Sellers are always cynical of the proposed marketing budget that their agents suggest – especially in this day in age where the seller pays for it all! After being involved in the sale of hundreds of homes one thing has become very clear, those sellers that follow their agent's guidance and roll out a quality campaign suitable to the home, sell quicker and usually for a higher amount.

When selling a home, one of the most important factors other than proper pricing that will lead to a successful home sale or not is the marketing the agent uses.  A common question I receive from home sellers relates to their real estate marketing and how their real estate agent should be marketing their home.

After all, when Apple comes up with a new iPhone they don’t say “lets just put it on the shelf and see how it goes” do they?  No – they shout it from the highest mountain and make sure every buyer out there knows that it is for sale. And we need to take the same approach with selling a home. After all, you are in the market in competition – not isolation.

As one of the top real estate agents in the state, I believe it’s extremely important that my sellers understand where their home will be marketed, how it will be marketed, how much it will cost them and why. More importantly, they also need to understand the importance of each aspect, who it reaches and why they need it.

I am often asked how I sell homes so quickly and for the prices I do. Well, the answer isn’t a simple one, but a big part of it is that I am very focussed on making sure every seller is given the right campaign.

Additionally, it’s important for all home sellers to understand that there are many real estate marketing techniques that top real estate marketers are using to improve their overall marketing exposure behind the scenes.

If you’re selling a home or thinking about it and you’re wondering what real estate marketing strategies a top real estate agent should be using, read on to find out.  Below are some of the most creative and unique real estate marketing strategies!

Print Advertising & Traditional Real Estate Marketing Techniques

There are many real estate agents who believe that print advertising and traditional real estate marketing techniques do not work.  While the impact that print advertising and traditional real estate marketing strategies have decreased over the years, they still can be a good marketing avenue for sellers.

Below are some of the top print advertising and traditional real estate marketing strategies that top real estate agents are utilizing.

Newspaper Advertising

Depending on your location, the newspaper can still have a large number of readers.  The readership of local newspapers in the Western Suburbs for example, typically ranks as one of the highest in the country, meaning people are still reading the newspaper.  Many newspapers have their own real estate section where you can find what homes are for sale, what the upcoming open houses are, and other real estate information.

One of the biggest spikes in newspaper readership has been the online readership.  The digital audience for the newspaper has been consistently growing over the past several years.  Newspaper companies have realized the impact that the internet makes and have shifted their focus to digital editions of their papers.  Most newspapers now have digital editions of their papers that allow readers to read the news on their computers, iPads, Tablets, and other mobile devices.  Convenience is the key!

Newspaper advertising is still an effective real estate market strategy and is proven that when a home is advertised for sale that the web traffic increases for a few days after the ad is run.  This is most likely because if a potential buyer sees a home for sale in the newspaper, the first thing they will do is search online for it to learn more.

The biggest reason that advertising in a local publication can be beneficial is that the audience is very specific to the local residents.  Residents that are living in a suburb, in many cases, will move but will not leave the specific suburb.  For this reason, promoting a home for sale in the local newspaper can potentially attract some solid buyers.

 Postcard & Direct Mail Marketing

Another popular print advertising strategy that top real estate agents will use to sell a home are postcards.  Postcards sent to a local neighbourhood are a great opportunity to inform the neighbours that a home in their neighbourhood is for sale with pertinent details relating to the home.

This can be an effective real estate marketing tool, mainly because neighbours who receive the card may know of a family member or friend who is looking for a home in their neighbourhood.  An informative postcard can easily be passed on to someone who potentially is looking for a home.

Online Strategies

Did you know that over 90% of home buyers are beginning their home search online?  If that staggering statistic doesn’t catch your eye, it should!  It’s extremely important when selling a home that your home is being exposed everywhere online.  Top selling real estate agents have a strong online presence.

Below are some of the most important real estate marketing strategies that lead to maximum online exposure that top real estate agents use.

