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Many new real estate investors, in particular, make the mistake of assuming that absolutely no marketing is required in what they’re doing. They’re putting in the time, they’re doing the research, they’re making the most informed decisions they can – that’s where the process begins and ends.
Real estate investment is still akin to running a business, but from a slightly different perspective than some may be used to. Yes, it’s possible to have a successful real estate career without thinking about something like outreach or marketing. But that also depends much more on luck than you should be comfortable with.
Those seasoned investors – those who enjoy tremendous long-term success – think differently. They’re the ones who use intricate, time-honed marketing strategies to discover lucrative opportunities that may have otherwise gone unnoticed. They can stand out in a crowded real estate market, even as things are constantly getting more competitive.
Thankfully, this process isn’t necessarily a difficult one. It will require you to understand how marketing strategies and real estate investment intersect dynamically, which puts you in a better position to leverage the two to your advantage.
Targeted Online Advertising
The overall goal of online advertising, especially in the modern era, should not be to cast the widest net possible. Instead, it’s about targeting not just the biggest audience but the most precise one to fit your needs. You’re reaching an audience with greater accuracy than ever before, thus helping you stretch the value of every advertising dollar as far as it can go.
Case in point: wholesale real estate. Here, you’re targeting two distinct audiences to generate leads – buyers and sellers. If you’re trying to find a property, given what you know about the home in question, who would be an ideal fit? What type of person is most likely to be interested in what you’re working with? Is it someone who lives in a particular geographic area? What annual income do they need to make? What level of education should they have?
Targeted online advertising allows you to get this precise in terms of where your messaging is headed. That way, you’re not spending money to get “the right message” in front of people who were never likely to be interested in such a property to begin with. The same is true if you have a buyer and are now looking for properties to match.
Social Media Campaigns
Another viable way that real estate investors often find leads involves leveraging the full might of social networking sites to their advantage.
Social media is powerful, especially in a context like real estate, because it is more intimate. Unlike traditional advertising, which is often seen as cold and cynical, social media content posted to places like Facebook and Twitter/X naturally has some intimacy. This is absolutely something you can use to your advantage.
To continue with the example of wholesale real estate, say you already have a compelling property listing ready to go. When you post it on Facebook, be sure to tag your location. Make video content a priority to help increase engagement. Write great titles and captions to whatever you post. All these things are more likely to get your content noticed.
Along the same lines, you can continue to use social media campaigns to sell the most important thing of all: your brand as an investor. Always be your authentic self and contribute to the types of conversations that people are already having. Don’t be afraid to answer their questions or address their concerns. It’s a great way to build trust within an audience, which also goes a long way towards establishing yourself as an authority.
Networking
Of course, networking is still a significant part of all marketing in real estate and likely will continue to be for some time. Yes, you should absolutely be participating in any industry events where you can meet like-minded individuals who share your goals and interests.
But you should also participate in local events whenever possible. Sponsor a youth sports team. Take advantage of every opportunity you have to get your name out there, and even if someone isn’t ready to buy or sell right now, you’re meaningfully increasing the chances that when they are, they’ll come to you.
Direct Mail Marketing
Finally, don’t count out the power of direct mail marketing, particularly in real estate investing. According to one recent study, between 80% and 90% of all direct mail collateral gets opened. On an exceptional day, the same is true of only 20% to 30% of email marketing.
Direct mail collateral can be a great way to showcase that great new property you’re trying to sell, to announce your arrival in an area, or simply to take the chance to wish everyone “Happy Holidays.” Again, the key is that you’re getting at the top of people’s minds and opening the door for more investment opportunities that could pan out in the future.
Ultimately, it’s important to see these marketing strategies as what they really are – lead generation techniques. Real estate investment doesn’t happen in a vacuum. If you’re a buyer, you need a seller. If you’re a seller, you need a buyer. If you’re wading into the waters of wholesale real estate, you need both. Those people aren’t just going to find you automatically.
You need to go out there and locate them yourself. You must instill trust and confidence in them, building the type of relationship that makes mutually beneficial outcomes a foregone conclusion.
At this point, you should be equipped with the knowledge needed to navigate the real estate landscape to your advantage successfully. It’s also an investment that pays for itself, as it helps connect you with potential properties and prospects in an increasingly digital world.
Marketing strategies like those outlined above aren’t just how investors find leads. It’s how they use those leads as the building blocks for a successful long-term career. That’s an exciting position to be in – whether you’ve been in real estate investment for a year or 25 years doesn’t change that fact.
