Inbound Marketing

5 Tips to Help Real Estate Agents Launch an Inbound Marketing Plan

Inbound MarketingHave you noticed that more and more self-checkout lines are popping up in local stores? When you’re on the hunt for a new restaurant to try, do you go to Yelp first? Are you using your bank app for mobile deposits on a regular basis now? If your answer to these questions is yes, you’re in good company.

Today, consumers are turning to Google and peer-review sites for information about products and services as opposed to salespeople. Consumers’ mindsets have shifted to the extent that the very thought of having to speak to a salesperson seems like a chore.  This new process of purchasing and thinking about purchasing is affecting traditional marketing in a huge way.

Also known as interruptive marketing, traditional marketing has become less and less effective. It’s likely a method you still rely on fairly heavily, which means this shift in the buying process is impacting your real estate business.

Five years ago, a person who wanted to purchase property would look through a listings book, drive around and look for ‘for sale’ signs in neighbourhoods, and read newspaper listings. Today, the real estate search typically begins online. Almost half of all home buyers begin the search online, which means the majority of the time, real estate agents don’t get a chance to speak to a lead before he or she has begun researching.

Consumers don’t even want to speak to a salesperson until they are 70% of the way through the buying process, according to CustomerThink.com.

The big question now is: How do you connect with leads who aren’t ready to speak with you or reach out to you?

You connect with them via inbound marketing.

Inbound marketing is marketing your leads won’t despise. It’s non-interruptive and nurtures them through the buying process by providing helpful tips and information.

The following list is a great list of content ideas you can use to provide helpful and relevant information to potential clients:

  • Share specific details around what comparables to consider when determining the value of a home
  • Share information on the types of loans to consider based on specific budgets and lifestyle preferences
  • Share tips for first-time home buyers
  • Discuss area schools, restaurants, hot spots, and demographics

By keeping content fresh and fun and keeping your website updated with searchable content, you’ll be targeting potential clients in a non-invasive way. This will help you establish trust, credibility, and set yourself up as an industry expert—it is inbound marketing at its finest.

Now that you know inbound marketing is highly valuable, here are five simple ways you can integrate it into your real estate business:

  1. Before you start, learn about inbound marketing best practices
  2. Identify who your customers are and what your brand voice is
  3. Create an agent blog or website and make sure you’ve ramped up your social media presence
  4. Create sharable content based on your target customers’ unique needs and concerns
  5. Incorporate SEO best practices in order to drive traffic to your website

Implementing an inbound marketing strategy may seem overwhelming at first, but each step you take will help you grow your digital footprint and connect with your clients. As you continue to learn and implement best practices, you’ll be on your way to attracting leads and positioning yourself as a salesperson clients want to get in touch with.

For more helpful real estate tips and information like this, check out our blog. You can also follow us on Facebook.

At iProperty, we provide leading online property management and real estate software,  responsive websites, and more.

 

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