Offline Marketing Best Practices for Your Real Estate Business
In a digital world, many of us forget that online marketing isn’t all there is. Especially in the real estate industry, offline marketing has long been a tried and true method for attracting home buyers and making sales. However, it’s not a matter of just putting together a quick listing of available properties and getting it placed in with weekly flyers. Print marketing has to be more attractive than ever, and designed to draw people in before they have a chance to throw it in the recycling bin. For example, well designed real estate flyers are a great way to market to local communities and get referrals from your existing client base.
That said, here are some common best practices for designing the perfect offline marketing campaign for your real estate business.
Create Postcards & Flyers That Work
You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. In fact, if you are an expert on real estate, then there’s a good chance that graphic design is not your thing. However, you can use a service like My Creative Shop to use a template for your flyer or postcard. There are several benefits to this. For one, online templates are tested and designed to be effective layouts for marketing. You can trust the experts who designed them.
Then, all you need to do is plug in your content. This not only saves you time when you first create a flyer, but it also saves you time every subsequent week. You will have a standard layout into which you can just plug your content every time you need to put out a flyer.
Leverage Direct Mail
Direct mail is one of the most common offline real estate marketing strategies, and rightfully so. It has proven, time and time again, it can generate leads and increase the marketing presence of real estate investors. It is often cost effective and can be a great way to reach new audiences. Direct mail can also be a good long-term strategy for investors looking to generate leads over time. When strategizing a particular direct mail campaign, identify target areas and the best ways to reach them. Direct mail campaigns can involve anything from handwritten letters to postcards–it all depends on the intended audience. Additionally, identify which types of leads you are attempting to contact and where to find them. It is a good idea to research property types and the owners you aim to reach.
Utilize Buyer Consultation Packets
A buyer consultation packet essentially contains anything you would give to prospective buyers. It should include instructions on your business process, contact information, reference forms, and any legal agreements necessary. Investors can even include local coupons or maps as an added bonus. These packets can come in handy in the event an unexpected networking opportunity arises.
Send Printed Newsletters
Under the right circumstances, a monthly newsletter can be a great way to increase awareness about your business. Investors may find success distributing a monthly business newsletter in target neighborhoods, similar to a direct mail campaign. There are several online services out there that can help make this offline strategy a reality, like Canva.
Design Done Well
Rember, the point of a flyer is to grab attention so that a consumer will take action. That action could be calling your number or visiting your website, for instance. You need to highlight certain points or details so that the viewer can easily see what you want them to see. Contrasting colors can help provide an eye-catching way for your audience to discover the actions you want them to take or the most important information. The contrast can be between certain colors, but it can also be between black and white, or bolded letters and non-bolded. Having a static font throughout without any contrast can seem boring and stale, and is a good way to have your audience toss your flyer in the trash.
Keep Your Branding Consistent
Even though it’s a different medium, make sure to keep your branding consistent between all of your marketing materials, no matter whether it’s online or offline. Your colors, logo, and everything else need to keep the experience for your audience the same when they transition between the flyer and your website. That way there’s no confusion. They should also be able to easily find the information from your print materials on your website so that they can take the action that you want them to.
Even though so many people are searching for properties online, do not forget about offline marketing. With these tips, you can create a great offline marketing strategy and get the business you need to be successful.