In part one of this series, we heard about the importance of local knowledge, new business models, and research skills for agents who want to provide value in age of online real estate. These are themes that our next two industry commentators are in tune with.

Kelly Millar, CEO of social marketing tool SOBOX and former consumer marketing manager of Australian property portal realestate.com.au, says agents need to position themselves as “trusted advisors” for those looking buy and sell.

“It’s not just about the actual transaction,” Millar says, “but building long term relationships with customers and prospects, and positioning themselves as a credible and knowledgeable resource.”

“Whilst agents have always understood the value of a database of prospects and customers, social media channels provide an avenue for agents to take these relationships to the next level,” Millar adds.

“They can engage with people in the most interactive environments, be it via their blog, Facebook or Twitter page. They can listen to their prospects and customers in ways they never have before, and find opportunities to build their business through online engagement with consumers in a timely and relevant manner.”

1000wattconsulting.com’s Brian Boero has plenty of insights for agents in his blog posts, and says a seemingly obvious yet fundamental shift needs to take place if agents are to stay relevant.

“Agents who want to prosper today must get better at things that are important to their clients,” Boero says. “Better at marketing property. Better at negotiating. Better at pricing. That sounds like a rather obvious statement, but when you consider that real estate has been conditioned to recruit marginally skilled people and train them on selling themselves it’s actually quite radical.”

“Agents that can’t work a spreadsheet, pull the right online marketing levers, and price and negotiate in a manner commensurate to the gravity of transacting shelter are going to struggle,” Boero adds.

What are your thoughts on the role of real estate agents in the online age? Let us know in our comments.

Welcome to our new Agent Strategies series, where we get the inside word on how agents from across the globe are marketing themselves online.

Today’s strategy insight comes from Jim Cheney, an agent who works in Rincon Valley, California. Jim is using a formula that should be familiar to most readers – driving traffic to his website via a regularly updated blog. Jim’s story shows just how effective this simple strategy can be:

“I’ve been a real estate agent since 2003, and mostly advertised in the local newspaper and Homes and Land Magazine. The newspaper was about $400 a month for classified and open house ads, and Homes and Land was $800 per issue for a full page ad. At the end of the year I would have spent thousands of dollars on advertising.

In 2009 I took a technology in real estate seminar presented by Dick Betts, a national real estate trainer. I learned of the positive aspects of blogging, and how and where to blog. I try to blog daily, and am the top blog producer on Active Rain for Sonoma County.

I recently began “hyper local” blogging where my blogs are about local issues related not to my city, buy to my neighborhood (Rincon Valley). My articles are keyword rich, which makes my blog pop up on the the first page of a Google search containing “Rincon Valley property” as the search term.

I get one to two contacts per week from potential clients who visit my web page. When I ask these contacts how they became familiar with my website, they tell me they found it while searching for property on the Internet.

I no longer do print advertising. I get more leads now at a minimal cost ($30 per month for an Active Rain premium membership) and the cost of my website, saintfrancisproperty.com.

I’m lucky that most of my peers have not realised the power of blogging or SEO, and still rely on print advertising. I’d be willing to bet only 10 percent of the agents in my office know what SEO stands for. I laugh when I look at the local newspaper classified section and see seven listings advertised in a city that has hundreds of active listings.

I know that eventually my peers will catch on and I will have more compitition for Internet clients, however I will be far ahead in the game, and to tell you the truth, am not really concerned.”

Got a great online marketing strategy you’re keen to share? Get in touch with us at editor@propertyadguru.com.

If you’re reading this article, chances are you’re well aware of the challenges the online age has created for real estate agents. Those in the property market can now draw on a vast range of tools and resources to help them in their transaction, and not all are convinced working with an agent is the best strategy.

When potential clients can access a vast range of market information and property listings online, and even buy and sell their own properties via the Internet if they choose, how do agents highlight their value? That’s the question we asked a number of industry commentators, each of whom had a slightly different set of suggestions.

Andy Salo, founder of US For Sale By Owner website yigdigs.com, argues that Generation Y will change the way the real estate industry works, but that there are two ways agents can remain relevant.

“Real estate agents should continue to be extremely knowledgeable about their local area – selling prices, trends, areas that are doing well and not so well, and knowing amenities that are appealing to buyers in their area,” Salo suggests. “Being seen as a knowledgeable guru will always be valuable.”

