In this monthly advice column, Marketing Mastermind Christy Murdock Edgar answers three burning questions from the real estate industry at large. This month’s topic: leveraging the media.
Summer is a confusing time in the marketing world and in real estate. Suddenly, everyone seems to be out of town.
The market that was keeping you slammed all spring is suddenly slowing down. You may have some leftover listings on the market that are growing stale.
As a content marketer, I can tell you from personal experience that as real estate professionals slow down, they are starting to contact me in droves.
Clearly, when buyers and sellers go on vacation, power brokers and companies turn their attention to all of those marketing initiatives that were put on the back burner for lack of time.
We reached out to professionals to find out what questions you have about your summer marketing plans.
Question 1: Salva Jovells, social media marketing consultant
Do you target your leads the same way during summer? We are always wondering if we should just pause everything during some days and just catch up on September. I am talking about newsletters, auto-triggered emails, etc.
There are a variety of ways to think about summer marketing. Personally, I find that engagement is lower on social media, video and other platforms, so I don’t devote the time there that I do during the rest of the year. That might mean posting every few days instead of every day or a video once a month instead of once a week.
However, if you are just starting a blog or social media account, this is a good time to add some early content and build up your platform so that when the numbers start climbing this fall, you’ll look more established and relevant.
In addition, this is a great time to create content of all types and hold it in reserve for times of higher engagement. Bank blog posts, branded infographics and more, and roll them out in the fall or after the holidays in the pre-spring market.
This is also a good time to do all of those tasks you never seem to get to. Get new headshots. Put together a brand guide and really define your colors, fonts and other branding elements.
Come up with a blog calendar for the rest of the year, or consult with someone you’ve wanted to connect with.
Question 2: Dean Aguilar, San Diego
Is the cost of spending thousands, in some cases for a Five Guys food truck for two hours, worth the ROI in your business? Hundreds of teams across the nation spend an enormous amount of money and resources to throw event-style promotions. But is it really worth it?
This is a question I get a lot, and the answer is: It depends. If you are a high-end broker promoting luxury homes or estate properties, splashing out on an event-style open house or client appreciation social can indeed be a smart investment.
Aside from the attention it draws to the property, it creates buzz around you and your business, and it might make you a memorable figure when those affluent neighbors consider their own home sale.
Becoming and remaining top-of-mind is a huge challenge in the real estate business. Statistics show that even national brands struggle to make an impact on the consciousness of their potential consumers. If a food truck will do that for you, so much the better.
The secret might be in managing costs for these types of promotional events. Instead of a national chain like Five Guys, consider a local food vendor who might be willing to partner with you and might be better able to negotiate on price. Connecting with a popular local business is another way of becoming the go-to broker in your community.
For less expensive properties, consider a popcorn machine or cotton candy instead of a food truck. You’ll still get the feel of a fun event without breaking the bank. This is an especially good option for family homes where kids are expected to accompany their parents.
Looking to cut costs on client appreciation events? Instead of renting out a movie theater or restaurant, create more intimate events more often. Have a dinner party once a month for a rotation of your best clients rather than one event a year for everyone.
Question 3: Chad Carrodus, Atlanta
What are the best strategies for effectively leveraging marketing dollars as schools start back up?
This is the time of year for contacting schools to get in on the promotional opportunities they provide. Signage on the baseball field, a banner in the gym during basketball season and placement in the fan guides during football season all allow you to get your name out there in your local market.
In addition, find out about an ad in the yearbook, especially if you have clients, agents or staff members whose children are graduating. Give them a shoutout and sponsor their child’s senior ad.
Don’t forget the school’s arts and science programs. Find out if there is ad space in the playbill for the fall or spring musical. Provide branded T-shirts for the choir festival or robotics competition. Provide multicolored team shirts for the elementary school field day.
As a former school teacher, I fondly remember the local real estate agent who provided magnetized holiday calendars with her branding and contact info along the top. She enjoyed pride of placement on the whiteboard of every classroom all year long. Talk about top-of-mind!
Do you have any questions for the Marketing Mastermind? Shoot us an email.
Christy Murdock Edgar is a Realtor, freelance writer, coach and consultant with Writing Real Estate in Alexandria, Virginia. Follow Writing Real Estate on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
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