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Friday, December 20, 2024

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    “Successful marlin fishing involves having the right gear, knowing the right fishing tactics and techniques, and being in the right place at the right time,” according to FishermansOutfitter.com.

    The same can be said about anything one is trying to capture, from a mouse or a crook to the perfect photograph and, yes, real estate leads.

    The challenge for many real estate agents attempting to capture leads is that, while they may understand tactics and techniques, they lack the proper gear.

    So, let’s start with that and then get into how to use that “gear” to lure real estate leads on Facebook.

    Mackerel or marlins?

    Real estate agents can learn a lot about lead generation and capture from the fishing world. And, the first step is to determine who it is you’re trying to lure. Gone are the days of agents marketing to “anyone who is breathing.” It’s inefficient and ineffective.

    Who do you want to work with, buyers or sellers? First-time buyers or repeat buyers? Luxury homeowners or condo owners?

    Figuring out what you’re fishing for and then who these people are is key to any marketing strategy, most especially when you’re marketing on Facebook.

    Before you do any further planning, head over to Facebook’s Policies to ensure that your promotion follows the rules.

    Choose your lure

    Watching a video of man- or woman- against marlin, it’s easy to assume that the most challenging part of catching one is the fight. The angler, strapped into a boat’s fighting chair, pumping and reeling, while the huge fish leaps and spins, makes for compelling footage.

    But, “big blue” didn’t just stop by and ask for the fight – he (or she) responded to a lure.

    And, not just any lure. Depending on species and sea conditions, the boat’s captain will choose from an array of lures he or she feels will be most attractive to the fish.

    Premium content might hook them

    Premium content is one way to lure Facebook leads. This type of content is different than what you offer by means of blog posts. It’s “a type of digital content that may be accessed for a fee, and is usually of higher quality or more desirable than free” content, say the folks at Techopedia.com.

    You won’t, however, be charging a fee for your content. You will, on the other hand, ask for information in return.

    And, now that you know who you are “fishing” for, determining the type of content to offer is a whole lot easier.

    Remember, it’s called “premium” content for a reason. It’s higher quality than regular content, longer in length and, as the Techopedia folks say, it’s “exceptionally informative.”

    An ideal type of premium content is a Free Report. Offer Free Reports in person, through direct mail, email and add to your website as a free download in exchange for an email.

    There are a variety of long-form content types from which to choose:
    • A list and in-depth description of down payment assistance programs
    • Infographic
    • Tutorial
    • Ebook
    • In-depth guides, such as city guides, neighborhood guides, buying and selling guides, relocation guides.
    • Reports (basically just 3,000-word articles)
    • Checklist (staging, moving, loan application, etc.)
    • Long articles (at least 3,000 words)

    Get more tips on creating and marketing with premium content at LinkedIn.com.

    Facebook giveaways to lure real estate leads

    A prize giveaway is another way to lure Facebook leads.

    And, make no mistake, what you’re giving away is key to the promotion’s success. “I mean, who’s really going to take the time of day to like, comment on, and share a post when all they stand to gain is a $15 gift card for coffee?” asks Pat Hiban at ActiveRain.com.

    “Almost no one,” he claims. Take the time to carefully consider an item that you’re contemplating giving away. Hiban lists several that worked well for other agents:

    • Family passes to a popular local attraction, such as a waterpark or amusement park.
    • Tickets to a sporting event. Hiban suggests “tickets to a local team’s upcoming game  or even tickets to college games often work.”
    • The latest smartphone

    Or, make the prize appropriate to an upcoming holiday. In 2017, Chattanooga attorneys Warren & Griffin gave away a stainless-steel barbecue grill and threw in a $50 Walmart gift card that the winner could use to purchase the goodies to cook on the new grill.

    Use your favorite graphics program to create compelling Facebook posts to promote the giveaway and ensure that everything steers them to a dedicated squeeze page where you’ll capture their information.

    Facebook’s rules state that users can’t force participants to share, like or follow to be entered for the prize. So, don’t force them. Hiban offers a brilliant alternative:

    “Know someone who needs” a new grill? “Share this giveaway so that they have a chance to win!”

    Get more Facebook giveaway ideas and tips at Wishpond.com and Hootsuite.com.

    Show them you know what’s on their mind (available in the postcard section under Get More Listing Series)
    Another way to generate leads is to send at least 100 Should You Stay or Go postcards from the Get More Listings Series to an area where you want more leads.
    You might also like:

    Agent Facebook Success: Rules of Engagement

    A Refresher Course in Attracting New Clients

    Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

    PLUS: When you have time…here are Free killer tools to help your success this year!