Salo adds that agents need to be open to new business models and compensation structures. “I truly believe that the 6 percent commission will go away as we know it today,” he says. “Buyer’s agent commissions will likely stay in some form, but seller’s commissions will migrate to a la carte services.”

“I believe a forward thinking agent today can get out in front of this trend by offering creatively priced services including flat fee MLS and discounted service packages. A smart agent I believe should brand themselves as an expert consultant rather than sales person for hire on commission.”

Jim Kimmons, real estate blogger for about.com, says that while home hunters now have access to huge amounts of local information, “a lot of it is either inaccurate, of little value, or both.”

“The value of a real estate agent to their buyer in the future will be enhanced by their ability to sift through the information and sources, advising their client as to what is valuable, what is not, and what is actually detrimental to their interests,” Kimmons says. “The real estate professional should visit and learn about the places where their customer is getting information, assess its value and accuracy, and be ready to condense the best of it to help their clients.”

Kimmons goes on to explain that sellers have the same set of problems, as online valuations can use information from sources that aren’t necessarily reliable.

“A thorough set of CMAs from the MLS – one for recently sold properties, and another for currently listed competition – is one of the most valuable services the listing agent can provide,” says Kimmons. “The listing broker can also help the seller to sort through all of the online marketing resources and show them which are actually of value in getting their home in front of the greatest number of qualified buyers.”

We’ll have more advice from our contributors in part two. Until then, let us know your take on the issue in our comments.

If you’ve been running a website long enough, chances are you’ve had an email that reads something like this: “I just visited your website and think your content is excellent. I feel a link exchange between our websites would be mutually beneficial.”

It all sounds convincing at first, but on closer inspection you find the request is from a website that has no connection to real estate whatsoever. So why on earth are these people getting in touch? Chances are, they’re still convinced that link volume is the key to great search engine rankings.

In a way, they’re right. It’s generally agreed that the higher the number of legitimate links to your website, the higher it will rank in search engine results. But the key word these days is “legitimate”. As searchenginewatch.com pointed out back in 2002, search engines have evolved to recognise artificial link building strategies.

Today, good link building means you need to plan rather than spam. Some tried and tested strategies – recommended by SEO experts time and again – include:

1. Great content. In a perfect world, your website would be so interesting and informative that other people would have no choice but to link to it. In this case, all you’ve done is put the effort into making great content, which we’ve discussed in depth here.

2. Guest posts. Ok, so perhaps your website isn’t so perfect that you can simply sit back and let the links roll in. But another way to get relevant websites to link back to you is to offer to write guest posts. As long as what you’re offering is relevant and well written, this should be a win-win situation: less work for them, more links for you.

3. Ask, but do it with care. The link exchange request described above is a bad example of a reasonable strategy. So how do make it work? Rather than sending the same hopeful email to a hundred websites, start by doing your research and find those that at least have a section dedicated to links.

Next, place a link to that website on your links page (as long as it’s actually relevant to your readership). Once you’ve done that, contact the webmaster to let them know you’ve already linked to them, and explain exactly where you’d like your link to be placed. You can even go as far as providing them with the html, making their job as simple as cutting and pasting.

Needless to say, those three tips only scratch the surface of link building. If you’re keen to dive deeper into the topic, we suggest you start with searchengineland.com’s Link Week series, which offers plenty of wisdom and a bit of tough love to those in the link building business.

As a real estate agent, you’re probably all too aware that you’re one of many people offering a similar service. Chances are, there are a number of agents working in or near your area with whom you need to compete. So how do you make sure you stand out?

In any marketplace, the idea of the “unique value proposition“, or UVP, is key. UVP might sound like a hazy marketing term, but all it refers to is the thing you do differently to your competitors. Identifying your UVP can help you focus your business and ensure you don’t waste too much energy covering the same bases as everyone else.

In terms of online marketing, your UVP could be the fact that:

- Your website gives people the best information about a certain area;
- Your website is somewhere people can find trustworthy advice about the buying and selling process;
- You’re an active, helpful member of an online social network who strives to help home hunters;
- Your portal listings are the most detailed of any agent in your market, complete with good photos and great copy;
- You send out a well-written, informative email newsletter once a week that people really want to read.

In defining your UVP, infomarketerszone.com points out that you don’t need to limit your thinking to your own industry. “Study successful companies of all types,” they advise. “Seek to understand their unique value proposition. How are they different in the market?”

One last tip: your UVP should be based on something you’re good at, and ideally enjoy doing. You could aim to be your market’s best real estate photographer, but if that’s not where your strength lies, you’re much better off emphasising areas where you know you can deliver.

Avid followers of online trends will already be familiar with Foursquare, the wildly popular location-focused social network that lets its users earn points and unlock “badges” when they visit certain locations and “check in”.

Whether you’re a Foursquare convert or have never heard of location-based mobile social networking before, chances are you’ll be interested in CEO Dennis Crowley’s tips on how to grow a small business.

Crowley, an ex-Google employee, shared his marketing insights with openforum.com, revealing just how effective an informal approach to marketing can be.

Crowley explained that Foursquare leans heavily on Twitter to communicate almost everything the company does. “Keeping users in the know doesn’t take any more than a few seconds and your most loyal users will spread the word via [retweets],” he said.

Foursquare also uses Twitter to find people who are having problems with their service and tries to solve the issue publicly.

“Making yourself part of the conversation shows users you’re listening and care about the issues they have,” Crowley said.

Overall, Foursquare’s approach is open, friendly, and focused on people rather than product. It’s certainly working for them – could this strategy have the same effect on your real estate business?

The data confirms something many already understand: recommendations from friends often have a much greater impact than those that come from advertisers. But how can real estate agents leverage a network like Facebook to bring in business without coming across as advertisers?

clarkcountryrealestateguide.com provides a perfect example of how to achieve this. Here, agent Dale Chumbley attracted 7,000 Facebook fans in just over two weeks with the simple strategy of publishing 365 things to do in his area over 365 days. So far, he’s written about museums, local cafes, bike trails, fishing – a wide range of topics that’s clearly appealed to just as wide a range of people.

Chumbley’s success backs up our previous advice on Facebook fans: give people a reason to become a fan. Of course, this goes for regular Facebook profiles as well as fan pages. Ask yourself why people would add you to their network of Facebook friends. Perhaps you’re the expert on the local music scene and could list all the upcoming gigs in your area. Or maybe you’re passionate about appreciating the local environment and could post photos and advice on the best hiking and camping spots.

Because it has such a massive worldwide audience, it’s easy to argue that being on Facebook at all is a smart marketing move. But to get the most out of it, you need to be offering something in return. Decide where your strength lies, then get out there and share it with the world.

After surveying 1,300 agents and brokers, US real estate marketing company HomeGain has found that referrals are seen to be the most effective marketing strategy to acquire new clients.

According to the results, referrals scored 8.7 out of a possible 10 points for effectiveness. Featured listings were the second most effective strategy with 4.8 points, followed by email campaigns with 4.7. The top 10 strategies list reveals an interesting mix of traditional and newer marketing options:

1. Referrals (8.7)
2. Featured Listings (4.8)
3. Email Campaigns (4.7)
4. Postcards/Mailers (4.6)
5. Blogging (4.1)
6. Online Lead Generation Services (4.0)
7. Facebook (4.0)
8. LinkedIn (3.6)
9. Outdoor Ads (3.6)
10. Print Ads (3.6)

The top 10 marketing objectives for respondents in 2010 show another contrasting mix of old and new:

1. Referrals (8.9)
2. Email Campaigns (5.7)
3. Postcards/Mailers (5.4)
4. Featured Listings (5.2)
5. Facebook (4.9)
6. Print Ads (4.3)
7. Blogging (4.2)
8. LinkedIn (4.1)
9. Online Lead Generation Services (4.0)
10. YouTube (3.5)

What’s interesting is that the strategies agents and brokers found to be most effective in 2009 aren’t necessarily the ones they plan to focus on in 2010. The respondents are clearly aware of the fact that Facebook is growing in importance, for example, and that 2010 might be the year to consider adding YouTube to their marketing mix.

HomeGain says respondents are less likely to invest their marketing dollars and time on banner ads, pay per click advertising, outdoor advertising, and MySpace this year. Twitter was also included on the list of strategies losing popularity, despite its continued growth.

Do you think the respondents have basically the right idea when it comes to their marketing priorities for 2010? What would you do differently?

1. Consistency is key. We can’t emphasise this point enough. For people to come to recognise your online brand, you need to make sure everything – from the font you use on your website to the background colour on your email newsletters – stays consistent.

