As discussed in a previous post, real estate seller leads are very valuable to agents because they offer a number of benefits:
- You can take on more clients
- You have more control over your time
- You have the opportunity to represent both sides of the deal
- Bidding wars in a low inventory market can mean higher commissions
But how do you go about attracting, converting and closing seller leads?
You need to match your marketing to your potential seller leads' experience - from the moment they begin to consider selling until they're ready to call an agent.
When it comes to making a purchasing decision, consumers go through a process – coined by inbound marketing company, Hubspot, as “The Buyer’s Journey.” That term may be a bit confusing when you're talking about a seller, but it represents the seller's process of deciding whether it is necessary to buy real estate services from an agent or broker.
This journey is made up of three stages:
- Awareness
- Consideration
- Decision
Stage #1: Awareness
In the awareness stage, the buyer has realized the symptoms of a problem or opportunity.
Think of this stage as a symptomatic stage. Let’s say, for example, a potential seller who lives in San Diego, California has a job opportunity come up that would significantly lengthen their commute and they are contemplating whether or not to take it. The lead also has to decide whether or not to move to lessen the lengthy commute. There is an offer is on the table, with an understanding that a decision will be made within the next few weeks.
At this point, your leads are looking for basic information that correlates to their specific situation. Perhaps the homeowner facing a job decision is Googling things like "current market values in San Diego, CA", "how do I find out what my San Diego home is worth" or "pros and cons of job relocation". Your lead is looking for guidance and is turning to the Internet to find it.
How you can help attract leads at the awareness stage:
In the awareness stage, your lead is nowhere near ready to choose an agent. In fact, they haven’t even decided if it makes sense to commit to selling yet. But, you still have an opportunity to be helpful and influential by providing information that someone in this situation would be searching for. Offering helpful keyword optimized content in your real estate blog is a great way to provide value to leads in the awareness phase. When you publish these types of posts, known as “top of funnel” content, use keyword-rich copy to gain visibility and drive the right type of leads.
Stage #2: Consideration
In the consideration stage, the buyer has clearly defined and given a name to their problem or opportunity.What your leads are thinking:
Now, your lead has decided that selling their San Diego home is almost definitely in their future, but they still aren’t ready to pick up the phone and call an agent. At this point, they are working on making critical decisions on how to manage their job transition and how to get started with the selling process. They may also be mulling over when would be the best time to list – considering things like the current state of the market, any improvements they should make to their property to increase the value and what other properties in their neighborhood are selling for.
What your leads are looking for:
Now that your lead is committed to the idea of selling their home, they want to understand what all of their viable options are. At this point, your lead may be looking for information on managing a FSBO vs. hiring an agent or home valuation tools that will help them determine how much money they can make on the sale (and what they'll have to spend on a new property). They may also be looking into tax implications of home sales, information on what seller costs are associated with the process and information on the health of their local market.
How you can help engage leads at the consideration stage:
Once again, you can attract the right type of leads by sharing expert data on the pros and cons of FSBOS or on the health of the market and recent home sales in San Diego. Consider providing content on any of the topics listed above, or any that typically come up when you're working with a seller, that will help them better understand their options and situation.
Pro Tip:
Use our free, customizable Home Upgrades download to help sellers through the consideration stage.
Pro Tip:
Use our free, customizable Home Upgrades download to help sellers through the consideration stage.
Stage #3: Decision
In the decision stage, the buyer has defined their solution strategy, method or approach.What your leads are thinking:
Now your lead is fully aware of the viable options and is ready to start digging deep and making some serious decisions. They are definitely selling and are ready to enlist the help of an agent to make sure the process goes as smoothly as possible. Sometimes even though the decision has been made, leads can still waffle on taking the first step as they learn more about the process and the current market, so be patient and helpful until your lead is ready to take the plunge.
What your leads are looking for:
Your lead is now looking for a real estate expert who can guide them through the selling process. Your knowledge of the market, local area and real estate transactions involved in selling a home are a huge asset to your lead.
How you can help convert leads at the decision stage:
At this point, you should be providing a detailed CMA, information on various comps and what they mean and advice on how to get the most money for their property. The goal at this point is to prove that you are the best, most knowledgeable agent in your area so your lead will ask you to represent them as a seller.
Relevance is directly correlated with effectiveness, so keep these stages in mind when developing your real estate marketing strategy and content for better results and bigger payoffs.
Want more seller leads?
Zurple now offers seller lead gen + nurturing:
