Most of us are looking for ways to save. And although time is money, a little time spent working on your marketing can stretch your budget even further. I’m not suggesting you attempt to create all your marketing yourself, but you can pick and choose a few ideas to supplement with some of your higher quality pieces. When it comes to listing flyers to showcase a home, go for high resolution, custom branding and consistency. However, there are many other affordable ways you can market your real estate business using social media tools, word-of-mouth, and even marketing templates. Check out these 50 do-it-yourself marketing ideas for your real estate business.
Offline/Print Marketing
- Update your business cards with your social profiles
- Sponsor a local event or fundraiser
- Create swag- t-shirts, pens, etc. & give them away to clients and friends
- Attend and/or host local meetups & tweetups
- Get a vanity plate for your car
- Focus on word of mouth wherever you go (grocery store, hair salon, etc.) & carry those business cards
- Create or sponsor a local business or resource guide
- Mail hand written client appreciation & thank you cards
- Create a neighborhood newsletter/ “weekender” (mail or walk it)
- Direct mailers with comps & social profile callouts (offer a coupon/deal)
- Create a drip email campaign, focusing on your niche (offer tips & advice)
- Send a weekly or monthly email newsletter
- Send flash animated birthday, holiday, special occasion cards (check out ZingDing)
- Work with local businesses to co-brand an email offer (send to both your contact lists)
- Invite sphere to a local event or Free online Webinar for homeowners (based on your niche expertise)
- What’s happening this weekend? Special weekender tips for your local area (include a coupon for local business attraction)
- Rate updates and info (work with a local lender)
- Seasonal homeowner reminders & safety tips (storm drains, garden tips, etc.)
- Invitation to your social profiles or exclusive Facebook Group (based on local interest)
- Survey or poll your clients and share results with further relevant info
- Create an ebook, require name & email address for free download
- Video/podcast blog series on a specific topic/niche
- Offer client Q & A via a contact form, highlight in sidebar
- Offer a free IDX search tool
- Add Facebook Connect to your blog
- Host a contest with prizes from local businesses
- Comment back timely and create dialogue within posts
- Post articles about others on your blog (local businesses, interesting people, neighborhoods, etc.)
- Create a local special interest landing page (i.e. wineries, schools, non-profit, etc.)
- Feature your listings, use a single property Website solution like MyMarketWare that syndicates your listings to several reputable listing aggregators
- Create a profile and import your contacts
- Send daily birthday wishes
- Comment or Like 3-5 posts from the Newsfeed daily
- Update your status with fun and value once a day
- Create a Facebook Page for your business
- Post helpful and relevant resources from your FB Page
- Leave comments on local business pages or groups (NO SPAM, or self interest linkbacks)
- Comment on others’ status updates
- Create a past client photo album with testimonials (tag clients that are on Facebook & post on your business page)Marketing Advertising Blog — VuManhThang.Com
- Create Animoto slideshows or a photo album for listings (post on your business page)
- Create a Twitter profile, use Twitterlocal.net to connect with locals
- Use the “Find People” feature to find people you already know on Twitter
- Tweet homeowner tips (easy repairs, projects, upgrades)
- Tweet funny, interesting, inspiring, engaging experiences and info
- Tweet local market info, updates
- List yourself on Twitter directories: NearbyTweets, WeFollow, etc.
- Break news as it happens
- Tweet local event information
- Tweet your blog posts
- Tweet your professional expertise & activities (niche advice, relevant tips, open houses, new listings, broker’s tour, thoughts & experiences)
Email Marketing
Blog/Website
Facebook
Twitter
Nik – You are always a great reminder for people to keep their marketing efforts sharp and effective. Your "niche" ideas are always fun to read. Thanks for all you do.
nik nik, thanks for this comprehensive list of simple marketing ideas. It's great to keep these suggestions fresh in your mind. I'm amazed at how effective such simple things can be. Thanks for continually providing great content.
This is awesome! I'm going to pass it around to my co workers so they don't ever complain that they have nothing to do!
Great tips Nik.
[...] Go here to see the original: 50 Do-It-Yourself Marketing Ideas for Your Real Estate Business [...]
Really enjoyed this article… great advice!