Website

Going out on a limb, I’d bet that all real estate brokers have websites in 2017.  Just because a real estate agent has a website does not mean all their agents have their own website.  To receive maximum online exposure when selling a home, it’s very important that real estate agents have their own website.

An agent not only needs to have its own website, but it also has to be user-friendly and a high ranking website.  Some of the top signs of a user-friendly and high ranking website include an interactive home search feature, detailed community pages, and mobile compatibility.

Informative & Updated Blog

An obvious sign of a real estate agent with a strong online presence is whether or not they have an informative and regularly updated blog. Just like the one you are reading now that reached over 3000 families every fortnight.

A real estate blog can be beneficial for a seller as it gives an agent the opportunity to discuss their home in detail.

Another reason top real estate agents will have an informative blog is because it gives them the opportunity to share their knowledge and experience with potential buyers (and sellers).

For example, if a seller has a home that is likely to attract first time home buyers, it can be extremely beneficial if an agent has an article that is tailored to first time home buyers.  Not only does providing the first time home buyer tips benefit a buyer but also benefits a seller if the information provided helps make a transaction go smoother because the buyer is informed about the home buying process.

Nothing is more frustrating to a seller than a buyer who ends up with cold feet and backs out of a deal because they didn’t know what to expect during the home buying process.

High Quality Photos

Since the internet is the place where most buyers are beginning their home search, it’s vital that a real estate agent is using high-quality photos.  When selling a home a seller should expect the photos a real estate agent uses to market their home are nothing short of spectacular after all the photos are the first contact that most buyers will have with the home.

Most top real estate agents who will hire a professional photographer to take photos of their listings.  While this is an additional expense, it can make a huge difference.  This is especially the case when selling luxury homes since there are typically tons of photos that can be taken.

If a real estate agent is marketing their listings with poor quality images it can make a huge difference in whether a home sells or not and ultimately the final selling price.

Video & 3D

People love video, period!  The impact that video has had on real estate marketing has been monumental.  In 2017, buyers can now sit in the comfort of their home and virtually walk through a home, how awesome is that.

When selling a home, you should expect that the real estate agent you hire is utilizing some type of video.  Whether it is a video they produce by themselves by stitching together photos or a video they have professionally designed, it is important.

Social Media

Real estate and social media are like peanut butter and jelly.  Sellers should expect that their real estate agent is utilizing social media in their real estate marketing strategy.  There are several social media websites that top real estate agents are utilizing to help give their sellers homes additional exposure.

Below are some of the most popular social media websites that sellers should expect their real estate agent to use while selling their home and some reasons why.

Facebook

There aren’t too many people left who don’t know what Facebook is or better yet, don’t have a Facebook profile.  Facebook allows real estate professionals the opportunity to reach tons of local residents, hopefully, potential buyers.

As a seller, it’s important to realize the power of Facebook marketing for real estate.  Not all Facebook marketing needs to be focused on the newest listing in XYZ neighbourhood, but certainly is incorporated in many real estate marketing plans.  Top real estate agents will have their own business page that is frequently updated with not only listings but also with quality real estate advice.

Providing quality real estate advice is a great way for a real estate agent to interact with their followers, many of which may be potential buyers.  Facebook also allows real estate agents to utilize targeted ads that can be demographically targeted to residents in a specific neighbourhood who are looking to purchase a home, how awesome is that!

If you’re selling a home, you can tell pretty quickly if an agent is utilizing Facebook the proper way or not.  If you go to their business page and there is little interaction in forms of comments, likes, or shares, it’s likely they are not.

 Final Thoughts

Real estate marketing is vital to home selling success.  There are certain real estate marketing techniques that you should expect from a real estate agent when selling a home.

If a real estate agent utilises print advertising, has a strong online presence, utilises social media, and knows how to curate great real estate content, the chances they sell a home increases significantly.  A real estate agent who does not believe in or utilise these forms of marketing can potentially cost a seller thousands of dollars and months of aggravation.