Imagine your ideal client. Who are they? What kind of house do they live in? Where do they shop, what is their favorite television show, and what’s their favorite restaurant? The answer to these questions may seem irrelevant now, but understanding who your perfect customer is will help you streamline your marketing efforts later on. With this knowledge, you can tailor all of your marketing materials to speak directly to them – which means more leads for the time spent!
Why You Need to Understand Who Your Ideal Client Is
No one enjoys spending time with someone they don’t like, and when you’re running your own real estate business, working with the wrong people could result in you not enjoying your job.
The truth is when you stop chasing down your next lead and start working to make genuine connections with others who have similar interests, making sales becomes so much easier.
Attracting your ideal real estate client doesn’t have to be hard; all it takes is a little bit of time, pen, and paper.
Understanding Your Ideal Client
If I were to ask you, who is your ideal client, how would you answer that?
“People who are thinking about buying and selling.”
In reality, that answer is too vague.
When you try to attract everyone, you attract no one, and that could be the very reason you’re not seeing growth with your social media profiles or why your not converting your real estate leads.
Your leads don’t feel heard.
When you understand who your ideal client is – what makes them tick, what gets them excited – they’re more likely to feel a connection with you. Let your followers know that you’re empathetic to their wants and needs; you understand what they’re going through.
Defining Your Target Audience
No two people are alike, just like no two clients are the same.
There’s too much information out there for you to be able to attract everyone – so why waste your time trying?
Instead of focusing on what makes you different from other real estate agents in your area, focus on who is attracted to those differences and need it most.
Come up with a list of characteristics that define the ideal client that would follow everything about your marketing efforts. From their age range all the way down to how often they post online or shop at local businesses. If you’re not sure where to begin, ask yourself these questions:
What do I want my page/profile/account(s) to say about me to my target audience?
What are the common interests I share with the people I would to attract?
How much time do they spend on social media every day, and which ones are their favorites?
Once you have your list compiled, this will be a helpful tool when it comes to setting up content calendars or mapping out an entire year’s worth of marketing plan. Think about what kinds of visuals and copy need to go along with each post so that all elements work together in harmony.
How Do You Attract Your Ideal Client?
The simple answer, you talk to them.
If you’ve been in the industry for any length of time, then you probably have a few past clients who absolutely rave about you and your services; use them as a model for your ideal client.
If you’re new to the industry, think about some of your close friends that you enjoy spending time with. What accounts do they follow online? How do they spend their weekends? Why did they choose the neighborhood they live in?
The foundation of any relationship is getting to know someone, so spend time getting to know the people you want to serve most.
Show Up Where They Show Up
While everyone you work with will be unique, there’s one thing that all your clients will have in common…
They have a favorite social media site.
What you need to find out is what social media site do the majority of your ideal clients hang out on.
If you’re not generating leads online, it could be because you’re spending time on the wrong platform.
Speak to their Current Situation
While you’re spending time getting to know your ideal client, they’re doing the same with you – make sure they know you can relate to their situation.
They want to know that if they choose you as their agent, it will be a smooth ride, and you’re always thinking of their best interest.
For example – let’s pretend your target audience is first-time home sellers. You’re targeting married homeowners with young kids and/or expanding their family, so they need more space.
For many sellers, the one part of the process they dread the most is showings because the house needs to be presentable at all times, and as a family with young kids, keeping it tidy can be stressful; how can you as the agent resolve that fear?
Simple, by sharing a staging tip.
“Keeping a house clean with a toddler running around is hard enough, but keeping it clean all day every day for showings while it’s on the market, well that’s enough stress to make you want to pull your hair out.
As a real estate agent, my job is to get your house sold, but as a parent, I’m going to share a few secrets on how you can keep your home show-ready even when you have a child who wants nothing more than to pull every toy out of the toy box.”
You’ve addressed their fear.
You’re letting them know you understand their situation.
You’re showing how you will help them fix the problem.
What Working With You Looks Like
Here’s where most real estate agents, and businesses for that fact, mess up with their marketing.
(And yes… I’ve made this mistake too)
You jump right into why they should work with you.
Here’s the thing, your business isn’t about you; it’s about the transformation you can provide your client. How are you going to take them from their situation from their current situation and move them into a better situation?
How does someone feel after they’ve closed on the sale of their home?
What will their day-to-day life be like once they’re in a larger home?
When you show your clients their ideal transformation, they’ll be dying to work with you over other real estate agents.
Remember, focus on your client’s transformation, not your services.
Generating Real Estate Leads
By walking your ideal client through the transition they will take by using you as their real estate agent, they’ll be ready to take the next step.
So, what step should they be taking?
Moving them from your social media accounts to your email list, and to do that, it’s time to prove your worth.
The best way to do that is by promoting a real estate lead magnet or opt-in. An opt-in is a great way to give your followers a quick win in return for their contact information, allowing you to nurture them to the point of sale.
By creating a lead magnet that provides a lot of value and further details on how you’re aware of the problems they’re facing, you’re going to be the first phone call they make when they’re ready to enter the real estate market.
If you can get to know your ideal client, meet them where they are at, and show them that your real estate services will help transform their current situation, you won’t just attract your perfect client, you’ll convert them too.