Unique Real Estate Marketing Ideas You Never Thought Of
You may have noticed the image above of the five light bulbs. All are lit, symbolizing great ideas, but only one is swinging a bit to the right. This swinging great idea doesn’t play by the rules of the other great ideas and is the first bulb you notice in the image. This post will cover 5 unique real estate marketing ideas that you may have never thought of in order to help your marketing program be more like this unique light bulb, and help you stand out among your competitors.
1. Facebook Messenger Real Estate Marketing Campaigns
You can think of Facebook Messenger marketing as a 1‑1 email marketing campaign. That is, when a buyer receives an email campaign from you, they’re more likely to feel like it’s a blast that goes to a large number of people and the email is often from a no‑reply address. Email marketing is a one‑way communication channel; Facebook Messenger is a way to connect with buyers on a more personal level.
Open and engagement rates for Facebook Messenger are also way more substantial than email. This is for a number of reasons: they are easier to open, there’s less risk of spam and viruses, and Messenger is way less saturated than the dozens of new emails hitting a buyer’s inbox daily.
2. Increasing Your Online Presence with Google My Business
You’ve probably been hearing more and more about Google My Business recently. It’s basically an improved way to manage your Google Business Listing with increased features and functionality. There are the basics:
- Updated Operating Hours & Most Active Hours
- Most Active Hours is really important so buyers know when they can stop by for a quick second tour with a spouse or know when they can come in and really take their time and not feel rushed.
- Your Correct Physical Address and Web Address
- You’d be amazed how many times these two things are incorrect and how frustrating it is for buyers.
- A Phone Number to Reach Your Sales Office
- Property/Company Photos
- Of course, you’ll want to include photos of your homes and communities to your listing, but also adding photos of Sales Reps, homebuyers, and company outings can put faces to the builder and add a human element to your company.
These items really just cover the initial creation of your business listing, which almost every business already does. Some new features you want to take advantage of include:
- Weekly Google My Business Posts
- That’s right! These posts are recognized activity by Google that can potentially raise your rankings over competitors and capture the eye of buyers searching for properties in your area.
- Announcements
- Make sure people see what you want them to know! Exciting events, promotions, and awards are things you’re already sharing through email, SEM, and banner ads. But what about people who are just starting their search and aren’t already added to your lead or retargeting list?
- Keyword Optimization
- It’s all about the right message and the right keywords when it comes to Google. Including this in your posts is just another way to leverage keywords.
- Q&As
- Start the conversation with targeted questions based on your buyer demographics and make sure to reply with thoughtful and informative responses.
- Reviews!
- One of the most important parts of your listing will be reviews from past and present buyers speaking highly of your homes or your construction process. Reviews help your Google ranking and can build trust with buyers.
3. Map Your Buyer Journey
From the first Facebook ad a buyer engages with to the final walk‑through and welcome home package needs to have a very clear roadmap. That is, once a potential buyer submits their information, what happens next? Are they sent to a thank you page, do they receive a follow‑up email in their inbox, are they entered into a drip sequence? After a buyer schedules an appointment with a sales consoler, how are they greeted? Was the office easy to find? And what will they take away from this tour?
Form Submission Stage
That is, once a potential buyer submits their information, what happens next? Are they sent to a thank you page, do they receive a follow‑up email in their inbox, are they entered into a drip sequence? After a buyer schedules an appointment with a sales consoler, how are they greeted? Was the office easy to find? And what will they take away from this tour?
Tour Stage
After a buyer schedules an appointment with a sales consoler, how are they greeted? Was the office easy to find? And what will they take away from this tour?
Construction Stage
After a buyer signs a contract, their journey with you is NOT over. A constant, open door of communication is still crucial to their experience with you as a trusted builder or developer. So what does this communication look like? Updates with images through emails? Check‑ins every few weeks? And so on and so forth.
If you are still communicating with a buyer, you are still marketing to them.
Every experience they have with you is a tool you can use later, whether you’re using it as a selling point for the next buyer or a previous buyer tells their coworker all about and that coworker decides to stop by for a tour. Word of mouth marketing is like the Willy Wonka’s golden ticket of marketing – marketers and builders really want that golden ticket and there are only so many to go around.
A clear sight of the buyer journey from start to finish will not only make sure you’re delivering an experience the buyer will never forget, but it will also make sure you catch any gaps in your marketing plan.
4. Real Estate Company Newsletter
An e‑newsletter may seem like an old concept and not a unique real estate marketing idea you never heard of, but we bet you’ve never thought of an external company newsletter this way.
A fun and upbeat newsletter used to subtly inform buyers about your company, product, and communities is like subliminal messaging telling a buyer that they want to know more about you, they feel comfortable with you, and trust you as a builder or developer because they already know so much about you. Emphasis on YOU. They can learn about your beautiful homes and community amenities in your regularly programmed emails. You’ll want to use the newsletter as a platform to get more creative, share the non‑profits you donate to, schools your sponsor, company outings and employee shout outs, very specific and cool features of your homes you can never seem to find a place for in other marketing materials, etc.
5. Hiring an Agency who only works with Home Builders and Developers
We know this industry in and out. We know the buyers. We know our home builders and developers. Outsourcing an agency who specializes in lead generation and digital marketing may not be a novel idea either, but we are one of the few who predominately work with the real estate industry. If you’re looking for an agency, or a little help getting creative with your real estate marketing, contact our expert real estate digital marketing team to start a conversation.