Are you wondering how you’ll grow your brokerage business with so many already in the real estate industry? Maybe you worry that you can’t stand out amongst the competition because you have nothing special to offer.
Spoiler alert: you do!
The key is knowing the top real estate broker marketing tips to get the organic traffic you desire and to end the need to spend money buying leads constantly. Keep reading to learn the best tips for a successful real estate marketing plan to help your business grow and to help you establish credibility.
Why Real Estate Broker Marketing Ideas Are Important
Thanks to the internet, clients can find real estate brokers anywhere, not just in their local area. That’s why knowing all the top real estate broker marketing ideas is crucial so you can set yourself apart from the other firms and be one of the producers in your niche market. Using as many real estate marketing ideas as possible and assembling your real estate marketing teams gives you a greater chance of getting more clients.
39 Best Real Estate Broker Marketing Ideas
You don’t want to be just any real estate broker. Your real estate marketing ideas and business strategy should show potential clients you are above the competition. It should tell them why they should choose you over anyone else.
Here’s what to consider when creating a digital marketing plan for your real estate brokerage firm.
1. Solidify Your Target Audience
As a real estate broker, you likely cater to a specific audience, and your marketing efforts should portray it. For example, it wouldn’t do you any good to market to wealthy individuals with high net worth if your focus is on new investors or those with less than a $1 million net worth, right?
To avoid wasted time and money, narrow down who you send your marketing communications to or who could best use your services. You want to focus your marketing strategies on these ideal clients because these potential customers would go to another real estate professional if they didn’t come to you.
2. Build Your Real Estate Brand Strategy and Identity
It’s important to have a brand image for customers to recognize no matter the marketing material they come across, whether it’s your firm’s website, social media posts, or a flyer. Your logo, colors, and all other branding details must remain consistent across the board. Many advisors overlook this need, which can hurt their reputation.
Think about McDonalds. You could likely spot the golden arches anywhere and immediately know what they stand for; that’s how you build brand visibility. When your audience sees your branding, you want them to be able to recognize that it’s you.
3. Identify Your Short and Long-term Goals
Effective real estate marketing strategies require you to identify your short and long-term goals. To build the real estate business of your dreams, consider following the SMART goals framework.
- Specific: Make your goals as specific as possible. For example, don’t say, ‘I want more financial industry leads.’ Of course you do, as does every other real estate business in existence. Instead, give yourself deadlines and put numbers to your goals, such as ‘I want 20 new clients per month,’ or whatever is realistic for your business.
- Measurable: When you make your goals specific, they can also be measured. Using our example from above, you can measure your progress by seeing how close you are to your 20 new clients per month.
- Attainable: Don’t get crazy with your goals. It’s a good idea to dream big, especially in the finance industry, but make your goals attainable. You can always level up after reaching your initial goals, but don’t make them so far-fetched that you miss your chance to grow your business.
- Relevant: Make your goals relevant to your business by stating specifics, such as the type of customer you want to attract. For example, I want to add 10 investors with at least $1,000,000 to my clientele. Make your statements specific to what your business offers.
- Time-bound: Give each goal a deadline. It’s okay if you don’t reach it and need to adjust, but it lights a fire under your team to reach the goal rather than being disappointed.
4. Ensure Your Offers and Services Are Clear and Concise
Financial topics are overwhelming for the average person, so anything that would make them more confused will turn them away from your business. Your offers must be clear and concise, letting prospective clients know exactly what you offer.
For example, if you cater to a specific net worth, your offers should state this so potential clients that fit your clearly defined niche don’t overlook your company as a possibility because they don’t think you offer what they need. Investing in content can feel overwhelming for the average person, so making it as clear and concise as possible is key.
5. Conduct a Competitor Analysis
Chances are you aren’t the only real estate business in the area, so doing a competitor analysis will help you understand what you’re up against. This isn’t to say that you should copy your competitors. Instead, you should see what they do well and what they don’t and then see how you can do even better.
The key is to do one better than your real estate competitors, a.k .a. fill a void they aren’t filling, so you get more prospective clients than your competitors. To do this, you should:
- Evaluate the keywords they use
- Use and rate their website, determining what’s missing that your target audience may want
- Consider their pricing and offers
- Look for any shortcomings that you could fill
- Determine what real estate marketing strategies they use
6. Nail Down Your Marketing Budget
Getting carried away with paid real estate marketing ideas is easy, but that isn’t always necessary. The key is to get as much organic traffic as possible, so nailing down your marketing budget is key. When you know how much you have to spend, you can carefully spread it out in the different areas.
