Real estate marketing trends are advantageous in nature. For all intents and purposes, these perceived tendencies present a unique opportunity to investors. The first step is being aware of real estate marketing trends and the potential impact they can have on a business.
Marketing trends and their respective tactics are used in every facet of business. Because a trend is your friend, they’ve grown to become a necessary component in every industry; helping to bridge the relationships between businesses and consumers while simultaneously promoting trustworthiness. Marketing trends, which should be included in your real estate online marketing strategy, represent a momentary shift in popularity, as they are generally identified as short, intermediate and long-term. Although they do have an expiration date, many trends in real estate have become a necessity, rather than an option.
Real Estate Marketing Trends: 31 Ideas For Investors
Unlike the flavor of the month, the following real estate marketing trends have proven to be quite successful over the years:
1. Gear Up With Social Media
Social media is everything in today’s marketing world, and it should be everything for real estate investors. Sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn continue to gain new users, and investors would be foolish not to take advantage of these platforms. According to Wearesocial, there are:
- 3.4 billion active Internet users worldwide
- 2.3 billion people have social media accounts
- Nearly two billion people are active mobile social media users
2. Generate Leads With PPC
Paid-Per-Click (PPC) is a form of online advertising that charges advertisers a fee each time their ad is clicked. This marketing trend, which has gained popularity in the real estate field as of late, is advantageous for investors because it drives traffic, turns that traffic into leads, and allows investors to follow up potential leads.
3. Launch A Direct Mail Campaign
A direct mail campaign is a tried-and-true marketing trend that continues to be as efficient today as it was 20 years ago. Along with helping to reach a wider audience, direct mail marketing is a fantastic source to curate connections with potential customers through personalized greetings in the mail, helping to pave the way for a future relationship.
4. Video Marketing
Video marketing continues to gain steam as one of the hottest marketing trends in 2016. The likes of YouTube have provided a pivotal platform for real estate investors to share their stories via video, which is a powerful way to connect with customers online, as well as gradually build your reputation.
5. Take Advantage Of Text Message Marketing
You’d be hard pressed to find a person living with today’s standards without the assistance of a cell phone. Because of this, investors should be taking advantage of text message real estate marketing trends.
6. Advertise With Bandit Signs
Probably one of the more underutilized marketing trends in real estate, bandit signs are a terrific method to generating a wide array of exposure. However, there’s a lot more to running a proper bandit sign campaign than plastering signs around your neighborhood. This will provide the do’s and don’ts of real estate bandit signs, including common mistakes to avoid at all costs.
7. Advertise With Television
Advertising through TV seems like a sure bet for investors, as 99 percent of households in the United States have a television set. While such a means of marketing might seem too expensive for new investors, the growth of regional and cable TV in many markets has significantly reduced the cost of advertising on TV.
“Advertising on television can be very powerful and many investors have doubled and tripled the number of leads they receive on a daily basis simply by implementing a successful TV campaign,” says Than Merrill, my fellow colleague at CT Homes and FortuneBuilders.
8. Content Marketing
Content is king, and for real estate investors, it’s imperative to building and sustaining your online presence. Along with helping to increase exposure and finding real estate leads, content marketing has proven to be three times more efficient than paid search advertising.
9. Promote Via CraigsList
Similar to newspaper classifieds, CraigsList has become one of the many online classified outlets on the web. That said, it’s also one of the largest. For real estate investors, CraigsList offers identical resources to that of the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), as it offers properties for sell, to buy, and to rent. For real estate investors, you can also create advertisements to get people who are interested in selling to contact you via Craigslist.
10. Business Cards
Without a doubt, business cards should be a part of your marketing arsenal. This real estate marketing trend continues to stay popular due to its effectiveness in providing an inexpensive tool that will let people not only know you’re in business, but it also highlights the services you provide as an investor.
11. Business Website
A must-have real estate marketing trend for all investors is a business website. This not only provides a dominant online presence, but it offers investors a way to establish credibility, generate leads; and the ability to sell, buy, and rent properties.
12. Host A Webinar
Looking to gain attention for your business? Real estate investors should consider hosting a webinar. This interactive marketing trend is perfect for motivated investors because it provides a platform to provide content, live Q&A’s, video content, as well as other valuable resources.
13. Get Heard With Radio
In terms of real estate marketing trends, advertising through radio is one of the best. Think about it; there are millions of people driving to work each and everyday, stuck in traffic and considering alternative options to their day-to-day work life. A radio advertisement, when done right, can help to sway the mindset of potential homebuyers and sellers.
