Recently reflecting back on the time I’d spent with clients, I realized that working with out-of-town buyers was one of the most rewarding experiences and best returns for my time.
Many local homebuyers like to take their time to search for the perfect home. And let’s admit it, sometimes it takes them longer than we want because they already have a place to live.
At the same time, people moving to our city usually have a high level of urgency to find their new home before the moving truck arrives. This high motivation is the key to making your business efficient, and it also gives you an opportunity to focus only on working with highly motivated clients.
We all have the resources available to make this happen, and by getting a little creative, you should be able to attract more out-of-town buyers with these tips:
1. Use a website to your advantage
Being comfortable with blogging is a key element for anyone whose goal is to attract new clients online and grow business. Heck, if you don’t have great content on your website that helps potential clients answer their questions, then, in my opinion, you might as well not have a website.
The two main purposes of any website should be to build trust with your readers by providing an answer to their problems and, over time, converting the “lookie loos” into clients.
People are landing on your website for key phrases and terms that they typed into search engines.
If you put content out there about your grandma’s favorite recipe, your visitors to that page are probably interested in that topic. If we are intentional about the content we’re creating, we can streamline the type of people who we want to work with.
2. Create a ‘moving to [city]’ guide
More often than not, out-of-town buyers who are relocating to your city start their research way before they even know for sure that they will be moving. They want to know more about the benefits of moving there and whether this life-changing event is going to have a positive impact on their lives.
Help them discover more about your community, the economy, things to do and job opportunities. Creating a blog post of things that will help them make this decision is beneficial to your business.
Now, just an average article probably isn’t going to cut it. You need to make sure that it’s an epic post about moving to your city so that it will provide significant value for the reader, versus the billions of fluff posts that are already all over the web.
Based on research by many SEO gurus, for Google to rank any content highly, a good rule of thumb to keep in mind is a minimum of 2,000 words per post.
Once you start your research, it won’t take long to jot down more great information than you initially thought you’d need. Before you know it, your article can turn into a mega-post just like this one about moving to Calgary, Alberta, which ended up being over 7,000 words.
3. Write a ’10 things you’ll LOVE about [city]’ post
Chances are you have already lived in your city for awhile, and you have a pretty good idea of what people living there like doing for fun as well as what makes your city a great place to live.
Another benefit of putting a “moving to” post together is it could go viral in your local community. People are usually very proud of their city, and they love to share great things about their town.
Think back to the last time a sports team near you achieved something great and how it brought the community together to celebrate. When it comes to lifting up and portraying your hometown in a positive way, it benefits everyone.
Oh, and in the event that someone does not agree with your positive spirit, you can also help them out if they are thinking of moving somewhere else. It’s a win-win.
4. Use social media to rocket boost your post
One you have written your article, let others know about it so it will spread like wildfire. Social media is the jet fuel that you need to ignite your content successfully.
The popularity of your blog post will be heavily dependent on what social media platforms you use. Within the different platforms, focus on niche groups closely related to your city.
Facebook is probably the No. 1 place for locals to hang and get noticed. Every community and city has special groups targeted at different interests. Reach out to these groups that might fit your topic and become a member so that you can share your article with them.
LinkedIn is another great place to share your posts as many professionals will use the platform to do their job research. Pinterest has gained huge momentum, and every blogger should find a way to be there as Pinterest shares usually receive more counts than any other social media shares combined.
5. Create visually appealing content
One of the best ways to get a blog post noticed is by using great graphics that are related to your topic. A stunning image will attract a reader to click through and share your post. It has been tested that a great graphic that goes along with a blog post has many times the power to influence people than the best headline.
Make sure to care as much about creating impactful images along with your content, and be persistent with being the best advocate of your blog post on social media.
Take your time to craft a “moving to” blog post, and make it a masterpiece — you’ll be glad you did when you start closing deals faster.
Joe Samson is a Realtor in Calgary, Alberta, as well as a blogger and social media marketer. You can connect with him on LinkedIn or Facebook.