Selling real estate is fundamentally a social undertaking. That’s why so many real estate marketing ideas center around creating a presence on social media and making sure that everything you do is shareable and relatable.  

Set up Shop on Major Social Media Sites 

Selling real estate is all about being approachable and accessible to your customers. Real estate marketing ideas should follow that same idea. Make sure you have accounts on all the major social media sites – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Real estate brokers might want to pay special attention to the more “visual” social media sites like Instagram and Pinterest since these can complement real estate listings and really get your clients excited. Posting flattering interior pictures and walk-through video tours can make your clients and future homeowners feel like they’ve already made the purchase, paid you a commission and started to enjoy their new home. That’s an experience you can bring to life with the help of social media.

Make Yourself Findable and Content Shareable 

When you really think about the core underlying idea with social media, it’s about connecting people. Real estate brokers also connect people – namely, current homeowners with prospective home buyers – so you want to transfer all of that to your online strategy.

As you create social media accounts on sites like Instagram and Facebook make sure that you include those social media sharing buttons on your main blog and at the bottom of all your online marketing collateral.

That way other brokers and prospective homeowners can share the content that you disseminated without any issues. This effectively allows you to get more mileage out of the pictures and videos you put up, and that extra exposure should translate into more interest for the home that you’re selling.

And if someone sees one of your listings or becomes intrigued with one of your video walk-through tours that you’ve posted online, they’ll probably want to contact you directly.

For that reason, it’s a good idea to include an engaging contact page on all of your webpages online, preferably near your social media contact buttons so everything is super convenient and in one place.

Consider Professional Photography or Animated Videos 

Getting a professional photographer to come by and take pictures of the properties that you really want to sell is a fantastic strategy for quickly connecting buyer and seller. You can even combine the best pictures into a Pinterest board that really turns heads.

A lot of real estate brokers see the expense of paying a professional to stop by and second guess the idea. They really shouldn’t. A professional photographer can help frame any piece of property in the best light and, ultimately, the commission that you stand to gain far exceeds the few hundred dollars most professional photographers cost.

If you’re looking for more out-of-the-box real estate marketing ideas then consider hiring a creative agency to create an animated video for your webpages.

Including your name, social media handles and local hotspots in your video can breathe new life into your online strategy. The other nice thing about animated videos is that they can really complement your other online marketing endeavors – things like search engine optimization and social media marketing.

Make Everything Responsive and Mobile 

Everything that you put online should ideally be accessible across a range of devices – this is called being “responsive” in the sense that your clients can access your webpages from tablets, smartphones or desktops. Lastly, a mobile app and embracing local SEO can prompt your clients to stop by that day!

If you are faced with a new real estate website design project, here are the things you should consider before you get started.

Research

Before you get started, take the time to research other real estate website designs. Look for commonalities that make them better, as well as the unique elements that make a website stand out compared to the competition.

Be aware of the latest trends. The current trend may become the expectation within a few years. That is exactly what happened with responsive and mobile designs.

Branding

One of your first considerations for your real estate website design will be how you add your branding. Some companies do it by using their company color, others use fonts and characters that express their company’s identify.

For real estate, you are the brand. This means you will need to include pictures of yourself in several places. You should also let some of your personality shine through in your site.

Layout

The way your layout each page will affect the number of people who continue to use your site. While the traditional side bar is great to help with navigation, more sites are opting to have a home page that looks different. An increasing number of home pages are the site map. Each of the pages are broken up into short sections on the home page. These sections provide details about what users will find on the page.

This does mean that the home page is incredibly long, but this is no longer considered a problem. Since users are already accustomed to this kind of functionality because of cell phone, they have become accustomed to getting what they need in one place instead of having to flip through several pages.

Your Platform and Technology

One of the most critical elements of real estate website design is the platform you will use and the technology that will access it. Since your site needs to be interactive, you need a robust platform. WordPress is one of the most common because it offers a lot of solutions that you aren’t even aware you need in the beginning.

Ultimately, you want a platform that takes care of all the major areas of the website:

• User experience
• CRM technology
• Live listings

WordPress is popular because it integrates a lot of different technology for optimal results.

Content

This one is obvious yet all too often not considered element of real estate website design. You need to create a content plan for your site. It will help you determine how many pages you need, define what you offer, and how to use SEO most effectively. Since listings fall into this category, you need to have a plan before you start.

Integration

For real estate website design, IDX integration has become the fastest way to generate leads. IDX integration gives visitors a way to browse live listings and gives you a way to index them. It’s a handy tool that can make it much easier to see what is attracting attention.