7. Create a Mobile-Friendly Website
Of course, the best digital marketing strategies require marketing content, like a solid website, but focusing only on how it looks online is a mistake. You must have a mobile-friendly website, too, as many people website visitors land on your page using their mobile devices.
This is especially crucial when they are making important decisions, such as which local business to consider. A website that isn’t mobile-friendly will turn away potential clients. A mobile-friendly website also increases your visibility, brand online identity, and lead-generation capabilities.
8. Optimize your Real Estate Business for SEO
One of the most important real estate broker marketing ideas is to optimize for SEO for real estate business or search engine optimization to have a strong online presence. This is what makes your website visible to your prospective customers and how you increase your business’s website traffic.
When you optimize for SEO, you do the following:
- Do keyword research: Using the right keywords is the best way to reach potential customers. You want to use words they search so you come up in the top few Google search results, increasing the chances of clients clicking your website to learn more.
- Create an SEO strategy: Your SEO strategy is unique to your business. No two companies have the same strategy; you want to beat your competitors! Your strategy must include on-page and off-page SEO tactics, including local market SEO, to attract clients in your area and get a competitive advantage.
- Website optimization: Slapping together a website doesn’t mean your customers will find you. You won’t get the views you anticipated without proper keyword usage or a good content marketing strategy to create relevant content your audience wants.
9. Start a Blog
You might not think anyone would read financial blogs when they want to find a real estate agent, but this is a key factor in your search engine optimization! Google looks for regular updates, and what better way to do it than with a blog with valuable information? Content marketing for brokerage firms is key to building your online reputation, allowing you to provide quality content for your audience and showing your industry expertise.
When your real estate broker marketing campaign includes adding relevant content, you show yourself as an authority in the brokerage industry. Your blog post can include:
- Helpful tips to improve financial lives
- Wealth management tips
- Industry insights
10. Send Regular Email Newsletters
Email marketing is a great way to reach your target audience and provide value. Having a strong real estate email marketing campaign will allow for two way communication between your brand and customer base. Email marketing campaigns are another way to build your online reputation by providing your audience with news, tips, and promotions.
The difference between email marketing and content marketing is that you can get more personal with your audience, making them feel as if your email was specifically for them and not your entire audience. Making email marketing campaigns a consistent part of your marketing efforts can help you build a larger audience.
11. Network With Other Real Estate Professionals
Don’t be afraid to network with professionals in and outside your financial firms, such as at networking events or anywhere else. Some key players include bankers, attorneys, and business owners. Think of anyone in the area that comes into contact with people who might need your services.
Let other real estate professionals know what you do and what you specialize in. Give them an idea of who you cater to and how you can help them, and let them see how helpful your company can be in helping their clients. The key is to build relationships to get referrals.
12. Print and Direct Mail Marketing Is Still Helpful
Despite all the talk about digital real estate marketing, there are other marketing strategies too, such as print advertising. You want to focus on local marketing when targeting a particular geographic location. Again, ensure your printed and direct mail marketing has the same branding as your digital marketing to keep a cohesive front.
13. National and Local Sponsorships
Attending local events is one of the best ways to get your name out in the community. You can sponsor a local sports team, host a booth at a trade exhibition, or be a speaker at local conferences. The key is to share your expertise and show that you care about the community.
It can even be helpful to join local Facebook groups that will keep you in the loop on what’s going on in your community. This is a great networking event without feeling like one. You showcase your authority in the industry and let others see you are the expert.
14. Get Involved in the Community
Getting involved in the community doesn’t mean only providing your financial expertise. Sometimes, it means getting your hands dirty and volunteering to make the community a better place. Showing your community that you care gives prospective customers a better idea of what you stand for and that it’s not just to make money.
15. Provide Helpful and Informative Downloads
Showcasing yourself as a leader in the industry is easy when you provide your audience with helpful and informative downloads. These freebies could be a quick PDF, chart, ebook, or video that helps prospective investors learn more about the finance industry. The more education you provide, the more you show your audience that you care and aren’t just trying to generate qualified leads.
This lead generation strategy helps you get a larger list of potential clients you can continually market to. The more you engage with your audience and nurture them, the more likely they will become paying clients.
16. Code Interactive Website Tools
Interactive website tools keep your audience engaged and encourage more website visitors. Think of the tools your audience would use the most and add them to your real estate website as a part of your real estate marketing strategy.
While the ideal goal is to have your audience talk to you in person to close the deal, you want to provide them with the right tools so they remember your company over others when deciding who to use.
