I love Realtors! And as a tech support representative for a web design and marketing company, you would assume a statement like that was steeped in affectation or sarcasm.
But I do honestly love working with Realtors. Yes, there are common traits that some of you possess that I do have to deal with on a daily basis (i.e. ADHD, extreme fear of computers and technology, lack of patience etc.) but for the most part, I find you all to be highly entertaining and personable human beings who have a real thirst for knowledge and a genuine appreciation for good customer service.
Yet, I can’t help but think of what it would be like to be in your shoes. How would I use my web marketing knowledge to run online campaigns and attract new customers?
Here is my top 10 list of things that I would do if I were you.
1. I would make sure that I had a website that was optimized for lead generation with a clear call to action on each page so by the time I get my ads in place, my website is already setup up and ready to go. My website would be ready to notify me when new leads come in so I can follow-up right away.
2. I would start a blog to target my ideal audience. My first post would be about why I chose to be a realtor and the reasons I do what I do other than just to make money. This information “About Me” helps to boost loyalty and trust.
3. I would start to collect information and write about my prime areas to build keyword rich content that will attract new visitors to my website. This information would be in the form of community pages, blog posts along with lots of great photos of the area.
4. I would use social media channels like facebook, LinkedIn and twitter to build my target audience. Once my facebook business page was setup and optimized and my Twitter and LinkedIn accounts were setup, I would place links like the ones below on all of my correspondence (i.e. email signature, website homepage, newsletters etc.) These links would include their own Call To Action and provide compelling reasons why people should find me and follow me on these channels.
5. I would network with local businesses and setup affiliate links and pages within my website. I would also regularly tweet and post messages on my blog and facebook page to bring more attention to these businesses and help to empower them and build their web presence.
6. I would shoot interviews with local builders and business owners to increase their profile online and provide valuable video content people in my community
7. I would gather as many video and written testimonials as possible from the people I’ve helped and worked with, and then post this content to my website, blog & YouTube channel. Then I would drive traffic to this content from my Twitter and facebook accounts.
8. I would plan open house tours to bring as many people in my community as possible together to show them what is available in my marketplace.
9. I would get a professional photographer to take my photo and make sure it was not from 1982.
10. I would stay focused on two things: Building my presence online by doing all of the above plus some local print advertising like Just Listed postcards and brochures to increase awareness offline & generating a steady stream of new leads to my website through PPC services like Google AdWords, Bing & Facebook.
I would not be threatened by what other agents in my market are doing, but rather be inspired and try to learn as much as possible from those who are clearly making it work.
And lastly, I would not focus on the “what” or the “how” of what I do, but the “why”. And the why should always include a genuine passion for helping people achieve their goals and get the best deal possible when buying or selling their home.
But that’s just me.
Kristie Filion has been with SuccessWebsite for that past 10 years developing and designing web systems for Real Estate professionals. Helping clients generate high quality leads is her specialty.
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