COVID-19 – Agents Missed Opportunities Part 2

A continuation from last week’s content …. more "Agents missed opportunities"

11. Schedule Your Social Media A Month In Advance

Scheduling your social media posts in advance is a great way to remove busywork from your day-to-day schedule while still providing value and an opportunity for interaction for your audience. Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter allow real estate agents with business accounts to schedule unlimited posts right in app. Instagram doesn’t have a native post scheduler, but you can schedule up to 10 posts for free with tools like Buffer (more if you pay for the premium plan), and the free version of Hootsuite even lets you schedule on LinkedIn. Not sure exactly what to post? Here are some ideas:

Take a picture of your workspace and say something about your projects for the day

Share your favorite afternoon snack (with a picture of course!)

Share a quote that inspires you

Share some home projects that can be done in a day

Share a list of larger home renovations that can up a property’s resale value

Go live to discuss the best part of your day

Share your best advice for people looking for things to do with kids at home

A quick note about scheduling your posts: This is great for news or articles you want to share, links to your blog or website, or properties you want to promote. But, it doesn’t replace the necessary daily interaction with other users these platforms require in order to be successful. Remember, this is SOCIAL media. If you aren’t being social (liking, sharing, commenting, interacting) with other users, you’re not going to get very good results.

12. Complete Your Google My Business Profile

Have you ever Googled your favorite restaurant in order to get their phone number, or maybe to hear if they’re doing takeout? If your favorite restaurant has a Google My Business profile, the information you’re looking for appears right in the Google search results; you don’t even have to click to the restaurant’s website. Google is attempting to answer many questions without users having to actually leave the Google infrastructure, and Google My Business is a tool to get this done. Completing your Google My Business profile allows your contact info to appear right in the Google search result, it also places you on Google Maps, and puts you in a list of area professionals when people do more general searches (instead of searching your name specifically, they search something like “Realtors near me.”) Google My Business is a free service and opens up a lot of doors; definitely worth your time.

13. Better Your Business By Trying a Real Estate Course

Real estate agents have a lot of options when it comes to professional development. If you’re feeling like your state-mandated continuing education isn’t doing enough to build your knowledge base and expand your horizon as a real estate professional, it might be time to consider a paid course from a reputable coach or trainer. There are lots of course options out there, but we think you should start by checking out

14. Do an Audit of Your Website

Your website is the most important part of your real estate marketing plan. It is where you capture leads, where your social media points to, where you market your listings, and the best place for prospects to contact you and start their journey toward becoming a client. Open up an incognito browser and head to your website. Put yourself in your prospect’s shoes. What is the experience like? What exists on your website that is helpful? Does it look and work just as well on mobile as it does on desktop? What would a client expect to find there that isn’t there? What is the search experience like? There are a lot of moving parts to a real estate website, getting them all working together is important. Once you’ve identified where your website could improve, work with your brokerage IT department to start solving those problems. If you’re not finding the solutions you’re looking for or are ready for a fresh start with a newly designed website, we suggest checking out the options from Placester. Placester offers real estate-specific website templates designed to capture leads and offer a fantastic user experience.

15. Have at Least One Video Conference A Day With A Client

Now is not the time to be a secret agent. The further you get from top-of-mind for your clients, the harder you’ll have to work to get back there when the clouds break and things start getting back to normal.

You can help mitigate this concern by having at least one video conference a day with a client. Call them up just to chat and check in with them, share with them their As Soon As This Passes plan from Tip #1, or talk about what the real estate market is likely to look like soon and how you can use that to your client’s advantage. If you aren’t a video conferencing pro, don’t worry, there are a ton of good options. FaceTime works great, so does Google Hangouts, Facebook Messenger, Skype, or Zoom. All of these tools are easy to use, have free options, and will provide you with a way to make that personal connection with your clients even when you’re stuck at home.

16. Listen to Real Estate Podcasts

If you find yourself needing a break from screen-time but want to keep your work mindset, consider switching to a real estate podcast. It’s easy to sit in one place and forget to get up and move around when you’re at home (how many episodes of The Office have you watched in a row from your comfy chair?), so having a change of pace is a good idea. Throw some clothes on, grab your phone and a pair of headphones, and spend some time walking outside while still leveling up your business. Start by checking out my new favorite podcast: Keeping It Real. Host DJ Paris is based in Chicago and interviews top agents from his (and other) markets, grabbing their best advice on how to get ahead.

