This is an exciting time to be a real estate agent. The housing market ebbs and flows, but opportunities abound for enterprising agents. Even better, technology has made real estate CRM easier to access information, broadcast data and communicate with buyers and sellers. Brand building, which is crucial to a productive and long-lasting career in this industry, becomes second nature for real estate specialists who take the time to get involved in various social media platforms.
Reputation Building on Social Media
Data from the 2012 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers showed that 90 percent of buyers and sellers used the Internet to research information related to home buying and home selling. Establishing your online presence is no longer a vanity project but a tool for business survival.
Create a dynamic website to show your listings and that of your colleagues if you have authorization to do so. Include an optional registration form and a client contact section to facilitate replies to curious and serious queries. Respond promptly to any inquiries so that clients know that they are dealing with a credible professional.
The same NAR report also showed that of the people who researched real estate only, about 76 percent did a drive-by of properties they found listed online while 62 percent of respondents revealed that they took the time for a walk through.
Clearly, if you build it right and position your website to be visible, clickable and linkable, you will be enhancing your networking efforts.
Build a Client-friendly Website
With several popular platforms to choose from, there is very little excuse for real estate agents to shy away from social media. Take your business into the 21st century by engaging with your clients and target market on social media. Establish your credibility by providing helpful and interesting information, answering queries and avoiding the hard sell approach on any social media site.
Provide a link to your website and blog, but refrain from in-your-face advertising of your company and your listings.
Be a Joiner and a Follower
Join the popular microblogging sites and establish your presence by following real estate leaders, consumer advocates and other trending names. Participate in discussions, but as with all public platforms, post prudently because on the Internet, it is often difficult to separate what is professional from what should be personal.
Real Estate Training for the New Economy
Like most industries undergoing rapid changes due to technological developments, real estate is facing an upheaval of sorts as many of yesterday’s proven marketing strategies are less relevant if not refocused to suit this new environment. Additionally, real estate laws and other industry-specific regulations are amended frequently, making it crucial for agents to participate in real estate training regularly to stay on top of their game.
If you are attuned to market trends and current regulations, you become an authority in your field, eventually gaining a following among colleagues and clients. By keeping pace with developments in the industry, you gain the confidence needed to approach potential clients for their business and your peers in the industry for support. For additional information about real estate marketing, visit https://www.ixactcontact.com/