14. Vehicle Wrap
This unconventional marketing strategy is useful in generating business exposure while commuting as usual. “You are basically turning your vehicle into a roving billboard that will draw a lot of attention,” says Merrill.
15. Car Magnets
Another similar marketing trend are car magnets. These marketing magnets are positioned on the side of a vehicle and serve to promote their business the same way vehicle wrap does. It won’t generate nearly as many leads as other real estate marketing trends, but it will definitely carry it’s own weight, and comes complete with a generous ROI.
16. Embrace The Power Of Partnerships
Business partnerships have the ability to provide not only a wider pool of knowledge, skills and contacts, but moral support. For real estate investors, especially beginners, a partnership is an excellent option for those looking to expand their business or just get it off the ground.
17. Create A Virtual Tour
One of the hottest real estate marketing trends today is virtual tours. With the click of a button, this strategy gives viewers an inside look at a property, showcasing the home in its entirety. Taking it a step further, there is now 360 Video, which basically provides viewers with a point of view (POV) that allows them to change the direction they’re looking in.
18. Make An App
Why not? Creating your own individual business app will show potential buyers and sellers you’re serious in your endeavors, as well as provide a bit of sophistication.
19. Networking
For real estate investors, the power of networking is priceless. Not only is it a shortcut to success, but it commences the foundation of new relationships, which play a critical role with real estate investment. The benefits of networking include gaining new contacts and resources, generating a wider array of leads, and learning from feedback and other people’s stories. When investing in real estate, don’t underestimate the power of networking.
20. Ask For Testimonials
Being successful in real estate is all about relationships and trust. By asking and sharing testimonials, potential customers will get to experience, first-hand, what you offer, while helping to curb hesitation at the same time. The fastest way to build trust in the real estate market is through testimonials.
21. Throw A Party
Believe it or not, throwing a party is a great way to take the pressure off of “business conversations,” and instead provide an opportunity to make connects with guest. This real estate marketing trend will not only get people talking about your business, but it will also enhance the overall look and feel of your brand identity.
22. Sponsor Local Events
Another innovative way to get your name out in the local community is sponsoring local events. This tactic, which isn’t new but continues to remain efficient, is great for real estate investors because it shows your commitment to the community. Like networking, this marketing strategy will help to build relationships and put your name to mind when people are ready to buy/sell their home.
23. Bus Bench Advertising
Put a face to the name with bus bench advertising. This real estate marketing trend is a viable source for leads. A well positioned bus bench advertisement — somewhere located near stoplights and intersections in major metropolitan cities — can field thousands of eyeballs on a daily basis, helping to generate a larger number of calls.
“The key is to have an easy-to-remember phone number that one doesn’t have to write down,” says Merrill.
24. Referral Program
The quickest way to grow a real estate business is through referrals. This recommendation is a powerful selling tool because people would generally rather do business with people they know than with strangers. Offering a referral program can help encourage loyal customers to recommend your services to others, while building long-term interest.
25. Join An Online Forum
Go where the people are. One of the most underestimated real estate marketing trends is taking advantage of online forums. These online conversations are filled with thousands of like-minded individuals looking to discuss old, new and futuristic ideas — and investors need to utilize them as often as possible.
26. Use Door Hangers
This old-school method of marketing is ideal in the real estate world because you’re touching base with potential customers at their most important point of contact: their house. Having the right door hanger could trigger homeowners, especially distressed owners, to make you an offer.
“Make sure the copy you use on the door hanger would appeal to a wide variety of people who might be motivated and interested in selling their properties relatively quickly,” says Merrill.
If you’re looking to jumpstart your investing career with these real estate marketing trends, door hangers are mandatory.
27. Guest Blogging
The goal of marketing is to expand exposure and open the doors to new customers. For real estate investors, guest blogging will not only help to provide a new audience, but do so while building trust and coming off as knowledgeable.
28. Get Mobile-Friendly
For the first time ever, mobile traffic has overtake desktop traffic in 10 countries, according to Google. With the digital age upon us, investors need to be more cognizant of mobile advertising and should consider placing more of their marketing money on mobile-focused online marketing than traditional sources.
29. SEO
In today’s digital age, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a critical component for every business. In essence, SEO is important because it’s what search engines use to rank your content. The key is to make your website easy for both users and search engines to understand, which will help your site rank for popular keywords. The closer you are to the first page of Google for a particular keyword, the better. No one visits the 76th page of Google looking for real estate.
30. World-Class Customer Service
At the end of the day, the best real estate marketing trend is world-class customer service. Without it, your business won’t sustain the highs and lows that come with real estate. It’s important for investors to remember that real estate investing is a service industry, with the keywords being customer service.
