood tour videos that showcase both knowledge and genuine passion, which naturally connects with clients who share those interests.

Social Media: The Tool That Transformed the Industry

The most successful content? Simple series where agents walk through different neighborhoods, pointing out architectural features and sharing little-known historical facts. These videos get shared far more than property listings because they provide actual value to viewers whether they're in the market or not.

Expertise as Currency

The pandemic reinforced what I'd been telling clients for years: expertise shared freely builds incredible goodwill. When the market froze in 2020, the most successful agents adapted quickly by hosting virtual sessions explaining market conditions and answering questions—with no sales pitch.

These informational sessions established them as trusted sources during uncertain times. When the market roared back, these same agents reported a significant surge in new clients—people who remembered who had been helping them understand the chaos for months.

The Local Connection That National Brokerages Can't Match

Big real estate platforms have massive marketing budgets, but they can't match genuine local knowledge. When agents post about new school boundaries affecting specific neighborhoods or explain why certain streets flood during heavy rains, they're providing insights no algorithm can match.

Some of the most powerful testimonials in real estate echo this sentiment exactly: "You didn't just find us a house—you helped us find our community."

Building Relationships That Last Beyond Closing

The most successful agents I've worked with treat each client relationship as potentially lifelong, not just a transaction.

The top-performing agents have built businesses where 60-70% of their listings come from past clients or referrals. The pattern is clear: they maintain genuine relationships over years. They send thoughtful follow-ups, remember important details about their clients' lives, and occasionally share relevant resources. These aren't just marketing tactics—they're relationship builders that reflect the agent's authentic interest in their clients' long-term well-being.

Evolving in a Changing Market

The most effective personal brands evolve significantly over time. When agents pivot to focus on luxury properties, their entire presentation needs elevation while maintaining authenticity. When sustainability becomes increasingly important to certain market segments, successful agents invest in relevant certifications to align their expertise with evolving client needs.

The agents struggling today are often those clinging to outdated approaches or trying to be everything to everyone.

The Real ROI of Personal Branding

Leads that came through personal brand channels (social media, blog, podcast appearances, community events) converted at nearly three times the rate of purchased leads or general referrals. They also spent an average of 20% more on their home purchases.

Even more telling: these clients were simply more enjoyable to work with because they were already aligned in values and expectations before the first meeting.

The Bottom Line

As a marketing professional who's specialized in the real estate industry for two decades, I can tell you with certainty: building a personal brand isn't about becoming famous or creating a facade. It's about strategically showcasing authentic expertise, values, and personality to attract ideal clients who will value specific strengths.

In a world where clients can find listings on their own, an agent's unique approach to guiding them through the emotional and financial complexities of a real estate transaction is what truly matters. Their personal brand communicates that value before they ever shake a client's hand.

If you're a real estate professional who hasn't invested in your personal brand, you're leaving your most valuable asset undeveloped. In today's market, who you are and how you communicate that is ultimately more valuable than any listing currently in your portfolio.

Digital Ads for Real Estate: Cash Cow or Money Pit?

As we step into 2025, the real estate world continues to evolve, and so does the way we connect with potential clients. Whether you're a residential broker, commercial agent, property manager, developer, or any other real estate professional, you might be wondering if paid ads are right for you. Let's take a soulful journey through the digital landscape, exploring how YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Google Ads can help you build meaningful connections and grow your business, regardless of your real estate specialty. 

YouTube: Where Real Estate Stories Come to Life

Imagine being able to showcase properties, developments, or your expertise to potential clients before they even reach out. That's the magic of YouTube ads in 2025. It's not just about featuring listings; it's about telling stories that resonate with your audience's aspirations, whether they're looking for a family home, a commercial space, or investment opportunities.

Why it touches hearts across real estate sectors:

- Residential agents can showcase the warmth and potential of homes

- Commercial agents can highlight the business potential of spaces

- Property managers can demonstrate their expertise in maintaining properties

- Developers can bring future projects to life through compelling visuals

Soul-centered strategies for all:

- Create engaging 15-second teasers that spark curiosity about various property types

- Use in-stream ads to reach viewers interested in real estate content, tailored to your niche

- Share client testimonials that speak to the transformative power of finding the right property, whether it's a home, office, or investment

Instagram: A Visual Love Letter to Real Estate in All Its Forms

In 2025, Instagram continues to be the place where visual storytelling reigns supreme. It's your chance to create a beautiful, curated gallery of the properties, developments, and communities you represent, regardless of your real estate specialty.

Why it resonates across the industry:

- The platform's visual nature allows you to showcase the unique features of various property types

- Stories and Reels give you the opportunity to show the human side of your real estate niche

- You can create a sense of community and belonging through your content, whether it's for homebuyers, investors, or businesses

Heartfelt approaches for diverse real estate professionals:

- Use carousel ads to tell the story of a property's journey, from development to occupancy

- Create short, engaging Reels that highlight the unique aspects of different real estate sectors

- Share user-generated content that shows real people and businesses thriving in the spaces you've helped them secure

Facebook: Building Community and Connections in Every Real Estate Niche

Facebook remains a powerful tool for all real estate professionals in 2025, offering a way to build and nurture relationships at scale, no matter your specialty.

Why it builds bonds across real estate sectors:

- The platform's robust targeting options help you reach people at pivotal moments, whether they're looking for a new home, office space, or investment property

- You can create and foster community groups that provide value beyond just selling properties, catering to different real estate interests

- Retargeting capabilities allow you to stay connected with interested prospects, gently nurturing relationships across various real estate needs

Connection-focused strategies for all:

- Create "Coming Soon" and "Just Listed" ads that invite people to be part of an exclusive community, tailored to different property types

- Use lead forms to start conversations about various real estate needs, not just collect information

- Implement retargeting campaigns that offer helpful content, positioning you as a trusted advisor in your real estate niche

Google Ads: Meeting Clients at the Moment of Need, Across All Real Estate Sectors

When it comes to capturing high-intent leads, Google Ads continues to shine in 2025 for all real estate professionals. It's about being there for your potential clients when they need you most, whether they're searching for residential, commercial, or investment properties.

