Are you ready for the spring selling season? Your real estate marketing materials should be! Prospective buyers will be gearing up for their home search over the next few weeks, so it’s crucial to make a great first impression. The tricky part? You never quite know where that initial connection will happen. It could occur via a casual scroll on Instagram, an advertisement at a bus stop, a Google search or a listing flyer. Regardless of the channel, it’s important that all of your marketing assets—both online and offline—are working as hard as possible to attract potential clients. Taking a moment to review and refresh your real estate marketing materials could give you a leg up this season.
How do you know which pieces of the marketing puzzle need the most attention? The following questions can help you identify where changes might be needed. Let’s dive in!
How is your headshot?
No matter how much you love your headshot from 2019, it’s probably time to let it go. Any major changes to your appearance, such as hair color or length, can create a disconnect when you meet potential clients face to face. There may also be subtle trends in clothing and makeup styles, color palettes, photo lighting and backgrounds that give your old headshot a dated look. Today’s consumer is drawn to authenticity and a genuine human connection, so it’s important to use this opportunity to convey who you are now—not who you were several years ago.
Don’t have a headshot yet? You might want to read our other article, a Headshot “How to” for Realtors®, for some do’s and don’ts of professional photographs.
Do your business cards make a solid first impression?
In an increasingly online world, it can be easy to think that physical business cards are an outdated medium of communication. However, when you’re meeting prospective clients face-to-face—at networking events, client consultations or open houses—it’s still helpful to have something tangible for them to take home. Your business card is a physical reminder of who you are and how interested leads can contact you.
Start by checking that your cards are up to date with your most current contact information. Do you have a new phone number, email or office address? Have your social media handles changed? These details might seem small, but outdated information can make you look careless, and worse, it can lead to missed opportunities. Additionally, consider creating QR codes for your cards that lead to either your website or social accounts—prospects will be grateful for the convenience, and this addition can help set you apart from other agents. Your card is also a great place to feature your brand-new headshot!
Are your templates top notch?
While there’s something to be said for establishing a consistent look for your real estate marketing materials, you may want to avoid settling into a design rut when it comes to your templates—both print and digital. It’s also important to periodically evaluate whether or not your templates still resonate with your target audience.
If you don’t have access to brokerage-supplied templates for things like signage, flyers, brochures, email newsletters, postcards, videos, etc., you may need to do some of the heavy lifting on your own or hire a consultant to help you create or refresh them. There are a variety of free online templates and design tools that can help you make your own real estate marketing materials. However, keep in mind that your end result should stand out from other agents’ branding.
Take some time to look around at what your competitors are doing and see what’s trending in similar industries, like interior design and home furnishings. Make a list of what you like and don’t like about their advertising pieces, then take a fresh look at your own materials. Some factors to consider:
- Are your templates missing types of info that should be included? This could be as simple as adding your social media handle or as sophisticated as inserting a QR code so potential clients can get more info on your website, blog, custom landing page or home listing.
- Are you trying to cram in too many details? Too much text could be a turnoff. Keep your messaging short and sweet, so interested leads will come to you for more.
- Is there a clear call to action for your audience? Let potential clients know what they should do next!
- Are any of your design elements or colors outdated? Choosing timeless color schemes may prolong the life of your real estate marketing materials, but it’s still a good idea to reassess from time to time.
- Is the info current? It’s easy to overlook things that don’t change often, so take a moment to double check your details, including any landing page URLs that have the potential to fail.
You may find that small changes can make a big difference in the success of your marketing materials.
Note: This is also a great time to evaluate whether you have enough templates to cover your needs. If there’s a type of information you often have to type out in an email or text, it may be something that needs a template.
Is your email marketing relevant?
Email marketing is an excellent way to engage with your contacts, from long-time clients to new leads you’d like to nurture. You may find yourself scratching your head though, wondering what kind of content to include in your emails. To achieve successful results from this channel of marketing, it’s important to only send what’s relevant to your audience (and not bombard them with too many emails).
One strategy you could incorporate is to segment your contact lists into smaller groups based on certain criteria, such as their geographic area, which price range they’re looking at or whether they’re a buyer or seller. This targeted approach can help ensure that the content you send is tailored to the needs and interests of each segmented audience. For example, you may send buyers updates on new listings, market trends or house hunting tips. Sellers, on the other hand, may benefit from advice on preparing for a sale or insights into the local real estate market. Overall, this tactic can potentially lead to an improved user experience and better relationships with your customers.
Additionally, don’t forget to clean up your contact list! Remove any inactive subscribers, double check for invalid or duplicate email addresses and be sure your list is properly organized.
What’s new (or should be new) on your website?
Whether you have your own website or a profile on a larger broker website, it’s important to confirm the content is up to date—especially vital info, like your contact information. It’s a good idea to read through your webpage info periodically to ensure everything is accurate and make improvements as needed. You should also test the site for functionality. Follow external links to confirm that they’re unbroken and lead to their intended destinations, and play any embedded videos to make sure they’re in working order, too. Time-sensitive info, like upcoming events and available listings, should always be current.
For agents with a blog associated with their site, this may be a good time to review last year’s articles and their performance. You can use insights from the previous year’s data to plan for the next 12 months of blog content. If you have a niche, such as multigenerational households or luxury buyers, your blog is an excellent opportunity to cater to that target audience.
Are your social media accounts active?
Social media can be an effective tool for attracting interest, but stale profiles will do you no favors. If you’re on a platform, you should verify that your bio is up to date, your contact info is correct, your profile photos are current and your latest posts aren’t so old they’re off-putting. A successful social media presence takes time and effort, so if you’re finding you don’t have the resources to keep multiple profiles moving, you may want to narrow your focus to only one or two that yield the best results for you.
You may also consider diversifying the type of content you publish on your social channels. If static, image-based posts have been your go-to for a while, maybe try your hand at video marketing. Looking for more sharable content to round out your social media schedule? Check out our suggested reads for some inspiration.
The bottom line…
Your real estate marketing materials are not just promotional tools—they’re also the face of your business. Whether your materials are seen online or in person, they’re working for you around the clock, helping you make connections, build relationships and ultimately close deals. With spring on the horizon, now is the perfect time to ensure your marketing assets are as polished, effective and informative as they can be.
By reviewing and refreshing the previously mentioned items, along with any other relevant materials, you can help make sure you’re putting your best foot forward this season. After all, the success of your business relies in part on how well you connect with potential clients! Great marketing materials can help strengthen those connections and turn them into lasting relationships.
Make new construction your niche!
Brand-new homes have a lot of advantages over resale—beautiful models to tour, new neighborhood amenities & no bidding wars, just to name a few. This guide can help you turn those strengths into sales!
