The post When to Hire Marketing Experts for your Real Estate Business appeared first on RealestateMY.
]]>Table of Contents
Being a real estate agent is like running your own business. And most of the time owning your own business means being a one-man band – being the accountant, the bookkeeper, the administrator, the secretary, the salesperson, the marketer, and many more. These many hats lead to all types of challenges.
Digital marketing professionals tend to get asked by relatives or ‘good’ friends for tips on improving themselves in this relatively new field. We wouldn’t be humans after all if we did not capitalise on personal relationships to help ourselves or the people close to us. You know, that curiosity of another’s work over a cup of coffee.
Don’t get it wrong. Picking another’s brain is not a bad thing. However, the common question asked is “what should one do to generate more business from digital marketing” when the right question that should be asked is “WHEN should one hire help to generate more business from digital marketing”. While a real estate agent / business owner may wear many hats and deem it possible for themselves to oversee and run every aspect of their business on their own, it may not be the most prudent long-term solution.
Let’s say that a digital marketing professional was asked the right question – there would not be a one-size-fits-all answer. There are however established guidelines to help one determine if it is time to hire someone to handle their marketing strategy and execution.
Keep in mind that as a real estate agent / business owner, you would still have to be involved to an extent. As the face of the business, your marketing content would need to mirror your tone and character. In an industry that depends on face-to-face interactions and a high level of trust, your marketing should take on a personal approach and promote your personal branding.
Additionally, your choice of freelance marketer or marketing agency will be the driving force behind your business. While you may not understand fully the nuances of digital marketing, you should ask questions regarding the strategies that will be put in place to understand its implications and potential risks.
Download Now: Real Estate Content Marketing Guide [Free Access]
When You Don’t Have Time for Marketing
As a real estate agent / business owner you’re going to have your hands full with your business’ development, customer service, marketing planning and execution, book keeping, accounts, and many more. It would be easy for marketing to fall to the side with so many other things needing your immediate attention.
Your lack of ability to focus the time, energy, and resources needed for marketing is a good indication to outsource some tasks such as marketing which itself is a full-time job.
By freeing up your time to focus on other things, you will be able to increase your efficiency while getting your business marketed consistently. Time is money and getting someone to help will be a win-win for you and your business.
When You’re Unsure What to Do Next
Amateurs and professionals alike will eventually hit a dead-end at some point. When you find yourself banging your head against a wall (figuratively, of course), it’s time to get some help. Whether it be with lead generation, client conversion, or meeting the bottom line, reach out to marketing professionals who tend to give out basic (and often free) advice on your next steps (especially if you invite them out for a coffee).
Regardless of who you talk to, if you still find yourself staring at a blank wall, then it’s time to look for someone to take your marketing to the next step for you.
When You’re Looking to Grow Your Business Faster
If you’re hitting your income target then congratulations! You’re at a peak of your business. Note, I said A peak and not THE peak as with any other business, there will be ups and downs. At the current peak, it’s now time to decide whether to grow your business more or maintain it at its current level.
If you decide to go with Option 1, then you’ll need more hands and brains on board. What was good enough to get you to your current position would probably not be enough to push you ahead. You will need different perspective, new strategies, and new skills to take things to the next step.
Decide where your time is best used and how much you want your business to grow. When growth is the goal, you will need help.
When You’re Unsure of How to Boost Your Marketing Strategy
You’re an expert in owning a business and in real estate, not in online marketing. While today’s connectivity allows us to learn about content marketing, ways to drive traffic to your site, and SEO, it is most likely that like many real estate professionals, digital marketing is not your main area of expertise. You need to find someone who has the skills to compliment your own skills so the business can grow.
When Your Business Stops Growing, or Starts to Decline
Why fix it if it’s not broke…right? It doesn’t always work that way. You may not notice your business’ growth stalling or declining right away. Either way, it’s always a good time to hire an expert to help figure out the problem. Marketing consultants can diagnose the issue, form a strategy and even help you advance your business. These experts present solutions based on their data as well as their experience in the field. Relying on your instincts or things that you’ve read about may not impact your business the way you hope to.
Great digital marketers are like scientist, and make decisions based on analytical data and continuous testing. You should find a digital marketing expert who focuses on data, rather than marketing amateurs that blindly blast advertising with no direction.