If you aren’t sure how to proceed of if you would like some assistance, contact us to help get your website working for you.

1. Adjust Your Pricing Accordingly

You need to stay afloat, and that means you need to consider pricing more towards the median range of comparable properties. You may even go lower and price around the lower end of the average. This will draw attention to the property and possibly bring in some interested parties.

2. Upkeep the Property and Work On Curb Appeal

Even when things are slow, aesthetics can make all the difference. Make sure to keep the property clean and maintained, inside and out. Additionally, you can try to add a little curb appeal with a few inexpensive upgrades.

• Paint the door or trim
• Put in a new or unique mailbox
• Plant a tree, flowers, or other foliage
• Keep the yard manicured
• Consider adding path lights
• Keep the windows clean
• Keep the driveway free of debris

Small things can make a big difference to someone on the fence about which home in the neighborhood will work best.

3. Embrace Flexibility in All Things

If you want to close when the market is slow, you need to show some flexibility. This isn’t just about pricing. Although, being flexible with the terms of sale can help a great deal.

If a potential buyer says they want something a certain way before they buy, then do what you can to make it happen. If you cannot, then come up with alternatives.

Offer deals, and go out of your way to see what’s possible and what isn’t. You may have to put in a little more legwork than you’re used to, but it will pay off for you in the end.

4. Keep Working On Your Business

Keep going to the office and working on your business. Take some time to do research, stay up with changes. See if you can find other paths to selling or earning funds.

The internet is your friend when things are slow. See what others are doing. You’re not the only one in a slump; another in your field may have some real relevant insight for you. If the slump took you by surprise, educating yourself a little can help you come up with a plan for the current one and future slumps to come.

5. Actively Seek Out Buyers

No matter what’s going on with the slow real estate market in your area, there are always potential buyers. If you typically sell residential homes to families, then consider other types of buyers.

For example, there are people who want places suitable to rent out, or people who make their money doing renovations and flips. Stay alert for the possibility of a sale outside of your normal circle of influence.

6. Consider a Commission Advancement

A commission advancement can give you access to cash before you close. These types of advances can make all the difference between keeping your business afloat when it’s slow, and you having to fold. A commission advance is not a loan, but rather a way to receive your cash early.

A commission advance can come in quite handy while you work on other aspects of your business during a slow buyer’s market. If you want to know more about how commission advances can work for you and your business, contact Premier Commission LLC today.

43% of buyers choose their property online, so participating in the digital revolution is no longer optional. There are a number of ways to participate in the e-commerce realty boom. By:

• Collecting and managing clients and properties online as a sole proprietorship.
• Crowdfunding property development.
• Hosting your real estate business online while your realtors work remotely.
• Flipping properties using online resources.
• Hosting auctions online.

The Information Age

Today property records are accessible by buyers and sellers alike in a matter of seconds, and an online real estate agent isn’t a necessary part of acquiring that information anymore. Since data is freely available, realtors can now work harder at translating that information in meaningful ways.

Technological breakthroughs have created a fully integrated selling experience. Every part of the process fits into the next like a puzzle piece, from outbound marketing to administration. Data analytics put incredible power into your hands, letting you see, at a glance, which areas are offering you the best returns, which you’re investing the most time in, and which property types are delivering peak success.

Web Platforms

Managing a business using online portals and the cloud is not only simpler, but more economical as well. No online real estate agent needs to limit themselves to a single geographic area. Virtual tours and online communication make it possible to snag clients shopping outside your zone. This has caused an acceleration in the industry in several ways.

• Teamwork is easy to control when office administrators can feed all assignments into a shared platform.
• Most tasks can be carried out remotely, limiting travel costs.
• All information and clientele are at your fingertips as long as you have a smartphone in reach.
• Comparisons between properties are easily achieved.

Development

If you’re an online real estate agent who previously lacked the funds to develop your own property, the internet has levelled the playing field. Pioneers in the industry are using crowdfunding to make their wildest development dreams a reality. Any realtor willing to put time into their campaigns can participate in commercial real estate markets that were once only accessible by large institutions.

Tools

Mobile applications give you a comprehensive list of properties in any area you enter. The cloud puts your files in reach from your phone. Your new contacts can be fed into an integrated client list the moment you connect with them. If there’s a task for which there is no application, you can develop or commission it yourself. Business management has never been more streamlined.

The Client-Led Realtor

Before clients could educate themselves about everything from financing to available properties from their own living rooms, it was the realtor who was in charge. The internet has changed that power balance. 99% of property buyers begin their search online, and they’re educated enough to play a proactive role in their house hunting. For those who are passionate about real estate, the internet has shifted focus to where it’s most interesting: on the property itself.

