Real Estate Advertising — Success With Ads
Do you have questions about real estate advertising and how you can use it to grow your business? If so, you've come to right place. In this section of the Real Estate Marketing Encyclopedia we will discuss all aspects of an advertising campaign. But first, let's clear up some terminology...
What is advertising anyway? Is it the same as marketing? What are the different techniques used to create a real estate ad that gets results?
The Marketing Umbrella
The term "marketing" refers to all of the promotional techniques you use to grow your business. Think of it as an umbrella, under which you could place things such as your website, your blog, your business card, and whatever real estate advertising you do. In other words, your real estate ads are just one part of your overall marketing strategy.
To take this terminology even further, the term "real estate advertising" can mean one of two things, depending on whether it's the property or the agent being advertised. For example, a "for sale" sign is a form of property advertising, while a direct mail postcard that advertises the agent's skills is a form of agent advertising.
The diagram below will make this easier to understand:
Within the context of this website, we will be focusing on the advertising techniques used by real estate agents to promote themselves, since that is the focus of the Marketing Encyclopedia. Specifically, we will examine (A) the types of real estate advertising available to agents, (B) the key concepts of managing an ad campaign, and (C) successful techniques for creating real estate ads that work!
Types of Advertising for Agents
Let me preface this by saying there are more types of advertising than most real estate agents will ever need. Most find that they can achieve success with a couple of techniques. Of course, when you're first starting out, you will have to try a variety of real estate ad methods to find out what works best for you. Then you can limit your campaign to the most successful channels.
Option 1 — Newspaper Ads
Some agents advertise in their local newspapers as a way of generating new business. In most cities, the weekend edition (Sunday in particular) has a "Homes" section that is ideal for real estate advertising purposes. I would urge caution though. Newspaper ads can be expensive, so you should start small at first to judge the results. It's also important to learn the fundamentals of ad writing and design, or hire somebody to create a newspaper ad for you.
Option 2 — Direct Mail Advertising
Real estate agents have been using direct mail as a marketing medium for decades. Whether you're using postcards or letters you can be sure that most recipients will at least look at your message. That's more than you can say for any of the other advertising channels on this list. If you plan to use postcards in particular, I recommend that you read our book on the subject.
Option 3 — TV and Radio Ads
Over the years, I've noticed an increase in the number of real estate agents and companies who use local television advertising to attract clients. Many people think TV ads are way beyond their budget, but you might be surprised. Companies like the one featured below offer affordable packages for small business owners (including real estate agents).
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Option 4 — Search Engine Ads / Pay-Per-Click
In my opinion, search engine advertising is one of the best options for real estate agents, in terms of cost and control. Also known as pay-per-click (PPC) advertising and "sponsored search," this option lets you put your ad at the top of search engines immediately. Rankings are determined by the amount you bid per click, and the click-through rate of your advertisement.
Yahoo! Sponsored Search lists your business on top sites like Yahoo!, AltaVista and CNN. Sign up and get a $25 credit.
Creating Effective Real Estate Ads
If you want to get the best return on your advertising dollars, you need to study the fundamentals of creating ads that perform well. This involves such things as copywriting, headlines, ad design, landing pages, etc. But an effective advertising campaign actually begins long before these things. It begins with your real estate services and how they are different from those of your competitors.
I've seen a lot of real estate ads fail because the agent just didn't have anything to say — nothing remarkable or noteworthy, at least. People need a strong reason to respond to your ads. So if you have nothing more to say than "I'm an agent, and I live and work in your area" ... your advertising campaign is doomed from the beginning.
Before you worry about what to write in your headline, or how to layout your real estate ad, you need to focus on what it is you're offering. For example, let's say you are trying to get more business from buyers in your area, so you've partnered with a local mortgage professional to create a free home-buying seminar. That's something noteworthy, and it will get a lot of people's attention. It is a specific event, not just a general services pitch.
This is a good example of having something to say before you begin a real estate advertising campaign. It's the key to getting a good ROI on you ad placements.
I'd also like to introduce the topic of landing pages, if you're not familiar with them. Every ad campaign should make use of landing pages. In this context, I'm referring to a specific page of your website designed to support your advertising efforts. This is where you will direct people in your ad, so it should the content should be tailored accordingly. In the seminar example above, the landing page could present more details about the event and also allow people to sign up for it.
Landing pages are even more important for search engine advertising / PPC campaigns. For example, if I'm a real estate agent in Austin and my search engine ad says "View Austin Homes for Sale," I wouldn't want to send people to my home page. I would send them to a specific page that offers listing info ... because that's what I offered in the advertisement. This might seem like a no-brainer, but I can't tell you how many real estate ads I've seen that sent people to a crowded and cluttered home page where they had to find their way — it's a good way to kill your advertising ROI.
