Sharing photos of your property listings is essential in real estate, and when it comes to photo sharing online, Instagram is perhaps the most talked about and exciting social media platform available. Instagram is a great way to connect with your real estate clients and to network with other REALTORS®, and with over 80 million users, Instagram has quickly become the platform of choice when it comes to simple edits like cropping and filtering.
If you have an iPhone or iPad you can download the Instagram application in the iTunes store, or for Android phone or tablet, download Instagram in Google Play. Once Instagram is installed, stand out from the crowd with this 5-step guide to Instagram photos for REALTORS®.
1. Start sharing photos
Snap photos of your listings, and experiment with different angles and lighting. Part of the value of Instagram is that it’s an on-the-spot photo service that even amateur photographers can use. It’s okay if your photos aren’t perfect, as long as you’ve taken the time to get your best shots. If you’re not confident in your photography skills, make up for it with clever captions and creative uses of filters. Continue reading »
Many first-time homebuyers (and sellers) can have a lot of questions about the real estate market, but might not also know what a REALTOR® does and how REALTORS® can assist in the buying and selling of homes. If you’re working with clients who are new to the real estate experience, or if you are a new REALTOR® yourself, here are 10 questions you can expect to answer frequently, and tips on how you might answer them.
1. What is a REALTOR®?
A REALTOR® is more than someone who works in real estate. A REALTOR® is a member of the National Association of Realtors. Make sure your clients know that as a NAR member you operate under a professional code of ethics that goes above and beyond what might be required of other real estate professionals. Let your client know about relevant certifications, and even offer a basic case study of a similar client you have successfully worked with in the past. Continue reading »
Congratulations. If you’re thinking of taking your real estate business to the next level or opening a brokerage, it likely means your years of hard work are paying off. If it’s time to grow your business there are many important considerations to make when it comes to ramping up manpower, adding certifications and developing business plans.
Are you considering starting a brokerage? Has an increase in sales made it necessary for you to hire an assistant? Do you have all your necessary certifications in order? If opening your own brokerage is the next logical step in your professional development, it’s important to consult with accountants and business professionals who can advise you on developing a plan to ensure that you’re on solid financial ground.
According to a 2010 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® Member Profile, 41% of REALTORS® are affiliated with an independent, non-franchised company. Among the decisions you’ll need to make is whether to buy a franchise or to go independent. REALTOR® Magazine’s 11 Tips for Starting Your Own Business offers great advice on everything from developing a business plan to recruiting other real estate professionals to join you. Continue reading »
Email marketing campaigns are a great way for REALTORS® to stay connected to real estate clients. Whether your clients are active in the real estate market or simply taking their time to make the right decision, email marketing will help promote both your listings and your personal brand, and can also be an effective tool for landing new clients. And while email marketing requires a bit of technological know-how, many of the basics are probably similar to other marketing initiatives you’re already working on. Here are a few tips to help you get started.
Select an Email Service
MailChimp and Constant Contact are two great examples of services that provide customizable templates so your emails have a personal touch. Current and prospective clients will be more likely to read the material, since the message will come directly from you. If possible, make sure your service is optimized for smartphones; mobile, now more than ever, is where people consume their information. Continue reading »
You’ve got a marketing plan, you’re on Twitter, you have a website and you have a blog. Now what? Measuring marketing results in social media is essential for REALTORS® who are making their mark in the online space. According to InmanNext, “Social Media, SEO, and blogging are the highest areas of participation, but the lowest spend,” making social media an attractive and affordable resource for REALTORS®. But aside from a general feel for the tenor of the conversation, what are the best way to measure results online, and more specifically in social media? Here’s a Guide to Measuring Online Marketing Results for REALTORS®.
