What Real Estate Agents Should Do During Slow Months
Like any business, real estate has its peaks and valleys. The busy months of spring and summer tend to give way to a quieter fall and winter. The slower season is not only a great opportunity to rest and catch your breath from the months of long hours and frenzied deals, but it’s also the perfect time to develop a rigorous marketing plan for the coming year. Here are three things to do to keep you busy during your slower months.
Audit Your Marketing Plan
If you want to get off to a strong start in the spring, the slow season shouldn’t mean slowing down. Now is the time to double down on marketing and networking.
How often do you connect with your sphere? Is it enough to get maximum engagement from your audience? Are you using the right channels (email, postcards, newsletters, social media posts)? Is your content engaging and appropriate for your audience?
Answer these questions honestly and get feedback from trusted associates. Don’t be afraid to look critically at the past year so you can expand on what worked and learn from what didn’t.
Set Goals
Goal-setting categories may include gross commission and net income, number of referrals, team size, number of social media followers, prospecting time, and number of online reviews.
You can challenge yourself to increase your engagement to expand your database size, or enter a region or niche market that’s new to you. And setting a goal to determine your agent “brand” will go a long way in shaping how and when you need to market and who your audience should be.
After you’ve set your goals and made a plan, it’s critical to create a spreadsheet calendar to keep track of your marketing efforts for the year. It’s easy for something to get overlooked during the busy season, so following a pre-determined calendar will save you a lot of time that you just won’t have as the sales ramp up.
Educate Yourself
Get involved in the things you’ve always said you don’t have time to do. Taking a class or training seminar, volunteering or joining a club will not only help with networking, it will also improve your conversation skills and sharpen your mind.
Be sure to keep on top of any real estate and design trends you may have missed. Become THE expert in the area you represent. Trust is built when a client is impressed by your knowledge of neighborhood hot spots, architectural and interior design styles, or anything that sets you apart from the competition.
Marketing is an investment, not an expense, and now is the time to think about investing in your business. Let’s explore how we can work together to use these slower months to your advantage and set you up for success in 2022.