2. Consult with others. You might think your logo, tagline, or colour scheme is perfect. But are you the only one? Take every opportunity to consult with people outside your office to see where you might be slipping up, and tweak things accordingly.

3. Accessibility matters. This point builds off the idea of consulting with others. Set up a feedback process so your customers have some way of telling you when something goes awry – an email that only 10 percent of your subscribers can open, for example, or a new website addition that’s crashing half your readers’ browsers.

4. Keep it clean. The results of this study show that cluttered banners perform worse on branding impact measures than less cluttered banners. We think this goes for all aspects of your online presence. Less is always more when it comes to online presentation.

5. Keep it simple. Along with good, clean design, clarity of message is also crucial in online brand building. You should be able to sum up your aim in one short sentence, or even a few words. Find that message, and keep repeating it until its synonymous with your brand.

6. Relaunch with care. The feedback you receive might convince you to start your whole online brand strategy again from scratch. If you do, make it obvious to website visitors and anyone else who might come into contact with your online business that this is a new version, not someone else operating under the same name.

7. Track your mentions. A listening post tool like Google Alerts can be invaluable in finding out when and where your brand is mentioned. Plug in your business name, then sit back and wait for the regular emails showing you exactly who’s talking you up online.

8. Thank them. This is the social side of online brand building. Whenever you do find an example of someone discussing your brand online, jump on and thank them – publicly if possible. This proves there’s a real, engaged person behind the brand name.

9. Drown out the negativity. There will be times when your brand shows up somewhere in a negative light. If it’s not an issue you can address personally, spend your energy promoting your business in a positive light. Don’t let other people’s definition of your brand be the most visible one.

10. Know when to stop. Believe it or not, there is such a thing as online over-exposure. If people are coming into contact with your brand too often, they will start to tune you out. Don’t be afraid to let things settle for a while, and see what effect your efforts have had, before launching your next campaign.

Online branding is a delicate business, requiring a mix of advertising savvy and relationship management prowess. We hope our tips take you a few steps closer to establishing a brand you can boast about.

[Image: activerain.com]

At the start of the year, we looked at what 2010 might have in store for real estate agents. One of our predictions was that a mobile presence will become a necessity for agents this year.

But isn’t this a bit of an overstatement? Are Internet-enabled mobile phones, or smart phones, really becoming that important? Well, now that the first few months of 2010 are behind us, we thought it was time to take a look at where mobile stands.

So far, it looks like enthusiasm for smart phones is only growing. Back in January, Forrester Research published survey results showing the percentage of adults in the US with smart phones grew from 11 percent in 2008 to 17 percent in 2009. While you could be forgiven for thinking Apple’s iPhone was the most popular device, Forrester’s research found that Blackberries actually out-number them two to one.

A further 15 percent of US adults were found to own quick message devices – defined by Forrester as those that carry a qwerty keyboard and/or a touchscreen, but run on a proprietary software platform rather than a smart phone operating system. So that’s nearly one in every three US adults carrying a smart phone or quick message device.

Over in the UK, comScore had a similar story to tell. According to their research, there were approximately 48 million mobile subscribers aged 13 and over in the UK by October 2009. Of these, 13.3 million accessed the Internet from a mobile browser and just under 17 million used a mobile app of some sort.

comScore also found something that should please Google Maps: of the 17 million mobile subscribers who used an app in October 2009, maps were the most popular type of app, followed by weather, social networking and search apps.

For a more global perspective, we can look to Quantcast’s 2009  Mobile Web Trends Report, which had mobile’s share of Internet consumption growing by 148 percent as measured by pageviews. This is an impressive figure, but the company also points out that mobile accounted for just 0.99 percent of worldwide Internet consumption.

While smart phones might not be replacing computers as the browsing device of choice, there are still plenty of people out there buying them. Gartner has smart phone sales up 41.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2009 over the same period in 2008. According to mashable.com, market research firm IDC had similar findings, reporting that the number of smart phones shipping in the fourth quarter of 2009 was up 39 percent compared to Q4 2008.

In amongst all those figures, it seems a story about a global shift toward smart phones – if not away from computers – is emerging. With no sign of the trend slowing, we’re sticking by our prediction that some sort of mobile presence will be expected of agents by the end of the year.

Wondering how to establish your business in the mobile space? Start with this article on the various mobile website options available to agents.