Looking for more information about online real estate agents? Contact us today at Premier Commission!

Effective agents choose an array of techniques, from event marketing to upscale branding. Everything from outbound e-mail marketing to inspired PR. However, you don’t need to be a marketing mogul to upgrade your efforts. Here are a look at some unique real estate marketing tactics to incorporate into your strategy.

1) SEO, Digital Campaigns, and Influencers

Your digital strategy should deliver content via social media, search engine optimization, and influencer marketing. It’s no longer useful to simply push out content without refined real estate marketing techniques to improve visibility.

• Develop a detailed audience persona that includes where your target demographic spends time online, which keywords they use, and which media affect them most.
• Profound content is not enough. It needs to be delivered through the correct channels for your audience, whether via LinkedIn, Twitter, or other sites.
• Social media listening tools help you to watch online chatter about your brand and deliver superior customer service.
• Video tours give potential buyers a reason to click into your site. They’re compelling, particularly for customers who haven’t yet made a decision to buy. Use video editing software to optimize and post your clips on property pages.

2) Open Houses

Mobile is the leading platform for social media marketing, and Facebook is the most visited network via phone. The medium presents some exciting prospects for highly effective open house days.

• Post information about open houses at well ahead of time on the social networks your demographic uses.
• Contests, and promotions can be offered via mobile, giving your attendees content in real time while they view a property.
• Integrated multimedia techniques can be themed in the same way as your open house day. A festive atmosphere makes your property more inviting.

3) Eventify

Real estate marketing techniques delivered through events amp up your branding while bolstering your reputation. Make your real estate insights available via YouTube or Facebook. Seminars can be advertised for via local partners and online.

4) Partner with Local Artists

Interior decorators and artists are often enthusiastic partners. Let them showcase their work using your open house as a staging platform. This will add buzz to the atmosphere and present the house in its best light. It will also leave you with much needed extra hours to work on your real estate marketing techniques.

5) Demonstrate Your Values

Add a bit about your personal life to your branding efforts by ensuring that all your dealings fit in with the image you’re working so hard to project. Adding social responsibility to your campaign is not only a way to give back, but an effective addition to your real estate marketing techniques. Charitable contributions will improve your reputation in the community while giving you an opportunity to host events. With a social entrepreneurship facet to your image, you can set yourself apart from other local agents.

Your marketing strategy is only limited by your imagination. Call us if you need help funding your campaign today! Our commission advances for real estate agents can help you get the cash you need to create an effective marketing strategy.

Learn about what types of properties exist in your local market

You know that one of the most important factors that affects the value of a property is the building that sits on it. The more rooms, square feet, amenities, etc. that a building has, the more valuable the real estate itself will be.

Relatively subtle shifts in building design can cause significant changes in a property’s value (in certain markets, an extra bathroom can make a home worth tens of thousands of dollars more than an otherwise identical home). That’s why in order to become a local real estate expert, you’ve got to learn about what types of buildings stand on every street.

Accept the fact that you don’t know everything

The biggest key to becoming a real estate expert in your local area is to never assume that you know everything. This is because the market conditions in your neighborhood can change significantly thanks to a single property transaction.

This means that you’re going to have to constantly watch the market very closely. Pay attention to trends in asking prices. Also keep an eye out for purchase anomalies, because these can impact the market value for every piece of property in the neighborhood.

Become a part of the community

Understanding your local real estate market will require you to constantly have your ear to the ground. This is because a real estate market can be whimsical; if you want to turn yourself into a true expert of your market, you must understand where it is headed in real time.

When you’re engaged with the local community, you’ll have an opportunity to hear about the latest trends and sentiments in the local real estate market.

Build business relationships

Your local real estate market has two components: residential and commercial. You’ll gain an edge in both by having connections to local businesses. This is for a couple of reasons.

First of all, local businesses make commercial real estate moves all of the time. If you’ve built connections with these businesses, who do you think they’re going to call to discuss their real estate options first?

Second, local businesses are run by real people. People are most likely to work with those who they trust — especially for a decision as big as buying a new home. This means that you’ll likely be privy to lots of info before any other ears in the market hear about it.

Don’t ignore your competition

Although real estate is a competitive industry, you can’t afford to completely separate yourself from every other real estate agent in the market. Other agents will often throw you tips if they aren’t able to take on an opportunity. Also, some of your biggest opportunities will come by way of other agents, since many buyers and sellers rely on agents to find that perfect deal.

