Marketing Strategies for New Real Estate Agents

As a brand new real estate agent, you’re getting to learn and experience a lot quickly. What’s that saying again, “baptism by fire”? Before you started, you probably had a lot of expectations that by now may be dissipating into the concrete reality that this profession is anything but easy. There are going to be ups and downs, more time away from family than expected, and feelings that come up along the way that also add to your struggles. As a new agent, you need to do the best and most you can to start your career by gaining and maintaining exposure. In order to help you through that, here is a short list of some marketing strategies to insure you keep your momentum on this newly forged career path.

Leverage the Power of the Internet

The internet has all the tools you need to start off on the right foot. From social media marketing to the hundreds of third-party tools like RPR and NuOp. It is the easiest it's ever been to leverage the internet. Still, there is some learning involved and with web 3.0 right around the corner, it's better to get started sooner rather than later. So here are some strategies for beginners.

Social Media: Create a Facebook page, an Instagram page, and a personal website. Emails, although seemingly outdated, are still very important as well. Having a Facebook or Instagram page that can allow you to directly connect is a wonderful way to gain some exposure. Using a direct messenger, such as Facebook Messenger, as a way of directly contacting clients and potential clients is an underutilized source of communication. Think about it: How many times have you deleted or ignored a promotional email? In the same vein, compare that to the times have you left a direct message unopened? That simple comparison alone should let you realize that direct messages via social media may be a path worth considering to increase your exposure and potential clients.

Personal Website: Additionally, having a personal website that clients can visit from your social media pages is a worthwhile investment, as well. Add your own video and content to your site that you can promote through your social media channels. You want to post engaging content that isn’t just about your listings, but content that can build direct relationships with your audience. Experiment with creating and uploading videos, infographics, and personal commentary on relevant topics.

The good news is that making your own website has never been simpler. Sites like Squarespace make it user-friendly and you can have a competitive site built in days for a great price.  

Care About Your SEO: SEO or search engine optimization is a key aspect of keeping relevance. Even if you are not trying to compete and you just want people to know about you, SEO can do just that. But what exactly is SEO? We talk about it a lot but SEO is simply how search engines will rank you among the millions and billions of other sites and content out there. As you can imagine its not a easy task. But there are lots of simple SEO-friendly things you can do to help. Like having a user-friendly site and good social media. If you wanted to learn more make sure to check out out SEO blog linked above.    

Apps

There are loads of apps out there to help you start your real estate agent career. Matter of fact we talked about loads of them in our real estate app list recommendation blog. Make sure to give that a read as well if you want an in-depth look at some of the best apps out there now. But we will name them here as well:

Calendly: A program that makes it simpler to keep track of all those meetings you're bound to be having. As well as other features to make life a lot less stressful, you won't have to worry about forgetting something any longer. Think of it like Google calendar but better.

NuOp: Want to start off on the right foot? NuOp can help you do just that. You are able to make a profile and connect with agents who may be able to help you start, or check out the live feed and see if there is a referral you can claim. There is no better way to practice! And it's free, so you do not have to worry about a hefty bill.

Google Forms: This is a must-download. Send out client surveys, upload photos or business logos, add images or videos, etc without it costing a cent. Get even savvier with survey answers imported into Google Sheets through Google Forms; gain insight and have data analysis for free. Check it out here: Google Forms.

Make sure you check out our list for more!

Work on Maintaining and Building Connections

The internet can be an initial step in making and maintaining connections with potential clients, but the key to your real estate sales success lies in working hard to keep relationships that go beyond the one-time sale or listing and instead stretch far into the future. So, how can you do it?

Be Communicative

Communicate, communicate, communicate… did we mention you should communicate? Your clients rely on you to keep them informed, so it is vitally important that you consistently and regularly communicate and check-in. Often real estate transactions are stressful and emotional for clients, therefore they want to hear from you. Allow them to count on your feedback consistently. It will build trust and allow them to feel a sense of dependability from you which is essential for a strong client-agent relationship. This type of service also affects their overall impression and possible future recommendation of your services.

Treat Clients Well

This seems easy to say, but what does it mean? What does it look like? Be sure to value your client's past and present with some of the following methods:

• Send “Thank You” notes. Yes, people still do this and it’s a simple practice that can make a big, personal impact
• Drop off gifts in person. Stopping by a client’s home in the late afternoon is a best bet. Do so for small holidays or for more major events like the closing of a home sale.
• Reward clients with exclusive discounts, reward program offers, and the like. Be free with expressions of gratitude and look for new ways to say, ‘Thank you for your valued business.’

These are just a few ways to express gratitude and keep your name readily available in your clients’ memories. Regardless of the method you use, remember that clients are a long-term investment and the most important portion of our business.

There are, of course, many ways you can strategize your new career, but just remember that authenticity, communication, and kindness will never lose.

Conclusion

As you start your new career there will be moments of success and failure. There will be ups and downs. But the most important thing to keep in mind is never give up when it seems hopeless or hard. It's why you went through all the schooling and preparations to reach this spot.  

You are ready.