Senior writer
Traditional marketing strategies for estate agents have changed. Some have been revolutionary with the introduction of digital platforms, while others have simply reached the end of their life cycle and have all but faded away. Here are some alternatives, new ideas, and some, albeit radical, concepts using social media or other online platforms.
Knock, knock
Few, if any, people are going to allow you to engage in a conversation through their intercom, or allow you past their high walls, electric fences and barking dogs. We take inspiration, however, from tactics that still allow for face-to-face engagement, even if those are not physical, but are instead e-meets.
Do this: If you are able to secure a phone number, instead of asking if the person is willing to entertain the idea of a sale, request an online virtual meeting so that you can tell them what is happening in their street or area. Don’t ask if they ‘want to sell your home’, but rather make it about introducing yourself as a knowledgeable person in the area, or that without any obligation, you can give them a free valuation just so they know what their house is worth in 2025 and whether sales in their street has pushed up the value of their property.
The social curve
There is a category of agents who do what Jimmy Burgess, a popular US Florida-based estate agent, says is just enough to get them some business, but not enough to really thrive. For example, posting just one video a month on social media and expecting to generate lots of business. He basically says that doing ‘just a little’ will give you ‘just a little’ return, if any.
To move towards the sweet spot – that area at the top of a bell curve, which draws in the type of clients that you want to reach, from the minimal amount of effort baseline – is to do more. However, the trick is not to overdo it and find yourself oversaturated. You’ll recognise over-saturation when you post too frequently and do not get the hits that you want or expect.
Do this: Speed up or slow down the number of posts you make per month, depending on the data you can analyse directly. Who is responding, and are they the people you want to reach? If not, look at your posts critically – are your videos too long, is the caption using the right ‘power’ words, and what are people responding to? Remove the posts that don’t hit the target (lesson learnt), and generate more of those that people do like. It’s that simple!
Client avatars
A client avatar is a description or representation of your ideal client. Who are you looking to reach? For example, if you are focused on first-time home buyers, they will likely have careers in the service industry, like teachers, young couples and professionals. This directs ‘how’ you talk to them. Once you understand any common denominators, you’ll know how to attract them and the type of language you need to use for the highest level of expected response. Also, note the kind of media platforms that your target demographic likes. There is no point in using platforms that have highly social, interactive engagements if you want to attract property investors, who are more inclined to use platforms like LinkedIn.
Do this: Review your sales over the past few years and identify any patterns. This may be that the majority were first-time buyers, or that most were in a certain age group, or perhaps retirees who were downsizing. Once you understand who they are, you can identify the type of online presence they have, what information they need, and most importantly, the type of questions they want answered. Respond to these aspects with your new posts.
It’s not about the numbers, really
Whilst it’s good to see your posts getting a high number of likes or views, the numbers are not as important as the ‘connection’ you make with those who react. You can produce any number of videos and post, say, on YouTube, have 2000 hits, but no sales are generated from that video.
On the other hand, you might post a video targeting one of your avatar profiles, and receive only 20 views, but you get two leads from it. If you do both the generic and the targeted posting, you won’t necessarily be over-exposed, but you’re hedging all your bets.
Do this: Understand your different types of clients, give them what they need, even what they didn’t know they needed, and your business or leads will grow. Where you can or feel comfortable, follow those who follow you, and respond to all comments, negative or otherwise, but never attack anyone.
Copy success
Model your marketing strategy on what successful agents and those you admire do. What is the differentiator, how consistent are they with their branding, how do they talk to their client base, be that online or in any advertising campaigns? It will give you a clear understanding of what works in a particular market segment or in your local area. And, bear in mind that you don’t necessarily have to copy another property practitioner’s strategy … it may be that the posts you really like and which receive many positive ratings, maybe from a professional in a different industry.
Do this: Put your own spin on another agent’s strategy. Ask to be put on their e-mail list, follow their profiles, comment positively on their posts, subscribe to their newsletters, and speak to them about linking up should either of you have a client wanting to move to your respective areas. It is not a good idea to ‘copy’ a competitive agent in your locale.
Rule of 7 or the Rule of 5
The Rule of 7 states that people need to see you or your marketing messages at least seven times before they recognise you or ‘hear’ your message.
The Rule of 5 is about trust – people are more likely to make a purchase or engage with you if they feel some familiarity. The Rule of 5 responds to this by doing five strategic things on a regular basis.
Both rules relate to consistency.
Obviously, social media gives you the perfect platform to make yourself known and thereafter recognised. If people know to expect your communication/post, they will begin to, even unconsciously, anticipate that you are sharing knowledge or information or that they simply enjoy the connection.
Do this: Find your perfect five. For example, a formula may look something like this: mail a weekly newsletter; post daily (or once a week, whatever your choice); call a pre-determined number of people daily; host at least one viewing a week—be that an open house or private viewings; and post a video targeting a specific demographic once a month. Whatever your choice of five, ensure that these actions are consistent, regardless of how busy you are.
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