Why it matters across the industry:

- You can connect with people actively searching for real estate services in your area and niche

- Local targeting allows you to become an expert in your specific real estate market and property type

- Diverse ad formats let you meet potential clients where they are in their journey, whether they're first-time homebuyers or seasoned investors

Thoughtful tactics for all real estate professionals:

- Use keywords that reflect the unique characteristics of your real estate niche and local market

- Create landing pages that don't just list features, but paint a picture of life or business in that property

- Implement call extensions to offer a human touch, ready to answer questions about various property types and real estate services

Key Considerations: Nurturing the Soul of Your Digital Presence in Real Estate

As you navigate these platforms, remember that at the heart of every real estate transaction is a human story, regardless of the property type or service you offer. Here are some soulful considerations to keep in mind:

1. Focus on quality content that serves: Create visually appealing, informative content that truly adds value to your potential clients' lives, whether they're looking for a home, office, or investment opportunity.

2. Embrace mobile-first design: Ensure your ads and landing pages are mobile-friendly, meeting your audience where they are, across all real estate sectors.

3. Listen and learn: Use platform analytics not just to track ROI, but to understand what resonates with your audience on a deeper level, tailoring your approach to different real estate needs.

4. Integrate with heart: Combine these platforms to create a comprehensive approach that feels cohesive and authentic, regardless of your real estate specialty.

5. Stay true to your values: Comply with housing policies not just because you have to, but because it aligns with your commitment to fairness and inclusivity across all real estate transactions.

In the end, the decision to invest in paid ads is about more than just leads and conversions. It's about creating meaningful connections, building trust, and being of service to your community, no matter what type of real estate professional you are. As you consider your options, remember that each platform offers a unique way to share your passion for real estate and your commitment to helping people find their place in the world, whether it's a dream home, the perfect office space, or a lucrative investment property.

By approaching these digital tools with authenticity and heart, you can create a powerful marketing mix that not only drives business growth but also enriches the lives of those you serve, across all areas of real estate. In 2025 and beyond, the most successful real estate professionals will be those who use technology to enhance, not replace, the human touch that is at the core of this deeply personal industry, regardless of their specific niche or property type.

5 Marketing Action Items for Real Estate Agents during the Lockdown

We’re totally abused these days emotionally. Protests, the lockdown, curfews, economic downturn – the future is uncertain. We’ve established that; you don’t need another post about it. Yet you’re probably wondering how to make the most of this time at home. An excellent way to feel less powerless is to take action and get control over your life and career. What can you do until the real estate market – when/if it ever does – goes back to normal?

Agent, get your house in order

Now is the time to seriously look at what you’ve put on the back burner. I’m guilty of pushing back things I don’t like doing much either because I don’t care for it or because I don’t know how to go about it. We’re only human. But here is your chance to tackle the beasts left in your closet. Start with the basics: do you/your team have a logo, a listing presentation, social media profiles, email newsletter, and content to share? Is your online presence professional? A general branding assessment is an excellent place to start. Start reviewing the following:

●      Your website

●      Your social media

●      Your listing presentation

●      Your email marketing

Social media: Upgrade your game

While social media is approachable and everyone can post cat and yoga pictures, it’s another ball game when, as an agent, you’re trying to get traction from your ideal prospects. It can feel like busywork at times. I know you’d rather go on calls with clients and do walkthroughs, but it’s complicated now. So instead, you might leverage current “forced” desk time and improve your social media. Who does a good job? Typically, the bigger teams, the ones that are getting help. Why? It’s not being an excellent broker that makes you great at engaging on social media. It’s hard to create exciting content, put it together, and post consistently. Get some help or commit to doing it yourself and dedicate at least 2-3h per week to prepare and schedule your content.

Email marketing: Don’t just send your listings

Do you get a lot of engagement when you email your listings and neighborhood news every month? Meh. Most likely, you’re sending all your new listings to your whole database. While it’s a reasonable effort to stay in touch with your prospects, you also need to consider bringing value.

●      Think of a piece about your predictions about the real estate market for the rest of 2020

●      Tell us how sellers are feeling right now and how it’s going to affect prices

●      Tell us about mortgages, contractors, and about the changes you, as an agent, are seeing

You’re the expert. Give the people what they want: golden nuggets that only you as an expert have access to.

Lead generation: Nope, it’s not just ads

People are glued to their devices right now; get as many eyeballs on your content as possible. Lead generation is not just about placing ads and paying to get views/clicks. It’s about providing valuable information to people who are interested in what you have to say. What is happening to price? It is now the right time to buy/sell. Be a resource to them. Lead generation is pricey, and I wouldn’t recommend doing it yourself. It’s too complicated, and it’s expensive. Hire an agency. Pricing will vary drastically depending on your location (and the competition in your area). Remember, lead generation is a long-term strategy. If you don’t have the resources and can’t commit to doing it for at least six months, it might not be for you yet.

Video, this beast

You know you’ve been thinking about it. But you dread it because it’s uncomfortable and you’re worried about the price, about how you’ll look. I get it. Video is intimidating. However, right now is the time to explore how you can consistently create content and get comfortable in front of the camera. Look for videographers, get some quotes, educate yourself on the process. Look at what other brokers who you admire are doing. The sooner you start, the quicker you’ll get the hang of it.

In my next article, I’ll speak about lead nurturing strategies you can use and how the fortune is in the follow-up.

If you need help or have any questions about the topics we’ve discussed here, feel free to reach out to me.

Cheers,

Anne Lise

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At Brandora, our mission is to help real estate teams grow. Many real estate professionals have limited options when it comes to hiring reliable marketing talent. When we created Brandora in 2015, we wanted to create something effective for growing teams. We wanted to implement proven strategies that have worked for bigger companies and top brokers. If you need help putting a strategy or some content together, feel free to reach out to me.

