Have fun and get creative with local community marketing

As one of the largest real estate brands in the nation, Weichert places thousands of cross-country relocation referrals into the hands of affiliates. Still, the bulk of our affiliates’ business is local. Our top producing affiliates make the most of these opportunities –– and you can too.

Unlike accounting, local marketing leaves plenty of room for creativity. Thinking more like an explorer, storyteller, and fact finder not only helps you help your clients, it allows you to continue seeing your community through fresh eyes. The more involved and visible you are in the community, the more you will be perceived as part of its fabric and a trusted expert for the area.

When you bake this mindset into daily activities, local community marketing becomes almost automatic. By wearing a few different hats, you can infuse some fun into your lead generation efforts as you make new discoveries for clients –– and yourself.

Here are three personas that every top agent can inhabit with ease:

The intrepid explorer

Sure, people have access to loads of online information about schools, crime, traffic patterns, and a whole lot more. But not every answer can be found in cyberspace.

As a real estate agent, you should have a gold mine of connections for just about any need a friend, neighbor, or client may have. And we’re not just talking real estate. Being part of a network of business owners who overdeliver can become a valuable source of ongoing referrals. Think plumbers, electricians, painters, financial planners, attorneys, mechanics, doctors, dentists, pet sitters, and babysitters. Large employers who hire out-of-state talent is another good pipeline. These mutually beneficial partnerships will help you, the pros you want to support, and the clients you serve.

Speaking of exploring, do you go for long jogs, dog walks, or bike rides? By visiting different neighborhoods each time you venture out, you’ll find hidden gems throughout your city as well as valuable nuggets of information for clients. (Plus, the dog will be pretty stoked.)

Staying abreast of community events like tournaments, charity races, parades, festivals, and farmer’s markets can also help you tailor marketing efforts to various target markets. Creating a public calendar can help past and present clients get more involved in the communities they love. Plus, it’ll make your platform a resource worth revisiting regularly.

Stay tuned in to local issues and jump in when you can offer assistance. For example, when schools closed during the pandemic, many households didn’t have the internet speeds necessary to keep up with family demands. In some areas, kids were gathering outside of fast food restaurants in order to complete assignments. As usual, real estate agents were there to point families to safe, reliable hotspots around town. This kind of gesture leaves a lasting impression.

The engaging storyteller

The best real estate agents are natural storytellers. Working this talent into your local community marketing efforts can help you connect with buyers and sellers in memorable, meaningful ways.

Social media is a natural platform for showcasing homes along with engaging insights about local attractions, events, and people. Here are a few thought starters to infuse storytelling into your brand presence:

• Shoot a one-minute video of clients who just bought a home near your new listing. Ask which top three things they love most about the neighborhood.
• Link to an active local Facebook group that’s always full of interesting conversations about your area.
• Start a two-way conversation with your followers. Not only will this give your audience a break from typical marketing posts, it will allow you to have a deeper exchange of ideas while learning more about their wants and needs.
• Interview a beloved local business owner. Ask how they got started and why they chose this location.

Storytelling also allows you to put data into context. Market research, for example, can be dry and confusing. Shaping it into useful bits of information can help educate clients so they can make more informed decisions. Try turning your broker’s monthly report into an infographic your audience can digest in seconds. (You don’t need to be a designer to wow your followers.)

Finally, nothing beats boots-on-the-ground tales you can share with prospects and past clients. Whether by tweet, post, or livestream, weaving mini stories into your marketing efforts will keep them fresh and lively.

The consummate expert

There are endless ways to show off your expertise. One way is to become a neighborhood sponsor on Nextdoor, allowing you to showcase your local knowledge, build your brand, and advertise to potential clients on a zip code level. You can share upcoming open houses and add useful tips to neighborhood conversations. Here’s how to get started.

Another way to get in front of a local audience is to forge relationships with local news outlets. Reporters are always looking for subject matter experts on real estate-related topics. From doing interviews to providing quotes for a news story, becoming a reliable media resource is a great way to boost your community realty services.

Attending town meetings, joining regional Facebook groups, and connecting with business networking organizations are other good avenues for gathering information that will strengthen your local intel.  You’ll be the first to hear about renovations, road work, new businesses, and other changes around town. Going the extra mile here can really set you apart from other agents. It shows you’re invested in the community, not just closing deals.

Crunching numbers for clients is a must, but there’s simply no substitute for authentic local expertise. Those intangible links to experiences and memories are what make home buying meaningful. Remember, you aren’t just selling a home, you’re selling a lifestyle.

Need more inspo? Check out this heart-warming collection of ideas gathered by Inman. Need a group of incredible colleagues to inspire you year-round? Check out what Weichert has to offer.