    1. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

    Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

     

     

    2. “Get More Listings” Free Online Webinar

     

    “Get MORE Listings & Begin to Dominate Your Market!” Free online webinar. Learn the 3-7-27 strategy for explosive growth, why 95% of agents have less than 20% market share, and how to become the agent everyone competes against. – Click Here

     

     

    3. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

    The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Get More Listings, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence. –Click Here

     

     

    4. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

    Treat your business like a business it is vital to long-term success in this industry. Some agents may put together elaborate business plans, yet there’s something powerful about keeping it simple. Check out our one page Online Real Estate Business Plan.  – Click Here

     

     

    5. The Free Online ROI Calculator

    Consistency and automation are the keys to success. Discover how effective direct mail marketing can dramatically increase your bottom line. Enter your statistics in our Free online ROI Calculator and click the ‘CALCULATE MY ROI’ button to see your results instantly! –Click Here

    Spend Time Here, Not Here

    There’s only one you. There are just 24 hours in a day. Put those two together and you have an insanely busy schedule.

    And, it’s all too easy to get distracted by the next shiny object.

    Social media is shiny. It’s distracting. And, some platforms are completely unnecessary – at least for real estate professionals.

    As we head into 2018, and you’re contemplating your business plan, you’ll be prioritizing where to spend your time and money.

    Take a hard look at which social media platforms you use and whether or not your time is better spent elsewhere.

    Facebook – it’s not free

    You may think that marketing your business via social media is a fabulous free way to get your brand in front of people.

    If done strategically, it can be.

    But, consider this: The majority of agent’s average about three hours a week spent on Facebook, according to a 2016 Inman.com survey.

    Sadly, that doesn’t tell the whole story because more than 21 percent spend twice that amount of time – a whopping six hours a week – on the social media giant.

    Ask yourself this question:

    Is six hours each week better spent chasing after new business on Facebook or reaching out to former clients and those in your sphere?

    Both are “free” in terms of money, but the latter isn’t as much of a time stealer and the return on time invested has a better chance of being higher.

    Multiply your time spent by the number of social media platforms you’re currently using. While they all have something to offer, they aren’t all worth an agent’s time.

    Instagram – A waste of time?

    Unless you have an in-house marketing person, don’t feel guilty about not being on Instagram, and don’t listen to the hype saying you should be.

    Here’s why.

    Most online articles pushing the use of Instagram for businesses point out “In 2016, Instagram grew its daily user count by 100 million users and now has more than 600 million active users.”

    What they fail to do is dig deeper. So, let’s do that right now. First, however, let’s take a look at your average homebuyer.

    According to the NAR, “the typical home buyer is 44 years old, married, no children at home, and has a median income of $88,500.” Keep these statistics in mind while taking the deep dive into Instagram.

    Who’s hanging out on Instagram?
    • 80 percent of Instagram users don’t live in the U.S.
    • Of the users who do live in the U.S., only 28 percent of them are on Instagram, according to Pew Research.
    • The largest demographic of Instagram users are between the ages of 18 and 29 while only 18 percent are between the ages of 30 and 49 – the most likely buyer pool.
    • The largest demographic earns less than $30k
    • The average Instagram user “misses about 70% of the posts” in their feed, according to Influencer Marketing Hub.

    Until Instagram begins attracting an older, wealthier demographic, it’s an ineffective use of time. Your time is better spent on other lead-generation strategies.

    LinkedIn – A good investment

    No, it doesn’t have the largest share of online users (only 29 percent of American adults), but LinkedIn’s demographics are ideal for real estate marketing.

    • 77 percent of users are age 30 and older
    • 50 percent are college graduates
    • 45 percent of LinkedIn users earn more than $75,000 per year and only 21 percent earn less than $30,000.

    Again, recall the profile of the average homebuyer and seller and you’ll realize that this is the demographic you should be chasing.

    Not only are the demographics ideal on LinkedIn, but Hubspot gathered data from more than 5,000 companies and found “LinkedIn 277% More Effective for Lead Generation than Facebook & Twitter.”

    Hubspot’s Rebecca Corliss points out that “because most of the content posted on LinkedIn is of a marketing nature, as opposed to family photos or social ‘chatter,’ there is less clutter…

    …so business’ marketing posts are more likely to be noticed on LinkedIn than somewhere else.”

    Social media is an ever-evolving resource.

    What’s hot this year may die next year.

    When choosing where to spend your marketing time, don’t judge a platform by its number of users – that figure is useless for real estate agents.

    Do a deep dive, periodically, into the demographics of each to decide when the time is right to jump in.

    Related: 3 Tools That Drive More Business

    Need help?  Call our team today at 866.405.3638 to put the best marketing tools in place to build your business easily, and cost-effectively.

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