For the last several years, I’ve told commercial real estate agents and brokers that the Internet will not sell for you. I stand behind this statement. During the dot-com boom, it was proposed that you could sell everything over the Internet. People loved this idea because it took away their need to work at selling their services. The thought was, “If I just develop a good Internet presence, I won’t have to do all the work I currently do to sell.” Well, we found out this wasn’t true.
The Internet is a very valuable resource though. It won’t sell for you, but I’ve found that there are currently several great ways to generate leads for CRE clients on the Internet. They include:
1. Website: You need to have a personal website. In our training videos and classes, we share with you some tips on how to quickly get one going. They are cheap and easy to create these days. If your website is going to be a lead generator, it needs to offer your ideal clients resources that they can access for free or for a price. To produce a lead, you simply require some form of registration in order to access the resources available.
2. Email: I do not advocate huge email blasts to people with whom you have no relationship (otherwise known as SPAM), but there are many other ways to use email, including auto-responders, opt-in newsletters, endorsed offers sent to other people’s lists, and several other ways. When you send out email, make sure it offers good education or information. I suggest that the content not be contained completely in the email. Instead, the reader should need to click a link to access the information. The link then takes them back to your site or to a place you would like them to be. This allows for good tracking of your marketing efforts and creates better traffic on your site.
3. Search engine marketing (aka SEM): You can pay to be listed at the top of the list, SERP (search engine results page). This means that when someone searches for information using terms or keywords, your listing comes up at the top. This is a great way to drive traffic to your site or to a site that makes a specific offer to your potential clients. Check with the major search engines for more information on SEM advertising. Over time, you can work to achieve high “natural” rankings for those same keywords.
4. Advertisements on other sites: This can range from reciprocal links to banner ads (aka display ads). If there is a site that your ideal clients frequent, check to see what linking or advertising opportunities exist on that site. One tip I can give you is that your ads should not simply be for you or your service. Instead, post ads offering supportive content such as lists, reports, books, and more. Potential clients are much more likely to click on a link offering a free list of investment opportunities or available space than they are to click on a link that simply has your name and picture.
5. Article and information submission to online news and information outlets: This is very similar to a traditional PR campaign that submits articles and information to print, radio, and TV outlets. The main difference is that you are submitting to online newsletters, industry sites, news sites, and anyone else who is sending information to your desired audience. You can also self-publish this information by posting these articles to your own site or connected to your site. Either way, the goal is to create more ways for people who are searching for information and services you can deliver to find you. As was already mentioned, we offer a wide variety of articles that can be submitted.
6. Social networking sites (aka social media marketing/SMM): Much like networking in the real world, online networking can be a great way to meet people who can either become clients or refer you to clients. No different than networking in the real world, online social networking requires quite a bit of work for it to pay dividends. Networking online also has the added benefit of providing more ways for people to find you online, which provides a lot more opportunity for you to market using the previous five ways listed.
A well-rounded digital marketing campaign will use each one of these methods to contact potential clients and generate leads. Ask yourself, “How many of these methods am I using?”
As I’ve before, your job is to list, sell and/or lease properties. So hiring marketing staff or outsourcing to a freelance marketer may be needed to create compelling content and a strong digital presence. Here are some helpful resources to get started:
- HubSpot: Offer both sales and marketing tips
- Google Skillshop: Great resource for learning more about digital marketing and their tools like Google Ads, Search, Tagmanager, and Analytics
- LinkedIn Marketing Solutions: They offer a comprehensive learning platform to grow your digital marketing skills
- Social Media Examiner: For the latest on best practices for creating a social media plan
- Digital Marketing Institute: Comprehensive marketing courses and resources
- Neil Patel: Resources to help with any questions and short courses to grow your digital marketing presence
More from Top Dogs:
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