Social Media Statistics
If you spend enough time on social media you’ll come to understand the tone of the conversations, and you’ll be able to see the raw number of fans and followers. Aside from those top-level vanity numbers, here are a few social metrics you can easily track: Continue reading »
Just because social media doesn’t cost anything, it doesn’t mean it’s free. Making time to use social media channels and sorting through all the content available online can tax even the most experienced social media marketer. A recent study by eMarketer revealed that 73% of marketers say that finding time to create content is one of their biggest challenges. Despite your best efforts, you won’t be able to use each and every social media platform without a team of assistants, nor read everything that’s written about marketing, real estate and social media.
That itch in your brain — the one that makes you constantly log-on to Facebook or reach for your phone at all hours — that could be social media guilt. Social media guilt is the feeling that you should be producing more, reading more and doing it all more often on Twitter, Facebook, blogs, Pinterest, Instagram, etc. Just look at the graph on the right. That’s the social media landscape right now. Expecting REALTORS® to master even a handful of these social media channels isn’t fair.
Here are a few Tips for Managing Social Media Guilt and dealing with that little itch that can keep you up at night. Continue reading »
REALTORS® are by nature multi-taskers — we have to master a million different disciplines, run from meetings to showings, take phone calls, answer emails, check Twitter and then live our regular lives. All this multi-tasking, not to mention personal distractions, can decrease productivity and cause workplace stress.
Do you find yourself working longer hours, or working at home on the weekend because your work days aren’t as productive as they could be? Are interruptions like phone calls, co-workers and meetings, and social media slowing you down? Do you wish there were more hours in the day and more days in the week.
We’re here to help. Here are 5 Tips to Manage Distractions in your workday, and help you become a more productive REALTOR® in a multi-tasking universe. Continue reading »
Stop what you’re doing and Google yourself. We’ll give you a pass just this once. What do you see? Does your website come up? Blog? Twitter? LinkedIn? Any news articles? Are the links positive or is anything negative showing up? Or, is nothing showing up at all? Do you have a common name and are search results for you being overshadowed by other Rachel Smiths?
Now try typing in your city and “realty” or “real estate” or “realtor”. What comes up? Is your company showing on the first page? Is your name anywhere in the search listings? What companies or individuals are being displayed? These results are referred to as Google’s PageRank, which measures a web page’s importance relative to the term being searched for. Continue reading »
Facebook Timeline is currently available to all personal pages, but the clock is ticking for brands to join as well. By March 30, like it or not, everyone will be on Timeline. The time is now for REALTORS® to jump on board and make sure they’re ready for the change.
Timeline accentuates stories, with large images, more compelling content and the ability to add milestones to tell an even deeper story. This allows REALTORS® to better feature listings, highlight neighborhoods or tell your own story.
Here are five things REALTORS® can do to get the most out of Facebook Timeline:
1. Cover Photo and Thumbnail
The new Timeline cover photo dominates the new layout, replacing the five-image photo strip of old. The new cover photo (851×315) gives REALTORS® plenty of real estate to showcase a compelling image that enhances your personal brand. Perhaps an image of a family in front of their new home or a beautiful home and with your sign on the lawn?
The thumbnail (90×90) sits at the bottom left of the cover photo and appears next to all posts you make on Facebook, so take care to make it compelling as well. The best thumbnails are usually professional headshots that blend well with your cover photo.
Here’s a link to get inspiration on creating your own cover photo and thumbnail: 13 Creative Facebook Cover Photos
Pinterest isn’t a hot fad in social media, it’s driving more clicks than Google+ and YouTube and was one of the top 10 most trafficked social networking websites in 2011. And it may have just started scratching the surface. REALTORS® looking to drive additional traffic to their websites, blogs and listings would do well to experiment with Pinterest and see if it can another effective tool in your belt.
PINTEREST FOR REALTORS®
For REALTORS®, Pinterest is a great way to showcase your expertise in a visually pleasing form while taking advantage of links back to any existing content you have. For instance, if you maintain a blog and have a post about how small home renovations can pay off big during a sale, Pinterest is a perfect way to drive additional traffic to that post through a single pin.
Here are some examples of how you can use Pinterest to your advantage:
