New Real Estate Agents – Essential Marketing Tasks to Tackle

So, you’re a new real estate agent. You have a lot to look forward to. But newness can also feel uncomfortable and overwhelming. We get it.

Since the first step is usually the roughest, we want to help make it as pain-free as possible. So we’ve put together a list of tasks to get you started. Think of these as the fundamentals for real estate agents, the foundation on which you can continue to grow your business.

Start with an Honest Vision and Values Statement

Before you do anything actionable, it helps to start with a statement that clarifies where you want to go and how you intend to get there and provides motivation that will keep you moving.

While you might be tempted to brush off this step, assuming it’s fluffy and unimportant, remember that the real estate industry is all about relationships. Real ones, based on trust and understanding. If you don’t dissect your purpose and strategy, you can easily find yourself fumbling around in a fast-moving market that will not wait for you to catch your bearings.

As far as the format for your statement, there are no hard and fast rules. Some people like bullet points while others prefer a small paragraph. We recommend keeping the language simple and easy to follow, whichever route you choose.

Here’s an example of a unique mission statement:

                 We strive to help families create a meaningful legacy for generations to come, which is why we donate a portion of our profits to local charities that help families escape abuse, combat homelessness, and overcome addiction.

Here’s one that gets right to the point:

                Our first goal is to have satisfied clients. We also want to be recognized in the real estate community as having agents with excellence and integrity.

Some people also choose to add more tangible goals to their statements, like:

                We want to become the No. 1 ranked team by volume in Dallas-Fort Worth by 2025.

Find Your People

Once you understand your mission and values more clearly, you’ll want to attract potential customers who align with those principles.

To market to your ideal clients, you’ll need to understand and speak directly to them. This part requires a bit of research.

It helps to break down your people by demographics, like median age, education level, and median income. Your search can also include psychographics, or qualities that explain who people are (religion, politics, hobbies or interests). You can find demographic and psychographic information from polls, state or city data, and voter registration data.

Understanding your people will prove invaluable when creating marketing content and messaging. Because today’s consumers want you to speak to them as individuals. Doing so will not only help your response rates but will start building personal relationships that will keep your real estate business thriving.  

Analyze Top Real Estate Agents in Your Area

One of the savviest marketing tricks for any business—find others who do what you do, and study their methods.

So, make sure you have several free hours, make a strong cup of coffee, and get your snoop on.

Read websites, scour through social media posts, and see what interesting content top agents are creating these days. You’ll find everything from blogs and webinars to live videos. Because successful agents have one trait in common. They hustle.

Create a Mobile-Friendly Website

You had to see this one coming. Your agent website is essential, the digital business card that clients and prospects need to see.

To really engage mobile visitors, it should combine visually appealing elements and necessary information. If you really want to overachieve, add interactive videos and search filters, as well.

Also, remember to include a section that tells prospects about YOU. Done right, this detail will set you apart from other agents in your area and explain why people should choose you as their handy guide.

Because in reality, there are a zillion real estate agents vying for business. When you have a unique selling proposition, you make the choice much easier. Maybe you specialize in first-time homebuyers or luxury homes. If you’ve grown up in the city where you work, that can serve as a selling point, too. It makes you an expert on things to do around town and up-and-coming areas. Someone moving from out of state might benefit from your insider tips.  

Oh, and don’t forget to make it all mobile-optimized. Here are some quick tips to ensure people can easily scan your website from their handheld devices:

• Use a mobile responsive template. The major providers (like WordPress or Squarespace) should offer several ‘responsive themes.’
• Make text scannable and concise (no one wants to scroll endlessly).
• Compress images using an online tool (hint: it reduces the file size without compromising quality).
• Use large calls-to-action and buttons.

Get Organized

Any experienced agent will tell you organization means everything. You need a system for tracking prospects, engaging existing clients, and making sure both turn into repeat business.

In the beginning, you’ll probably have a spreadsheet or free online tool. Once your business starts to grow, however, you might need something more powerful, like Customer Relationship Management software, or CRM.

A quality CRM platform can become the backbone of your thriving real estate operation.