5 Ways Video can help your online Real Estate Marketing

5 Ways Video can help your online Real Estate Marketing

This is 2019 and we are well beyond debating the importance of videos for a real estate agent to promote his/her business online. The internet is the arena of multimedia content and no amounts of walls of text will get you the leads you seek. Unless you give your prospective customers what they want to see, rest assured that someone else will see to it and reap the benefits. Video is no longer an option, you absolutely positively need it for your online marketing campaign. The more pertinent question is, how do you leverage it better to gain the interest of prospective home buyers out there?

1. The Bare bones basic YouTube video: let us start with the baseline. Check the you tube video results online for property listings in any locality, and see the number of views each video gets. You will be surprised to see that even small town listings get 100s of views, if not more. 90% of customers go online to hunt for homes and agents. Even a basic YouTube video of your listings or agency portfolio can be relied upon to net you a few queries or more. Adding video links to your pages will also increase your visibility to search engine bots in general. 

2. Open house replacements/preludes: people want to get a tour of your listed properties online these days. Customers are less willing to go to open houses based on listings alone.  Sure people still find their way to these affairs, but usually after checking out the house online. So if you really want to boost the footfalls coming into an open house for a particular property, upload some videos showing a full tour of the property.

3. Community and Neighborhood Videos: an overwhelming 80% plus customers go online to find more about the neighborhood and community around the property than the actual listing itself. You can really boost your leads by providing videos showcasing the neighborhood and amenities available near a particular listing.

4. Go casual and social for maximum impact: the real estate businessalso has a human element. People go online not just to hunt for home listings and community info, but also to find reliable agents who care about their customers. So get your human face out there by adding your personal touch and flourish to a self shot video. It could be you taking your viewers for a tour of a property or the neighborhood or just a casual profile piece of yourself. A genuine amateur video showing your friendly side on social media will be ten times as effective as any glib, professionally crafted video ad.

5. Embrace “virtual realty”: especially in the upscale markets, 3D rendering of homes and real time drone captured live feeds of neighborhoods offer a glimpse of the possibilities of rapidly evolving technology. With virtual reality technology like Oculus VR becoming more commonplace, tech savvy realtors are using augmented reality technology to allow customers to take virtual tours of homes online. But their high cost means that these are more tilted towards the top end of the market. 

Linkedin Plan For Real Estate Agents & Brokers

GETTING STARTED & YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE

Simply put, Linkedin is the world’s largest networking platform, and it is a must for any professional (it’s not just a site for finding jobs!) If you don’t have a LinkedIn yet, get started TODAY by setting up your profile: 

https://www.linkedin.com/

Before you can network and share information on LinkedIn, your profile must be ready to be seen by the public. Often your LinkedIn profile is the FIRST IMPRESSION a prospective client or referral will have of you.

Your profile must present in a way that it builds trust. Even if it’s not the first impression, it’s highly probable people will use it to verify their initial perception of you.

Ask yourself when reviewing your profile "Does this profile build confidence or give people a reason to question my competence?"

TED’S 4 KEY ELEMENTS TO A CLIENT-FOCUSED PROFILE:

1. Your profile picture (It's the first thing people see).

2. Your professional headline needs to grab their attention like the title of a book or movie.

3. Your summary should be like the inside flap of a book - engaging them so they can’t stop reading.

4. Share your problem-solving expertise by adding videos and articles in your LinkedIn profile.

POSTING ON LINKEDIN

Posting on LinkedIn will increase the number of profile views you get. The algorithm for LinkedIn takes your content and shares it with anyone who it thinks will benefit. This not only increases your profile views, but brands you as an expert!

Be sure to use 5-6 hashtags when posting. Hashtags make your content more discoverable and LinkedIn’s algorithm will work to put your posts in front of more people.

If you liked what you learned and want to go deeper with LinkedIn, reach out to our team, we can help!

In-Market Targeting For Real Estate Brokers

If you’re a real estate broker, you probably started hearing about how artificial intelligence is going to change the real estate scene drastically and how robots are going to replace us as soon as tomorrow. Well, we’re not there yet. However real estate marketing is changing. Fast, very fast. Have you heared about the latest “In-Market Targeting”? If you read or heard about it, you probably thought:  “I don’t understand” or “it sounds too good to be true.”

So, does In-Market Targeting work? Or is it just another tech buzzword designed to waste your marketing budget?

In Market Targeting: What it is

If you’re not familiar yet with In-Market Targeting for real estate broker, here’s how it works in a nutshell. As you probably know, for better or worse, a person’s online browsing history is not 100% private. Search engines, social media platforms, internet service providers, and others can and do track and capture online behavior. Also, that information is for sale.

With that purchased information, tech companies (geeks) feed some 15 billion raw data points daily through an artificial intelligence program that looks for sets of particular markers. For the real estate industry, it looks for individuals who are exhibiting online behaviors that are consistent with the online behaviors of previous real estate buyers and sellers. When it finds a matching pattern, it has identified an individual who is “in-market” for a property.

It used to take an individual taking action such as filling out a contact form or opt-in for that person to self-identify as a prospective buyer or seller and there were some shortcomings in these types of lead generations systems. With In-Market Targeting, the individual self-identifies as an active prospect without knowing he or she is doing so.

In-Market Targeting: What it does

The list of In-Market Targeting for real estate brokers is made available to a few partner digital marketing agencies who can then put together online marketing programs for clients. The agency accesses the list for the specific geographic areas served by its clients, and the list is generally updated weekly with some leads “falling off” and new ones coming on.

The agency can use the list to target the client’s message to these in-market individuals across multiple online platforms like Google AdWords, Facebook Ads, Linkedin and other social media platforms, and on Display Ad Networks.

These advertising campaigns are set up to only present the ads to the individuals on the In-Market Targeting list (Active Buyers & Active Sellers) which is the key to the entire concept.  By targeting only those individuals who are actively looking to buy or sell real estate right now…today…the campaigns can be more efficient and effective than showing the same ads to some broad demographic slice of the general public. Moreover, the real estate broker can see a significant decrease in cost per lead and an increase in conversion rates.

