How to Succeed as a Digital Real Estate Agent Without Really Trying

It is truly amazing to see how much the world of real estate has transformed in the past decade. Modes of communication have doubled on themselves. You don’t just pick up the phone now, but answer e-mails, post photos, retweet tweets, pin items, link up and then blog about it. How does a real estate agent manage all this and - oh yeah - sell houses too? Getting connected online can be a floundering experience, leaving an agent feeling like they’re drowning in the ocean of interwebs. Here are some key tips we’ve found to be most helpful for our users:

1. Understand your marketing goals

Take a few minutes to think about what you’re trying to achieve with your online presence. Are you looking to increase leads? Organize your business? Or do you want to find new ways to connect with your current network? Whatever your goals might be, make them clear for yourself and set small milestones, say 5 leads each week, so it doesn’t seem so overwhelming!

2. Focus

Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, Twitter...it’s easy to get sucked into creating profiles on every social media outlet. For the sake of time (and sanity), you’re better off picking one or two outlets and being really good at keeping up with them vs. trying to be EVERYWHERE. What social media do your customers tend to use? Find out where they are and focus on building connections and a strong presence there.

3. Attitude, not Age!

According to the NAR’s 2013 Member Profile the median age of realtors is 57 years old. But age is just a number, and with the right attitude there’s no reason any agent, regardless of age, can’t jump right into the digital realm. Willingness to adapt, especially to modes of communication that your clients prefer, will be crucial to survival. Take for example, another recent study by Google and NAR, 68% of homebuyers used a mobile app during their home search and 89% used a mobile search engine throughout the search process.

4. Don’t be afraid to try something new

With so many choices for technology solutions it’s hard to know where to get started. But who’s to say you can’t pull a goldilocks and try different options out until you find the one that’s just right? Many apps and platforms offer free trials - allowing you to poke around and see what you like and don’t like - and if its not working for you then move on. Being familiar with different online platforms allows you to keep a pulse on what’s available and shows you’re knowledgeable about where the industry is moving.

Ok, so maybe you’ll need to try a little...but increasing your online Real Estate presence doesn’t have to be cumbersome or intimidating. Remember to specify your goals and pick the outlets that will best suit your customer base while complementing your current business.

Are you a real estate agent interested in generating leads online for your business? Contact us below!