How many people in your market know that you invest in real estate? Telling your friends, family and even co-workers is a good start but it is far from enough. To get the success that you want you need to put yourself out there and let as many people as you can know what you do and how you do it. There will be times when you feel awkward or embarrassed telling people how you invest in real estate. If you can fight through this you will slowly become more comfortable. As a result you will start seeing your number of leads increase and eventually find more deals your way. It doesn’t take much to promote your business nowadays. Here are a few ways you can let the masses know you are a real estate investor without breaking the bank.
- Social Media. You can certainly get started in real estate without focusing on social media but if you want to get to the next level you need to commit to it. There is truly no better way to reach more people than by utilizing social media. A few posts on Facebook, twitter, Instagram and even LinkedIn can literally reach hundreds of people. A couple of likes and shares later and the next thing you know you will receive messages from people you have never met. A common theme you will hear throughout this post is consistency. You can have the best marketing idea but unless you are consistent with it nobody will ever know. Whatever you do you need to be ready to stick with it regardless of the results. You don’t know who is reading your posts but if you stop all your hard work will be erased. If you want to increase your profile daily posts throughout your social media platforms has to be part of your daily routine.
- Newspaper Ads. There is no denying that reliance on social media and the internet in general has taken off in the last decade. That being said there is still a large contingent of people who read the newspaper every day. Between daily newspapers and free local publications a newspaper ad in your market can easily reach hundreds, if not thousands, of eyeballs. Advertising a few lines in the paper is not necessarily cheap but it probably won’t break the bank either. You can choose a daily plan with a few lines or a bigger weekend ad that may include a picture. You will probably see a few other investor ads for a few weeks or so but if you commit to it you will stand out from the crowd. Like any other marketing you do you truly don’t know what impact it has on someone calling you in the future.
- Blogs & RE Websites. You don’t have to be a published author to contribute to a real estate blog. There are a handful of popular real estate sites that would publish your blog regardless of your literary or business experience. The most efficient way to get your name noticed is by picking a dedicated niche to write about. Having a niche will help you stand out from the crowd. Weekly posts about this topic will help you gain a bit of a following. In time you may be known and recognized in your market as the go to source for foreclosures, mobile home purchases or tax lien auctions. The best part is that your blog posts don’t have to be long and elaborate. Most posts are typically anywhere from 350 to 700 words. Including research time your posts shouldn’t take you more than an hour a week. With a few likes, shares and reposts you can quickly establish yourself as an authority in your niche.
- Networking. This is a basic building block for getting name recognition in your area. With every local networking meeting or real estate business club there is an opportunity to increase your profile. Many investors are intimidated by these meetings because they feel their experience level doesn’t stack up. The reality is that everyone in the room started at or near the same place you are at now. Local networking meetings may be boring at times but where else can you meet 15-20 professionals in your area at once. By showing up and contributing the odds are you can connect with at least a handful of the people in the room. At a minimum they will help get your name out and refer you in the event that someone asks for assistance. Making a connection also increases the chance they will share your social media posts which can open the door to a whole new segment of people.
- Business Card Exchanges. Everyone you meet is an opportunity to expand your business. At some point in almost every conversation you will be asked what you do for employment. Even if you only invest on a part time basis you can point out your real estate passion. From there you can touch on a few highlights of your business and end the conversation by handing out a business card. As simple as this is many investors do not do it. They feel that nobody wants their card or it is pushy to hand one out. What they do with the card is up to them but there is no reason not to offer it up. Between the parents in your children’s school, play, dance club and sports teams there may be as many as 100 people that live and work in your area. You don’t need to constantly push your real estate business on them but every one of them should be aware that you invest in real estate.
Investing in real estate is a numbers game. The more people that you can reach the greater the chance that a deal will fall on your lap.
