For real estate agents in Alabama, setting yourself apart from the competition is important. You want to stay top-of-mind and establish yourself as an industry expert in the community. Agents also have to battle ever-changing market trends and technology. It can seem overwhelming to get started, but Heights Title has compiled a list of tips to help you get started.
What Are Real Estate Agent Marketing Challenges
Real estate agents in Alabama face multiple challenges when it comes to marketing themselves, their businesses, and their services. Some of the most common challenges include a lack of differentiation, problems generating leads, maintaining an online presence, managing their online reputation, technological barriers, time management, and legal regulations. By identifying and learning about these marketing challenges, real estate agents can get ahead of the game and set themselves up for success.
Lack of Differentiation
TV shows and movies make a career in real estate look easy, but it can be a difficult journey, especially for new real estate agents in Alabama just starting. In a crowded environment, agents have to make themselves unique to stand apart from the competition. Differentiate yourself with personal branding. Consider becoming an expert in one city or area of town. Creatively crafting yourself as the go-to agent in one neighborhood or city can help you build a long-lasting client roster. Take a look at certifications and courses offered by local organizations or online platforms. For example, becoming Meta Blueprints Certified is a way to show your clients you take social media marketing seriously.
Lead Generation
Generating quality leads can be difficult and costly. It’s important to develop sound lead-generating tactics early on for long-term success. Some people have greater success with digital tactics, like social media or search ads, and some people swear by traditional media methods like mailers. And some people will use a mixture of both in obtaining leads. One thing that doesn’t lie is data. Use (free) tools like Google Analytics to understand who is visiting your website, how they are getting there, and what pages they are looking at the most.
When talking to a potential lead, be sure to get all of the important information. It may also be a good idea to have a generic form to send following an initial conversation to be sure everyone is on the same page. Buying a home is a huge investment, and, understandably, some people are hesitant to get started. Be sure to balance follow-ups with enough time for the potential client to think about their decision.
Online Presence and Visibility
Everyone starts their search for everything from houses to handkerchiefs online. Real estate agents in Alabama need to have a strong online presence. That also means having a website and social media pages that are written to rank highly on search engine results pages. Having things like a blog on your website is a great way to connect with potential customers and flex your real estate muscles differently.
Social media is the place to be. It allows real estate agents a place to show off their personalities and give potential customers a look into what it would be like to work with them. Create a content calendar and rotate out post ideas like remodeling trends, industry trends and recently sold properties so your feeds don’t get stale.
Managing Online Reputation
When we’re making almost any decision these days, reading the reviews can be the deciding factor. The same is true for choosing a real estate agent in Alabama. Clients want to listen to what previous clients have to say, and of course, you want it to be positive. Asking clients to leave you a review on your Facebook Page can help legitimize your presence in the industry.
You hope it never happens, but with the good can come the bad. When a bad review does happen, it’s important to address it swiftly and professionally. Most platforms will not remove a review without good cause- spam, hate speech, or offensive content, for example. It’s best to not engage in the back-and-forth if a client gets combative. Try to take the conversation to email or over the phone.
Keeping Up with Technology
Today’s technology is constantly evolving. What was recommended last year may not be best practices this year. It’s hard to balance trying new things with the cost and time of adopting new technology. Some updates are automatic, such as when Facebook updates algorithms or page settings. Some may take a while to get used to, like changing client databases. The best way to stay up-to-date with this ever-changing landscape is to subscribe to industry blogs, attend events and join professional organizations. Not only can these events educate you, but they can also open the doors to networking opportunities.
Time Management
Real estate agents in Alabama must juggle all of the demands of the job while still having a life outside of the office. Time management can be a problem for anyone, but can be a real issue when the job lends itself to operating outside of normal business hours.
Find things you can outsource to a freelancer or an intern- like social media posts, blog writing, flier, and other promotional item creation and more. This can free up a lot of your time to focus on paperwork, generating leads, returning phone calls, and setting up showings.
Since most real estate agents are independent contractors, they can set their own hours. This means when clients want to meet outside of normal business hours, you can schedule your own personal appointments during the day. Having this flexibility can help balance the demands of both your personal and professional lives.
Compliance and Legal Regulations
Real estate agents in Alabama must keep in mind real estate laws at all times or they risk losing their license to practice. The Alabama Real Estate Commission’s website is a great resource to ensure you’re staying in good standing. There are resources for maintaining your license and researching real estate law as it applies in our state. Your broker is also a great resource when you have questions or concerns. When it comes to real estate law, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Heights Title is Your Partner in Real Estate
A career in real estate can be rewarding, but like any job, presents its own set of difficulties. It’s important for new real estate agents in Alabama to anticipate these challenges and come up with a game plan on how to combat them before they show their first home. Setting yourself up for success, in the beginning, is imperative for making it in a crowded industry.
Heights Title can help you stand apart from the crowd. Our team is dedicated to ensuring that your transaction runs smoothly. Whether you need assistance with your first transaction or your hundredth, we’ll take extra care to ensure everything is accurate and timely. Contact us today to order a title or get a quote!