Use these real estate event plan strategies for conducting realtor events that eliminate or minimize event costs for real estate agents.
Part of your real estate event plan is budget. When it comes to launching a client event campaign, many Realtors use the excuse that they can’t afford it.
Cost should never be prohibitive when it comes to hosting your Realtor client events.
Today we are going to talk about how to put on a Realtor event with little or no costs.
VIDEO: The Real Estate Event Plan With Little or No Costs
Real estate event plan: choose a low-cost event
It is very easy to pick events that don’t cost much money.
One example of a popular real estate event plan, “Photos with Santa,” doesn’t cost much at all. You rent a Santa suit, find a willing “Santa,” find a location (usually a coffee shop during their less busy hours), and hire a photographer.
The coffee shop is getting business by hosting your event, so they likely won’t charge you.
The photographer likely won’t charge you, either, because they can offer print options to your guests for their own fee.
When your real estate event plan has a higher cost
There will come a time when you need to host an event that isn’t quite so easy or low-cost. And in these cases, you still shouldn’t have to pay much out of your own pocket.
You need a partner for your event. The most common partner is a mortgage lender. Most mortgage lenders make between 1.5% and 2% on every loan they do. If you give them one loan, they make a lot of money. Mortgage lenders market to us. We market to the general public. They rely on real estate agents to bring them business. They don’t have the burden of paying for marketing – we do.
You need to feel comfortable in asking them to share in that burden. Every top agent does this. This is why the more you sell, the more clout you have, because you’re going to give them more business. The more business you give, the more they will help contribute.
Finding an event partner should be a part of your real estate event plan.
Other great client event partners:
- Home warranty companies
- Home owners insurance
- Financial planners
- Title companies
- Lenders
- Pest control companies
- Handyman/general contractors
- Moving companies
- Whoever you refer a lot of business to
An agent who does 20 transactions per year should have no problem raising $2,500 for an event by leveraging vendor partnerships.
Mortgage companies are the most common because they make the most money off of the business you refer to them. They are directly dependent on your referrals.
You need to feel comfortable in asking [mortgage lenders] to share in that burden. Every top agent does this. This is why the more you sell, the more clout you have, because you’re going to give them more business. The more business you give, the more they will help contribute.
Brian Icenhower
Event piggybacking as part of your real estate event plan
I love this. Let’s say the Boys and Girls Club in your area is holding a golf tournament. It’s their event, they pay the money for it, they do everything. All you do is say, “I’m looking for a charitable cause this year. May I promote your event to my database?” Of course they are going to say, “Yes! Of course! That would be great!”
Then, you ask for their logo and if they have any marketing images, etc., and you start marketing it. Everyone will think it is your event. They will think you are a sponsor. Here you are, out there, making it look like it’s your golf tournament, and you’re supporting a good cause – and you’re staying first of mind.
Maybe you do end up sponsoring the event, and maybe you do go to it – but you don’t have to. You are just bringing awareness to this great community event. This is a very powerful real estate event plan.
You begin to establish yourself as a local community expert. People start to trust you and believe in your success. And, you’re making contacts around the event. You seem active, busy, and invested in the community.
One of the great things about “event piggybacking” is that you really have no responsibility in the logistics of the event itself. You are only helping to promote the event. This means you save a ton of money and still get your name out there while making your contacts and marketing the event.
Take our online course on Realtor Events
Be sure to take our Realtor Events online course for training on your Realtor event marketing and contact plan, and so much more! You’ll also have access to all of our Realtor event resources, like the contact plan we reference in this video/blog.
