Your real estate website is a powerful tool…
Last week we talked about the importance of your personal real estate website. When you offer advice for buyers and 
sellers, community pages, and blog posts about local places and events, it will be valuable to consumers. When you let your personality shine through via your bio and your blog posts, it gives prospects a powerful reason to choose you.
But of course, people have to find it.
We discussed driving visitors to your site via social media, your personal blog, your Active Rain blog, and even via writing guest posts for other websites. When you post local information that the national sites don’t offer, people will find you through generic search.
I didn’t mention paid search, but if you’re comfortable with it and know how to do it economically, do it! Just make sure your site is ready with good information so those paid visitors will not only stay, but will return.
I also reminded you to include your URL in your email signature.
Now begin promoting your real estate website with off-line marketing.
Start with your business cards. I know – a lot of agents think business cards are old-school and not necessary. But they are. There are many situations where trading information on your phones simply won’t work. Think of those times when a grocery store checker notices your “R” pin and mentions an interest in real estate. How about when a waiter or waitress hears you discussing real estate and makes a similar comment.
Neither of them is in a position to pull out a phone and trade information with you, so give them a card with a note that says “Call me any time you have a question.”
If you aren’t convinced that you should still be using cards, check out the comments on this post that I wrote a couple of years ago.
Of course, you can also use that card when you connect with people about other topics. Any time you want to give anyone your contact information for any reason, hand them the card. If they like you as a volunteer, a member of a book club, or a fellow sports enthusiast, they just might think to call you when they need an agent – if they have your card.
Next, make sure that URL is on all of your other print materials.
Your yard signs, property flyers, personal brochures, listing presentations, and information packets should all proudly display the URL for your real estate website. Use it as part of the header or footer on every page of your informational materials.
Newspaper and magazine ads should all lead to your real estate website.
That sounds obvious, but I’ve seen ads where that information was missing. I’m going slightly off-topic, but 
something else that’s often missing is the agent’s location.
Aside from those small-town residents who believe that an agent from a larger community “has more clients” and can therefore serve them better than a local agent, I think most prospects are looking for someone who knows the community.
Now, how about newspaper and magazine “non-ads?”
I’m thinking about articles – either about you or written by you about real estate or your community.
This was a powerful tool for me when I owned a real estate agency. I worked hard to make sure we were in the news at least a couple of times a month. Sometimes it was because of some promotion we did – like giving away Halloween Pumpkins or flags for the 4th of July. Sometimes it was an article I wrote with buyer or seller advice or about things affecting the real estate market.
If you live in a small community, offer to provide the newspaper with articles they can use as filler when the news is slow. In exchange, you get a byline, which includes your URL and possibly your email address.
If you live in a large community where the newspaper isn’t interested, look for a neighborhood news publication or a “freebie” ad publication.
I know, not everyone reads print news these days, but some do – especially the little neighborhood publications. Plus, some of a newspaper’s articles do end up on line.
Next, depending upon your niche, you can write articles for newsletters.
Think about condo associations, senior centers, yacht clubs, investment groups, non-profit organizations, etc. Any newsletter of interest to those in your niche is a good place for your words of wisdom to be found.
Two benefits of promoting your real estate website through articles:
- You don’t have to pay for placement.
- Articles position you as “the expert.”
When a publication prints your article, it’s as if they’re telling readers that you are the authority on that topic.
Before you write, read a few issues of the publication, so you’ll know the style that appeals to their readers. They’re more apt to publish your offering if your article “fits in.” Do be sure to keep an interesting, conversational tone, avoid industry jargon, and proofread your work for misspellings, misused words, and grammar gaffes.
Newspapers Image courtesy of ammer at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
real estate website graphic courtesy of stuart miles @ freedigitalphotos.net
