Nobody mails just one postcard, posts one video, or sends one email and expects it to suddenly start raining deals. It doesn’t work like that -- as if it’s one-and-done.
The RESULTS are in the REPETITION. 🔂.
So trust the process. Your ongoing marketing activities—bit-by-bit and day-by-day—are developing into something BIG. ↗️.
We all know real estate is a relationship business—a know + like + trust form of business. What’s more, as the market normalizes/decelerates, the typical customer lifecycle is returning to its normal time-frame—which can be up-to a two-year process (for some).
Marketing—just for the record—won’t produce any sense of immediate gratification. It’s a long-game‼️—to which you’re either interested or committed.
So what are you doing to position your business at the forefront of consumers’ minds so that when the time indeed comes to BUY, SELL, INVEST, or REFER—it’s you and no one else! That’s marketing: mindshare wins marketshare.
fast markets, slow markets
up markets, down markets
strong markets, weak markets
… No matter the circumstances, remember: NEVER STOP MARKETING! 👊
Now’s the time to listing launch “your face off,” friends 😅
As the real estate market continues to adjust and decelerate, far too many agents are slashing their marketing budgets, essentially cost-cutting their way into “feeling safe.”
Listing agents are reducing their property marketing efforts to “save money” – super bad timing, if you ask me. For them!—it’s GREAT for you. Why? Because when homeowners see what you’re prepared and able to do versus your competitors, chances are good you’ll have it in the bag at your next listing appointment. It’s a simple matter of VALUE.
What’s more, with mortgage interest rates more than DOUBLING in the past year, the pool of prospective buyers is extremely transitory—as in, here to day, gone tomorrow. That is, unless your seller is willing to drop the price to keep downward pace with them!
It’s simple math: when rates increase, budgets shrink. Thus—if you over-price or under-present—the listing is gonna sit. Tick-tock, says the clock ⏳
So, whatcha gonna do to promote that property? Here are some ideas.
Publish vertical videos galore! For example, hyperlapse walkthroughs, selfie-gimbal tours, “What $###,#### get’s you in {CITY}”-styled videos, and more.
Target the neighbors/area with skippable YouTube Commercials. Pro tip: make sure your opening line addresses the subject audience. For instance, “Hey South Nashville homeowners…” That’ll capture their attention. (Click HERE to review a YouTube ads tutorial.)
Try out TikTok ads. These ads are super affordable and TikTok has less restrictive geo-targeting limitations than other ad platforms.
Facebook/Instagram ads still work. In fact, try running multiple ads! Target your database, your marketplace, Boost your post(s), utilize new placements, like Reels and/or Story ads, and more. There’s a lot of potential with FB/IG ads.
Run Google Display ads — i.e., the banner ads you see as you peruse the web. Your ads should feature images of the property with your FACE and NAME superimposed. It’s strategically critical for the neighbors to see YOU outworking your competitors. (Click HERE to review a Google Display Network ads tutorial.)
Bring back the MEGA Open House!Run this Google search🔎: “Tom Ferry MEGA Open House”—you’ll find endless content and resources.
Step-up your signage: yard-signs, directional signs, QR code signs, et al. Figure out what is/isn’t allowed in your marketplace and get to work 👊
Send postcards to the neighbors. You also oughta consider sending them to your database contacts — it’ll help to position you as an established listing agent. Maybe even consider handwritten-note announcements using a tool like Audience.co.
Email blasts. If you’re sending a weekly newsletter, for instance, try featuring your listings within its contents. When the time comes to list, your subscribers will wanna see their listing in that email. Don’t SPAM people (obviously).
Try to get your listings featured in notable publications or popular social accounts that feature select listings.
Post your listings on buy/sell forums like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. Btw, these sites are good spots to generate leads/inquiries.
Utilize profile links:: e.g. your link-in-bio (like Liinks.co or LinkTree, for instance), the Products section of your Google Business Profile, and so on.
