The real estate industry is very competitive. In the Philippines, the industry is on a steady growth as the demand for residential and commercial properties increase. As the demand grows, the market has resolved to provide the supply which means more real estate development and of course, realtors.

With so many options presented to consumers/buyers, getting noticed can be a challenge. To stand out you need to have effective and sustainable marketing strategies. The goal is to not to only make a sell but to establish yourself as reliable realtor. There are a number of ways to market real estate but here are few time-tested ones you could try on your own:

Maximize the power of social media. 

Everyone has at least one social media account – be it Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Being on social media means you have access to billions of online users who may be interested or looking at what you can offer. Posting your listings on social media will guarantee you thousands or even hundreds of thousands of views. 

However, don’t just rely on using your personal social media account to reach your potential customers. Create a business page on Facebook and maximize the tools being offered to you including but not limited to paid ads. Niche groups on Facebook and LinkedIn is another avenue you may want to look into. Getting into these groups puts you where your customers are and allows you to communicate, engage and develop a relationship with your target market. 

Use high-quality images.

Imagine this: a property listing with no pictures at all. Not very enticing, right? These days, most people are either too busy or too distracted to notice a boring, text heavy brochure. You need to capture their attention with a well-presented and high-quality photo of the property. 

In this instance, it pays to hire a professional photographer to take photos of your properties. Keep in mind that a bad photo can lessen one’s interest in even the best properties. An investment on this area can yield results in the long run.

Create a virtual tour.

Your customers can’t come to the tour? Then bring the tour to them. Tech-savvy realtors take advantage of new technology such as virtual reality (VR) and 360 panorama photography among others to present their properties. 

Virtual tours offer consumers a comprehensive preview of the property at the comforts of their homes. It is convenient and time-saving for both the realtor and the customer. You may even want to take it a step further and make it interactive with contests. 

Sell the neighborhood.

Real estate is more than just selling the property. In more ways than one, you are also selling the whole town where the property is. For most homeowners, the surrounding area and its offerings play a major role in their decision making process. For families, a quiet neighborhood with easy access to schools may just be the deciding factor while younger customers may opt for a much livelier neighborhood.

Keeping this in mind, it’s equally important to showcase the neighborhood when presenting your properties. Be sure to take high-quality photos and videos of local landmarks and sites. Offer tidbits of information such as interesting historical data or fun local traditions that you think are unique to the area. ­­­­­

Offer free seminars/webinars.

Buying a home is an important milestone in one’s life. There are several considerations and lots of decision-making involved and thus, can be a daunting experience especially for first-time homeowners. You can help alleviate their fears by offering seminars/webinars about property buying and similar topics. 

With seminars, you are offering value and setting yourself up as an expert in your field. This help builds trust in you and your brand. Take the time to communicate and engage with your community, and you’ll reap the rewards.

Make it personal. 

Every transaction may be business in nature but in reality, it’s always personal. We are dealing with real people with real needs and using cookie-cutter, template-like approach to communicating with your target market will not give you the results you want. 

Get to know your market well and understand their behavior drivers. Doing this allows you to change your approach and communication style depending on the customer profile. Address them by their names, provide answers to questions specific to their needs and stay in touch. 

There is no one best way to market and sell in real estate. It requires a series of tests to find one that works for you, and even that requires changing every so often to keep up with the changing times. It is tempting to simply follow trends or to just go with the flow. But if you are serious about your craft, it pays to learn, explore and invest on tools and strategies that work and make sense to your business.