Hashtags vs. Handshakes: Social Media and Real-World Marketing in Real Estate

Social Media Marketing & Offline Marketing: Is This Really a Fight?

The short answer: no. Social media marketing and offline marketing aren’t in conflict at all. And it’s not even like these two aspects of marketing are “pieces of the same puzzle,” or “two sides of the same coin.” Social media marketing is real-world marketing because you’re interacting with real people…they just happen to be online. Activities like distributing fliers, attending networking events, and striking up casual (but intentional) conversations at the grocery store can be just as important as interacting with potential clients on social media.

Synergy: Fancy word. Important Concept.

Synergy is an important concept. Instead of keeping social media marketing isolated from your offline marketing efforts, think of them both as tools that help you fill your sales funnel. Online marketing feeds into offline marketing, and vice versa. Here’s an example. Let’s say you go to the store today and you run into someone who recognizes you as a real estate agent. You have a great conversation, and you discover that this person is looking to sell their home in the next 3 months. You don’t have a business card on you, you can’t find a pen to write down any contact information, but you have a smartphone. Why not ask if he’s on Facebook? Connect with him right there. You just did social media marketing AND offline marketing in the same interaction. Now you can follow up with this potential client and use social media to expand your sphere of influence into his network.

Rethink Networking

 For some, traditional networking may bring to mind room temperature hors d’oeuvres, clammy handshakes, and awkward conversations. But if done well, networking can be an effective tool for generating leads and building professional relationships. Some agents and brokers think of networking as a strictly offline marketing opportunity. However, by combining online and offline networking, agents and brokers can more effectively market their businesses to potential clients because they’re meeting them where they are. With both social media and offline marketing, you’re working to build a professional network of clients and referral sources. And it only makes sense that the more people you know, the more opportunities you have for success. Here are some quick tips for integrating your online and offline networking efforts:

Balanced Advertising

Online and offline strategies should work together to form a balanced marketing plan. If you think about it, a lot of what you do to market your business offline translates to online marketing as well:

Your job as a real estate marketer is to figure out what kinds of ads get the best return on your investment, and then use those insights to build your business. You may be comfortable with social media, or you may not. But avoid missing out on good opportunities because you’re comfortable with a particular method or because this or that tactic worked in the past. Step outside the box and take advantage of digital marketing opportunities through social media advertising. With that said, don’t neglect offline advertising tactics because they seem dated or traditional. Maybe in your particular market, direct mail is a great avenue for marketing your listings. By all means, keep doing that. But when it makes sense to advertise your business through a combination of social media and offline marketing channels, do it! Here are a couple of practical tips for syncing your social media marketing and offline marketing:

Do Something Different Today

  Bridging the gap between your online and offline marketing efforts is an important step in growing your business. Now it’s time to take action. What will you do today? Pick one of the following action items below, and leave us a comment telling us which one you picked and how you plan on using it!