Doubtlessly, your listing will be distributed/syndicated from your MLS to all the real estate feeds. On your own website, however, make sure to showcase your listing using an optimized landing page. Make sure it’s properly indexed with Google for search-ranking purposes, integrate geo-tagged images, embedded videos, keyword-rich text, and more.
As a listing agent, it’s on you to expose a property to the LARGEST pool or ready, willing, and able buyers... So get the word out 📢
Calls made, texts and emails sent, videos posted, reviews published, and/or postcards delivered ALWAYS add up.
Trust the process. Your ongoing sales/marketing activities are developing into something BIG... like a penny that doubles in value daily for thirty straight days, ultimately tallying up to millions! So stay the course.
Lots of agents reason: “I’ve got more important stuff to do today than posting another video, asking a client (yet again) for an online review, or arbitrarily ‘checking-in’ with a past client to see how they’re doing.”
The day-in and day-out minutia of sales and marketing activities can often seem trivial—like a few measly pennies, if you will.
But you can’t look at it like that—as if it’s just one-and-done. Over time—bit-by-bit and day-by-day—the pennies multiply into a fortune.
Point is, that next video, that postcard, and/or that email, for instance, probably isn’t gonna get you your next sale; but, in due course, those videos, those postcards, and/or those emails will snowball into a perpetual source of sales.
Do it again and again and don’t stop — because that’s when the value piles on. Dabblers never bring in the harvest.
Don’t put all your “lead generation” eggs in one basket. What’s more, don’t go chasing the next and newest shiny penny.
We know that 87% of RE agents fail (as in, they go out of business🫤) in their first TWO years! That’s downright alarming.
I’d argue one of the top reasons for it centers around the tendency of many agents to, quote-unquote, dabble. Try this, try that, and then try this next thing—never sticking with any one thing long enough to realize its results.
The truth is, EVERY lead source works – when it’s worked consistently 🔂. Maybe it’s open houses, online leads, email marketing, geographic farming, social media, or database nurturing—you name it, it works!
So… my advice is is twofold:
Don’t be so fair-weather with your lead sources that you’re jumping from one to the next prematurely.
Mix up your approach—i.e. diversify what you’re doing. Top producers ALWAYS generate business from multiple sources.
When you’re on a listing presentation vying for a seller’s business, how are you communicating the full scope of your services? Loads of agents presume the seller only cares about how you’ll MARKET the property, and so that’s all they discuss. Big mistake—for a couple of reasons:
Marketing on its own doesn’t fully reflect the value of your fee.
You’re setting yourself up to blame if all doesn’t go to plan.
Not to sound like Spock🖖—but selling homes is "only logical;” it follows a predictable sequence of events.
(A) Market a property strategically to get it in front of as many (interested) eyeballs as possible. (B) After that, you should expect buyers to schedule showings. If they don’t, then there’s a leak. It’s either that the marketing was lousy (e.g. bad photos, etc.) OR that the property didn’t match-up with buyer expectations (e.g. condition, price, etc.). No matter what, though, it’s a datapoint. (C) If there are showings, then, after a certain point, it’s reasonable to expect at least one of those buyers oughta submit an offer. If they don’t, then—once again—it’s a data point (e.g. the house smells funny, etc.).
What I’m getting at is that the role of a listing agent is way more than just marketing a property.
Vertical Video📱is most definitely on trend: TikTok videos, Reels on Instagram and Facebook, YouTube Shorts, etc.
One of their perks is a relatively high coefficient for going viral—sometimes tens-of-thousands, hundreds-of-thousands, or even millions of views!
However, that’s not necessarily enough by itself.
Instagram and TikTok, for instance, are working to improve their respective search 🔦tools to give users additional means to discover new videos and content. Otherwise, it’s all up to the feeds.
But YouTube’s already been there and done that 😏.