Another significant benefit is that because of the source and nature of the In-Market Targeting list the real estate broker should be getting in front of the prospective buyer/seller very early in the prospect’s decision-making process.  In doing so, the broker can engage with the prospect before competitors even know that the person is looking for real estate. The benefits of being the first to reach out to the best prospects speak for themselves.

So, what if you had a list of every person in your market area who had just started looking for a property.  Suppose you could be the first broker to reach out to that individual about the benefits of your services. What would it be like if you could engage the prospect first if you could control the conversation if you could become the standard if you could prevent a competitor from coming in later?  Would that likely increase the number of qualified leads your firm could process each month?

So does In-Market Targeting work?

We’ve discussed the concept of In-Market Targeting. But, does it work?

The answer you’ve been waiting for is this. Yes, it works…but there is always a but.

Yes, In-Market Targeting lists for real estate brokers are legitimate though, of course, never 100% perfect. They are not magic beans. There will be a few “tire kickers” on the list, and inevitably the list will never contain every single person in a market area looking for a real estate.  However, overall, the list is powerful as it was compiled from what people are doing, not just what they’re saying.

Yes, getting to the prospective buyer or seller first is a huge advantage. You can preempt individuals who might have gone elsewhere, you can educate the prospect about the benefits of working with your firm, and if your sales and client service processes are what they should be, you’ll be able to convince a lot of these prospects to buy or sell real estate through your brokerage.

Yes, your cost-per-client-acquisition should go down. Though every situation and campaign are different, some case studies have shown In-Market Targeting can reduce a real estate broker’s cost-per-lead by 30-75% compared with industry averages.

Yes, by having your own target list you can deploy your advertising on the platforms that give you the most significant return on investment.  While you can use targeting offered by Google, Facebook, and others, it’s usually expensive (they reward on relevancy), and you’ll not be allowed to take it over to another platform, one that might yield better results.

Yes, you can extend and expand the effectiveness of campaigns by creating “lookalike” audiences based on your ideal prospect profile in Google and Facebook. This type of campaign can catch some prospects who might otherwise fall between the cracks.

Yes, once an individual from an In-Market Targeting list comes to your website, you can do two things that will enhance the effectiveness of using Data Driven Marketing.

1. You can do is re-targeting advertising that can show a different type of message to this individual, now that he or she is in your funnel.  
2. Once a person from the list comes to your website, it’s possible then to find the name, address, e-mail address, and phone number for a large percentage of these individuals.  You can do this even if they haven’t interacted with you on the website such as by filling out a form. With this information, you can now deploy direct mail, e-mail, or telemarketing campaigns.

So, yes, In-Market Targeting lists are “for real” and can bring in new business to your firm, month-in, and month-out.

So What About the ‘Buts’?

Data-Driven Marketing is not a magic wand. Notwithstanding all that has been discussed above about the benefits of Data-Driven Marketing using In-Market Targeting, there are still some caveats that need to be realized. Some are connected to the individual real estate brokerage firm while others reflect realities of online marketing in general.

It is necessary upon the brokerage firm to have an adequate sales and conversion process in place. In-Market Targeting will not overcome the deficiencies of a poor sales and customer service model.

A firm’s online reputation can be a make-or-break proposition. If a real estate brokerage firm has a poor online reputation, nothing else matters. Data-Driven Marketing will not overcome a poor online reputation or (almost as bad) no customer reviews or ratings at all.

The agency must be committed to continual testing and retesting headlines, sales propositions, media selection, media placement, everything, culling the losers, running with the winners, and then retesting against the winners. We like to say that “There are no expert marketers, only expert testers.”

Conclusion

Data-Driven Marketing using In-Market Targeting for real estate brokers is for real. Online behavior can identify individuals who are just starting to look to buy or sell real estate. The list of these individuals in a firm’s market area is the ultimate targeting. Advertising to individuals who are in-the-market will bring in new business.

But whether this new business is profitable or not and to what degree it is profitable hinges on the ‘buts.’  Firms that adequately address internal sales and conversion processes, a direct response mindset, online reputation, and the total online presence components of the website, video marketing, and social media marketing and then layer In-Market Targeting on top of this will be substantial winners.

To learn more about marketing for real estate brokers using In-Market Targeting, please visit my website www.brandora.ai

5 Reasons Why Real Estate Brokers should use Artificial Intelligence with In-Market Targeting

5 Reasons Why Real Estate Brokers should use Artificial Intelligence with In-Market Targeting

Online advertising can feel like shooting in the dark. While there are few targeting options based on demographics that you can check off, and you can tailor your message, in the grand scheme of things it’s all trial and error until you hit that bullseye —that right customer, at the right time, in the right place.

You don’t need to market to the haystack anymore: focus on the needle instead. Thanks to artificial intelligence and machine learning, these days are over.

As we track a massive amount of search data to analyze behavioral signals, In-Market Targeting allows you to target web users who are actually looking to buy a property, or to hire a broker to list their property.

In-market Targeting is a way to connect with property owners in market and buyers who are actively researching or comparing properties. This way, you can target only active buyers and active sellers and not waste your ad spend. You can increase the overall effectiveness of your advertising and ROI.

Here are the five reasons why brokers should use In-Market Targeting

1. Market only to who matter: target active buyers and active sellers. Connect with them while they’re actively browsing, researching, comparing properties. Drive incremental conversions.

2. Predict who’s going to be in the market. Leverage real-time data and gain frame control: be first to present your services to owners and homebuyers before your competitors do.

3. Get your commission faster, shorten your sales cycle: drive highly qualified users to your site and improve overall marketing efficiency.

4. Canvas and nurture your leads when you sleep: be omnipresent, follow your in-market prospects throughout their journey online, and be top of mind. Auto follow-up with past clients when they go back in market.

