As a North Carolina real estate broker, one of your most important roles is that of a marketer. You’re marketing your clients’ properties. You’re marketing your community to potential buyers. You’re constantly marketing yourself and your services. Are you new to the business? Keep reading for some helpful guidelines that you can use to kick off your North Carolina real estate marketing efforts.
Real estate website best practices
Having a real estate website—in addition to a profile page supported by your brokerage’s website—is often the first step to building your contact database and attracting new leads. To turn your website into a solid lead generator and branding tool, you should observe a few best practices. Here are the elements of a winning North Carolina real estate website:
- Frequently updated SEO strategies
- Interesting and distinctive property descriptions
- Comprehensive neighborhood information
- Mobile-friendly and easy-to-use navigation
- IDX-optimized search bar on-site
- Effective call-to-action buttons
- Eye-catching layout and design
- Free real estate resources
- Newsletter subscription signup
- Sharp, professional photos and videos
The best real estate websites take advantage of all these elements to attract visitors and get them to hang around for a while. Then they make it easy to contact them by strategically placing contact information, newsletter signup boxes, and links to social media platforms.
For more info, check out our post: 6 Ways to Save Time by Automating Your North Carolina Real Estate Marketing.
Social media strategies real estate marketing
Social media is another important component of online real estate marketing. When developing a social media strategy, your goal is to get users to come to your website. Use your social media presence to spark interest. Encourage your followers and friends to click on images and links that will take them directly to your website. Some agents miss this point and use their Facebook page to inundate their followers with property listings. Your website is the place for your listings. Your social media platforms are helpful in getting people there, but you have to do it without constantly pitching your services.
Example social media post
“You’ve never seen a bathroom like this one before. It is located just outside of [city]. The open house is this weekend and I can’t wait to see it in person.”
Include an interior photo of this magnificent feature with details about the open house. Now you have people not only interested in attending your open house but also going to your website to look at other photos.
On your website, make it easy for users to share your listings on social media by including Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram share buttons.
Print strategies for real estate marketing
As important as your online real estate marketing strategy is, don’t forget that it goes hand-in-hand with traditional print marketing. As soon as you get your real estate license, have your business cards printed up. Carry them everywhere you go, and hand them out whenever the opportunity arises. In addition to business cards, you’ll want to invest in yard signs, marketing collateral pieces (such as buyer and seller guides), and other content you can share with clients.
Use good quality postcards to send updates about upcoming open houses to those on your contact list. Also, be sure to have high quality brochures and flyers on hand at all of your open houses and at any networking events you attend.
Interested in starting a real estate career? Download our free Career Starter Kit.
Professional memberships
Joining professional organizations is a great way to network with other North Carolina real estate brokers. Though real estate is a highly competitive field, brokers benefit from networking with each other. You’ll likely become a member of your state and local governing body, and maybe the National Association of REALTORS®. But also consider groups like the Rotary Club, the Young Professionals Association, and other groups that promote service and professional growth.
Community participation
The key to any North Carolina real estate marketing strategy is to localize it. You are competing with all other real estate brokers working in your area. You want to stand out from the rest. One way to do that is to participate in local events, charities, and causes that you believe in. Not only will you do good for your community, but you’ll also meet like-minded people. Hopefully, you will be top-of-mind when they need real estate help or advice.
Remember that real estate marketing is a vital part of your job. To be successful in your real estate career, consider implementing both a print and online marketing strategy. From a real estate website to print advertising, social media, and community involvement, use all the tools at your disposal to launch a solid real estate marketing campaign.
