Real estate can be a competitive field, and locking in listings is often challenging. If you’re currently trying to get established in a particularly cutthroat market, some challenges may arise in the form of competition from existing agents, a personal lack of experience within the market or oversaturated local marketing channels. Here are seven easy and affordable strategies to help you get more listings.
1. Define your market.
Before you start implementing any strategies, it’s a good idea to define your market and your niche. You can do this first by geographically mapping the confines of your target market and then narrowing in on the typical price range you’re looking to list. Once you define your market, you can move forward with more tactics to establish yourself within the market.
2. Consider different forms of marketing.
If you’re serious about figuring out how to get clients, it’s generally expected that you’ll make yourself as accessible as possible both online and in person. You can do this through conventional marketing (such as flyering, direct mail blasts, billboards and sponsoring community events), or digital marketing (such as creating a real estate website or blog using SEO optimization, paid promotions on social media and e-newsletters).
3. Connect with other agents in your area.
Even though they’re technically your competition, connecting with other agents in your area is a great way to both learn from their successes and establish yourself as a peer. Finding other agents is relatively simple, as real estate professionals often heavily advertise their contact information.
4. Search niche blogs and other local publications for real estate solutions.
Check existing content online and in print for a look into the surrounding market. For example, there might be a section in the local paper with valuable insights about the state of the real estate projects in the area. The more information you have at your disposal, the easier it is for you to get creative and find opportunities in your area that other agents haven’t taken advantage of.
5. Ask for referrals.
If you’re currently looking to establish yourself professionally in a new region, using existing contacts for referrals can be the extra push your business needs to take off in a new place. A typical way to open a channel of communication with past clients is an email blast announcing your excitement to work in a new market. If they have connections in the new market, these connections and referrals can be a great asset.
6. Make a statement.
When buying or selling in a competitive market, it’s often difficult to stand out. Choosing one simple and easily repeated trademark can help you stand out from the crowd and potentially attract future clients. Staging a house with antique furniture, talking about the real estate market through a weekly podcast or even pulling focus to your philanthropic side by giving back to the community are all great ways to make a statement. Once you make your statement, communicate it clearly and consistently both in-person and online for the best results.
7. Go above and beyond.
When strategically planning how to get clients in real estate, keep in mind that clients and other real estate professionals will respect you for going above and beyond. That can come in many different forms, from following up after meetings with an email to adding personal touches to a listing to win over the client.
Now that you have some basic real estate solutions for driving up listings, you can start making your way to the top of your desired market.
Yazir Phelps is the chief marketing officer at Real Estate Express, a national leader in online learning for pre-licensing, continuing education and professional development. Yazir has over 18 years of experience in marketing at Fortune 500 organizations and over five years of experience working directly with real estate professionals. Learn more at realestateexpress.com.
