Business continues to churn in most areas, but with in-person showings down, your agents might find they have extra time on their hands. That doesn’t mean they can take their foot off the gas. No one knows when the business will return to “normal”, but you’ll want to make sure your brokerage and your agents are doing everything they can now to put themselves in the best position for when that happens. That means engaging and getting in front of potential prospects in your community and starting conversations now. This way, once the market does open up, your team will be top of mind. Here are 5 things you should be doing to fill your sales funnel:
1.Direct Mail.
Now is a great time to take advantage of direct mail. People are home and have more time than ever to look at their mail. Adjust your postcard message to be sensitive to the times. Let them know you are open for business if they need you and as a member of the community you are all in this together. Many vendors are even offering COVID-related design options to acknowledge and thank frontline workers. Sign up for a scheduled mailing program to send a piece out every month to your sphere, farm an area or take advantage of calendar milestones. Worried about your expenses? Direct mail is a very cost-effective way to reach a large number of people and with options like Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) through the U.S. Postal Service, you can save a lot of money off standard postage.
2.Email and Text.
This is a great cost-effective way to send a brief message to the contacts in your CRM to stay top of mind. It should be more personal than a direct mail piece. It can be as simple as checking in, sharing an article, sharing property of interest or simply sharing a story or a positive anecdote to make someone smile – these days everyone can use an extra smile! Make sure your CRM is up to date and is properly categorized so you can better target appropriate messages to the right groups. Set up your CRM to send automatic text or emails for birthdays and anniversaries. Let people know you are thinking of them. It goes a long way. And if you don’t have a real estate CRM with these capabilities, now might be a good time to research options.
3.Up Your Social Media Presence.
With people unable to go out, they have more time to spend scrolling through social media. Now is a great time to maximize your presence to increase your chances of being seen. Share a positive message. Share content on things to do while social distancing. Share interesting facts or history about your neighborhood. Video a walking tour of your neighborhood. Post home improvement ideas. If you are hosting virtual career events, first time homebuyer or home-seller webinars, promote them on social media. Again, the agents that were active and visible during this time are going to be the ones who will benefit from any pent-up demand when things return to normal and a consumer needs to find an agent.
4.Hold Consumer Seminars.
While many real estate plans may be delayed or put on hold, the plans have likely not gone away. While people are home and have the time and are looking for things to do, host first-time buyer seminars or home-seller seminars online. Educate them now and position yourself as the expert, so that when they can buy or sell, they will call on you to help them do it. Make sure you have a professional looking presentation deck, create a postcard or emailable invitations and promote the events on Facebook to drive attendance. You can follow up with them afterward with any additional handouts or flyers. By capturing their information during the registration process, you can continue to keep in touch with them afterward until they are ready to make a move.
5. Keep in Touch with Your Support Networks.
Now more than ever, staying in touch with your support networks are important. These might be business networking groups, professional organizations or other support groups. Keep up those relationships. Check in regularly. Make sure your networks know you are still open for business if they happen to speak with someone looking for help buying or selling. Not only can your networks be a great source of referrals, but also a resource for ideas on how to market or stay in touch with the community during these times. Think about collaborating on a joint online event. Consider organizing a food run to a local hospital or other frontline workers. If for no other reason, keep in touch with your networks for your overall well-being. Use them as a social outlet to swap stories, share challenges or simply for moral support and motivation to keep you propped up and going as you keep your agents going.
How well is your funnel equipped? At Weichert, our affiliates have access to a variety of tools and resources to help them in all these areas. Our Approved Suppliers offer a variety of direct mail libraries and services and our myWeichert smart tech platform provides a sophisticated CRM with a variety of email and text communication options. From social media services and templates to professional looking consumer seminar materials designed and ready to go, our affiliates are well equipped to stay in touch with their communities. Plus, we have an awesome peer-to-peer network and service teams that are in constant communication with each other, so no one ever feels alone or wondering what to do next. Think those are things your real estate business could benefit from? Contact our team today for more info or register for an informational webinar. www.weichertfranchise.com
