There are marketing strategies, and then there are micro-strategies. Micro-strategies are very targeted, very small tweaks that real estate agents can make to their marketing plan that produce huge results. Today’s tips come from Kristi Kennelly, a self-proclaimed marketing nerd from Realtor.com. Her micro-strategies were the talk of HomeSmart’s annual KEY To Your Success Event last year. In case you missed the presentation, read on for effective marketing tips to help you heighten yourself and your business.
The number one micro-strategy Kennelly shares is video marketing. Though most people (let’s be honest, all people) cannot stand to see themselves on their cameras, Kennelly believes video marketing can have tremendous benefits for your business. She wants agents to understand that 60 seconds of talking into your camera, however painful it may be, will be more than worth it in terms of marketing yourself. She also reminds us that no one is as critical of the way we appear on camera as we are.
Start by replacing certain tasks you already have in your day—a phone call, for instance—with a “selfie” video. Kennelly claims that once a week is all you need to see a difference in your outreach. A one-to-one video receives a 199 percent lift in play rate, and viewers retain 95 percent of a message they watch in a video compared to only receiving 10 percent of a message when reading text.
Think of it as leaving a voicemail, but instead, you are leaving a personalized video. Or, instead of sending out a monthly newsletter, send out a monthly video announcement. Use this as an excuse to have fun with your job and let your clientele see who you really are. Camtasia, CloudApp, and Facebook Live are at the top of Kennelly’s list of easy-to-use, free apps that allow you to create and edit your videos. She even offers an alternative if you are not quite ready to “selfie” video: Lumen5.com is a platform for video marketing that easily takes an idea and turns it into a video (without the camera).
Kennelly encourages agents to identify their target audience rather than target anyone and everyone. A simple tip to do this is to create a local group on your Facebook page.
Additionally, go live on different platforms to increase your outreach. A great way option you might not be familiar with is BeLive.TV, a free online tool that allows you to broadcast a live interview without having to be in the same place as the person you are interviewing. Kennelly explains that you easily double your reach by adding another person to your video. Ask questions, have a conversation, and increase your outreach. And if you truly cannot stand the idea of videotaping yourself, try sharing your screen and showing market data with a voiceover so you still have a live video, without the camera pointing at you.
According to Kennelly, Facebook’s algorithm does not favor publishers and marketers. The social site pushes family and friend interactions over advertisements, so it is in your best interest to follow this rule.
Kennelly advises making it obvious that you took time out of your day (even if it was just a few minutes) to personalize a message you are sending to a customer. Consider sending a hyperpersonal video response to leads, rather than an email or voicemail. People love to hear and see their own names, so starting the video off with a simple notecard with your client’s name on it will immediately grab their attention.
Invest in marketing automation software and a company to set it up for you. Kennelly says that customer relationship management (CRM) is the heart of your business. Software that consolidates customer information allows you to improve customer service relationships and increase customer retention.
Step 1: Record a 1-minute market update video, and edit as needed (time investment: 20 minutes)
Step 2: Upload and post on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube (time investment: 10 minutes)
Step 3: Boost video post on Facebook and target CRM database (time investment: 5 minutes)
Step 4: Send personalized market update Snapshot® email (time investment: 0 minutes)
Step 5: Retarget on Facebook—send “Home Upgrades Video” to those who viewed market update video (time investment: 15 minutes)
Step 6: Send a 1-1 video to anyone who opened Snapshot® email (time investment: 15 minutes)
Follow Kennelly’s four tips, complete the challenge, and watch your business grow.