Are you a local real estate expert?

Remember that no matter how much you know about your local real estate market today, it won’t matter next week. In order to be a true expert of your market, you’ve got to constantly keep yourself ahead of the curve. The only way to do this is to build connections and keep learning as much as you can about your community.

Looking to stand out from the crowd when it comes to your local real estate marketing? Premier Commission offers commission advances so you can get the cash you need to keep your business running smoothly and market yourself as a knowledgeable agent. Contact us today to learn more!

Always Address the Issue

When you first see a negative comment about your services, it can make you cringe. You may not be willing to acknowledge the comment at all, hoping it fades into the background of the internet over time. However, studies show that customers want to see that you are actively engaged in fixing problems. In fact, most customers admit that they don’t expect you to be perfect, all they expect is that you are willing to try to make things better when something goes wrong. By addressing the comment directly and swiftly, you will show potential clients that you are dedicated to good customer service even after the deal has been signed.

Know When to Take It Offline

If you have decided that it’s time to address one of these negative real estate agent review posts, you need to do so in a calm way. Don’t start an argument or get defensive. Offer to meet with them or speak with them on the phone to get more information about why they are unhappy. Protect their privacy and your own by taking the discussion offline to be handled elsewhere. In some cases, this is enough to convince the client to update their post or remove it completely once they have your attention.

Post Your Own Update

Once the issue has been resolved to the best of your ability, post your own update under their real estate agent review. Explain simply what happened, where the error was, methenolone enanthate bodybuilding and what you did to help them fix it. Don’t shy away from owning up to your mistakes. Seeing that you learned from your mistakes and that you will do better in the future makes you relatable and builds confidence in your clients.

You Can’t Win Every Battle

The reality is that buying a house is a stressful situation that can have a huge impact on a person’s life and finances. The stress of the situation is enough to set some people on edge and make them inconsolable no matter what you say or do. It can also make them cast blame upon you even for situations that are completely beyond your control. If a client is not willing to work with you at all to resolve an issue, the best you can do is explain your understanding of what happened and bow out of the conversation before it escalates any further, but not until you have tried to make it better.

Responding to any negative real estate agent review is a difficult task. It requires patience and understanding, but if you are able to reach a positive resolution, you are likely to gain even more positive praise from customers who now see that you are willing to go above and beyond to keep them happy. A negative real estate agent review can turn positive overnight by simply reaching out.

Premier Commission provides commission advances for growing real estate agent businesses. Visit us online or call today to see how we can help you reach your goals.

Skip the Consultations

In the past, new home buyers and sellers wanted to vet their real estate broker through traditional means. That meant sitting down and having a heart to heart discussion, asking lots of questions and generally conducting an interview to determine whether or not you are the right fit for their needs. This was a time consuming process that may or may not have actually turned into any real money in the end. Today, Instagram allows you to post pictures of you, your work and other activities. You can show potential customers snapshots of your life and give them direct insight into who you are and what you’re all about. People will follow you because they like what you are sharing and they will feel like they have a personal connection to your life before ever meeting you. When it comes time for them to buy, they may skip the interview phase altogether because they are already confident that they know what you can do for them.

Showcase Features

The problem with many real estate listings, and real estate photography in general, is that there are a limited number of photos that can be connected to any single ad. The photographer is forced to capture pictures of the home that show every room and the exterior in an unexciting way without going into too much detail about any special features. Using Instagram for real estate allows you to create artistic photos of the same property that focus on the things people love most. Special kitchen upgrades, gorgeous landscaping and beautiful master suites are features that people want to see in detail. Capture the light coming through the living room window and reflecting off the chandelier. Share the birds sitting on the back deck railing overlooking a garden. People want to experience the house, not just see how big the room is from the doorway!

Broadcast Yourself

One of the best features of Instagram for real estate is that it is a social media platform that already plays well with all of your other marketing efforts. Not only can you post your pictures to Instagram for your followers, but you also have the ability to push those photos directly to Facebook, Twitter and other outlets with a single button. This saves you from having to go to each site individually and make separate posts.

Using Instagram for real estate is a great way to show off amazing properties and connect with people. Creating visual interactions with potential buyers will get them comfortable with the way you do business and make them want to reach out to you when they are ready to buy. You will have instantaneous feedback on your posts so you can see what buyers want to see more of, and you will have the ability to communicate directly with those buyers and transition them toward face-to-face meetings very quickly.

