While the Hawaii real estate industry as a whole has had some interesting ups and downs over the years, it has been steadily increasing. And so has the competition! In this day and age, home buyers tend to do a lot of their research online before involving a pro but that doesn’t mean that you aren’t expected to be the resident expert of the area.
So how do you position yourself in a heavily competitive market as the best realtor to help buy or sell a home? We put together a few tips on how to market your Maui real estate business.
Keep an Eye on the Competition
It should go without saying that the best marketing strategy is being aware of what your competition is up to. Whether it is simply finding out who else is working in your area or checking out what their websites look like, it is important to take note of how competitors are operating. In doing this, you will discover what is working (or what isn’t) and you will then be able to implement the successful strategies into your marketing campaign.
Set Up a Social Presence
While you don’t usually sell a home on social media, it would be beneficial for your overall presence online if you have a regularly updated profile. Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram are great platforms for you to connect with potential leads, promote your beautiful properties, and share any good press you receive!
Make Use of Local Images
While many enjoy Hawaii vacations for the white sandy beaches and lush island landscapes, it shouldn’t be safe to assume that a prospect is completely interested in life in paradise. When it comes to real estate marketing, you are not just selling a home but an entire area. Highlight the best things that property has to offer, including the close proximity to xyz. And the pros will do just that but with high-quality and visually appealing photographs of the town and nearby landmarks.
Create a Virtual Tour
While on the topic of use of imagery, we wanted to point out that one of the top marketing strategies has been video marketing. We have said it before and here we are saying it again, a picture is worth a thousand words, so video content must be worth at least a million. Virtual tours are the perfect way to demonstrate what the property has to offer your client without really wasting anyone’s time. Plus it is easy and more importantly, consumable content that you can share across all your platforms.
Create Content that Generates Interest and Captures Leads
When you are utilizing a marketing campaign to capture leads, you want to do so in a way that positions you as the only expert Maui realtor available. One way to do this is by producing helpful and beneficial content online. Write a series of blogs that is informative of the Maui real estate market and easy to comprehend for the end user. Some examples of this could be, “X number of things home owners should consider before buying a Maui home” or “What to look for while at an open house.” This not only answers some questions that a potential lead could be searching for, but it also demonstrates that you know what you are doing.
Build an Awesome Website and Make it Mobile-Friendly
As we mentioned before, a lot of buyers prefer to do the majority of the legwork themselves online before reaching out. So with that in mind, having all the information they could need can prove to be beneficial for your business. Not sure how to design a website? Work with a professional Hawaii web designer!
And be sure to make it mobile-friendly! Most of your clients are likely to be searching for potential real estate investments and other information via their mobile devices. So if you want to avoid any clicks off your website, make sure that your website has a responsive mobile design.
Create a Newsletter
Email marketing is another great strategy to demonstrate your expertise as a Maui realtor while simultaneously nurturing client relationships. Each newsletter you send out creates the perfect opportunity to help clients and leads in their home buying journey by providing content on what they are searching for – upcoming open houses, new homes on the market, and any other information that comes up while shopping for real estate. This is also a subtle way for your business to constantly be on the receiver’s mind when they make the decision to enlist a professional!
Build Your Google My Business Page
Google My Business (GMB) is essentially a snapshot of a business that tells a user: who you are, what industry/services you provide, and where you are located. This is an effective way to build your local search presence and can potentially help you pop up higher in Google Maps! And since it is almost a no brainer to set up, your GMB listing should be one of the first things you do for your marketing campaign.
Ask for Testimonials from Former Clients
While there are countless marketing trends that you can implement in your overall strategy, ringing reviews sometimes speak louder than a perfectly tailored advertisement. It might even be a little more convincing to say, “but don’t take my word for it, check out what our clients have to say!” By asking for testimonials and utilizing them throughout your marketing efforts, you are building trust which can ultimately be more valuable than the most expensive ad budget.
Keep in Touch
And on the same tune of past clients, be sure that you are taking the time to stay in touch with your former buyers. Word of mouth marketing is one of the most powerful things out there and can really help solidify your reputation on the island. For example if a past buyer has a friend who is looking for a piece of paradise, they are more likely to pass along your info if they still have a good relationship with you. The best ways to continue to nurture those relationships and keep you fresh in their minds is to send anniversary cards, holiday cards, newsletters, etc.
Having trouble finding the right online marketing strategy for your business? Contact us today to schedule a free consultation where you sit down with our Maui marketing team.