“Stay hungry, Stay foolish”
Many of us have heard this phrase once quoted by Steve Jobs from the Whole Earth Catalog. Most of us have thought about it at one time or another, and most likely, some have been inspired by it. But is it always reasonable to be hungry and foolish at the same time? In my mind, it’s inspiring to desire more and explore opportunities few others think about, but stay foolish for too long, and you’ll soon become reckless and, in turn, famished. It’s truly a fine line…
In the world of real estate, agents are often encouraged to stay hungry—to seek out new listings, forge connections, and innovate their marketing strategies. Yet, the competitive landscape can lead some to adopt reckless tactics that are off the mark or rely on tired clichés and generic ads that blend into the background noise.
To truly stand out, real estate agents must navigate this fine line by harnessing their hunger for success while avoiding the pitfalls of recklessness. This means thinking creatively and embracing unconventional advertising methods that resonate with potential buyers and sellers.
Here are some vital real estate advertising ideas that can help real estate agents rise above the competition and capture the attention of their target market…
Claim Your Business: Let Google Do the Lifting!
First things first, unless you tell Google what you’re doing and where you’re doing it, thousands of people around you will never know your business exists! So, your first task before going to bed is to google your business.
What does that mean exactly?
It simply means that by creating a business account on Google, you’re giving your business visibility for local searches. This way, anyone searching online for a real estate agent in your area will see your profile at the top of the search results. Let’s see an example.
When I googled “real estate agent in Dallas,” I got the following at the top of the search results.
All those red dots and markers on the map show where real estate agents are (groups or individuals), as they are the ones who have business profiles on Google. Indeed, there are many more agents there, but without a Google profile, they miss the chance of being recognized by potential clients searching online.
One may think that this is doesn’t qualify as a real estate advertising idea, but it’s as vital as creating a logo for your business or renting out an office.
Scrolling down to the bottom of the page, I saw another list of real estate agents, each with a nice profile showing their location, phone number, website address, etc. Here’s one, as an example:
Wouldn’t it be nice if it was your picture and phone number that was popping up on Google’s first page? As far as real estate advertising ideas go, it’s high time you gave this one a try. Don’t just rely on your local grocer to advertise your business! Let Google be your omnipresent marketing agent. It’s free, it’s efficient, and it never takes a break!
Don’t Forget the Web: Launch Your Website Now!
Again, you might think that a website doesn’t make the cut for real estate advertising ideas. Also, it sounds like a bulky job to many, but it is quite a vital idea for any type of business, and as far as the workload goes, putting up a website isn’t that hard!
You’re not expected to launch a super complex platform like Redfin or Zillow! You just need a space to connect with buyers and sellers, and for this, you can select a free website builder like WordPress and create a simple but functional website.
Even if this sounds difficult, you can get a web designer to do it for you. Designing and launching a website nowadays isn’t costly, and you’ll soon start to get more than you’ve invested. But, to really understand the importance of a website, let’s see why a real estate agent should have one.
- A website allows you to showcase your work and share your knowledge with people. You can present all the properties you’ve sold or bought for your clients, and narrate a short story about each transaction. This will help potential clients get to know you better and trust in your expertise.
- Secondly, you can have a blog section on your website, where you share all you know about the delicacies of property transactions, offer market insights, and provide tips for buyers and sellers. In doing so, you do two things.
First, you’re offering an invaluable base of knowledge and information to your audience. You’re also lending help to those considering a property deal, encouraging them to reach out and benefit from your expertise. Second, by consistently targeting the best real estate keywords in your blogs, your website will get better Google ranks in real estate-related searches, gradually establishing you as an industry leader. - A website offers amazing versatility regarding the services you can provide, including online reservations for open house visits and consultancy meetings, online consultancy and support, virtual tours of properties, and even some parts of your dealings with clients. Additionally, showcasing testimonials and reviews on your site builds credibility and fosters trust. This comprehensive approach not only enhances client engagement but also streamlines your processes. Your website is where most of your real estate advertising ideas and plans can come to life.
Put Yourself Out There: Invest in Social Media
This lovely grandfather pic that became an overnight sensation and is being constantly used for Internet memes and jokes is definitely more famous than many Hollywood folk, let alone your entire real estate business!
Why? Because countless people on social media decided so!
Whether you like it or not, and despite all social and health-related arguments condemning social media, the reality is that millions of people around you use social media 24/7. Similarly, hundreds of thousands of pages on these platforms are sharing educational, entertaining, or promotional content day in and day out.
The trick is to thread a fine line again. Don’t be like a salesman whose only intention is to outright sell a product or a university instructor talking in technical jargon all the time. Also, don’t try to become an industry sage who’s only useful when people are looking for a pick-me-up slogan or a catchy quote.
The secret to growing a community on social media platforms is to share valuable content (highlighting a gap) and then provide a solution, maybe with a touch of fun! Somewhere between those lines, you can promote yourself and explain how you can help. The grandfather meme above is both educational and funny, while still highlighting the value of an agent’s service.
Also, don’t forget to keep your content diverse. If you share an open house today, follow up with maximizing property appeal tomorrow. The next day, spotlight a local neighborhood and continue mixing it up from there.