Thanks for all the love! I'm hoping that those of you that implement one or 2 will come back and share what worked, or didn't! Your local market and your expertise will definitely shape and guide your marketing efforts! Go forth and rock your network with relevant info and innovation!
Hi Nicole, Your article is realy good for Estate agents as well as for other key players of the realty market. I am form India and working as an Estate agent & Investment adviser. If you like i would like to receive newsletters from you.
bye…
[...] 50 do-it-yourself marketing ideas for your real estate business – From offline to online NikNik takes a look at 50 ideas you can use to improve your [...]
Great Job NikNik
Now to see how many people get out there and do them
Ted
[...] 50 Do-It-Yourself Marketing Ideas for Your Real Estate Business | MyTechOpinion.com – http://www.mytechopinion.com/2009… [...]
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Great summary of ideas. A custom background for your Twitter profile doesn't hurt either.
What a great post. Tons of great ideas. Thanks!
Great Ideas for every agent to do thanks
50 Do-It-Yourself Marketing Ideas for Your Real Estate Business http://tinyurl.com/kwjddt
50 Do-It-Yourself Marketing Ideas for Your Real Estate Business – http://tinyurl.com/nrkxae
This is really a comprehensive list that any REALTOR can use to enhance their business right now.
I like the idea commenting on local business owner blogs. Great way to heighten your profile with local influencers.
50 Do-It-Yourself Marketing Ideas for Your Real Estate Business – http://tinyurl.com/nrkxae
[...] Click Here to learn more about introducing yourself to social media. REALTORS, Click Here & Here to learn about how a Realtor can specifically utilize social media. Have Fun & Spread The [...]
Reading 50 marketing ideas for real estate businesses http://tinyurl.com/nrkxae
[...] With Social Media on the rise, getting connected through different social media networks is a must. Connecting and sharing with others online will improve your chances to grow your business, grow your own online presence and even your trust. I suggest starting on or improving on the social platforms above. Get Going with these 50 do-it-yourself marketing ideas for your business. [...]
Tips for Realtors: 50 Do-It-Yourself Marketing Ideas for Your Real Estate Business http://bit.ly/770I7 #realestate #fb
All business owners can copy some of these great tips: RT <a rel="nofollow" href="http://twitter.com/kasesq94">@kasesq94 Tips for Realtors 50 Do-It-Yourself Marketing Ideas http://bit.ly/770I7
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how do I find local blogs? so that I can make comments
how do I find local blogs? so that I can make comments
how do I find local blogs so that I can make comments.
50 Do-It-Yourself marketing tips for Real Estate agents: http://tinyurl.com/nrkxae From: <a rel="nofollow" href="http://twitter.com/nik_nik">@nik_nik #realestate #realtor #marketing #utah
You Rock @nik_nik!!! This is a great use of what we can do to improve our business and get better connected with our sphere. Thanks so much!
Thank you for everything NikNik and all the Very Best in 2010.
You can also use twitter for Open House ALerts
Great marketing tips Nicole…
50 Do-It-Yourself Marketing Ideas for Your Real Estate Business http://tinyurl.com/kwjddt
Nik, this list is awesome! I have never heard of Twitter Local before today, and it is a very valuable tool!! Thanks Girl!
Thanks for the great tips! To encourage people to keep my biz card for future reference I offer a free notary on the back. You wouldn't believe how long they'll hang onto it. I also saw on yelp that you can offer coupons – so I'll be adding it there. It's another way to get belly to belly and offer something nice even if it's just to your sphere.
[...] 1 50 Do-it-Yourself Marketing Ideas for 2010 [...]
[...] advice, relevant tips, open houses, new listings, broker’s tour, thoughts & experiences) via mytechopinion.com via posterous.benstockdale.com Leave a [...]
Giving calling cards, leaflets to every interested person. I guess all ideas are given already in this website or may be I have my ideas some other day through experienced or dealing with other co-Realtor who can share their ideas to me.
Nice ideas. I will be implementing some of these immediately. Glad I found this post.
A related subject would be about how to cost effectively get Internet to laptops for realtors on the go. Our Blackberry tether app available at http://tetherbridge.com can help realtors do just that. For a one-time small software license fee, realtors can get internet to their laptops anywhere by sharing their Blackberry data plans without paying monthly tethering fees.
