"If you have more money than brains you should focus on outbound marketing. If you have more brains than money, you should focus on inbound marketing." ~ Guy Kawasaki
We are avid supporters (and active implementors) of inbound marketing practices - so naturally, we were excited to see that Inman hosted webinar on the fundamentals of inbound marketing for real estate. The webinar, titled "The Art of Inbound Marketing for Real Estate" - took place on March 12th, 2015. If you missed it, you can catch the replay here.
Curious what it’s all about? Check out our recap:
Inbound Marketing: A Definition
Inbound marketing the opposite of traditional interruptive marketing. Instead of aggressive outreach, effective inbound marketers attract potential leads by providing helpful, relevant content to consumers. Inbound marketers strive to publish and share expert content in places where people search for answers to their real estate questions – which is to say, on the internet. Most consumers start their research process online and a surprising 79% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. To be an effective inbound marketer, you need to have a strong web presence and you must be viewed as a trusted source for real estate advice.
Inman’s 6 Pillars of Effective Inbound Marketing
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Pillar #1 – Publish:
Your best advice shouldn't be sitting sent to one lead in an email. Instead, it should be shared on a public platform where other potential leads can find it. First, build a business blog and be active on social media. Then, get inspired by buyer and seller questions, trends in the industry and your interests and use that inspiration to create highly engaging and relevant content.
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Pillar #2 - Promote:
Inman suggests you use the 411 formula:
- share 4 relevant posts of other people’s content (and it can’t be about you);
- re-tweet / share / re-post 1 update from someone else (you want to be viewed as a curator of content);
- promote 1 piece of content of your own (and yes, you can even spread the word about your listings).
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Pillar #3 - Capture:
“If you don’t have a good landing page, it’s like going fishing without a net: you might land a big one on your hook, but you won’t be able to drag it into the boat.” ~ Beth Morgan.
Well-designed landing pages are critical to converting online visitors into leads that you can nurture into clients.
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Pillar #4 - Nurture:
Good lead nurturing is targeted and continuous. For best results, identify your lead’s needs, create relevant nurturing content to promote engagement and be consistent. Make sure you establish and maintain your expertise and always respond to leads in a timely manner.
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Pillar #5 - Close:
Reach out to people in person and ask how you can help them. Make sure to add them to your database and make a consistent follow up part of your everyday routine.
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Pillar # 6: Analyze:
Check the analytics of your website and social media efforts at least once a week to identify what’s working and what isn’t. You want your online presence to be engaging and effective – so you should continuously optimize your promotional efforts to get higher conversion rates.
Inbound Marketing for Your Business
Though you may not have realized it, you're actually already employing inbound marketing tactics in your business every time you share your expertise with buyers and sellers. Don’t be afraid to leverage online channels (starting with your own website) to expand your reach. Having an online presence is no longer an option – it’s a necessity - so climb aboard the inbound marketing train and enjoy your ride!
How do your leverage inbound marketing in your business?
Use our free Lead Targeting Blueprint to identify and target your ideal lead demographic with your inbound marketing content: