As a real estate professional, you are always on the lookout for ways to improve your skills and grow your business. Whether you are just starting out or have been in the real estate industry for years, it is always helpful to hear from others in the business about what has worked and what hasn’t worked for them.
That’s why we reached out to real estate professionals across the country to find out the biggest challenges they face in their market as well as their tried-and-true keys to success and compiled them into our inaugural Voice of the Real Estate Agent Report.
Using the results of this blind survey, we pulled tangible insights and real-life examples that you can start implementing today to grow referrals, increase your sales, and improve your career satisfaction.
Here’s just a small taste of what you will find in this free report.
Insight #3: High-performing real estate agents leverage social media to generate leads
Across every segment measured, agents unanimously warn against ignoring online marketing and social media opportunities. Some responses crossed over into a broader concern for keeping up with evolving technology.
While a minority of respondents indicate they are using social media but not getting results, many agents felt they didn’t have time to invest in this area, didn’t know where to start, or simply preferred not to have their brand and business online. Average and high performers, typically with four to ten years of experience, are experiencing the most success for generating quality leads and business from their online efforts. High performers with 11 or more years of experience mention this as a primary area they will focus on improving in the next 12 months.
Are you in the group that doesn’t know where to start with using social media to your advantage? Here are 10 tips to grow your social media and digital knowledge.
Invest in a reciprocal mentorship — If you feel overwhelmed when it comes to digital marketing but know other parts of the business well, try finding another agent — perhaps a newer one — who excels in digital marketing but could use coaching in other areas. Work out a way to trade your expertise.
Decide which platforms you’ll use — Not every agent needs to be on every social media platform. Where is your demographic spending the most time? Put attention and effort into what’s already working.
Focus on continuing education — Since the digital landscape is always changing, this is one area where it pays to continually educate yourself. Taking a course in digital marketing for real estate agents can be helpful, or choose conferences that will advance your learning on this subject.
Follow influencers — Pay attention to real estate agents and other business professionals who are using social in innovative ways, or who are just really good at upkeeping their social media. Try their strategies or reach out to them for tips on what they’re doing.
Don’t be afraid to experiment — Much success on social media is attributed to trial and error. There’s no concrete formula for what will work with your audience. Get your hands dirty and be willing to make a few mistakes.
Develop a voice and style guide — It’s important to decide what you’ll say and how you’ll say it.
Measure your results and track your ROI — Agents who know the impact of their marketing dollars get better results because they can measure success in real time and finetune their strategy immediately.
Stick with it for the long haul — Learning social media and digital marketing isn’t an overnight process and many times, even when you implement a proven strategy, it takes time for it to work. Establish short term and long term goals so you’ll be motivated to stay the course.
Consider hiring a consultant — If you’re feeling overwhelmed with the enormity of learning social media, consider hiring a consultant who can teach you some basics. While you might not want to pay someone for ongoing work, finding someone who can coach you on strategy could set you up for future success.
Talk to other agents — No one knows what’s working better than the agents in your market.
Want more helpful tips and real-life insights? Click here to download the report for free!
