5 Common Mistakes Real Estate Agents Should Avoid

Jan 02 2019 (written by Ken Marshall) 81

Marketing is essential to your success in the real estate industry. Gone are the days when you could make a splash with direct-mailers and bus stop bench ads. It takes a much higher level of consumer engagement to make waves.

While basic real estate marketing strategies seem simple enough, many pitfalls relating to marketing can hinder your career before it gets off of the ground. The best way to avoid a trap is to take note of it and avoid it before it causes you any problems.

In this guide, we will go over 5 marketing mistakes all real estate agents make and ways to prevent them in the first place.

1. Neglecting to follow up with Current/Future Clients
Following up with potential clients is the number one skill that real estate agents need to master to build their client roster and grow their business. Constant contact strategies are popular for a reason- they get results. Many new and seasoned agents engage in “qualifying” leads- essentially determining the viability of a client or deal before taking the time to vet the potential business properly.

A wasted lead or client that was not followed up with is a significant leak, especially considering the skyrocketing costs of customer acquisition in the real estate world. As in most industries, the cost of keeping a new client is significantly lower than the cost of acquiring a new one. The best way to avoid follow up issues is simple; stay in contact with potential customers.

Tailor your contact strategy to your customers. Some will prefer a phone call, others will respond better to emails, text, or physical mail. The point is to stay in contact and to remember that every customer touchpoint has value.

2. Not Taking Advantage of Digital Marketing Channels
Agents that ignore the digital revolution and the opportunities it presents do so at their own peril. You would think that every new agent would immediately recognize the value that online advertising platforms represent.

However, many new agents fail to utilize digital marketing channels to their advantage. Your goal with any marketing effort should be to get your message in front of as many eyes as possible. The best campaigns also reach the customers that are most beneficial for their business. For real estate that is generally people who are in some form of the buying or selling process.

Digital platforms like Facebook, Google Ads, Instagram, and many others are your way to identify, contact, and convert the customers you need for your business to succeed. Work with a digital marketing specialist or do the research yourself to find profitable marketing niches that will help you take your sales to the next level.

3. Spending Too Much or Too Little on Advertising
Marketing and advertising represent a massive portion of what you do as an agent. Local property knowledge, your personal and business relationships and your integrity are a big part of being an agent.

That being said, the ability to reach the right customers in your market will make or break you as an agent. Advertising comes in many forms, and some forms of advertising will be effective in different markets. For example, if you are in a primarily rural, older region, direct mailing might be a better option. For a younger, urban demographic, Instagram or Zillow might be the best method of reaching people.

Spend the necessary investment capital to get your name in front of your desired customers but avoid wasting money. A thoughtful, well-laid plan tailored to your market can help you in this regard.

4. Marketing to the Wrong Clientele
As we went over earlier, every lead is viable until it is not. As real estate marketing involves selling your brand to potential clients, you must learn how to differentiate between viable prospects and “tire-kickers” or people who are simply wasting your time. This skill takes time to learn and is one of the hallmarks of excellent agents.

When you are starting your career, it is best to try and qualify as many leads as possible, but as your business grows you will likely not have the time to do so. You should try and develop a sense of your clients when speaking with them to figure out if you will be able to work together. Doing backup research via Google or other search aggregators can help you make the right decision.

At the end of the day, it is an imperfect process, but there are certain trends you can pay attention to give yourself a leg up. For example, if you are marketing high-end real estate, there will not be many clients who are 18 and fresh out of high school. Use common sense, and background research to find the clients who fit your business.

5. Being Scared to Meet People
Real estate is a field that attracts extroverts. The reasons for this phenomenon are plentiful, but anyone who has spent any time in the field realizes that while the US runs on coffee, real estate runs on relationships. The ability of new agents to make strong relationships with their customers is paramount. Even if someone you meet is not in the market like their cousin, high school teacher, or plumber might be.

This business runs on referrals because they are a “free” source of income in a world where customer acquisition costs are relatively high compared to other sectors. Your professional peers are another group of people that you want to create relationships with. They have the ability to refer deals your way, make your deals more hassle-free or just give you advice relating to your market or industry.

There are some agents that can thrive without building concrete relationships, but they are incredibly few and far between.

Why We Fail?
Failure is the only way to success. The best real estate agents on the planet failed often during their learning curve stage(s) and you will too. That is not a bad thing. Your ability to avoid failure and learn from the mistakes of others is a surefire way to rise to the top of the real estate world. Keep that in mind and try to avoid the 5 marketing mistakes every real estate agent makes.