Lately, in fact, my most viewed videos on YouTube have been Shorts. What’s more, the way in which viewers discovered them was predominantly via YouTube Search. Videos that only get views in a feed, for instance, run their course in about a day-or-two and then essentially vanish without trace. Videos that rank in search results, on the other hand, well—they could last indefinitely. Case in point… my top-viewed Shorts were published over a year ago!
All that to say: over-index on YouTube Shorts!
Reality check: buyers won’t always buy; sellers won’t always sell. Sometimes it’s because of…
Inadequate resources
Misgivings or jitters
Deficient information
For one reason or another—whether valid or invalid—some folks are gonna call it quits. You cannot make someone buy or sell because it simply isn’t your decision to make.
Notwithstanding, many sales professionals get rattled by objections—scared of not knowing how to handle them properly. But the fact is, there are most certainly objections one cannot, quote-unquote, “handle.” Understanding them, on the other hand, is something altogether different.
Objections, whether based on fact or fiction, are data-points. They help to convey what matters to the client. There are no Jedi mind-tricks to be performed – which means, consequently, that the pressure is off. The very best sales technique is (and always has been) service.
It’s easy to become intimidated by objections or react defensively. Resist that urge. Instead, train yourself to hear the objective, not the objection, and resolve to help your clients overcome their obstacles.
It doesn’t matter the platform… Every social algorithm is wired such that INTERACTION = VISIBILITY.
Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn… I could keep going.
In other words, content that generates hearts, likes, comments, views, swipes, shares, and/or the like is gonna be distributed and recommended more widely than content that doesn’t. It’s a signal to the algorithm(s) of good, quality content BECAUSE users are interacting with it.
Notwithstanding, it isn’t as simple as saying good, quality content ALWAYS gets a fair shake 🤝 – there are other variables to consider.
For instance, if you’re producing content you know is darn-good, but alas 😩, it isn’t garnering much of any engagement—I’d wager it’s because you’re not actively “working” the platform(s) where it’s posted.
The algorithms, remember, are all trying to spot patterns of interaction. This is, after all, social “networking” we’re talking about. So for example. if so-and-so routinely comments on my posts, then, algorithmically speaking, there’s a high probability they’ll do the same on my next post. Thus, the platform is likely to prioritize my posts in that user’s feed(s).
Likewise, if I go and comment on my followers’ posts and, let’s say, they reply to my comments—welp, that’s an interaction. If it happens over-and-again, it becomes a pattern. My point is, if you wanna generate more engagement and interaction on your posts, go engage and interact with others’ posts: comment, message, story-share, mention, etc. etc. You’ve gotta work your networks!
But wait, there’s more! No doubt, social media takes a lot of effort: producing/publishing content and, quote-unquote, “working” the platforms. It’s kind of a hamster wheel 🐹.
What’s more, as a content creator, the algorithms effectively decide the fate of your posts. For instance, you might’ve published a video that should’ve crushed, but, for one reason or another, it floundered.
And that, in my opinion, is precisely why you should put some money behind your organic content regularly: a boost, a full-blown ad, or whatever is within your means.
For starters, consider retargeting your followers. Research has shown that only a small percentage of your followers are likely to see a given post organically—meaning, most of your followers don’t see most of what you post. So pay for it!
You may also opt to target users who are “like your followers.” In essence, that’s basically paying the algorithm to do what you wanted/expected it to do organically.
All this to say, it’s not just posting content or just networking on social or just running ads — it’s all of that together: participate, publish, and promote!
It’s time to BRAND your ground, friends! Every time you share a video, post on social, or send an email that confers value—it’s building your agent-brand.
Fact is, the market has shifted and will continue doing so. On top of that, recent headlines, to borrow a line from @keepingcurrentmatters, tend to “do more to terrify than to clarify”—speculating ad nauseam of corrections, collapses, and crashes.
Consequently, many consumers have or are contemplating a withdrawal from the market.
And, because of all that, it appears buyers/sellers won’t so readily listen to, heed the advice of, or opt to work with just “any” agent—things being how they are now. To the contrary, they’ll look to the Knowledge Broker.
