In the age of the internet, a website is a must for real estate agencies hoping to improve sales. However, there’s a lot more to maximizing current technology to make it work for you. Keep in mind that using all the technology bells and whistles is not the only way to bring innovation into your real estate business.
Here’s a look at some alternatives you can use to enhance sales and make your real estate agency the one to turn to in your community.
Market the Community
Community is an important aspect to keep in mind. Some agencies have taken on significant roles in local fundraisers. Consider sponsoring charitable events or assuming a more active role in securing housing for people who might not be able to afford their own home.
Being more active in the community could be a matter of building relationships with local businesses. This might take the form of building a network of home repair people you recommend, who, in turn, support you when it comes time for one of their clients to buy or sell a home. Being an excellent community neighbor builds your company’s reputation along with your client list.
Offer Incentives
Another innovative way to grow your sales is by adding client incentives to the services you offer. Some agencies do giveaways at open houses, but if the goal is to enhance sales, the add-on might be better positioned to kick in once a deal is closed. An incentive such as the first year of a home warranty might appeal to customers.
There are plenty of home protection plans to choose from. Some agents have also offered the services of a moving truck. Add your company’s logo to the vehicle, and it becomes rolling advertising in your community.
Don’t Overlook Social Media
Harness the power of social media to work for you. In addition to a website, consider utilizing Facebook and Instagram to build sales. Both help you push photos of your sale properties out to a broader audience. Using advertising such as highly targeted ads can help drive potential customers to your website.
Think of your website as a storefront. When you drive traffic to your website, it is the same as a customer walking into your office. Have something new to offer. Increase the possibility of attracting new customers by including such value-added opportunities as a webinar to help first-time homebuyers. Those customers may be anxious to learn what they need to know before they take the plunge into purchasing a house.
If a webinar is outside your comfort zone, consider adding a blog to your website. Provide information that home buyers need to ease them through the process of purchasing a house. This is an opportunity to build your contact list of potential customers as well as providing a valuable service.
Experiential Marketing
Another idea that might pay off in enhanced sales is what’s called experiential marketing. Think along the lines of a home tour with an updated feel, where instead of just looking at homes, potential customers get to experience the area in which they’re thinking about moving. This might be a tour of a section of the city that could include more than just homes for sale. If that’s not a possibility, a mock home buying experience might bring in customers who are anxious about what they will go through in purchasing a home. Become an expert on the neighborhoods in which you hope to market.
Pictures and Video
Don’t forget the power of photography and video in selling a home. Still, the pictures are the norm, but that doesn’t mean you can’t step out of the box a bit. Create a video of a virtual home tour. Even more out of the box…use a drone to capture a broader, higher angle view of the homes you’re trying to sell. If you don’t have the experience to do that yourself, there are services available that can make it happen for you. Videos can be as simple or elaborate as you like. It all depends on how much money you want to invest in.
If your budget is tight, editing together, customer testimonials would be an easy way to use video to enhance sales. A testimonial customers can put a face to is far more powerful than a written quote.
Conclusion
The National Association of Realtors reports more than ninety percent of people to go online when they begin to hunt for a home. Posting your listings through services like Zillow could be another way to grow sales. While a strong online presence may lure customers to you, it’s the relationship you build that will keep them coming back.