How top producing real estate agents promote virtual broker open houses using social media to attract more Realtors to view properties online.
One question that I’ve been hearing a lot is, “How do I have virtual broker open houses?” In this new world we are living in as Realtors, we are finding that there are more and more things that we are being forced to do virtually. In many ways, this is making our lives easier. That said, it’s important to know how to do it right.
VIDEO: Promoting Virtual Broker Open Houses Using Social Media
Promotion is everything
Here are six easy steps to successfully promoting (and executing) your virtual broker open house. This process can also apply to similar virtual events that you’ll be hosting as a Realtor.
- Plan a Facebook Live. This method seems to be most effective based on what we’ve seen with our clients here at Icenhower Coaching and Consulting. Most agents are on Facebook, and this is an easy way to reach them.
- Create promotional graphics. You can use a free website like Canva.com to create custom graphics for your virtual broker open house. It’s easy, and provides you with options in a variety of sizes and formats. There are also a lot of great looking templates that you can use, and all you need to do is edit the text.
- Create a Facebook Event. This is nice because anyone who RSVPs will get reminders about the event as it draws near.
- Post promotional graphics to your Facebook feed.
- Send promotional graphics to agents via direct message in Facebook.
- Go Live on Facebook to promote your upcoming Facebook Live. The more you put your face out there, the more you will get seen and recognized. You become first of mind.
Coming out of COVID 19
We are all starting to come out of COVID 19 in various ways. Different areas of the country are going through different stages of reopening. Now is the time to show that you can still be doing business in a socially acceptable way. Through promoting your virtual open house, you are demonstrating that you are willing and able to carry on. You’re showing people it’s okay to move forward with your life right now. And, you’re also proving it can be done safely.
Why post my virtual broker open house on Facebook Live over YouTube?
When you do you virtual broker open house on Facebook Live, afterwards it gets posted to your feed. Since Facebook is the social media channel you are using, Facebook loves the fact that you used Facebook Live. Because of that, you will find that your video will get more traction. In contrast, if you upload a YouTube video to your Facebook feed, you may find that it does not get as much engagement.
YouTube is owned by Google, and therefore it is a competitor of Facebook. Facebook’s algorithm will recognize that you posted a YouTube and it will rank your post lower. This is why I encourage all of our clients to use Facebook Live on Facebook. Over the course of a day or two, your recorded Facebook Live video may rack up hundreds if not thousands of views.
Show your client the evidence of your success
You can show your client the response and engagement that your Facebook Live virtual broker open house received. By reporting to them that you got 940 views, for example, you can point out that you would have never gotten that many agents through a normal broker open. You will see this is true with any open house you do on Facebook Live. Everyone in your sphere of influence that you’re friends with on Facebook will see how much traction your open houses are getting.
This is going to make you look really good to your sellers. You are showing them how much exposure you got for their house. And, it’s going to look great to other people that sees the exposure you’re getting for your client.
Retargeting ads on Facebook
One other tactic that is worth mentioning is Retargeting Ads on Facebook. You can take a database list of contacts and upload it directly into Facebook. You can advertise over a period of time leading up to your event to all those brokers about your virtual broker open house. It’s relatively cheap, too.
You can also do this kind of advertising with your sphere of influence. If you have all the people you know in a CRM, you can export that into Facebook and market directly to them. You can use this same tactic for real estate farming, too. For those who like to farm neighborhoods, if you have a database with information of all the people that live in that neighborhood, you can also export all that contact information right into Facebook. You can create a custom ad to market specifically to that neighborhood. This is called “digital farming”, and it is highly effective!
Need inspiration?
For more great ideas on ways to pivot your real estate business as we come out of COVID 19 in various stages, join our Facebook group. Real Estate Agent Round Table is the top Facebook group for Realtors. There is fresh, relevant content daily, free templates, and space to collaborate with like-minded Realtors. We’re in this together!
