Rounding the Bases of Marketing a New Listing
April 24, 2018
Baseball season is in full swing (pun intended), and no matter which team you support, your real estate marketing can benefit from this analogy. Whether you’re a seasoned agent or simply looking for some tips to amplify your approach to marketing your clients’ homes, here are some tips for making the marketing plan for your next listing a home run.
REACHING FIRST BASE
You’ve got a signed listing agreement and you’re ready to get to work, but where do you start? As you almost certainly know, there are many steps you’ll need to take before you can put a property on the market. Start by ensuring the property looks its best, ideally enlisting a professional home stager. Then, have professional photography done to paint your listing in the best possible light. We also recommend having a 3D model of the home created if the seller’s budget allows for it, as well as high-quality video. Each of these components will be vital for executing the home’s marketing plan.
ROUNDING SECOND
With the groundwork laid for a successful marketing plan, it’s time to put that plan together. Guided by the seller’s goals and budget, devise a well-rounded marketing approach that incorporates both traditional and digital marketing strategies. Then, you’ll need to create the materials needed to carry it out. At a minimum, this should include a dedicated listing page housed on your user-friendly website, an email blast, signage, and images or videos needed for social media posts. You might also consider adding in postcards and mailers, a dedicated brochure, print and digital ads, and public relations. Additionally, you’ll need to write a creative and enticing listing description that tells a story which inspires buyers to act.
It sounds like a lot to take on, and it is. Therefore, you should probably have a real estate marketing agency in Florida help you carry out this portion.
GETTING TO THIRD
Third base is where the magic happens. You’ve got a solid marketing plan and your listing is live. Now, it’s time to execute. In order to make your way to home plate, you’ll need to engage in ongoing marketing until you can put that “sold” sign in the front yard. You should be highlighting your new listing on the social media platforms that prospective buyers are on, albeit sparingly. Focus on producing quality posts, and sharing them at times you know your audience is active. Aside from organic online advertising, be sure to engage in targeted digital marketing wherever it makes the most sense for your target audience.
Other aspects will take place in the “real world.” For instance, you should paint the town in branded, well-designed signage promoting your listing and any upcoming open houses. You can also consider an ongoing mailer campaign targeting nearby neighborhoods. The right tactics will come down to the budget, the market, and your seller’s goals.
SLIDING INTO HOME
You secured a sale for your client, but that’s not a “run” in real estate marketing. Before you can declare this endeavor a win, there’s work to be done to enhance your chances of scoring your client’s repeat business — and even better, the business of your client’s friends, family, co-workers, hairdressers, internet friends, and so on. We recommend sending a thoughtful, branded gift to congratulate your seller on the next phase of their life. Then, once you’re certain they were satisfied with the experience, send them a letter or email requesting that they provide a testimonial and share a review on Yelp, Zillow, Facebook, and other sites that make sense for you.
If you think you’re finished, think again. You’re in this for the long haul. Consider it a game that’s in endless extra innings. You should stay in touch with your client in the years to come because chances are they’ll need to buy or sell a home again in the future. Be sure to add them to your email list and connect on social media. You should also reach out every so often to see if they have any real estate needs that you can fulfill, but ensure that when you do it’s always authentic. The goal is to create a relationship that stands the test of time, and we’re confident you can do it.
Looking to build a marketing strategy that knocks your listings out of the park? Try enlisting a solid real estate marketing agency in Florida to amplify your efforts. Let’s meet to discuss why our team is the perfect fit for your starting lineup.