With technology changing at such a fast pace, it’s important to rely on experts that are up-to-date with technology and quick to change and adapt with current times.
Stay tuned with the realestatemy.com/blog for more up to date tips and guides for real estate marketing professionals.
The post When to Hire Marketing Experts for your Real Estate Business appeared first on RealestateMY.
]]>The post How Great Photography Helps Real Estate Agents Sell More Properties appeared first on RealestateMY.
]]>
Download Now: Real Estate Marketing Plan Template [Free Access]
In conclusion, great photography is an indispensable tool for real estate agents aiming to sell more properties. High-quality images capture the essence of a property, highlighting its features and potential to prospective buyers.
This visual appeal not only increases interest but can also accelerate the selling process and potentially enhance the property’s market value. For real estate agents, investing in professional photography is not just about showcasing properties; it’s about crafting compelling visual stories that resonate with buyers, setting the stage for successful transactions and satisfied clients.
Stay tuned with the realestatemy.com/blog for more up-to-date tips and guides for real estate marketing professionals.
The post How Great Photography Helps Real Estate Agents Sell More Properties appeared first on RealestateMY.
]]>The post How to take great photos of your property appeared first on RealestateMY.
]]>Taking great photos of your property
Table of Contents
Embarking on the journey of selling your property, one of the most impactful steps you can take is snapping some great photos. This isn’t just about capturing images; it’s about telling the story of your home through a lens, making it irresistible to potential buyers. In today’s digital age, where first impressions are often made online, stunning photographs can be the difference between a listing that’s scrolled past and one that stops buyers in their tracks.
Think of your camera as your paintbrush, showcasing the best angles, the play of light in your rooms, and the unique features that make your house a home. Whether you’re using a high-end DSLR or just your smartphone, the key is in the details: decluttering spaces, maximizing natural light, and creating a welcoming atmosphere. With some thought and creativity, you can transform your property into a photogenic masterpiece, ready to capture hearts (and offers) the moment it hits the market.
To make sure you sell your home at the best price on the market, great looking photos are very important. Most buyers will only decide to view a property if the photos look good and are what they are looking for. To help you take the best photos possible of your home, we have come up with a few simple tips and tricks for making your home photos magazine worthy.
Make sure your property is clean
Before taking any photos, you must reorganise and declutter first. Especially if the photo is for a real estate advertisement listing, you’re going to want to clean up and throw away anything that takes away from the space in an effort to give prospective buyers a clear view of the potential property.
If the photograph is being taken for a rental property, these pictures need to be extremely tidy. Clients will be looking for cleanliness which is a big indicator of how comfortable the home will be. This may require the hiring of a home staging expert as they know how to make your home look open and welcoming.
Download Now: Property Sellers Guide [Free Access]
Go into your photography session with a good plan
If you’re looking to create a comfortable feeling around your photograph, consider taking the most of your shots in late afternoon as the sun filters dimly through the room. Alternatively, if you’re looking for a bright and airy photograph of an interior room, afternoon is going to be your best time for the clearest light. Also don’t forget to turn on all the lighting sources in the room such as lamps, fixed bulbs, and wall lights. Having layered lighting creates an overall sense of warmth and openness.
Buy the right photography equipment for the best results
It would definitely be easy to just pull out your smart phone and snap a perfectly professional shot of your property. However, its not as easy as you think. Without a little help, homemade shots just aren’t good enough or presentable.
Professional photographers spend a lot of money investing in the right equipment to get the perfect shot every time. While it’s not recommended that you spend your life savings on equipment for photos, it is highly beneficial to invest a little into buying (or possibly borrowing) the proper equipment. No matter what, it will be cheaper than hiring a professional photographer for the property.
When it comes to the right camera, there are plenty of choices to be considered on the market. One that often finds its way into homeowner hands is the SLR, or single lens reflex camera. Many agree that this type of camera gives a very stabilising effect and creates very clear shots overall.
Use good lighting for your real estate photographs
One of the most important factors when it comes to photographing your property is lighting. Lighting can alter the feel of a photograph drastically within a matter of minutes depending on the time of day.