Are you a real estate agent looking to improve your cash flow and experiment with new marketing techniques? Premier Commission provides advance commissions agents. Contact us at 1-866-309-5582 with any questions, or apply for your commission advance today!

Designing your real estate sign

How your sign looks will determine whether or not people will take action and call or find you online. Here are the first three things you need to know about sign design:

1. Use borders and color contrasts to direct people’s eyes

You want to ensure that people remember certain elements on your real estate sign. For example, you want to make your phone number super visible. If you have deep, bold colors for your sign, then your number should be bordered by a bright, lighter color.

2. Include an image that people will remember

After seeing a few two-toned “for sale” signs, they can start to all look alike. This can cause potential buyers to either overlook a house, because they think that they’ve seen it before, or assume that there isn’t anything special about it. A great picture has the opposite effect. This can be anything from your logo to a (professionally taken) picture of your smiling face.

If you’re creating real estate signs for each house that you sell, then consider adding text or an image to show off the house’s best features. For example, a striking kitchen with all of the best appliances and fixtures is a great way to keep a home stuck in people’s minds.

3. Look around town at other real estate signs

Looking at the competition is a great way to develop ideas of what to do and what to avoid. For example, if you see a trend for real estate signs, then you should avoid certain features so that yours doesn’t blend in with the crowd; if you see a sign that strikes you, then you should figure out what elements you can integrate into your own design.

Producing your real estate signs

Here’s what you need to know about the real estate sign production process:

Always have your real estate signs professionally produced

You are a professionally licensed real estate agent, and your sign should say this loud and clear. To this end, you need to have all of your real estate signs produced in high quality print on good materials. This step will require the help of a professional sign printing service. Ask colleagues and friends for references to find a printer you can trust.

Balance quality and budget

You’re making real estate signs, not a billboard. As such, you don’t want to break the bank trying to make a real estate sign that is printed with a million dots per inch. When browsing professional printing companies, don’t go with the most expensive or the cheapest one. Instead, compare prices with the quality of their work.

Is your sign ready for prime time?

Your real estate sign is a critical marketing tool that you must get right. Following the tips above will keep your sign on track for success. Do you need extra funds to create an effective real estate sign? Premier Commission’s simple commission advance process will get you the cash you need to create marketing materials and more. We guarantee the lowest rates on our advances, so apply online today!

One of the most effective planning tools is a real estate business plan. Your business plan should be a place where you put your goals – both long- and short-term – down on paper.

Creating a plan forces you to think through where your business is headed and how you can reach your desired destination. It gives you a document to refer back to whenever you face unexpected challenges and need to get your business back on course.

If you’ve never created a business plan before, don’t worry. It’s not as difficult as it may sound. Here are seven tips to help you create your real estate business plan:

Have a mission. The first section of your real estate business plan should clearly state what your long-term mission is as a real estate agent. Why are you in business and what makes you different from your competition? Your mission could be to help new home buyers purchase their first home or to help investors find their next perfect property.

Establish your target market. Your marketing efforts will be more effective if they’re targeted to a specific group. Define one-to-three groups who will serve as your primary audience. Who are they? What are they looking for in a real estate agent? What are their concerns? If you can answer these questions, you’ll be able to market to them and serve them more effectively.

Do some self-analysis. A business plan isn’t just about defining your market, but also analyzing yourself. One way to do this is with a SWOT analysis. SWOT stands for: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Evaluate yourself in those four areas to understand how you can be a better agent.

Define your goals. Your mission statement is a broad overview of what you’d like to achieve. You also need to set specific goals to help you know whether you’re on track. These goals should be quantifiable and achievable. How many houses do you want to sell next year? How many new clients do you want to bring on-board? Use specific metrics that you can easily measure so you can regularly review your success.

Create an action plan. Of course, goals aren’t very useful if you don’t have a path to reach them. After you’ve set your goals, create a step-by-step plan for achieving them. If you want to sell 100 houses, how many meetings do you need to have each week? How many calls do you need to make? List these specific actions to guide your weekly and daily activity.

Outline possible future actions. You may have ideas about where you want your business to go in the future, but you may not be ready to implement those actions now. Maybe you want to form a team or hire a junior agent. Go ahead and outline those ideas in your plan so you can refer back to them often.

Review often. Your business plan doesn’t have to be a static document. As your business changes, so should your plan. Review it regularly and make changes as necessary so that the plan reflects your current goals and business situation.

When it comes to being a successful agent, an important aspect of any business plan is to have sufficient cash flow to keep on track. Get in touch with Premier Commission for more information about our commission advances for real estate agents. This is a great cash flow tool for your business.