OK, yes, things suck right now. You can’t control what the CDC does, what NAR does, or what your state or the local association of Realtors orders you to do. Oh, not to mention what your broker is telling you to do, or not to do.
Regardless of your current circumstances, and however you are affected by the Coronavirus, this is a golden opportunity.
First, set aside your doubts and excuses. The agents that take action now, will come out way ahead on the other end of this thing.
I have dozens of ideas for building your business right now. I’m going to present 5 in this post, and if you want more, contact me and we can have a one-on-one conversation. M’kay?
Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.
~Thomas A. Edison
1. Mine Your Database
This is the perfect time to contact the people in your database. Get on Instagram, Facebook, email, or the phone and check in with your contacts.
Use the DM feature on Instagram. Messenger on Facebook. Use your personal email or phone to call your database.
What should you say? Ask them how they and their family are doing. How are they coping with the pandemic? Is there anything you can do to help?
Find out or check if they are elderly or otherwise have an underlying condition that may leave them more susceptible to the contagion. Do they have elderly parents? Take an actual interest in their well-being. You don’t have to solve their problems, just be a resource and a human with genuine concern.
2. Work on Your Marketing Plan
As the saying goes, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. You should have a marketing plan in place at all times. If you don’t currently have a plan, start one today.
This should include your social media plan, email marketing plan, blogging schedule, and free reports to build your list. If you have a team or are on one, you may want to do a more in-depth plan, including the roles each member of your team will play.
The HubSpot article I linked to above is pretty comprehensive, and not necessarily targeted to real estate agents or real estate teams, but it does provide some excellent tools for you to use.
If you’re a company of one like I am, you can keep your marketing plan simple. Simple is good. Create a simple plan and stick to the plan.
One final comment on this. Having a marketing budget is important. It’s recommended that you budget 25 to 30% of your (business) income for marketing.
Marketing is what gets you business over the long run. All successful companies have a marketing budget. Start at 10% if your general budget is tight. Then increase to the recommended level as you grow your income.
3. Work on Your Marketing Assets
Start creating content while you’re stuck at home. This is the perfect time to create content for the coming month or several months if you can.
Here are some of the things you should be creating:
- Social media posts including images, photos, and sound real estate related advice.
- Free reports include helpful tips for home buyers, homeowners, and home sellers.
- Blog posts and web pages that educate potential buyers and sellers about the process of purchasing a home, or listing their home for sale.
- Update your bio or ‘About’ page. This is one of the most important pages on your website. It should be current, welcoming, and where prospects can get to know you before they contact you.
- Write a month’s worth of email updates and schedule them to go out over the coming weeks.
4. Update Your Business Profiles
When was the last time you updated your Facebook bio? Same question for your Instagram bio? Do they represent you in the best light? Take a look at what you’ve got and see if you can improve it.
Spend a few minutes and update or revamp your LinkedIn profile. Check your Google My Business (GMB) account. Is it complete? Does it show your current office hours?
Also, you might want to share a post telling your prospects that you are only doing virtual appointments at this time. And if you don’t have a GMB account, now is the time to set one up.
5. Get Educated
Now is the time to bone up on skills you lack or need to get up to date on. Things like Facebook marketing, using Instagram for Realtors, apps for real estate or content creation.
Learn how to use Canva or other social media tools.
Start working on your continuing education so you’re ready to renew your real estate license when the time comes.
Take a course on something you’re interested in, like a hobby, how to take better real estate listing photos, or learn how to play the guitar.
Sign up for an educational webinar. There are loads of free training available through NAR, Inman, your IDX provider, and on Facebook or YouTube.
Conclusion
You could sit at home and binge on Netflix, play with the kids, or worry about what the future holds. If that’s what you want to do, go ahead. But fit in some constructive activities that will lead to business when all of this is over.
Like a bad burrito ,
this too shall pass.
Nothing relieves boredom, depression, and anxiety, like getting involved with your community, helping others, and getting things accomplished. However, if you are feeling desperate, reach out to a counselor or therapist to get help moving forward.
Of course, there a plenty of other worthwhile things you could be doing to build your business or help your community during this crisis.
Generally speaking, I wouldn’t focus too much on listings and sales. That just ain’t gonna happen much until this thing blows over. Instead, focus on developing your relationships with your current database, and building new relationships with suspects and prospects.
Stay safe!
BTW, if you have any suggestions or ideas you’d like to share, please leave them in the comments below. Thanks!