Last but not least, keep in mind to talk about yourself now and then. The fact that your page is about real estate shouldn’t prevent you from sharing a fun memory about your loved ones! Let them know that you, too, are a human being with down-to-earth interests and concerns. The more people feel at ease with your business and its owner(s), the more easily they’ll approach you for an actual deal.
Bring on the Swag: Use Branded Material
If you want a tangible, everyday reminder of your brand, go for swag! Let people get used to seeing your brand here and there. We’re talking mugs, pens, wallets, keychains. You name it. With regard to efficient real estate advertising ideas, branded gift items are one of the best!
These items are cheap advertising materials that effectively promote brand visibility. Give them as gifts to anyone coming into your office or hand them out at events and community gatherings. Let everyone in the vicinity think of you while writing a shopping list, sipping their coffee, doing everyday chores, or grabbing their keys on the way out the door.
Teach What You Know: Host Real Estate Webinars
Wherever you are, there are always individuals around you who have lots of questions about the entire real estate industry, from legal intricacies to sales, to general information when looking for a house. This gives you, as a professional in the field, a great opportunity to establish yourself as the industry’s go-to expert in a number of areas.
The good thing is you don’t have to spend a fortune toward this goal. With the development of digital communication tools and the growing digital culture, holding an online event has become quite mainstream, allowing for easy and mass communication with your audience. Every now and then, you can host free webinars in the form of Q&A sessions, discussions on market trends, or even a chat with an expert guest speaker.
Drawing from your experience, create a list of topics that resonate with buyers and sellers, and center each webinar around one or two key subjects. This focused approach not only keeps your content engaging but also helps address the most pressing questions your audience may have. By becoming a knowledgeable problem-solver, it won’t take long to see yourself surrounded by potential clients.
Prove Yourself: Ask for Clients’ Testimonials
Acquiring customer reviews and testimonials is a widely used marketing need and practice that’s crucial for enhancing your real estate advertising. A sufficient number of honest testimonials provides potential clients with valuable insight into your professionalism and commitment to your work.
What customers think about you is the closest and most believable advice to new customers. Overlooking this source of info is a grave mistake! Especially given the fact that most clients, specifically satisfied ones, are more than willing to share their honest opinions about your performance. This will make the decision-making process much easier for those considering hiring you.
If you have a business account on Google, your clients’ reviews will appear under your profile. If not, you can share them on your website or social media accounts.
Important note: Don’t go all crazy when you see a negative review. Instead, express your appreciation for their feedback and explain what caused the unfortunate experience. Own up to your mistakes and move on.
Leave Social Breadcrumbs: List All Common Hashtags
Hashtags help users find similar posts on social media. So if you want your posts to be seen by the right audience, you must use relevant hashtags. This means that you might have to use a different set of hashtags for every post.
Open your social media page and spend a few moments checking posts similar to yours. See if you’ve been missing a crucial hashtag or if you’ve been using the wrong ones for a certain kind of post.
Also, keep in mind that your list must be complete but you shouldn’t copy the whole list under each and every post. Writing repetitive content and captions under social posts will be regarded as spam. Not only will your posts be shown to the wrong audience, but you also risk being flagged as a spammer and may be taken down.
Takes Two to Tango: Partner With Other Professionals
Anyone selling a house probably needs a home appraiser, a real estate photographer, or a home repair service. Anyone buying a house probably needs a home inspector, a mortgage broker, or a moving service. One overlooked fact is that they can all be your advertising agents!
By partnering with professionals in other fields, you can create a network where each of you refers clients to the others, expanding your reach and boosting your business together.
A side benefit of such a collaboration is increased customer satisfaction, as clients appreciate working with an agent who goes beyond just selling houses and provides a full range of trusted services, making the entire process smoother and more convenient.
Remember, real estate advertising ideas are not always about Google ads or YouTube intermissions. Sometimes they could be as simple as “You scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours!”
Trust the Technology: Let Artificial Intelligence Help You
Who can deny the powerful impact artificial intelligence (AI) is having on the business world? Now, let me ask you this: Who can honestly say they’ve fully unlocked the potential of this technology? I dare say the answer to both questions is: NO ONE!
AI has become like the many applications on your smartphone that you rarely check. You just know it’s there! You might be already using AI for a few tasks, but if you look closer, there is much more to it than meets the eye.
If you find yourself too busy to write real estate blogs, let AI do the bulk of the job. You can just be there to add the final touch, polishing and personalizing the content. If you can’t come up with a nice post for your Instagram or Facebook account, use AI to get ideas. What about considering AI chatbots for sending personalized messages to buyers or sellers? Or maybe getting some AI service to produce super listing images?
To make the long story short, no matter what real estate advertising ideas you find helpful, AI can assist in implementing them more effectively, and for that matter, with much less effort.
In Conclusion
In today’s competitive real estate market, standing out requires creativity, adaptability, and using modern tools. By embracing a mix of strategies such as claiming your business online, building a simple website, engaging with social media, and collaborating with other professionals, you can expand your reach and connect with more clients.
Whenever you find a real estate advertising idea too difficult or time-consuming to implement, let AI step in to smooth the process for you. It’s all about your thirst for success, your passion for the job, and the dedication you bring to it. And now that it comes to passion and occupation, why not close the discussion with another great quote from our legendary business role model?
“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.”
– Steve Jobs: The Lost Interview
