Between managing clients, responding to leads, listing and marketing homes, completing deals, and returning correspondence, being a real estate agent can feel more like a juggling act than an entrepreneurial endeavor. What’s more, online resources have become the primary way that buyers find homes. Effectively utilizing digital marketing to sell homes online requires expertise that you may not have in-house. Virtual marketing assistants can help bridge the gap by providing realtors with this expertise. Here are some examples of how they can assist:
Online Listings and Advertising
At the heart of online marketing is utilizing MLS and MLS aggregators like Zillow and Realtor.com to let buyers know about your properties. This work is tailor-made for virtual marketing assistants, who can compose creative descriptions for the listed properties, touch up photos, edit videos, and post the listing. Virtual marketing assistants can also assist with setting up advertising campaigns on these sites so that your listings reach more potential buyers.
Social Media
Social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram have morphed into an incredible new method to reach potential home buyers and can’t be neglected if agents want to compete in today’s market. Social media allow realtors or companies to garner a following. These platforms are best employed to develop the agent’s brand, rather than for making sales. Here’s your opportunity to educate potential buyers about the neighborhoods in which you sell, establishing yourself as a noteworthy and likable authority. Instagram and Facebook management are some of the most commonly outsourced tasks — creative VA’s will keep your feeds updated with interesting content from around the web, original content written on your behalf, and post videos and images that showcase your neighborhoods. Further, your virtual assistant can also man your account while you are in the field, responding to any questions or comments made on your page or posts.
If you’re looking to market a listing directly on social media, your marketing VA can create an advertising campaign that targets your particular audience, incorporates quality designs, and calibrate the campaign to achieve the best results.
Website
Having a well-structured and contemporary website can make or break your online-reputation, especially in our digital age. Agents are expected to have a digital presence, whether it’s an individual website or the agencies.
Finding a web-savvy VA will provide limitless possibilities to capture new leads from your website. Retrofitting the website’s design only scratches the surface of their potential. A few tasks a VA can take off your plate include adding and updating listings, incorporating client testimonials, adding forms for direct contact, and authoring search-engine-optimized blogs to rank higher in Google searches (and showcase your real estate expertise!) Your marketing virtual assistant can also add functional features like chatbots and automatic appointment scheduling.
Old School Marketing
The popularity of digital marketing has exploded, yet it neglects many non-tech users that may be in the market for a home. To this audience, traditional media can still be highly effective. Consider requesting a VA with design capabilities— they can design, order, and have shipped a variety of direct marketing supplies such as flyers, mailers, and brochures.
Other opportunities could be researching traditional media advertising options. Newspapers and local publications can reach a different audience than a Facebook ad—consider asking your VA to prepare a comprehensive comparison.
Virtual marketing assistants can also help you with event planning and community involvement opportunities. Real estate provides a lot of ways for you to connect with your local community. Get creative with your marketing VA and brainstorm some unique ways to get involved!
As the saying goes, time is money. A Virtual Marketing Assistant will make the most out of your time by providing the expertise your firm may not have and freeing you up to make more sales.