Are you an agent who feels like you are caught on a treadmill — working around the clock, but not going anywhere? This is a common occurrence among real estate professionals who do not have a cohesive system for marketing strategies.
They might be recreating things over and over and taking too much time to do it. Because of that, they feel constantly busy while running in circles and remaining static in their careers.
“In the real estate world, there is too much going on. You cannot have a cumbersome marketing process,” said Morris Marketing Group customer Bill Parnaby in an interview on Morris’s website.
To solve this problem, do what Parnaby did and implement a system of marketing tactics that work together to produce the best possible results.
You will not be as effective if you choose just one or two of these tactics. You must be doing all three; they’re rewarding because they work together.
Real estate CRM
According to IXACT Contact, 82 percent of real estate sales are the result of agent contacts through previous clients, referrals, friends, family and personal contacts.
Using a contact relationship management (CRM) is essential because it gives you the organized, easy-to-use database you need.
You can keep in touch with clients and prospects and stay top-of-mind among them. You can also stay organized and in control of your contact list. It’s the foundation for all of your marketing tasks.
Remember: the No. 1 reason most agents aren’t successful with referral marketing is because they don’t adequately maintain their databases.
Direct mail marketing
Now that you have your database of contacts organized and up-to-date, you need to communicate with clients and prospects using the proper channels. Direct mail is one of those channels, and it is the foundation for referral marketing.
Not only does direct mail keep you top-of-mind every month but it’s also a powerful tool for building your credibility as a trusted home expert. It’s not just an old-school tactic, it’s found to be more trustworthy and personal than digital marketing in many cases.
Keep in mind that:
- Direct mail gets noticed. According to a study commissioned by the Canada Post, 74 percent of people are more likely to notice advertising they received in the mail. In fact, consumers are far more likely to notice, open, read and enjoy mail than digital forms of advertising.
- Direct mail is the best way to make consumers feel valued. Because it’s considered less intrusive, and more memorable, 70 percent of Americans say mail is more personal than the Internet, according to the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council.
Email marketing
Email is a useful complement to other tactics such as phone calls, personal visits, client events and direct mail. But it should never be relied upon exclusively as a referral marketing strategy. It’s important, however, because it’s the most common form of communication in the business world.
With email marketing, it’s great to include timely topics such as market reports, as well as information on real estate as a long-term investment, how to choose an agent and more. But email is more effective when conducted in addition to direct mail marketing.
According to the Canada Post study, 51 percent of people prefer that companies use a combination of direct mail and email when communicating with them.
- Direct mail persuades. Whether it’s to drive a store visit, purchase or phone call, mail delivers a call to action that resonates.
The ultimate package
Do you want the best possible results from your efforts? Then you should do all three of the above tactics. The savvy approach is a systemized one that uses a real estate CRM, direct mail marketing and email marketing.
“85 percent of my business is repeat and referral business,” Parnaby said.
Push yourself beyond your normal limits, and don’t doubt for a moment that you will succeed.
Lina Poka is a senior marketing executive for the Marketing Department of MorrisMarketingGroup.com. Follow her on Twitter @MrktgRealEstate or on Facebook.