17. Encourage Referrals
Using your past clients to help you get more real estate business leads can be a successful real estate marketing strategy. Encourage your clients to pass your name along to those they know who could use your services. There’s no higher compliment a client can pay you than providing client referrals or testimonials to let others know of your services.
You can politely ask that they send referrals your way or even make them your referral partners and offer incentives to do so, such as a small gift card or gift in exchange for a successful referral.
18. Implement a System for Requesting Online Reviews
Reviews are an important part of your real estate marketing plan. While it might feel awkward to ask for reviews, they are integral to your business! If you haven’t claimed your Google business profile yet, use this free resource. Your Google My Business page is a great way to ask for client testimonials from satisfied clients to show future customers what you offer.
19. Respond to Reviews
Every time you receive a review, take the time to respond to it. Thank the customer personally. This not only makes your past clients feel warm and fuzzy, but it shows potential clients how much you care about your clientele. It proves that you treat your customers as people, not just another number.
20. Record Company Videos
Video content is a key component of your brokerage company’s marketing techniques. Implementing keywords in your videos and providing valuable relevant content can help you rank higher in the search engines. You can post videos to YouTube, your real estate website, or on popular social media platforms to increase your views and get more customers. An engaging social media presence, can sometimes make or break a company.
21. Add Chat to Your Website
Customers today like instant gratification. They want answers as quickly as possible and don’t want to wait for you to return a voicemail or answer an email. Online chat allows instant access to your business and is a great way to grab potential clients’ attention while strongly considering finding a real estate agent.
22. Invest in Real Estate Marketing Automation
You might think all these real estate marketing ideas will take up too much of your time, but investing in marketing automation is the key to ‘setting it and forgetting it’ so you can save time. Of course, this doesn’t mean your marketing efforts are ever put on the back burner. However, setting certain tasks up to be automatically carried out can alleviate your stress and ensure your marketing ideas are carried out.
23. Optimize Your Social Media Marketing Efforts
Take full advantage of social media marketing campaigns by creating optimized social media profiles. Stick to the same branding, but anyone who visits your profile should immediately recognize what you do and offer in your social media marketing. It should be apparent that you are a real estate broker and the type of client base you cater to so that you get the right types of qualified leads from your social media platforms.
24. Livestream on Social Media for Q&A
Social media sites are free; you should take full advantage of them! Social media posts and pages are a great avenue for live videos where you host Q&As, providing your audience with free answers and real estate knowledge so they can make informed decisions about their financial needs. Providing these clips is a great way to alleviate the stress clients feel about talking to professionals, allowing them to get their questions answered easily.
25. Host a Real Estate Webinar or Seminar
Seminars or online seminars, called webinars, are also a great way to use your marketing resources. Let your audience hear you talk about important topics to help build trust in your business. As you show your real estate expertise in these educational seminars, it’s much easier for your audience to consider you for their needs versus another company.
26. Land Speaking Gigs
You may find opportunities to speak at other events as you network with other business professionals. You don’t always have to be the event’s host to be the speaker. As you build more client relationships and show your expertise, more businesses may look to you for your investing experience and want you to speak at their engagements.
27. Get Press Coverage
Press coverage is easier to get than most people realize, especially with the internet and social media today. Try to get recognized for your awards, community service, or real estate agent services. Most people will lean toward the companies that get good press when they need someone they can trust, so the more you show up in the press, the better.
28. Build Authority With Guest Posts
Guest posts are like the online version of speaking engagements, allowing you to share your expertise. Through strong copywriting, you can create engaging content that resonates with both your audience and the blog owner’s audience. This strategy not only boosts your visibility but also enhances your credibility within your industry.
29. Participate in Podcast Interviews
Podcast interviews are another form of ‘press,’ just not in print or video. No one will see your face when you do a podcast interview, but they will hear what you have to offer and form their own opinion of your company based on what you share. Whether it is a real estate podcast or not, this is a great way to get in front of a larger audience and have more people learn about what you offer.
30. Stay Active on Investment Forums and Facebook Groups
Real estate community forums are a great way to stay engaged with your target market. They offer a way to get personal and discuss concerns with potential clients where they are comfortable. You can help keep the record straight about local real estate news, provide tips, and offer consultations to help people in the group with their financial needs.
31. Run a Giveaway
Running a giveaway is a great way to get more attention. Consider it a part of your marketing budget and run a small giveaway that attracts attention and helps you generate leads. Of course, you’ll ask for the contact details of anyone who enters, allowing you access to your audience in the future.