In the early stages, your CRM will keep names, addresses, and other necessary information organized. Once you’ve established other processes, however, this handy software can help you continuously reach out to all your contacts. It will even help you automate client messaging, so you can spend more time growing your business and less time addressing envelopes.

Set Up Business Social Media Accounts

Of course, one of the first places potential clients will try and find you is on social media, so having business profiles will add to your credibility. These platforms will also provide more opportunities for you to connect with your people.

As you get going, consider a few best practices:

• Prioritize local content: People in your area will most likely find you based on local tags and key words, so don’t be afraid to show off your insider knowledge.
• Offer, then ask: It’s always prudent to offer someone value before making a hard sell. Free content (tips & tricks, market advice, local service companies) shared on your website and social media is a great way to build trust before asking for business.
• Post videos: When you embrace tech trends, it shows prospects that you can keep up in a wild market. And videos are having quite the moment.
• Keep it brief: Don’t lose your audience with lengthy monologues. Keep posts between 10-20 seconds and you’ll have a better chance of making an impact.
• Encourage tags: Everyone loves a good testimonial, and in the social media world, that comes from clients tagging you in their posts. So don’t be afraid to ask!

Craft a Welcome Email

Do not underestimate the power of a well-crafted welcome email. As the first impression for potential clients, it serves as an invaluable opportunity to introduce yourself and get the conversation rolling.

Note: We strongly recommend only emailing those who have agreed to communicate with you. Otherwise, it can feel invasive and off-putting.

When writing this first message, it helps to:

• Keep it brief (who you are, how you can help)
• Include a call to action (set up an appointment, follow on social, etc.)
• Make it personal (always)

Get Listed

Since referrals are an agent’s best friend, you’ll want to make sure clients can review your services online. Top sites for real estate include but are not limited to Zillow, Google, Realtor.com, and Facebook. To get started:

1. Create your listing, including as many details as possible and aiming for consistency across sites (website, address, available hours, phone number).
2. Encourage reviews.
3. Keep the listing updated (if things change, remember to let the internet know).

Design Your 12-Month Real Estate Marketing Plan

As a real estate agent, you’ll need to pull from a heavy stockpile of self-motivation. In this business, your accomplishments start and end with YOU.

To stay on track for long-term success, we recommend a 12-month marketing game plan. You’ll want to revisit your plan at least once each year, maybe more depending on trends and your unique situation.

It will act as your strategic roadmap, steering your forward with proven marketing methods. Yes, being an agent and a marketer will take some effort. But don’t worry—we can help with the heavy lifting along the way. Here are the basic elements of a workable real estate marketing plan:

• Goals: It doesn’t matter how big or small you want to aim, but writing down clear, achievable goals will help you determine the right tactics. Maybe you want to get at least ten new clients in six months or close $1.5 million in sales for the year. Whatever your objectives, own them. Then design a content and messaging plan that will help you get there.
• Content Marketing: Remember, adding value in the form of free content will help you attract potential clients and highlight your expertise. If you’re not sure where to begin, aim small, like one blog post per month. When you feel more comfortable, add to it.
• Direct Mail: Print marketing is huge for real estate agents. It’s the perfect medium for quick information and beautiful images. Plus, when you add a mailing list option, you can target a neighborhood, zip code, or entire city. Use flyers, brochures, and postcards to highlight your services to potential buyers/sellers and reach out to loyal clients.
• Email Marketing: Email can be a great addition to your content marketing plan. Once you get your recipient list going, you can send personalized market updates, attach monthly newsletters, or let folks know about an upcoming open house.
• Social Media Marketing: Like blog posts, you can start small with social media and build as you go. To grow an audience organically, you’ll eventually want to post at least three to five times per week.

One More Thing

Marketing your new real estate business doesn’t have to take over your life. Yes, the industry is wild, but experts exist to guide you along the way.

For more tips and tricks, check out our Real Estate Marketing Guide (spoiler: we create a new one each year, so you’re always in the know). And we have lots of handy blogs and downloadable resources to help you with content, direct mail, and marketing automation.