As a real estate listing agent, there are certain things you feel you need to check off the list in order to adequately market a home; however, you don’t need to print out hundreds of flyers to have a successful career.
Instead, consider alternatives ways to be more eco-friendly? Keep reading for seven suggestions.
Print’s not dead but the need for it is. Anything you print out for a listing to leave in front of a grocery store or inside a restaurant is only going to lead people online. It’s not going to be their number one source of information. When people see a home that interests them, the first thing they do is go online to verify that what they found is still relevant.
But would they have found the home without the printed material? The answer is undoubtedly yes. Simply put, it’s how people’s brains work. A flyer or pamphlet may have engaged someone’s curiosity, but the online listing cements it.
Save your money and save the planet by doing away with these archaic modes of advertising. The only reason you may feel a need to do it is tradition or peer pressure — not because it gives you a competitive edge.
Leave no real estate website unturned! This means your listings need to appear on:
Since you won’t be printing any flyers for the home, the listing on each of these websites needs to be top-notch. Hire a professional photographer if you need to so that the home actually looks inviting online. Though an iPhone takes great pictures, it still doesn’t compare to the power of a DSLR camera with a top notch lens.
Far too many real estate listing agents neglect the websites listed above in favor of their own listing site. Though this is understandable, it’s not logical. Home buyers now use the above sites as their primary source for real estate information. By excluding them, you’re limiting your potential pool of buyers.
Though you may want to seem like you have a unique slice of the market, buyers will likely come away with the opposite conclusion. Homebuyers want to see the full market in one place, rather than a niche site curated with just your listings. Online solutions not only eliminate the need for paper materials, they also cast the net wide for potential buyers.
3-D tours of homes are a great way to generate enthusiasm for a home. Anyone remotely interested in a home is going to watch a 3-D tour of a home (and rewatch it, and rewatch it). It also saves anyone interested from the hassle of making a tour themselves for their spouse. Plus, it might even save someone from making an unnecessary drive to see a listing.
Nervous to get in front of the camera and give a guided tour? You don’t need to talk. Just download some copyright free music and add a few descriptions to go along with what is on screen.
Plus, if you’ve already hired a photographer, you’ll likely be able to get him or her to add the movie on as an additional service. However, if you can’t warrant the price, a movie shot on your iPhone will more than suffice. There aren’t many homes listed that currently offer this service. You should do it to be eco-friendly, but you should also do it to stand out.
You likely already do this, but if you don’t, start reusing your signage. Though a majority of house searches are done online, there’s no reason to not put a for-sale sign in the front yard. If nothing else, it helps homebuyers quickly spot the property during weekend drive-bys.
If you’re thinking about flyers, we’re not. Most people have smartphones, so provide a text code on the sign, which you can reuse for future listings.
Using Facebook and Instagram, you can reach your target buyer quite easily. These social media sites can dramatically increase awareness and interest in a newly listed home and support paperless marketing. Wait until you’ve gotten a professional photographer out to the house so that you can use those visuals for the ad (as well as that 3-D tour).
Plus, hyper-targeted ads help you reach the best buyers, which eliminates excessive showings (and driving) to houses that aren’t actually good matches for certain buyers.
Another paperless option is to use an online platform to manage the seller disclosure statement process. It cuts back on paper and ink, not to mention it gives your clients added value in terms of faster and more secure filing of these forms.
Digital platforms, like Sellers Shield’s Gold Standard Disclosure Process™, offer a much more sustainable solution for listing agents who don’t want to add to paper waste by using physical disclosure statements. Not only that, but you’ll save on space in your office by filing your records online. It’s a win-win by all accounts.
You already have the tools at your disposal to be an eco-friendly listing agent. Make conscious use of them, and don’t be afraid to tell people. Let them know there’s a method to your madness. Millennial buyers greatly appreciate mindfulness, so there’s no reason to hide your intentions!
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