Marketing Your Real Estate Business “Hello, It’s Not About You!”

Marketing Your Real Estate Business “Hello, It’s Not About You!” [Guest Post]

Everyone thinks that marketing your real estate business when you’re a REALTOR, is really about marketing yourself, right? Wrong.

“In a crowded marketplace, fitting in is a failure. In a busy marketplace, not standing out is the same as being invisible.” – Seth Godin

How many times have you picked up the mail and read a postcard from a car repair shop or beauty salon and read a resume? I can tell you, never.

“Hi I’m Steve the Auto Repair Man.  I grew up in Seattle and attended the University of Oregon.  After graduating from college I moved to Bellevue with my beautiful wife and we have 3 happy children.  I have serviced 100 Automobiles this year…”

Successful companies advertise the services they provide to a customer, how working with them will benefit the customer and help the customer reach their goals, real estate should be no different.

I don’t care if my car repair man went to college, I just want to know if he is qualified to fix my car and has some words of wisdom that make me believe he knows what he’s talking about.

Marketing Your Real Estate Business

There is strength in subtlety and providing the customer with something of value.

When a prospective real estate client receives a piece of mail from me, the last thing I want them to do is open the letter and then immediately throw it away because I’ve rambled on and on about how wonderful I am.

It’s OK to note your qualifications and associations, but what the client really needs is information about how this benefits them!

Radio Station:  WII.FM — What’s In It For Me?

Marketing With Value

When marketing your real estate business provide your potential new clients with valuable information pertaining to:

• The schools
• The neighborhoods
• Financing
• Tips on where to start when buying or selling your home
• Real Estate terminology
• Etc.

According to 2013 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers:

78% of home buyers surveyed in NAR’s 2013 Community Preference Survey responded that neighborhood quality is more important than the size of the home.

Think of those millions of questions all Seller’s and Buyer’s ask you. And then Answer them on blog posts, in mailers, and in your emails.

Even if they are not first time home buyers.  On average, clients are in the market for a new home every 5-7 years. If they don’t do this every day, like we do, then they will have forgotten the process, not kept up to date on the many changes in financing and real estate laws and regulations, it’s our job to educate them.

Summary

There are hundreds of other real estate agents in your region doing the same thing day after day. We send postcards, magnets, Christmas cards, email you newsletters and call on the phone. Gasp!

But one of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned is that when you are marketing yourself; don’t.

Market your value and gain their trust.