As marketing evolves in the age of COVID-19, use of video by real estate professionals continues to skyrocket. In this second installment of a two-part blog series, we will show you techniques to use video content to nurture your database, and create conversations that convert leads to new clients. It follows our first installment that contained tips to create a catalog of videos you can use on your website and to generate leads from your listings.
According to Marketing Sherpa, only 35% of agents have a process for lead nurturing.
This means that the majority of agents miss the opportunity to close a transaction when consumers are ready to make a move.
Why is Video Marketing and Lead Nurturing Essential for Real Estate Agents?
The vast majority of potential home seekers rely on video through all stages of their search. As we discussed in our earlier installment of this series, agents utilize social media platforms such as Facebook and YouTube as a means of prioritizing lead generation because 33% of online activity is spent watching video. But, generating leads is only part of the equation.
More video content is uploaded in 30 days than the major U.S. television networks have created in 30 years.
And 45% of people watch more than an hour of Facebook or YouTube videos a week.
Successful agents also leverage video content to nurture their database of contacts. The first step is to craft an outline of communication types that address each stage of the home seeker’s process. After you have done that, match your video and other content to each one in order to address their needs at those stages. Here is a quick cheat sheet to get started:
New Leads / Hot Leads
- Goal: Setup buyer consultation appointment or showing.
- Tactics: After initial response when inquiry is generated, continue to contact them 3 times per week w/ a combination of calling, texting, and email (if available).
- How To Use Video: Incorporate a video walk-thru and/or personal greeting to your immediate response to inquiry with detailed information about property of interest. This kind of content also works for thank-you notes after a showing or consultation to keep the conversation going.
Warm Leads Who Plan To Move In 30 to 90 Days
- Goal: Stay in constant contact to find out when they are ready to move.
- Tactics: Once a week outreach with a combination of calling, texting and email. Prompt your contacts to visit your website to setup a preferences profile for email alerts on new available properties or changes in mortgage rates, or the housing market. Their engagement with this kind of content elevates them into a hot lead status.
- How To Use Video: In addition to incorporating a personalized video greeting in your communication, leverage any videos you have about neighborhoods you serve or that make your brokerage’s team memorable.
Cool Leads Who Plan to move in 3+ Months
- Goal: Stay in constant contact to find out when they are ready to move.
- Tactics: Alternate between a phone call & text every 2 weeks (stagger contact to monthly after 3 months). Tone of message should be to check-in on them. These messages are also an opportunity to educate them on changes in the housing market, mortgage rates or anything that could otherwise cause them to accelerate their decision to move.
- How To Use Video: Leverage any content you create, or that is available to resources such as those from HomeActions, that describe things as home improvement projects that yield the greatest return on investment, new dining, entertainment, and lifestyle options in their preferred neighborhood or tips to make moving easier.
Research shows it takes 6-8 attempts before the consumer moves forward. But on average, agents only make two follow-up attempts to reach a prospect.
What Tools Do You Need to Use Video In Your Communication?
A number of products exist for real estate professionals that create a polished way to package your videos and use them in your 1:1 communications. They utilize templates and eliminate the need to manually format your texts and emails. And most importantly, they also provide tracking so you always know when the consumer has engaged with your content. Those insights allow you to further tailor your future communication to their interests. Some tools to check out are:
CellAHome
When a consumer is in front of an available property and wants to learn more, they can simply text a code on a sign rider. The consumer instantly receives a response with the video walk-thru of the home, framed by contact information for the brokerage and other neighborhood details. With the tap of the screen they can connect and schedule and in-person showing with the agent.
CellAHome Video Response To Leads – Consumer Experience
QuickPage.io
This is a new solution that both real estate and automotive professions have embraced over the past few months. QuickPage provides an easy and quick way to create a property walk-thru or agent greeting on-the-fly. Within minutes, the user can send their video as polished, personalized texts or email with full tracking.
QuickPage.io platform video templates
BombBomb
Another favorite of those in the real estate industry and beyond is BombBomb. By formatting a personalized video message, recorded on-the-fly, to fit all mediums including social media, BombBomb provides the flexibility to use video however you need, when you need it. Because the videos can be playing directly from the message, consumers are more likely to engage with your content…and build a relationship with you during their search for a new home. Easy integrations with a CRMs and robust reporting options make this a powerful way to incorporate video in a lead nurturing strategy.
Sample BombBomb video embedded into email
Using Video for Social Media Lead Nurturing
Video allows you to be concise and capture a prospect’s interest in a few seconds. Social media success lies in your ability to condense information down into easily digestible snippets of content. So video content that converts is long enough to maintain viewers’ attention but short enough to leave them wanting more. And if they don’t immediately become leads as a result, Facebook and Instagram retargeting ads that utilize video can re-engage consumers until they do. Click here for an in-depth review of how to use video for your Facebook retargeting campaign.
Those who have mastered the art of crafting high-quality, informative and engaging videos have also leveraged them to become influencers within their peers as well. While you may not become Ryan Serhant overnight, building video into your team’s marketing strategy has become a must for brokerages that want to stay competitive today.
Video can be used to promote your agency for a lot more than showing off backyards and bonus rooms. Use it for new listing announcements, recently sold properties and testimonials, as reported by Inman
Conclusion:
Using videos to sell products, including real estate properties, is not new. Video marketing has had a place in the industry for some time. But the most successful real estate agents have been able to leverage this medium to bond with new leads and members of their sphere. The ones that do this successfully educate consumers about their listings in a personalized…and personable way.
Acquiring a new lead is an important first step in building a relationship. But it is time that you construct a video lead nurturing strategy because it can boost your conversion rate to a level other tactics alone can’t.