As a broker, you know the drill. Business slows down during the Winter months, only to give way to a surge in business in the Spring. However, there are lots of things you can do during those slower months to ensure that your Spring season is the best it can be. If you want to secure a strong bottom line as the temperatures rise, you need to be deliberate in planning ahead to win their business now. Here are four ways that you can set yourself up for success in Q2.
1. Position Yourself As the Expert – Host Seminars.
Spring is a very popular time for first-time buyers and sellers to enter the market. However, they are going to be seeking information and expert advice before they pull the trigger. What better way to get in front of them early, position yourself as the industry expert and start building those personal connections than with seminars. Invite your sphere, your contacts and advertise these events to your local community. See if your mortgage partner is interested in co-hosting and sharing expenses. By setting yourselves up as the ones to help guide attendees through the daunting process of buying or selling, you’ll have a better chance of being the one they call when they are ready to make a move.
2. Get Personal.
It can be easy to fall into the trap of touching base with your database only when things are slow or during the holidays. For agents and brokers like yourself that are dedicated to more consistent production, it is imperative to avoid that misstep. Obviously, there are broad-based ways to get in front of your sphere like mass email, social media content and newsletters, but make sure you also make time to reach out one-on-one via phone or text to improve your results. And if those you contact aren’t in the market, perhaps they have a friend or family member they could refer to you who is, but you’ll never know unless you have those personal conversations.
3. Get Social.
Speaking of social media, there is no longer any question that it needs to be a vital portion of your real estate business. In fact, NAR reports that 47% of real estate businesses say social media results in the highest quality leads versus other sources. There is also no question that Facebook has become the biggest go-to platform for agents and brokers trying to be seen, heard, and remembered. However, don’t forget about other highly lucrative platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram, which are often ignored despite being valuable tools. The key to being successful is to build genuine connections and relationships in which you lead with value, rather than constantly advertise your services.
4. Appear in Their Mailbox.
Direct mail is a great ingredient to fold into your marketing mix. However, for it to be effective you need to do it consistently. During the pre-Spring market, consider sending out postcards with home readiness tips, recap the properties you listed and sold in the neighborhood or take advantage of key milestones, such as Daylight Savings. For your sphere and past clients, you may want to consider more personal forms of contact, like hand-written letters and cards thanking them for being a past customer and asking for referrals.
Consistency Is Essential
One theme that is relevant to each of these strategies is consistency. The experts at Weichert understand that regardless of what you choose, you must be dedicated to following through on a regular basis and utilize multiple touchpoints. You can’t just send one postcard or make one post on Facebook and expect tremendous results, but rather plan to maintain your efforts long term. This is especially true when it comes to the relationships that you are building because they will serve as the foundation for your overall success this Spring and beyond.
Getting the Tools
Hosting seminars, keeping up with your database, posting to social media and sending direct mail all requires having the materials to execute. At Weichert, we offer our affiliates support in all of these areas, from seminars in a box, complete with presentation decks, handouts and invitations to a powerful smart CRM for keeping up with your contacts, to social media content and support and libraries of direct mail postcards to farm. You can spend your time doing, instead of searching for these materials on your own or creating them yourself. If you could use these types of resources in your business, consider becoming a Weichert Franchise, where you’ll have access to all this and much more.
For more information about how to make this your best year ever in real estate, go to www.weichertfranchise.com.