32. Apply for Local Awards
Pay attention to any local awards your community offers, and apply for them. The more ‘good press’ you get, the easier it is to build a larger audience. Your awards could be for your local business and what you offer or even for doing good within the community.
33. Sign Up for Marketing Directories
Get your name on as many marketing directories as possible, especially if they are free, like Clutch. Be sure to complete your profile on the directories as much as possible, giving your audience as much information as possible about your business to encourage them to contact you when they need investing services.
34. Initiate Co-Marketing and Joint Ventures
Consider combining your real estate marketing ideas and efforts if you have a company you work well with and wouldn’t mind swapping ideas for a marketing plan. This helps increase your market share and profits by keeping costs down and playing off one another’s ideas to maximize your marketing strategy.
35. Experiment With Paid Advertising
If you’ve exhausted all organic real estate marketing strategies and use them consistently, you may consider paid ads. We caution you not to go overboard with them as they often don’t provide the same results as organic marketing plan, but they can be a good complement when you want to fill in with more leads.
36. Try Influencer Marketing
You might not think of influencers when you think about marketing for real estate brokers, but it can be a solid strategy for building your clientele. Influencers who talk about using your company and how you helped them or who boast about your services may help get your name in front of audiences that otherwise may never have known you.
37. Optimize Your Marketing and Sales Team Communication
Your marketing and sales team must work together. Your real estate marketing team identifies leads, and your sales team is responsible for following up with them. Communication between the two teams is essential to capture new business and close the deal, especially in real estate.
38. Talk to your ideal clients
You can gain loyal customers by providing an excellent customer experience and maintaining a good customer relationship management strategy. Think about what the perfect customer is looking to learn about real estate and how they can utilize your services.
Real estate broker services are something individuals and businesses need repeatedly, so constantly marketing to your current clients and nurturing them, whether it’s months or years down the road, can turn them into repeat clients.
39. Monitor and Measure Results Monthly
You could try every one of the real estate agent marketing tips here, but the only way to see how they work for you is to monitor and measure your results monthly. There are many ways to do this, such as:
- Watching sales metrics
- Monitoring the number of calls/inquiries
- Measuring the email open rate vs. click rate
- Paying attention to your email unsubscribe rate
- Monitor your social media analytics, including likes/follows/comments
- Use Google Analytics or Google Search Console
Which Real Estate Marketing Idea Should You Try First?
The key to proper real estate agent marketing is to go slow. Try several real estate marketing ideas at a time and measure your results. You may find that some work great, and others aren’t your cup of tea.
Choose the strategies you are most comfortable trying and will use consistently. Any marketing strategy is a slow and steady game. You won’t see results overnight, but with consistency, you may be surprised at how much it grows your firm.
Mistakes To Avoid With These Marketing Ideas for Real Estate Brokers
When implementing the real estate marketing ideas, there are some key mistakes to avoid:
- Not hiring a professional: Let the marketing professionals handle your marketing strategy while you focus on running your business. Everyone has something they do well; if marketing isn’t it, let the professionals do it for you.
- Relying on a single marketing channel: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Diversify your marketing strategy to ensure you maximize the return on your investment.
- Focusing on too many marketing channels: Diversifying too much can make getting each strategy the necessary attention difficult, leaving you with less than desired results.
- Not tracking results: It’s impossible to tell which marketing strategies work until you track the results and see which provides the greatest return on your investment. The professionals can track them for you, helping you understand what’s working and what isn’t.
- Not making adjustments to strategy: After reviewing your results, it’s important to adjust, especially the strategies that aren’t providing the desired results. If you don’t, you continue throwing money at tactics that don’t work.
- Not knowing what the competition is doing: Always watch your other brokers. See what they are doing, changing, or not changing so you can make sure you do better than them and capture a larger part of the market share.
- Not setting definable targets: Setting your SMART goals ensures you know what you’re trying to achieve and how well you’re doing. You can’t measure your progress or understand what is/isn’t working without a target to reach.
- Ignoring online marketing completely: If your business doesn’t exist online and you don’t use SEO and other marketing strategies to get a larger audience, your competition will get all the business while you sit and wonder what you did wrong.
Implement These Real Estate Marketing Ideas With an Expert
These real estate marketing ideas and digital solutions are the key to a successful business! But as a busy professional, you likely don’t have enough time to implement and monitor these strategies. Partnering with a rock-solid marketing company with the experience and results to help your company grow is the key to making your marketing strategies work for your real estate business.