Make sure that your photographs are not blurry
The space will not look good even if its a well-staged interior photograph of a home because of blurry edges or lines in the photograph. If you’re going to take photographs the right way, make sure you put as much care into the actual picture as you do setting up for it!
Play with angles around the property
While the goal is obviously to get a great shot of any given room, many people make the mistake of stopping the photo shoot too early. In order to get the perfect shot and angle, you’re going to have to invest your time with different angles and memory card space.
When it comes to photographing your property like a professional, you’re going to have to think like one. This means you’ll need to take more pictures than necessary and be willing to shoot as many angles as you can find. As lighting changes and angles change, the best photo can come out of the most unexpected of shots!
Also, it’s important to be adventurous with your setup choices. If getting a great photo means taking the time to set up some helpful artificial lighting, then so be it. And don’t be afraid to move furniture and accessories around to improve the space, even if it’s only temporary.
Get Help
If you find yourself struggling with the final results, never hesitate to reach out to friends and family. Run some of your final photos by them and ask them what they think. If you get the answer you’re looking for, great! If not, it’s time to keep on clicking because after all, you’re trying to do this like a professional.
While doing your own home photography can be a challenge, the results are often worth the risk. It gives you a chance to not only create your own space, but put your personal touch into the final product in nearly every way. This will mean a higher change of your property selling for the best price on the market, or finding a renter who is willing to pay more.
Conclusion
The post How to take great photos of your property appeared first on RealestateMY.
]]>The post How to be an effective new real estate agent? appeared first on RealestateMY.
]]>Being an effective new real estate agent
So, you’re a new real estate professional. If we had to take a wild guess, you’re probably feeling very much overwhelmed right now with this new career choice.
The hardest part of getting started is getting to know where to start. When it comes to building your real estate business plan and marketing strategy, you may be struggling with prioritising what’s most important and what you should begin with.
Here is a tip, start small and work your way up. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and your new real estate business won’t be either, these things take time.
By having a checklist and ticking off items on this checklist, you’ll be well on your way to creating a property marketing plan that makes you a winner.
Download Now: Real Estate Marketing Plan Template [Free Access]
THE NEW REAL ESTATE AGENT CHECKLIST:
-
Subscribe To Property Market Insights
The real estate market can change as quickly as the weather, and your clients are looking to you to answer their questions about the current real estate market.
There is constant rumours and speculation about where the real estate market could be headed. It’s up to you as a real estate professional to provide basic insights backed by expert facts and data to clear the air and help your clients make the most informed decision about property.
You need to make sure you’re making it a part of your weekly routine to stay current on what’s really happening in real estate market. Following the RealestateMY Blog is an easy way to make sure you don’t miss an important property headlines. Sign up for weekly emails here.
-
Get a CRM
These three letters are one of a real estate agent’s most important tools in getting leads, listings and managing them well. Any property agent will tell you that organisation is key to success, and keeping your Real Estate CRM up to date and tidy will help you keep track of all your leads and listings.
-
Set Up Business Facebook & Instagram Account
In this day and age, one of the first places potential clients are going to try and find you is on social media networks. Not only does having a Business Page & Profile add to your credibility, it also gives you more ways for connecting with your leads and getting engagement.
-
Regularly Posting On Social Every Week
Now that you have your social business profiles set up, it’s time to start posting and getting followers. If you’re not sure where to start, just start with small and slowly grow. Posting a few times per week is enough to build a solid social media presence without all the pressure. And remember, this doesn’t include your actual property listings!
With RealestateMY’s TALGIC tool you can post a local market update, a community highlight, a new graph, a motivational quote. There is no limit to the content your social media feed!
-
Create a Welcome Email For Clients
The average welcome email generates 5x more opens and 6x more clicks than regular email marketing campaigns. As your first impression for most of your incoming leads, this is a great opportunity to introduce yourself and start the conversation with clients.
-
Create a Storage System On The Cloud
The early days of being an agent are the best time to create processes and systems that will keep you organised for years to come, and cloud storage plays a huge part in helping you get there. Whether you’re using icloud, Gdrive or Dropbox, make sure to take some time and set up a basic system that you can use for years to come. Also remember, this is where you’ll be storing a lot of your digitalised paperwork so make sure to build out a secure system that’s easy to use.