So, my advice: be (or become) the agent-authority! Or don’t—but don’t expect buyers/sellers to come running either.
Tom Ferry said it best: “There’s not a wrong way to make an income”. In other words, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all, sales/marketing methodology for how to conduct your real estate business. On the contrary, it’s whatever YOU make of it.
That being said – broadly speaking – there are essentially THREE fundamental ways to go about generating business: marketing, networking, or prospecting. In my experience, I’ve found that most agents will naturally excel in a particular area, manage sufficiently in another, and they’ll deliberately avoid the one remaining.
Each approach has advantages and disadvantages—and, of course, developing self-confidence/competence in all three is a plus. After all, markets shift, circumstances change—and so, consequently, it pays to be diversified in your strategies and tactics.
But, keep in mind—there’s no wrong way to make an income! I say – whatever comes naturally – lean into it! Now, I’m certainly not suggesting you shouldn’t challenge yourself, expand your horizons, develop new skills, or push the boundaries.
I’m just saying to get objective about who you are, what you’re doing, and how to do it most optimally. Build and execute YOUR plan, not someone else’s.
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it’ll live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” (Einstein)
Your expertise is dynamic and distinctive; it’s uniquely yours. My advice is to go public with it: blog it, film it, stream it, and/or post it EVERYWHERE. Be the knowledge-broker.
The fact is, real estate is a know-you, like-you, trust-you form of business -- that’s the winning combination with consumers.
What’s more – thanks to the web and social media – there’s never been a time like NOW whereby you can, to put it bluntly, “show what you know”—through videos, emails, blogs, social posts, and more.
Year-over-year, consumers conduct more research to inform their buying/hiring decisions ONLINE: search & social. That being the case, it’s mission-critical to position your agent-brand where the consumer is actively present. IMO: information is influence.
I’ve seen a fair share of doomsayer real estate headlines lately. My advice: make your decisions subject to the data and disregard scaremongering speculation.
It’s like Tom Ferry says: “The market is the market is the market is the market.” In other words, it is what it is — and, whatever it is, it’s surely no reason to stop executing your marketing plan.
Fact is, markets adjust — the “status quo” ALWAYS ebbs-and-flows.
In 2002, McKinsey published a long-term study of 1,000 U.S. companies in which it analyzed their operations during an economic recession, for instance, and how their actions during that period affected company performance post-recession. In brief, they found that the companies who maintained operations (e.g., marketing, sales, and so on) set themselves up for massive growth during expansionary periods.
The point is, don’t (ever) pull out of the race! And furthermore, the best time to pass your competitors is around a sharp curve — so lean in, friends!
Fast markets, slow markets; up markets📈, down markets📉; strong markets, weak markets – no matter the circumstances – NEVER. STOP. MARKETING.
The market—now and for always—belongs to those who market. 🤜⚡️🤛
Customer experience isn’t one big thing you do especially well; it’s all the little things added up.
From listing to close, search to sale—the differentiation of your services is in details.
Operations, sales, and marketing — when it comes to running a business, there are a lot of moving parts to manage. But regardless of where you’re at in your business, don’t forget that what got you HERE—though it won’t necessarily get you THERE, so to speak—was nonetheless sufficient to get you this far… and that’s worth acknowledging.
Yes, innovate. Yes, evolve. Of course!—test, measure, and grow your business. But never forget that the results are in the repetition.
It’s like what Bob Dylan said (paraphrase): “Everything worth doing takes time. You have to write a hundred bad songs before you write one good one… you have to follow your own star.”
Technically speaking, things only ever get done after they get started -- so start something, execute relentlessly, and scale-up. 📈
“If you’re called a great salesperson, you’ve lost.” (Phil Jones, Exactly What to Say)
I just love that quote – because it’s true! Your best sales experiences, no doubt, occurred when you didn’t realize you were being sold. It just felt natural and intuitive.
