One of the first things most businesses realize when getting online is that having a professional website is just the beginning of gaining any traction. No matter how professional your web design and SEO is, you’ll struggle to make money if you can’t change visitors into conversions. After all what good is generating traffic if none of it converts or translates into actual revenue?
Luckily, the solution to changing visitors into conversions is simple (but not easy!). In order to maintain a long-term sales funnel you need to start nurturing leads. Much like you’d build a relationship with potential clients in the office, you need to build relationships with your customers online as well. The key to doing this is by applying a balanced content marketing strategy.
Nurturing leads can be achieved by producing regular content on social media, email marketing and producing consistent blog articles. Each of these forms of content offer you a medium to engage with your target audience. Providing advice in the form of blogs and newsletters helps you to connect with your audience effectively.
Whilst Content Marketing is important for any online business, it is especially important for realtors, as this is an industry where trust is of paramount importance. Below we look at some of the ways that you can use content marketing to nurture your leads.
- Build a Social Media Presence
Social media is one of the best ways for you to communicate directly with prospects and develop a relationship. Compared to other marketing options, producing social media content is completely free. You only need to fill out a signup form and you’re good to start reaching out to customers. Right now a whopping 84% of real estate professionals are using social media to connect with their target audience.
Developing visible social media accounts will not only make it easier for you to answer customer questions, but will also allow prospects to search for you as well. Likewise, you’ll be able to promote your business with videos and photos, which show off your services, and encourage the customer to take action. Whether you’re content ends in a conversion or a simple share, you’re making yourself seen and heard.
- Start a Blog
As much as you’re looking to make a sale, it’s important to have content that provides value to the customer. After all, not every lead that comes to you will be ready or receptive to a hard sell. Producing engaging content that provides useful information to potential customers will encourage them to stick around (Which may translate into a sale further down the line).
When it comes to the real estate business, people are looking for brands that they can trust. Situating yourself as an expert via producing consistently insightful content will make you a respective member of the real estate community. Try to think about the kind of things that concern homeowners, and think outside the box. Articles telling customers “How to save a fortune on your heating” can be a great way reach new markets.
You’ve probably a lot about email marketing being a great method to reach new prospects, but one of emails greatest assets is its ability to reach customers you’ve already established a relationship with. Sharing all of your regular news, new content and property listings is a great way to start developing a consistent output of content. It also shows that you care about your customers as well.
However, if you really want to nurture leads it’s a good idea to personalize your emails as well. Personalized email messages improve click through rates by an average of 14%. One good way to approach personalization is to send trigger-based emails to users who haven’t clicked through to your site in a while. These are a good way to turn cooling leads back into warm leads.
Stop Thinking About the Bottom Line!
As counter intuitive as it may seem, taking a step back from the monthly targets and making an effort to develop a relationship with customers can lead to more sales than an outcome dependent approach to nurturing leads. Of course you want to track the number of leads that your converting, but don’t make the mistake of hard selling to everyone available to you!
Cultivating a visible social media presence, useful blog content and personalized emails will help you to build a connection between you and your customers. This way even if a prospect doesn’t pull the trigger right away, you can still play the long game, and keep popping up in their newsfeed and with emails to reignite their interest. If you want to kick start your digital marketing and develop a well-rounded presence on social media, contact us.
