Three Marketing Pro Tips for Independent Realtors

Independent realtors have a lot on their plate. Between staging, showing and selling homes, these multitasking machines must also find time to advertise and market themselves and their business. Effective realtor marketing is key to attracting new customers, which is crucial for a thriving real estate business.
Unfortunately, unlike large real estate firms that have access to a team or department dedicated to marketing and drawing in new business, independent realtors have to take on the responsibility themselves. Because they are singly-handedly responsible for the success of their business, it is imperative they don’t waste money and time on ineffective marketing solutions.
For independent realtors, the internet has proven to be an invaluable resource that is not only cost efficient, it can be extremely effective in reaching large audiences quickly and meaningfully. While the internet has been able to offer independent realtors the inexpensive tools they need to market themselves, the most successful realtors use a mix of new and traditional techniques to ensure they cover all bases and attract the most clients.

Larry Weltman’s Top Three Marketing Tips

1. Utilize Social Media Properly
A major mistake independent realtors make when it comes to social media is thinking they should use it to only talk about themselves and current listings. The reality is that the majority of self-promotion and listing news should be saved for your personal professional website.
Instead, social media should be used to create a dialogue between the realtor, the community and potential clients. This is where realtors can showcase their depth of knowledge for the city and real estate through the posting and sharing of valuable information, deals and resources in the city or neighborhood, real estate related or not.
Doing this will give people a reason to follow the account when they aren’t currently buying or selling a home. It also creates goodwill and helps the realtor assert themselves as a local authority.
Remember, 90 percent of buyers and sellers begin their journey online. By using social media
to engage an audience, there is a greater chance they land on your page during their search.
2. Create Useful Guides
Part of any good business model includes retaining existing customers. The same can be said for real estate. While a realtor’s clients may use the services far less than an insurance broker or banker, there are still ways to create loyalty amongst clients, so that when they do decide to buy or sell again they know who to call.
One of the most thoughtful and inexpensive ways to establish this more long-term relationship is through helpful guides or pamphlets, which can be on topics like Tips for Christmas Light Installation, Cleaning Gutters Quickly or The 5 Best Parks in the Area. These guides can be created en masse with a special section featuring a realtor’s branding information and mailed to an existing client list.
Odds are former clients will dispose of a business card after they have done business with a realtor. However, a useful guide about home maintenance is likely to be kept and looked at on occasion.
3. Host a Do-It- Yourself Workshop
In addition to having a client’s address, collecting email addresses is also important in helping to establish new relationships and nurture existing ones. Suggest that visitors to your website and social media accounts sign up for your newsletter to receive special invites to DIY workshops.
Have a local handy man show the group how to install a wall sconce or properly hang a picture frame. If finding a home owner willing to open their space, a park or driveway can serve as a meeting and exhibition place. Setting up a DIY workshop is affordable and helps keep communication paths between the realtor and potential clients open.