People are packing up their flip-flops and sunblock, ditching the Jimmy Buffet playlists, and getting ready for a new season of early morning to-do’s, freshly ironed business clothes, and afternoons of sports-practice chauffeuring.
As a real estate agent, what effect does the seasonal change-over have on your business?
Are you prepared to continue nabbing new listings even as the market declines over the next few “off months?”
Historically, sales in May, June, July and August account for 40% of the year’s total home-selling volume.
While the data do show there are less homes listed during the fall/winter season, that doesn't mean you have to prepare for a listings drought — especially if you stay on top of your game.
A smart agent has a plan to keep his or her business thriving and to attract new clients during the upcoming lower-volume months.If you want to conquer the post-summer-slump and get more listings this fall, read on for...
Hopefully, you already have positive reviews readily available on your website and social media pages.
But in the slower months, with fewer listings to be had, you should have extra time to reach out to past clients who have had a great experience working with you. Request some feedback you can use to beef up your existing review page.
Featuring positive reviews on your homepage is a terrific way to attract prospective clients!
These days, almost everybody is savvy enough to check for positive/negative feedback before making a decision about whether or not a service or product will turn out to be a good investment — and statistically, most people do just that.
HubSpot writer Brianne Shelley says;
“Getting a strong list of past customers and people who've expressed interest in your business will enable you to stay top of mind during the off-season, and convert new leads into customers during your next season.”
Take time to really focus on creating a solid “feedback page,” where prospective clients can be impressed!
Doing this not only helps you during the slower months, but creates a solid momentum and keeps you on top, perfectly positioned for when the next busy season comes around.
Utilize social media to provide interesting, fun, informative content for prospective clients.
This Fall, consider sharing some back-to-school organization tips, or a few simple, healthy snack recipes for lunch boxes, as well as more traditional real-estate focused tips, such as how to market a home in the fall.
When the holidays arrive, you’ll have tons of opportunities to post content that’s engaging and useful. The more people you drive to your website, the better your chances of reaching your target audience...The Home Seller.
Traffic equals business, so use your social media pages to attract as many people as possible, even if most of the traffic is generated by people who just want to learn how to make the perfect paper cut-out snowflake.
Sharing seasonal tips and useful content nurtures relationships, and helps bring you to mind when people are ready to list their homes.
Sure, it might seem like having less listings is a bad thing, but even if your book isn’t as full as it was during the spring/summer rush, the listings you do have should be easy to sell because...
When you’re a smart agent, you know how to market them properly, and there just aren’t as many properties to compete with!
When you meet with prospects, it’s a good thing to remind them that, while houses put on the market during “slow months” may not sell lightning fast, when they’re listed and marketed right…the fact that there are fewer options actually works in their favor.
It means prospective buyers are likely to be highly motivated to close a deal when they find a house they want.
Imagine, as a buyer, you’ve been searching for the “right house,” but, the sparse inventory has been less than inspiring. You aren’t having any luck finding a property that checks enough boxes and feels like it could be home. You’re discouraged, and frustrated...
Enter “new listing perfectly presented by a super professional real estate agent…
...an agent who knows how to market homes to their best possible advantage regardless of the season, and who has done all the right things to ensure the new listing will be coveted by anyone who walks through.
Well, it shouldn’t take much for the previously mentioned gloomy house hunters to perk up when they visit your fabulous new listing, decide they want to make a deal, schedule the moving van, and enjoy the holidays in their new home.
That’s what you need to help prospective clients envision should they choose to list with you!
And yes, it might seem that the opposite can also be true — less houses on the market giving buyers the upper hand by creating the sense that sellers will be desperate and/or more likely to negotiate.
But, when you stay on top of potentially fluctuating seasonal swings with your numbers, your prospects should feel confident that you understand how to turn weaker inventory into a positive advantage.
How annoying is it when you click on a link that’s broken, or doesn’t direct you to the assumed destination?
What about when you read something and decide to take some action, only to discover the post is actually months old and your participation is pointless?
If you’ve been super busy over the summer, chances are, you’ve let a few things slide on the cyber-front…
Capitalize on your downtime by using it to clean up your website and social media accounts.
Your website and social media pages can easily offer the biggest return on investment in time and money when they’re managed properly.
And while we’re on the subject of cyber gains…
You know those websites that brag about attracting thousands of visitors a day?
Well, perhaps you’ll never experience your own "mega cyber success," going viral online with a multi-pronged media blitz, but you can definitely “ride the wave.”
Research successful real estate websites, and find content that you feel confident chiming in on, then offer thoughtful, informative commentary, particularly posts that are generating lots of conversation. Then, share that post on your various media platforms.
Now your “expert” voice and opinion are there, highlighting your knowledge and marketing savvy within the industry.
Stay away from threads that are discussing controversial issues, even though they do generate tons of interaction.
Just be sure that your “contribution” to any social media conversation reflects the fact that you have a working knowledge of real estate and plenty of experience selling houses, period.