5. Use an industry first technology to close more deals before your competitor. Only one broker per zip code.

For more information on In-Marketing Targeting for Real Estate Brokers, visit our website www.brandora.co

5 Forces Against Real Estate Brokers

Every brokerage has a fundamental challenge: you want to grow your profits. What are the obstacles to overcome to dominate your market and increase your revenue and profit? 

One of the biggest threats to a real estate broker – new or established – is competition. Who is your competition? How are their actions in the marketplace going to affect your current bottom line and future planning? 

To answer those questions, you must analyze and understand your competition. One way to do that is by using Porter's Five Forces model to break them down into five distinct categories. 

Below are the five forces you are currently losing profit to: 

1. Rivals: your direct competition 

As most real estate brokers, the first person you're losing profit to is rival companies - companies and brokers that do what you do and compete with you directly. You know who they are. How do you prevent an owner from listing his property with another brokerage, how can you reach out to a qualified active buyer before your competition does? How can you make sure that one of your past clients will reach out to you if/when they go back on the market? When rivalry competition is high, advertising and price wars can ensue, which can hurt a business's bottom line. 

2. Sellers/Buyer bargaining power: 

The third thing that you're losing to is consumer bargaining power: powerful customers. Powerful owners and buyers always negotiate to lower your commissions; they ask for more value, increasing your cost. Both of those reduce your profit. Profit equals price minus cost. Your commission always gets squeezed. How can you prevent it? 

3. Threat of new entrants: your new competition 

There is a constant flow of new agents and new real estate brokerage companies using better and smart technology and with great inventory. How do you stay competitive? The easier it is for a competitor to join the marketplace, the higher the risk of a business's market share being depleted. 

4. Powerful supplier and their bargaining power 

The fourth thing is a powerful supplier: supplier bargaining power. There are a lot of different types of suppliers; we're going to talk about your marketing suppliers; companies like Google and Facebook that you typically use for your PPC and online advertising. If they change their terms or increase their cost, raise their prices, they're going to grow your cost, and therefore, lower your profit. How do you protect yourself against it? 

5. Substitutes 

How easy it is for customers to switch from your service to that of a competitor or companies that do something similar, close enough that they could be considered a solution. For sale by owner, individuals not using brokers, property management companies. 

Those are the five forces that you compete against you for profits. Do you have a strategy to beat the five forces and to grow your profit? 

If you're interested in a strategy that can deliver against all five of those, while bringing on new clients in an affordable acquisition cost, you have to look into a different type of strategy to expand your competitive advantage. To that end, Brandora uses data-driven insight technology to help brokers market solely to prospects who are ready to buy now (active buyers) or looking to sell their property (real sellers). 

Brandora eliminates wasteful ad spend, drives down the cost per client acquisition and increases real estate brokers’ profits. 

Related Article: If you are interested in finding out how to grow your profit and how to beat these five forces, click here.

Online Marketing Techniques For Realtors

Online Marketing Techniques For Realtors

It is apparent that the Internet has been proven to be a game-changer for businesses, especially real estate. Online searches and listings have made it simpler for prospective home buyers looking for their dream homes.

 However, this has resulted in new challenges for real estate agencies. Realtors can no longer rely on traditional advertising alone for exposure. The Presence of social media and content marketing has given everyone a voice. While this has made it easier for agents to market themselves, it has become harder for firms to differentiate themselves.

How do you stand out from the competition in your area?

Creating a Strong Brand

It’s no longer enough to use online tactics just to advertise your services. To stand out from the clutter, you have to set up and nurture a prominent brand that will make your prospects want to engage with your firm.

Your online marketing strategy should focus on this aspect. If you come up with content that helps your prospects in their search for a home, they will be that much more inclined to hire you. While creating content, you should make it easier for your prospects to take the decision where to live. A successful online presence will help you attract and convert more leads into actual clients.

Regular Newsletters

A great tactic to keep your clients engaged (even after your business has concluded) is to send out regular emails. This can work well in nurturing the relationship while further enhancing your position as an authority in your area.

You can use newsletters to provide helpful content - timely information about your community, information regarding events happening in the city, etc. - to your audience on a continuous basis. You can also use this to direct your audience to your website and new blog posts.

Real Estate Blogs

The most compelling online marketing tool for any real estate agent is their blog. This is where you can share relevant and informative content on a regular basis.

Publish posts on topics that your prospects care about. Provide solutions to common queries. Give updates on the community and neighborhood, spotlight local businesses and events, educate your readers about happenings in your city.

Don’t be too lengthy and employ a casual, friendly tone. Your blog isn’t the place to show off your brilliance.

Do not use your blog to promote your services or sell yourself overtly. However, try to communicate your brand’s message through each blog post you create.

Guest Blogging

Sharing your content on other blogs is a sure-fire way to build authority and influence. This will get you more exposure, connections, and exposure to potential prospects.

Scout for networks relevant to your profession and become involved in the community.

Not only does such guest posting provide you a platform to showcase your expertise, but it can also increase your web traffic while providing useful backlinks. This works great for your readership and SEO. You should try and contribute as many guest blog posts as you can.

Final Words

Effective online marketing is essential for any business, especially in the real estate industry. However, the one key point to remember always is that it’s all about providing value. With hard work and focus, you can successfully establish a viable and prominent presence in your area.

4 Online Marketing Tactics for Real Estate Pro’s

4 Online Marketing Tactics for Real Estate Pro’s

For any business, your online presence can be essential to your success (or failure) in generating new leads and clients. Here, we will share some specific strategies that you can use to promote yourself and your real estate business. That’s already assuming you have the basics in place – namely, a website, blog and social media presence.

Responsive Web Design

A must for any business. The number of website visitors using mobile devices is continuing to rise, making the need for a mobile-friendly site imperative. Responsive web design is simply a design that is fluid— that changes with the visitor's browser size.

Studies and statistics have shown that sites with responsive web design have higher conversion rates and increased sales. Potential clients can visit your website from anywhere with any device.

Host Local Content

In the real estate business, creating helpful content for home buyers and sellers is a must. They usually tend to spend a lot of time researching the buying and selling process, especially if it's their first time.

