"Every business has quiet months and real estate is no different."
Depending on where you are in the country, the level of client drop-offs will vary but it is widely reported that October – December is the quietest time for real estate agents nationally.
The holiday season is one of the main reasons for this.
People are just too busy with school commitments or various celebratory events to act on any thoughts about buying or selling a home. And as days get colder, and the nights get longer, people are much happier to stay home.
So when the winter months arrive, you may find your prospective clients begin to hibernate, but that doesn’t mean you should. This is a time to reflect on the last 12 months, catch up on your admin, and plan for the future.
The slow season is prime time to stretch your marketing muscles and prepare for the new year. Most people who are looking to buy and sell their homes in the spring are starting to think about it and preparing for it during the winter months.
You want to be there to pick up these prospective leads so that you are ready for the busy season. Setting your financial goals for the next year should be a top priority.
Do you have a revenue target for next year?
Are you utilizing useful tools and apps to make managing your finances easier for you?
Reviewing the previous year’s spends and budgeting for the next year’s marketing and business needs will give you the knowledge you need to begin building your marketing and business plans for the new year.
Networking is key to this.
Look to attend the local community events and volunteer opportunities in your area to meet new people as well as reconnect with those you already work with.
Always remember to follow up with the contacts that you create.
Once the hectic world of the holiday season is over, people who plan to move in the spring will be starting to have serious discussions about how to move forward, and they will have you as a first contact point.
Networking will help you add to your target market database and help as you build a marketing strategy and content plan specific to your target audience.
You can also network with other businesses and trades. Having a good index of businesses in your network will be a great asset for you. Clients often ask for recommendations when it comes to house-related professionals. And if you are able to refer clients to businesses, they will more often than not return the favor for you.
Get your new Marketing Plan ready for January.
Look back over the last 12 months.
What were your most successful marketing moments?
What provided the best return on money and time invested?
What didn’t work?
Can you improve?
Doing an audit like this will help you create a new and improved one-page marketing plan for the next year. Take a look at our Marketing Plan blog for more information.
New Year, New Goals is a great mantra to have. The previous 12 months should have given you some thoughts and ideas to improve upon.
Get them written down!
Once they’re on paper, you can add them into your plan. This should be part of your marketing best practices.
There are always new things to learn. A successful real estate agent is a knowledgeable one. Take advantage of the quieter months by researching latest trends and niches which are taking your area by storm.
If you can provide the support and knowledge for your target market, you can become the top recommendation for real estate agents in your area and improve your business knowledge at the same time.
Learn more about how you can use localized SEO to get to the top of the search engine rankings.
As well as learning something new, you can always improve on the old, too. You have the time to sharpen your skills from an IT perspective, or maybe you want to learn more about the best marketing strategies.
Perhaps it would be helpful to learn how the most successful brokers are converting all those generated leads. There are many great resources available online for you to use to hone your skills and develop new ones, and in a few clicks you can begin.
In summary, it is easy to think that you should shut down or close up for winter. It can take a leap of faith to continue spending on marketing campaigns when you don’t see the immediate return on the investment, but remember!
People still scroll their phones and use social media.
They still want to see beautiful homes for sale, and get great tips for selling or renovating, and they still want to know that – come spring time – there is a real estate agent they can trust, ready and waiting to help them on their journey. If you are always seen, you’re never forgotten.
"If you would like support on your real estate journey, for marketing or blog content, contact us at GrumpyText for a free telephone consultation, and receive your free 52-week Content Calendar for real estate agents. "