[...] to do to keep our business running smoothly and successfully. Go check out Nicole’s write up 50 Do-It-Yourself Marketing Ideas for Your Real Estate Business. Nicole give some great advice for anyone new to the real estate industry or if your a real estate [...]
Its amazing this article was written a little while ago and yet the points all remain crucial. Its back to basics, connecting each and everyday with clients. No matter what the circumstances.
Heres a useful tool I use Street Text http://www.streettext.com, to stay in touch with new clients. Sellers love it because there home is available 24/7 and buyers can get what they want, instant info.
Create article and very applicable to me. Trying to build our Dallas Apartment Locating business. We are a realatively new company and post like yours are helping us learn to market only. Very much appreicated!
<a title="Free" href="http://www.123movefree.com" / rel="nofollow">
I have been using Text message marketing for about 4 months now with great success. I get on average 20 to 50 new leads per month per house. If someone is in front of my listed home they will see the sign rider that says for price and pictures Text: The Keyword You Will Set To: 69302 and then it instantly sends that information back to their cell phone.
Whats even better I can set it to automatically send me a text message with that persons phone number and the house that the info was requested on. If I have an open house, I can go to my online account or from my phone and send a text message to anyone that requested the info for that particular home, so I get a big response on that.
If the price drops I can also send that info instantly. I no longer have to print and refill flyers its all digital for me now. I can put my keyword info in any print advertising I do for more leads
I recommended this to everyone
I Currently use http://www.textrock.com and it cost me 99 per month, with that I get 20 keywords and 500 free text messages per month and 10 free sign riders. This is the best deal I could find for that many keywords, everywhere else wanted 10 to 25 extra per keyword.
The service paid for its self 50 times over the first month.
I hope this helps you as it has me.
Dan Smith
Hello there, Are you going to be publishing a follow up piece? My husband and me have squandered some time browsing over your web page and surprisingly enough you touched on some thing we were discussing only the other week with our accountant. We often notice ourselves quarrelling over the smallest of issues, isn't it childish? At any rate we wish you greatest wishes from the Usa.
A very comprehensive and and stimulating list of ideas that a real estate marketer can use to generate leads and drive more sales.
Your list is an excellent starting point for a brain storming session about real estate marketing tools. Two items I don't believe I saw were 1) sending introductory marketing letters to apartment dwellers and expired listing property owners, and 2) distributing real estate flyers of new property listings.
very nice and use full information frm u thanks….
very good and nice ideas, and here am saying that it will help to any real estate business….
[...] and cardboard signs, the costly newspaper listings: marketing a home through traditional methods can be a tedious process — with the necessary buyers often still [...]
Thanks for sharing. I noticed that you emphasized tweeting as a marketing tools, in that you mentioned it several times. Is it because in your own view twitter is the primary social network for marketing real estate?
Survey shows first-time homebuyers growing weary of short sales
by KERRI PANCHUK
Monday, September 26th, 2011, 8:34 am
First-time homebuyers are growing tired of short sales, which take nearly 17 weeks to complete, according to the latest Campbell/Inside Mortgage Finance housing survey.
While first-time homebuyers acquired 54.1% of all short-sales in November 2009, the segment's share of acquisition activity fell to 39.7% in August with many buyers losing interest due to several factors slowing down the process, the Campbell/Inside Mortgage Finance survey showed. The August figure represented a "three-month slide and was the lowest level for first-time homebuyers ever recorded in the survey" of 2,500real estate agents.
The short-sale process is often delayed due to paperwork issues, challenges coordinating with multiple investors, slow appraisals and understaffing at mortgage servicing outlets, according to the survey.
Short sales do maintain some allure for first-time borrowers because the generally sell at prices 27% lower than non-distressed properties, the report said.
California remains a hot spot for short sale activity, with these transactions representing 31% of all home purchases in the Golden State in August.
In many cases, first-time buyers are making multiple offers on short sales to try and expedite the process, according to the Campbell/Inside Mortgage Finance survey.
Great place to also checkout is Postlets.com great free tool to use for help with marketing. 11 internet locations also facebook, Craigslist, Backpage (only one that Charges) and tweet all in one location saves a lot of time. Plus did i mention free?
Nick i visited your site and found pretty useful resources thank you
Awesome ideas here. Realtors do not spend enough time making sure there website can be found online. It seems most think SEO is some kind of disease!
check it