In addition to the basics, you'll also want to focus on creating content for the locations you cover. People looking at moving to a new area will be interested in neighborhoods, statistics, events, fun facts and so forth. If your website can offer them content on such topics, they will ultimately come across your services as well.

Solicit Reviews

Real estate sites like Zillow receive, on average over 16 million visitors per month. Web statistician Alexa ranks Zillow above other home listing networks such as Trulia, Homes.com, and Movoto.

More and more customers are making use of Zillow to find houses and scout for real estate agents in the area. Reason enough for you to not only have an agent profile on Zillow, but also encourage your clients to review you.

You don’t need to be shy about asking for reviews; these can be extremely valuable for your business. Anytime when a client expresses praise for your service – be it over phone, in person or via email, use the opportunity to ask them for a review on the network they used to find you.

Make sure to post unique testimonials on your pages to instill confidence in anyone who will likely contact you.

Answer and Engage

There are many places online where you can connect with potential clients by simply answering their questions. To start off, the City-Data.com forums have people ask questions about global locations. There are specific sub-forums states in the US and for the largest metropolitan areas within each state. In addition to real estate sites and social media, you also have question and answer networks like Quora that have people to ask questions about all topics, including home buying, selling and relocating.

All you need to do is find and join such forums where potential clients are likely to discuss their real estate needs and start answering questions. Devote some time each day to checking each network for potential questions and answer them.

Even if you don't succeed in converting a query, it will generate more exposure as others will view your answer.

3 Reasons to Invest in LinkedIn Marketing

3 Reasons to Invest in LinkedIn Marketing

Software giant Microsoft made history when they acquired professional networking platform LinkedIn for $26.2 billion, one of the largest acquisitions for the company. The acquisition was perplexing for many, but Microsoft and LinkedIn seem a pretty good fit together, as the bulk of LinkedIn’s members form Microsoft’s primary customers. This tie-up gives MS access to an enormous amount of data and direct connections to the people they wish to transform into a long-term business.

However, these are the same reasons why other businesses also should incorporate the social network into their marketing strategy. There are quite a few more benefits that LinkedIn has for you.

Leverage Customer Networks

LinkedIn offers the ability to scout the relationships of your current customers, future prospects and the contacts of theirs including possible vendor and supplier networks.

You can go through your connections and examine others they’re connected to. Review profiles for interests and pay particular attention to the groups they’re part of. Take note of the relevant groups and join in.

Individual’s profiles provide input for better methods of engagement while also revealing more opportunities to garner leads from the people and groups they are connected to. By joining such groups, you stand to gain access to more prospective audience segments and also additional space to share your content.

Visibility For Your Content

Sponsored Updates is one of the best ways to position content in front of a highly-targeted audience on LinkedIn. If you are looking to build credibility among your existing connections and prospects, you can use this feature to target a very focused audience.

Once you have some high-value content shared on your LinkedIn feed, you can also promote them through LinkedIn’s ad platform as well to get the best reach. You can also share such content with any relevant LinkedIn groups where you’re looking to build engagement with prospects.

The layered targeting on LinkedIn makes it easy to connect with the right people, and the analytics within LinkedIn helps you track the effectiveness of your sponsored content.

You can compare the results of your non-sponsored posts with paid campaigns to see how they stack up against each other. You can adjust your strategy accordingly to improve engagement.

Gain Additional Leads

Your website will be the perfect platform for your content and a big source of organic traffic as you generate more content and promote it. There are plenty of suitable places to promote content, like LinkedIn’s publishing platform, LinkedIn Pulse.

Open to anyone with a LinkedIn account, it’s a simple interface with a WYSIWYG editor much like posting on WordPress. You can either create unique content or re-purpose some of your existing content for the platform.

If you have previous articles, videos, podcasts or webinars that have performed particularly well, you can re-purpose any such content into a new post to be published on LinkedIn Pulse.

Publishing such content on LinkedIn Pulse puts it directly in front of your established connections as well as a brand new audience. It helps position you as an expert or a thought leader, providing solutions and valuable ideas. This can entice entirely new prospects - who otherwise may have never caught wind of you - into your funnel.

The 3 major benefits of CRM for Real Estate Agents

The 3 major benefits of CRM for Real Estate Agents

With a wide range of uses, it is not surprising that real estate agents apply CRM to their line of work. While most agents see it only as a means to assist in client management, some include it as an essential part of their overall marketing, lead generation and conversion strategy.

In reality, real estate CRM can accomplish all these things and much more. We give you the main reasons for all real estate agents to benefit from adopting a CRM into their business plans.

Consolidating Data

All successful real estate agents make use of more than one lead generation stream. You are most likely get your lead contact information from your network, website, various social media channels, direct mail campaigns and other possible avenues. Keeping up with multiple tables or datasheets of all these potential leads is awkward, clunky and time-consuming.

By using CRM as an integral part of your day-to-day real estate business, you’ll find that information from all these channels are consolidated and available in one place. This data can be easily accessed, organized and managed via laptop, tablet, smartphone, etc.

Communicating with Clients

No matter how complicated or time & resource consuming it is to sell houses, each and every house that has ever been sold was because of communication - between agents, sellers and potential buyers. At times, the difference between making a sale on the house or not is as simple as answering a phone call. Most modern CRM tools include customizable auto-response features that provide an immediate response to anyone who might reach out to you.

While these auto-responses aren’t exactly the most personal or effective method of responding to clients, it is very much better than an inquiry going unnoticed and without response. You should opt for a response that acknowledges its nature instead of something that seems remote and disingenuous.

“Oops, Sorry for the auto-response! I’m out for a meeting at present. I want you to know that I received your message and will reach out to you as soon as I possibly can. Thank you for understanding!”

Any simple response of this sort can make the potential client feel that you are not ignoring them and make them want to stick around – always the key to maintaining a relationship with a client.

