When we asked for feedback from our realtor friends on what they've had the hardest time with, generating leads was a big one!
This industry is all about relationships and whether you're a broker or a realtor, we're all here to help people get into a home they love. I was recently listening to the podcast Good. Better. Broker. and their interview with Brian Shields and I loved his outlook: "I want to be someone's friend who happens to do mortgages. I don't have to ask for business as long as people know what I do."
It's very hard not to come off as pushy, especially in this market! The solution? Stop selling and become a resource! Be relateable and open, listen to your clients, and help them with your special knowledge and skills.
Learn your clients' pain points and offer solutions. What troubles are your clients going through that you can help with - think granular. For example: Pain point- Every time they reach out about a home on Zillow, it's already under contract. Solution- Share a story about how you helped someone snag their dream home because you knew it was going on the market before it was even posted. We love this blog post by local marketing expert Micah Larsen on finding and defining these pain points and outcomes: https://www.micahlarsen.com/blog/pain-points.
Emails are still king when it comes to marketing. Yes, social media can be fun and get you new leads (it's a long game), but email is still the highest converter when it comes to communication platforms. Drop in digestable, easy-to-read, useful messages that bring readers back to your website or to your calendar to learn more. Be as consistent as possible, whether that's weekly or monthly as you can manage. Tip: Consider a "lead magnet" to grow your email list! HERE is a fantastic blog explaining exactly how to do that.
Use calls to action. This is one that most people miss! Everything you post or send should have some sort of engagement call to action so people know exactly what to do next. This can be as simple as "like this post" or, ideally, something that will send them to your lead magnet or website such as "read our blog post for more ways to make your offer more competetive."
Don't forget about your past clients. Past clients are your best resource for referrals or repeat business. The most powerful method of selling is word of mouth/social proof! Ask for those testimonials, keep in touch with your past clients, and offer content that is pertinent to them. For example, an investment property owner may be interested in new properties, whereas a first time home buyer may be more interested in general home decor and maintenance content for now.
Utilize closing gifts (and potentially birthday or loaniversary gifts) if you have the budget. This is specific to our industry and really makes your clients feel special. Bonus? It gives them something to remember you with! There are several Missoula businesses (who ship) that have fantastic gift options, including Three Bales Home Supply, Bitterroot Flower Shop, and The Last Best Store. We also enjoy The Gift Goose as an online supplier.
BE YOU. When you show your true personality, people notice. And it will help them feel seen, too! Your work should light you up and that's hard to do if you're hiding.
If you feel like you need a little help nailing down your marketing strategy, or just falling in love with your business again, we highly recommend Micah Larsen. She does Facebook lives all the time, has an incredible blog resource and basically gives away all the info. Here's her website: https://www.micahlarsen.com/.