The year 2020 took all of us by surprise and forced everyone to abide and live by the new normal. COVID-19 drastically changed everything our daily activities, work, school, communication, transportation, entertainment, business, and relationships. Face-to-face appointments, events, and activities were canceled. Businesses, including real estate agencies, had to adapt to these changes, and many even had to find ways to keep their companies afloat.
In just a few months, real estate agencies and brokers went through a lot of changes because of the pandemic health and safety limitations. While realtors saw sales unexpectedly increase, they had to work harder to get used to new tools, expectations, and demands. Even the homeowner insurance process had to be tweaked.https://www.bennettandporter.com/phoenix-home-insurance/
Even if several businesses have reopened, things are not yet 100% back to normal. The virus is still around, and health and safety protocols are still in place. The best thing real estate businesses and their employees can do is go with the times, adjust, and adapt to the current situation. Come up with new procedures and strategies. For example, even if real estate sales are on the upswing, its still important to market homes and properties and entice homeowners.
If youre looking for ways to keep your real estate business running this year, shifting to the new normal way of doing things is the ideal way to go. Here are several 2021 marketing trends to adapt and probably integrate with your current strategies.
Real Estate Marketing Trends for 2021
Social Media Marketing
One of the outcomes of the Coronavirus pandemic new normal is the shift to everything digital. Businesses now use video conferencing tools like Zoom to conduct meetings and other essential day-to-day activities. Social media became an even more powerful marketing tool as companies focused on creating customer-focused content for Facebook, Instagram, and other similar digital networks. Companies also allowed their employees to work from home.
If youve already started leveraging social media for your real estate business, now is the time to level up. One way of doing this is by creating a Facebook page for your company. If youre an independent agent, you can set up your page to communicate with clients and prospects. Use the platform to reach out to them answer questions, engage in a conversation, and give photo and video updates on some homes you are selling. Anything that can get potential buyers interested is perfect for social media content.
Virtual Home Tours
Just because face-to-face meetings are prohibited does not mean you should abandon home tours. If your clients and prospects cannot tour with you, bring the house to them. Virtual home tours are becoming more mainstream, and you should make them a part of your daily routine.
Using Zoom, Google Meet, or any other video conferencing tool, schedule a virtual tour or open house with your clients. Be sure to highlight all areas that you think will hype up their interest. A better idea would be to upload home tour videos on your own YouTube channel regularly.
Using Aerial Drones
Virtual home tours and open houses are good, but they dont show homeowners a glimpse of the neighborhood they might move into. This is the perfect opportunity to explore what aerial drones can do.
Get a drone to fly over the neighborhood and show your clients the video in real time. Dont forget to show the most popular places and features in the area, such as parks, community centers, and schools. An aerial video will help homeowners get a feel of their future neighborhood.
Also, aerial drone footage will eliminate the need for in-person neighborhood tours and meetings.
Websites and Blogs
Creating unique and relevant online content is another effective real estate marketing strategy. A website is a good platform for showing off the homes youre selling, and a blog is ideal for sharing real estate-related stories, anecdotes, and information.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is not entirely new, but its popularity as a marketing tool grew by leaps and bounds in 2020. Since you cannot schedule physical meetings with clients and prospects, using email is the best option in carrying out your marketing campaign.
If you cannot do virtual video tours, you can send photos of home and neighborhood tours. Likewise, you can send real estate news and updates through email as well.
Build Your Brand Through Community Service
The limitations of the pandemic resulted in several businesses closing down and some employees losing their jobs. If you want to establish your real estate brand, reach out sincerely to those in need. Find a good and reliable charity and help out in whatever way you can. It can be through donations or partnerships; you decide which is best. Showing that you genuinely care for others will give your clients the impression that you are reliable, trustworthy, and competent.
While there are encouraging developments in the global health crisis, the new normal is here to stay for quite a while. To survive the challenges of the real estate industry in 2021, you have to learn to embrace the changes early on.
About The Author- Rachael Harper is the Content Marketing Strategist of Bennett & Porter, a wealth management and insurance firm based in Scottsdale, Arizona. When not writing, she makes use of her time reading books and playing bowling with her family and friends.
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