6 Marketing Tools to Build Your Business

Your marketing efforts serve two masters: you and your sellers. Let's discuss the latter first. Marketing each seller's property helps you to move it more quickly and for more money. Pretty obvious, right? Then there's the other side of marketing, the marketing you do to increase your client base. That's what we're here to discuss today. We collaborated with VirtualTourCafe (www.VirtualTourCafe.com) to bring you these ideas for marketing tools to build your business (and often sell your listings at the same time).

Twofers

Sometimes you find a tool or strategy that provides a twofer – helps you sell a property and helps build your business. Let's look at a few of those first.

1) QR Codes: When you place a QR code on your sign rider or other marketing collateral, you aren't just offering more information about that property. You are also providing a valuable link to your website. Oftentimes, the prospective buyer may browse past the property details and learn more about you. Of course, this is more likely if you have an effective website, which is yet another reason to make sure your online presence is as strong as possible.

2) Single Property Websites: A slick single property website isn't just for mansions and large estates – it's for every single one of your listings. Showing that each of your properties is a superstar doesn't just help move the listing more quickly, it also shows your professionalism and commitment to your clients. It says, "No matter what the listing price may be, I treat each and every one of my listings as a top priority."

3) Virtual Tour Videos: When you convert your virtual tours into video and place them on YouTube, you aren't just opening up the home to a broader audience of prospective buyers; you are also gaining visibility as an agent. The people who see your video will be as impressed by your marketing savvy as they are by the property's features.

Here's an example from VirtualTourCafe:

Just for You

When you're trying to win new business, your marketing will not focus on a specific property. Instead you'll be farming neighborhoods for leads or communicating directly with a prospect during a listing presentation.

4) iPad Listing Presentations: Show off your marketing skills by creating a mobile listing presentation. This establishes right away that you will market the seller's property where many potential buyers are looking: on Web-enabled mobile devices like the iPad.

5) Neighborhood Virtual Tours: Demonstrate that you are the neighborhood expert with neighborhood virtual tours. These are a real draw for both buyers and sellers.

Here's an example from VirtualTourCafe: Showcase Your Marketing Skills

6) Newsletter Opt-In: On all online marketing collateral, whether it's about a specific property or all about you, it's a good idea to include a link or button that leads to your newsletter opt-in. Some great places to include this button would be: virtual tours, neighborhood virtual tours, single property websites, and the About Me page on your website.