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A strong public relations strategy is one of the most powerful tools real estate professionals can have in their toolkit. A constant presence in major media outlets read by clients, potential clients, agents and those thinking about joining the brokerage is a valuable way to promote and grow your real estate business on all levels.
Public relations builds trust through a reputable source, with the outlet providing third-party validation of the brokerage and agent expertise. This form of credibility is more influential and impactful than advertising.
As Bill Gates said, “If I was down to my last dollar, I’d spend it on public relations.” We too know the importance and value of public relations in this competitive marketplace, and we are proud that the discipline is one of our key brand differentiators.
At The Agency, we’ve invested heavily in public relations and have three expert publicists based in the major metropolitan hubs of Miami, New York City and Los Angeles.
As a result, we are featured in more than 2,500 articles a year accounting for more than $100 million of advertising equivalent annually. Whether you are an agent starting out or head of a brokerage, public relations can help shape your business and provide invaluable benefits.
Here are four elements agents and brokerage leadership should keep in mind when thinking about public relations.
Hire the right team
Investing in the right team will provide invaluable ROI for your company and agents. An experienced publicist will ensure your brokerage goals and key messaging, agent expertise, listings and more are visible in front of the right audience by securing opportunities in strategic publications.
By design, our team is bi-coastal and located in major media hubs so they can easily meet with top reporters, yet still be a short drive or flight away from attending listing pitches, property tours and meetings with clients and agents.
An experienced publicist will have a wealth of knowledge in the field, a robust contact list, be able to offer media training to agents and executives at no cost (utilizing an outside media training company can cost an agent thousands of dollars) and also be well-versed in the trends of the media landscape.
They also will be able to identify new ways to gain exposure to target audiences via emerging platforms that are just as impactful as traditional media, including social media, blogs, podcasts, YouTube and more.
Share your voice as an authority in the market
Once the right team is in place, be sure to offer media training seminars as well as training for agents as to how best they can work with publicists to receive the maximum benefits.
One way a publicist can help a brokerage or agent increase market share and grow their business is to position them as the go-to expert in their field and a reliable source for media outlets. This can be accomplished by sharing with reporters accurate data, market trends and any shifts in consumer activity.
For example, we created our first annual Red Paper, a comprehensive report on the markets we serve across the U.S., Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean. Not only was this an incredible marketing tool for agents and a compelling read for clients, our public relations team pitched the data and findings and secured editorial coverage in top-tier media publications across the country.
Being seen as an expert in the news not only helps your business, but it’s also an excellent way to further market your expertise to your clients and the communities you serve.
Awards and accolades
Awards and industry nominations can boost your brokerage’s reputation and set agents apart from the crowd. For new agents, winning awards can help build credibility in a market.
Our public relations team works on national awards for our brokerage and also awards for agents in each market we serve. This is one of the best ways to promote the impressive sales, philanthropic work and achievements our agents garner throughout the year.
Winning awards improves brand awareness, and it’s a natural way to promote your business, success and expertise to new and existing clients. Be sure to add recent accolades to your business pitch, social media and marketing campaigns.
Amplify media placements and accolades
When our listings appear in the press or an agent receives an award, we don’t stop there. We have a comprehensive plan to share these highlights on our media channels and for agents to share with their sphere of influence.
We do this by sharing through various mediums internally, on our blog, in our newsletter and across our social media accounts. Agents also have the ability to create custom marketing pieces for their social media, e-blasts and newsletters to maximize the impact of the media placement and make sure it reaches the eyes of potential clients.
Public relations is an excellent tool for agents to showcase to clients and also can be an allure for agents to join your brokerage. Having a strong presence in the media can help agents gain new listings and clients and maintain the ones they have.
When creating a marketing strategy to present to a client, public relations is a key ingredient. Including a PR strategy and touching on your firm’s expertise in this department, can help an agent stand out from the competition and win new business.
Mauricio Umansky is the founder and CEO of The Agency in Los Angeles. Connect with him on Instagram.
