Do you know why you follow accounts on Instagram? Or why you click the subscribe button on YouTube? And why people are more likely to make a purchase based on a recommendation on an Influencer?
During the recession a number of businesses were able to grow their pipeline, even when consumer spending was at an all-time low. They did this by offering free advice. Even companies such as Home Depot will share DIY solutions to maintain their audience. Real Estate agents can do something similar by offering free real estate advice, such as offering a moving checklist or a home seller's guidebook.
It's a great idea to post real estate tips onto your social media pages regularly. This type of value will make people want to subscribe and train them to look forward to your next piece of insider knowledge. There are times when it is appropriate to send a lead to your site to capture a little more information. For example if you put this moving checklist behind a lead capture form - you can capture a lead's information and also know who is likely to move into a new house in the future.
Getting a single free sample isn't enough to buy a box of pizza bagels. However, offering multiple free samples is enough to buy a Costco membership. What this means is that there isn't a single piece of content that will convert a fan to a lead. It is your delivery habits of good content that will earn their trust that will cause them to choose you as their agent once they are ready to start a conversation with a real estate professional.
You can attach this moving checklist as an attachment to an email to build value and trust with your database. An alternative is to use a landing page that will take them to a page where they can download the content. Either way, if you are using the right email systems - you are able to keep track of who is downloading the content. If you are using this moving checklist, you have a better idea of who is likely to move to a new home.
Content marketing is a way to build trust and provide value to your book of business before meeting them in real life. Don't forget, the home buying journey starts with a form fill - not when they first ask to schedule a showing. Guide them to that appointment by effective nurturing.