-
Get Your Listing Presentation Ready
A good listing presentation is one of the most important tools a property agent needs, and it’s essential for you to start working on yours. Your listing presentation should be neat, professional, personalised, and have all details about your strategic marketing plan for selling a client’s property. You should use a lot of visuals, property market data and show, rather than tell, that you’re the best property agent for the job. You can also just download RealestateMY’s free Client Listing Presentation template and easily customise it to your own branding.
-
Signing Up for Virtual Conferences
There are lots of different virtual conferences and courses that will help you learn the ins and outs of the real estate industry. If you want to learn more about property marketing or if you need help with your client scripts? RealestateMY can point you in the right direction, and there’s a learning opportunity for just about everything.
In Summary
When it comes to starting in real estate, your marketing will take you far but your branding will take you even further.
You will need to spend your early months on building your personal brand and connecting with your local community. This will not only help you get more property listings, but it will help you build meaningful relationships with clients that can last a lifetime.
Whats most important is that you have prioritisation and automation. You will need to learn how to focus on what matters most and turning to real estate marketing content experts for the rest, so you’ll be able to focus on what matters most to your business: your clients.
Stay tuned with the realestatemy.com/blog for more up-to-date tips and guides for real estate marketing professionals.
The post How to be an effective new real estate agent? appeared first on RealestateMY.
]]>The post Top 5 Tips for real estate agents winning on Instagram appeared first on RealestateMY.
]]>
1. Deliver Value
Ever hear of an influencer? Instagram has created its own universe of trailblazers, and if you use it the right way, you could become one too. Sharing content is not only great for educating your followers but also establishing yourself as a real estate “thought leader” and brand.
Download Now: Real Estate Marketing Plan Template [Free Access]
Being a local expert also ties in with that. To do this, we recommend posting pictures of landmarks and favorite spots around town or creating videos that highlight local businesses you love in your area, or even hosting many virtual open houses.
2. Engage Your Social Community
This is where the hard work comes in. Whether you have five followers or 5,000, engagement is key to keeping the ones you have plus gaining more followers.
What does “engagement” mean?
• Respond to all comments and messages
• Initiate conversations by asking questions
• Use features like polls, quizzes and countdowns on stories Highlight your clients and community
This is a great way to make the most of those spare 5minutes here and there. And yes it will pay off!
Download Now: Real Estate Social Media Posting Calendar [Free Access]
3. #Hashtag like a Pro
Instagram has done an incredible job of opening up the world to every user. When we say this, we mean that what you see, or who sees you, is no longer restricted to just your “friends”, it can be many more people.
A great way to make sure your posts get in front of new eyes is by using hashtags. The limit per post is 30 but if that’s too ambitious, we suggest at least 10-15 for each post. Although #realestate may seem like an obvious choice, we recommend throwing in some location-specific ones too (like #malaysianrealestate) since that’s your target community. Then, people who follow or visit that hashtag will see your post. It’s a win-win.
4. Stories, Stories, Stories
Stories was the feature that helped set Instagram apart from the other social media. It’s also the feature that could set you apart from your competition.
Whether you’re sharing your RealestateMY content, highlighting a new property or celebrating a client’s home purchase, stories add tremendous value to your Instagram strategy. They’re also more likely to be seen or engaged with by your followers. Even if you don’t post on your feed every day, you should be posting on your stories.
And remember, it’s not all about business. Don’t be afraid to share funny videos of your family, pets (dogs & cats rule IG), vacations, hobbies, etc. Let your personality shine!
5. Follow @realestateMY
The RealestateMY Instagram strategy is equal parts real estate motivation and member highlights.
You can check out RealestateMY’s stories to see frequent stories or great examples of how their members are using real estate content to engage their followers on Instagram. Sometimes the question is less about how and more about what. RealestateMY gives you great content to share, and all you have to do is share it.
Follow US and see how other top agents are winning with this platform to get inspiration for your next post!
Stay tuned with the realestatemy.com/blog for more up-to-date tips and guides for real estate marketing professionals.
The post Top 5 Tips for real estate agents winning on Instagram appeared first on RealestateMY.
]]>