Automation of Tasks and Workflows

With an appropriate real estate CRM, you can combine the personal touch of your individuality with the efficiency of automation. For starters, it can help you send out “Happy Home Buying Anniversary” messages to your clients. You only need to draft an email, and the CRM will send it out to those with the appropriate anniversary date.

You can do large batches in one go which means your CRM does most of the heavy lifting. You can automate your CRM to do this and much more functions for you!

Real Estate Scheduling Tips for Instagram and Linkedin

Real Estate Scheduling Tips for Instagram and Linkedin

An effective social media marketing strategy is one that’s organized, well-planned and which incorporates lots of informative content. Once you’ve polished your real estate website and hosted a significant amount of content, it’s time to schedule your social media posts around such resources and establish a plan of action for regular activity appropriate to each major social network.

This might sound hectic, but you don’t need to spend tons of hours to extract substantial results from social media. All it takes to succeed in social media marketing for real estate is knowing what and when to publish and also the right tools to use. Discover how to fine-tune your posting plan and organize your social media scheduling tasks.

Instagram

Content to Share: Photos and videos of listings, clients, neighborhoods, local businesses and your office.

When to Post: Afternoons, every day of the week

Frequency of posting: A few times daily (Ensure a good mix of videos and photos)

Arguably one of the most leisure social networks around, posting on Instagram is as simple as point, shoot and share. An incredible platform that allows you to showcase beautiful shots of your listings, community, and of course yourself on the job. There is no one proper posting frequency schedule for this photo- and video-sharing network. As long as you publish at least a few photos and videos on a daily basis, you’re in good shape.

Originality should be a priority while Instagramming, so be sure to keep your recordings and images fresh. In short, make use of best practices on Instagram to get plenty of users “favoriting” your content.

One’s best bet for Instagram success is to gradually stock up on photos and videos over time so that you have a well-stocked library with you and don’t need to worry about having enough to post regularly. Some Instagram automation tools even make it simple to schedule photos, thus saving you lots of hours each week.

LinkedIn

Content to Share: Company updates, announcements, answers for buyers/sellers, external content, blog posts, etc.

When to Post: Late morning or early afternoon during weekdays.

Frequency of posting: A couple of updates per day is ideal, but be sure to monitor conversations in related groups.

LinkedIn can be quite the real estate lead generation tool. All it takes to generate leads on the channel is to make your presence prominent on the site — like creating a detailed and informative Company Page — and taking advantage of bonus features like Groups.

Shortlist groups that are either related to your locality or specifically for prospective buyers and sellers in your area. Even if you don’t directly provide solutions, you can make a name for yourself as a considerate local professional who helps out fellow community members.

Regularly publishing blog posts on your Company Page is a must, while engagement in Groups can set you apart from other agents.

If activity on your Company Page is low, make use of LinkedIn’s advanced search feature to discover specific individuals in your market to connect with. As with other social media platforms, it’s important to steadily grow your LinkedIn network so your content can reach them.

Why real estate agents get ignored on social media - And what to do about it

Why real estate agents get ignored on social media - And what to do about it

Face it, your social media stinks. No, that’s not an insult. It’s just that the facts can’t be ignored. Despite the highest frequency of posting, the real estate industry seems to have the lowest engagement rates.

This data might be surprising, what with all the social media gurus talk about is how important it is to post regularly. Statistics also show that using images increase engagement as well. And the real estate industry tops in this as well.

So why are people being turned off?

Too Much Content?!

Very likely because you’re not posting the right stuff. Not that your listings and other updates are bad, but the majority of your followers just don’t care. The reason people use social media is not to be sold to. People like updates because they enjoy something new or share an opinion. They retweet or share content that evokes emotion or interest. That’s the sort of content you need to post.

Unless all your followers are in the market for a new home or planning to move, then they will have not much interest in your listings, the sale you made recently or anything at all related to your business.

You have to realize that most of your connections don’t fit into that group. It’s usually several years before your clients will even think about moving again. However, you can’t afford to ignore them until they are back in the market. Remember that 70 percent of real estate clients forget their agents after only a year. Here’s what you can do instead

Content rules, but in Context

Too obvious to state? Most agents get into the habit of posting updates they want to share rather than content their followers would like to receive. You can’t force engagement this way.

Always remember the 80/20 rule when planning your social media calendar. Not more than 20 percent should be about your services while the remaining 80 percent or more should be about your clients’ needs, likes and wants.

While interest varies from client to client, certain topics have broader appeal than others. According to research, food, home and lifestyle topics account for 85 percent of the world’s most shared content. So all the shareable recipes, organizational tips, DIY and self-improvement ideas will consistently fare well.

Building relationships, the right way

Displaying a little personality or sharing some non-commercial updates helps you connect with your clients. If you do post about yourself, make it personal and not anything that would make you look unprofessional.

Most social media sites let you share directly with individuals. Use your knowledge of your followers to connect with them to make your clients feel special. The more your followers get to know you, the more rapport you’ll have. It can be hugely beneficial when it comes to referrals and repeat business.

It takes some time and effort, but improving your social media efforts can bring you substantial returns on investment.

Three tips to effective real estate promotion on Facebook

Three tips to effective real estate promotion on Facebook

Real estate promotions on Facebook can be a great way to pull in new business, but it isn’t as easy as many would have you believe. It might take months of effort and dedication before your strategy on Facebook pays off. Patience is the name of the game when it comes to cultivating leads on this social network.

Regardless, growing your client pool without spending additional money on advertising, will be worth it. So how to achieve marketing success on Facebook? Here are a few tips for successful real estate campaigns on Facebook.

Showcase your services and post content of value for your clients

When you have a Facebook page to promote your real estate business, you need to ensure that the content you put out is 100% professional and polished. No using a business page to rant about the system or hassles of day-to-day life. You should treat it as an extension of the excellent service your clients can expect from you as their agent.

You might have a hard time finalizing the type of content to host on your page, start by asking yourself this: What will be of value to your clients? Endless posts of listings aren’t useful for most clients, more so on social media. On the other hand, information on mortgage and local news are often more pertinent to potential real estate clients.

