Key Takeaways:
– The article discusses two marketing strategies in real estate: hands-on networking and content marketing.
– DOORA Properties believes that these two strategies work best when combined.
– The article provides a case study on using earthquake awareness as a topic for marketing materials.
– The goal is to provide valuable information that stays in the home and creates opportunities for deeper conversations with homeowners.
– The article emphasizes the importance of a blended approach that involves both in-depth information and direct contact with potential clients.
inman:
Get past the front door and the trash can by giving homeowners the information they need now, say DOORA’s Janet Pozos and Ernesto Vargas, the self-proclaimed door-knocking champion.
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When thinking about branding and marketing, whether it’s for an individual agent, a team or an entire brokerage, many real estate professionals fall into one of two camps: the hands-on networkers and the content marketing fans.
Those who are hands-on tout the benefits of direct contact through in-person networking, door-knocking or cold-calling. They hold events and rely on their gift of gab and powers of persuasion to generate and nurture leads.
Those who focus more on content work on refining their branding and messaging and seek out ways to provide value-added information to their spheres of influence and geographic farms. They may maintain a blog, host a podcast, create video content or combine all three. Some of their content lives online while some of it is dripped consistently through email and snail mail.
At DOORA Properties, we believe these two marketing strategies work best when they work together. When out and about in the community, our agents take with them value-added information that creates opportunities to connect and educate homeowners.
Case study: Earthquake awareness
For a recent sphere of influence mailer, we were motivated by news reports of earthquakes to provide information to local homeowners about earthquake awareness. As a Southern California brokerage, this is a topic that’s always on our radars.
We created both a mailer and a handout for door knocking around the topic, providing information about risk assessment, emergency preparedness, seismic retrofitting and earthquake insurance. Along with that general information, we included a paragraph about the need for an up-to-date home valuation to allow the homeowners to ensure that they have sufficient coverage.
This topic creates an opportunity for the agent to provide an up-to-date CMA and add the homeowner to their nurture system. We use RealScout and Follow Up Boss to build and cultivate long-term relationships with homeowners and give them monthly updates on their valuations.
Drive engagement with quality information
Our mantras are “get past the front door” and “get past the trash can.” For agents who door knock, we want to make sure there’s a way for them to have deeper and more meaningful conversations with the homeowners they meet.
For those who prefer geographic farming through mailers or SOI cultivation through an email drip campaign, we want to provide the opportunity for follow-up phone calls and in-person conversations that deepen those connections to stay top of mind.
The goal is always to provide something that hangs out in the home, either on the kitchen counter or on the fridge. That can mean any of the following:
- Health and safety information
- Local events and happenings
- Seasonal events and celebrations
- Recipes and secret menu items
- Home maintenance schedules
- Financial planning tips
- Home improvement ideas and potential ROI
Right now, for example, home insurance rates are on the rise, and insurance companies are, in some cases, pulling out of certain markets. That’s a great talking point for agent mailers and handouts and offers an opportunity for agents to dig deep and have conversations with homeowners about accurate home valuations, reliable insurance providers and more.
Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all way to connect with potential clients in your neighborhood or in your CRM. A blended approach involving both in-depth information and direct contact will create deeper relationships that last for years to come.
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Property Chomp's Take:
As real estate professionals, we are constantly seeking new and effective ways to connect with potential clients and build lasting relationships. When it comes to marketing and branding, there are two main strategies that many professionals tend to fall into: hands-on networking or content marketing.
Those who prefer hands-on networking rely on direct contact through in-person networking events, door-knocking, or cold-calling. They use their gift of persuasion to generate and nurture leads. On the other hand, those who focus on content marketing work on refining their branding and messaging and provide value-added information to their spheres of influence through blogs, podcasts, or video content.
At DOORA Properties, we believe that these two strategies work best when they work together. By combining hands-on networking with quality information, we can create deeper and more meaningful connections with potential clients.
One example of how we implement this blended approach is through a recent sphere of influence mailer focused on earthquake awareness. As a Southern California brokerage, earthquakes are always on our radars. We created both a mailer and a handout for door-knocking that provided information about risk assessment, emergency preparedness, seismic retrofitting, and earthquake insurance. In addition, we included a paragraph about the need for an up-to-date home valuation to ensure sufficient coverage.
This topic not only provides valuable information to homeowners but also creates an opportunity for our agents to provide an up-to-date Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) and add the homeowner to their nurture system. By using tools like RealScout and Follow Up Boss, we can build and cultivate long-term relationships with homeowners and provide them with monthly updates on their valuations.
The goal of our marketing approach is to provide information that hangs out in the home, whether it's on the kitchen counter or the fridge. This can include health and safety information, local events and happenings, seasonal events and celebrations, recipes and secret menu items, home maintenance schedules, financial planning tips, or home improvement ideas and potential ROI.
By providing quality information that homeowners find useful, we can drive engagement and create opportunities for deeper conversations. For agents who prefer geographic farming through mailers or cultivating their sphere of influence through email drip campaigns, we want to provide the opportunity for follow-up phone calls and in-person conversations that deepen those connections.
For instance, if home insurance rates are on the rise or insurance companies are pulling out of certain markets, agents can use this as a talking point in their mailers and handouts. This offers an opportunity to have conversations with homeowners about accurate home valuations, reliable insurance providers, and more.
Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to connecting with potential clients. However, by combining in-depth information with direct contact, we can create deeper relationships that last for years to come. So, whether you prefer hands-on networking or content marketing, remember to provide valuable information that homeowners find useful and create opportunities for meaningful conversations.