17. Try Your Hand at Phone Prospecting

For those of you who thrive on the face-to-face interactions you get from door-knocking or handing out business cards at your local networking events, social distancing probably has you itchy to chat about real estate and the market with anyone who will listen. Even if this isn’t your style, a lot of the traditional lead generation channels are going to slow down for a while, so taking control of your lead volume with prospecting strategies is a great idea. If you’re new to prospecting or want a new tool to get it done, try starting with REDX. REDX connects directly to your local MLS, compiling a daily list of newly expired properties as well as contact information for the owners, sourced from all across the web. You also can get FSBO listings, and even use its Geoleads tool to get contact information for particular neighborhoods (an awesome perk if you’re also operating a real estate farm too). It has an optional built-in dialer for those of you who want to supercharge your efforts, making your call rates up to four times more efficient. Not sure what to say? We get it, cold calling doesn’t come natural to everyone. Start by just checking in. Ask if everyone in the house is doing OK, how everybody is handling the “new normal.” Once you’re ready to start expanding your repertoire, check out the comprehensive list of cold calling scripts we put together, perfect for any scenario.

18. Trick Out Your Zillow Premier Agent Profile

As if Zillow traffic numbers weren’t impressive already (approximately 36 million people visit its site every month), with most people stuck at home and not attending open houses or scheduling property showings, there will be an unprecedented number of virtual home shoppers. Since we know that most homebuyers spend at least some time on Zillow as a part of their shopping process, make sure that your profile there is impressive. Spend some time getting your real estate bio just right, get your headshot in there, make sure to claim all your past sales, add some video, and of course, get some fantastic reviews.

If you’re not a Zillow Premier Agent, you can still have a profile, but upgrading is definitely worth it. You get preferential placement in the Agent Finder Tool, and your profile and contact information appear next to listings in the areas that are most important to your potential clients. Zillow is currently offering its Premier Agent services for 50% on new business through at least April 22, 2020, so if you’ve been considering trying Zillow out, now is a great time to do so.

19. Pre-Write Educational Articles for Your Blog

The way people contact you is by phone, email, or even by stopping in and visiting you in your office (when we have offices again). But, the reason people contact you is because you’ve demonstrated that you’re an expert in an area they care about; an area that matters to them in the context of their next real estate decision. Blog content is a great way to demonstrate that expertise. Your blog is your chance to write about topics that matter to you, and also provide value to your readers. Right now, you’ve got a captive audience (no pun intended) who will be hungry for home improvement projects, spring cleaning tips, suggestions for kiddo activities, and even curb appeal ideas to improve a property’s market value. If you want to get ahead and pre-write some content for after things get back to normal, try topics like market updates, lists of the best places to eat in drink in your hometown, best practices for buyers and sellers, or anything else that is going to provide value to your reader. Every article you write there is a chance for buyers and sellers to identify you as the expert they need for their next real estate transaction.

20. Clear Your Computer Desktop, Organize All Your Files

If you’re at all like me, your computer desktop quickly collects things. Files I save for quick access, email attachments, real estate memes, ya know, all the important stuff. But, even with a multiple monitor setup, there comes a point when all those files turn into clutter and makes it hard to get business done. Try setting up a calendar reminder for yourself once a week (I set mine for Friday afternoons) to clear off my computer desktop, get the important files saved in the right place, and toss the ones you don’t need. Ending (and starting) the week with a clean slate can make a major difference in your productivity.

21. Focus on Staying Positive

It’s easy to feel down in the dumps about the market and the state of things right now, but remember, this will pass. You are going to make it through this, people are still going to need to buy and sell homes, and they’re going to need a trusted professional like you to help them. As a real estate agent, you’re a leader in your community. Decide right now that you’re going to be a source of answers. A source of calm, of best practice, of strategy, and of comfort. People trust you. Use that influence to create hope.

Strength and courage,
Wade