Downplay your accomplishments, focus on your clients

If you are focused too much on your business, you may come across as conceited and only caring about your success. So, instead of focusing your content on yourself, concentrate on your clients’ interests. This will help you market your services to potential clients and communicate your competency as an agent.

The next time you close a sale, don’t post about it, but take a picture of your clients being ecstatic about their new home and ask them to share their story on your Facebook page. Through this, the focus turns onto their success, and the content will convey your incredible ability to help clients in their real estate goals.

Going beyond “likes” and more of authentic engagement.

If you really wish for your Facebook marketing efforts to pay off, engage with your audience! It’s important that you post content on your business page on a regular basis, but it’s the interaction with your clients (prospective or existing) that really counts. As a thumb rule, committing about 20 percent to content and 80 percent to user engagement seems to be the most effective in balancing the two.

One of the best ways to engage your Facebook following is to comment on their relevant posts. Always be responsive when someone asks you a question. This goes to show others that you are active and accommodating. Keep in mind this important bit: A Facebook “like” doesn’t take much effort, but taking the time to actually comment or respond goes a long way to show your commitment.

Three major ways for real estate players to grow their social media following

Three major ways for real estate players to grow their social media following

The question on the minds of many real estate players is “How to nurture your social media profile and increase your reach?” If you start behaving on your social media accounts like you’re the only one who matters, it will soon turn into a mid-day soap opera — you’ll lose viewers.

The answer is this: By creating more relationships with people and building upon existing ones. There are tons of advice around on how to do that, but it doesn’t matter until you start doing it. You’ll never get the attention you deserve unless you take action on that front. Here, we aim to show you actionable ways to build and grow relationships with people on major social platforms.

Facebook

In order to grow an audience out of nothing on Facebook, one needs to leverage someone else’s audience. Start off by identifying a few companies or individuals on Facebook who share the same customer base with you but are not direct competition.

For instance, if you’re a Realtor looking at local lenders, title companies and regional news outlets are a great place to begin. Once you’ve made up your list, you need to set up notifications for all these pages to see every time they post. Regularly participate in the comments section for these posts and interact/engage with individuals who are adding value to the discussion. Your goal is to build a similar audience, by adding value to a discussion they have started.

By commenting and interacting with others, you’re not selling anything, but merely facilitating discussion. The more discussions you conduct, the more your exposure grows, the more views your page gets, and the more you get to build your audience. This eventually leads to inquiries and rapport building.

Twitter

One of the favorites to build an audience, the fast-paced platform allows you to engage directly on certain topics, all in a crisp 140 characters.

The strategy is simple enough: Using Twitter to find people in your area. It’s as simple as heading over to Twitter and typing something into the search bar. Maybe “moving to Austin,” for starters.

You are sure to come across tweet(s) from people planning to buy houses in Austin. Though these can be considered leads, but rather thin ones you need to build upon. The key to approaching someone on social media is to be friendly, not “salesy”.

LinkedIn

A great platform to network with other professionals. You can showcase your knowledge or expertise in several ways, but what you should focus on is articles via the blogging platform, LinkedIn Pulse. Every time an article is posted on LinkedIn, his or her network is notified of it.

But first, you need to ensure your content is up to par. Too many shameless self-promoting blogs will have people tuning you out. Dust your best blog post, and republish it on LinkedIn. If the content is engaging, you will gain followers and see a ton of followers for your content.

These actionable pieces of advice won’t cost anything but time and may benefit you in a huge way in the long run.

Tips For Real Estate Marketers to Build a Social Media Following

Tips For Real Estate Marketers to Build a Social Media Following

Social media marketing may be one of the cheapest and easiest ways to market services and products. More so for real estate agents, especially realtors working for small and midsize agencies. The latter may actually have an advantage in this area.

The reason for this is that many large, enterprise-level businesses struggle to establish and effectively communicate the business value being created through social marketing. Smaller agencies can use this anomaly to their advantage. For one, you’ll be able to directly experience the return on investment (ROI) for your strategies and campaigns on social media, and you can quickly modify such campaigns to achieve better results.

However, to succeed on social media, you need to ensure you follow the things mentioned below.

Regular Updates

The easiest way to achieve success through social media marketing is to build up a substantial following on a variety of platforms by posting regularly. You need to post updates frequent enough that your followers are aware of your presence, creating brand awareness.

Keep in mind that real estate is the most saturated market on social media. Make sure you don’t post too frequently, flooding your follower’s feeds to the point that they become annoyed. Take care to schedule your posts and the type of content. It’s important to put quality over the quantity of content, and schedule them well. Use analytics available on networks to see when your followers are most active, and go onto schedule quality posts at that time.

You should make sure not to post similar content repeatedly, or your followers will start ignoring it. Make sure you’re mix up different content including Promotional, Personal, Editorial as well as Shared content.

Showcasing Your Personality

No matter which platform you use, remember that a successful realtor relies mostly on personality and salesmanship. Showcase these traits in your posts, and evolve a persona that your followers trust and interact with.

You’ll never get the following you want if you merely promote listings. This can be accomplished if you post shareable interesting content in order to gather a following. So when its time when you market a property, you have a ready built base of viewers.

However, it’s best to stay within limits. Stay interesting, but non-offensive so as not to drive any potential clients away. It’s best that you establish a professional Facebook page (or Twitter/Instagram accounts) that are distinct from your personal profiles. Use this page to post virtual tours, listings, announce open houses, share real estate tips and conduct business activity that doesn’t compete for visibility with your personal stuff.

Building a Community

You should use your social media presence to position yourself as a thought leader amidst the community that you cater to. For instance, you can build your audience around your professional Facebook page. Facebook groups can be used to share content such as information on taxes, local news, events, tips, promote businesses in the area and so on.

However, in order to build a community around your services, you first need to decide specifically what that community is about. You will need to make sure that your fans will engage and enjoy the content that you plan to focus on. This way you will be able to build a following who is most likely to use the services you provide, and build your business.