Return on Investment is something I hear about all the time. Clients want to know that their investment will yield results and as an entrepreneur myself I can say it’s something that is always top of mind when I invest in my own marketing. Whether you are a seasoned real estate agent with an ample marketing budget, or a new realtor looking for the most cost-effective strategy these 5 real estate marketing ideas deliver some of the best ROI and the best part? They are all 100% free!

one | SOCIAL MEDIA

I’m betting you have at least one social media account, and I’m sure you know how to post those awesome photos of you on vacation and your pristine pictures of your latest listing, but are you using social media as a real estate marketing tool to bring in new clients?  Sharing behind the scenes snaps of your staging process, before and afters, helping tips and tricks are all great ways to maximize engagement but the best way to ensure you get the best ROI or ROT (return on time)  is to post regularly and consistently, most social media experts suggest posting at LEAST once a day to get your posts seen by the most amount of people. So if you’re looking for a cost-friendly marketing campaign, schedule 20 minutes a day to focus on your social media strategy. It may not be instantly rewarding, but it’s definitely worth the time if you’re in this for the long haul.

two | FREE CONTENT

Free content is gold! Being stingy with what you know is the fastest way to alienate and divide… anything and everything you know is something that someone out there needs to know. So how exactly do you share this free knowledge? Start a blog addressing the most common real estate questions your clients are asking, current market issues and fun articles they can relate to. Create a brochure or checklist for buyers or sellers, or create a monthly newsletter with all the greatest places to visit around the city, market trends, your favourite recipes and home tips and tricks. When you offer freebies to your audience, they are more likely to start to trust and know you as an expert in your field.

three | TESTIMONIALS

Chances are you’ve had some clients who were blown away by your amazing service. If you’ve worked with even just a handful of people, shoot them an email asking for a testimonial, you can even make it easy by sending a questionnaire so they have questions to guide them. Once you have a testimonial use it EVERYWHERE. Why not get your clients to do the talking for you? This is a great tool and can be multi-purposed on your website, in your marketing materials, and on social media. Pro Tip, when you meet with your clients, and when they are over the moon happy, ask them if you can record a short video testimonial on the spot, have 3 or 4 questions ready to ask them. Video testimonials are a great way to add validity to your brand.

four | EMAIL MARKETING

Do you have an email list? If you don’t you should and a great way to grow your list is to have an opt-in on your site directing people to some of your free content. That freebie we talked about earlier, this is a great thing to exchange for email addresses. The more valuable you make this piece the more likely you are to get addresses, so give them your best stuff, and establish trust right off the bat. Jumping into peoples inbox once a week or month keeps you front and centre in their minds and if you are always offering valuable content that isn’t spammy, then they are more likely to get know, like and trust you, which is the best way to ensure they think of you first when it comes to time to buy or sell their home.

five | VIDEO

These days anyone with an iPhone can be a videographer so what are you waiting for? Shooting a video has never been easier and with platforms like IGTV and Youtube, you are doing yourself a huge disservice if you aren’t pumping out some video content weekly. So what kind of videos could you be posting? Behind the scenes on staging day, a glimpse into your home life, tips and tricks to help buyers and sellers navigate things like moving, DIY staging, upgrades and reno’s, examples of curb appeal … the list goes on and on. Video is a great way to stay top of mind with your clients and allows them to get to know you and your services on a more intimate level.

There you have it, 5 free ways to up-level your real estate marketing and get some great ROI. There’s absolutely nothing to lose with these freebies, I urge you to choose one from the above list and get out there and start making an impact.