So if you’re coming off as salesy or pushy, candidly, it’s because you aren’t clear on what you’re selling.
I’d love your feedback to this question: 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂?
The fact is, making content entails A LOT of work. So failing to distribute/syndicate that content across the web to be seen by the widest possible audience is, IMO, a crying shame 😭.
Having said all that… publishing content properly (on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and elsewhere), is, in its own right, a MASSIVE undertaking. My advice is to implement a solid distribution system: e.g. a virtual assistant, a third-party publishing software (Sprout, HootSuite, Buffer, Sendible, Creator Studio, et al.), an admin/coordinator, or a combination of any or all three.
Content creation is ½ the battle; content circulation is the balance—and, perhaps, you’re overlooking a few key placements for posting your content.
Here are 5 channels you may be missing:
Make every social media post its own BLOG
Recap the content you publish across social in a weekly EMAIL DIGEST
Publish all your content (photos, videos, etc. — linked to your blog entries) on PINTEREST
Share your content in relevant FACEBOOK GROUPS (but don’t violate any Groups’ rules)
Upload your pictures and videos (30-seconds or less, up to 75MB, and at least 720p) to the Photos section of your GOOGLE BUSINESS PROFILE
Follower and subscriber counts are important — as long as you’re not buying ‘em. When someone subscribes to your channel or follows your page, it indicates a perceived value in what you’re publishing content-wise.
That said… don’t get hung-up on numbers AND don’t expect the growth to happen overnight. Focus your attention on producing value-packed videos, posts, and stories—and, over time, the pace of growth will quicken.
On the other hand, if your pages are stagnant month-after-month—and you’ve never paid for followers or engagement—perhaps take a second look at WHAT you’re posting, WHEN you’re posting, and/or HOW you’re posting. Not that it’s the same for everyone, but, at the end of the day, your audience is whatever your content attracts 🧲. So perhaps test new types of content.
In addition, here are some simple best-practices for posting to put into effect:
Always pin/tag your location on Instagram and YouTube: e.g. Nashville, Downtown Nashville, etc. Show IG and YT where you content is the most relevant.
Only use 3 - 5 hashtags (in the caption) of your IG posts — and make sure they’re super descriptive of the content you’re publishing. Avoid hashtags you’d “like to rank on” and stick with only what’s relevant to each respective post.
For videos, nail that opening line! Absolutely no dead-time or no self intros because it's mission-critical to hook viewers attention immediately!
Post tons of Reels and TikToks — you really can’t overdo ‘em.
Strengthen your captions and ALWAYS include an engagement-CTA, such as: “Tell me what you think in a comment below.” And reply to each and every comment—no ifs, ands, or buts.
Just a friendly reminder to be the knowledge broker! In a know-you, like-you, trust-you based of industry like #realestate, for instance—video marketing is pure magic. The way I see it: there’s just no other marketing medium in existence that captures/conveys your AGENT-BRAND quite like video.
So the question is: are you appropriately prioritizing video creation?
Case in point… I had an opportunity recently to speak at a pretty sizable conference. After my presentation I posted a short VIDEO of me speaking at that conference—and, what struck me was that the video reached about 5-times as many people as the actual presentation. I’m certainly not intending to brag or imply any sort of negativity here—far from it. What I’m trying to say is that the reach and exposure you can gain off of video marketing is, for all intents and purposes, w/o equal.
So, if you’ll please forgive my bluntness—stop viewing video (and content creation) as someone else’s job and step in front of that 🎥.
Stop overthinking social media‼️ In my opinion, we get way too caught up in hacks, trends, and fads—when, at the end of day, it’s ALL about the quality/value of your content.
FILL IN THE BLANK(S): “For _______ {e.g. IG, FB, YT, LI, TT, etc.}: I am insanely-obsessed with _______.”
What, for instance, makes your page worth following, your videos worth watching, or your posts worth reading? Whatever it is, that’s the 𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚝-𝚋𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚍 you’re building. Don’t forget… Content is Contribution.