Marketing Your Business Online with Article Marketing

September 2, 2010
Why Don’t More Real Estate Agents Do Business Article Marketing?


Are you snubbing the #1 referral source on the planet--Google?
My mind has been on real estate agents lately.

We are in home selling/searching mode, and so I have been doing a lot of research on questions to ask real estate agents, what to look for, and what to watch out for.

The research part was easy–just Google the terms “interviewing real estate agents”, and a bounty of helpful information comes up.

But when it came down to finding an actual agent, I hit a brick wall.

I Googled my city + buyer’s agent. Slim pickings. The top results were not even relevant to my query.

I thought, “Why aren’t more real estate agents doing business article marketing?”

Somebody is missing out on a great opportunity. There is no competition on the web for real estate agents in the city where I am looking for a house, and if one forward thinking agent put forth a decent effort to market his or her site, then finding clients would be as easy as shooting fish in a barrel.

Referrals are the life blood…

Experience is an essential ingredient to a successful business. Having a great reputation in your niche is also indispensable. Being skilled and full of integrity is priceless.

But in this day and age, there is one more element that cannot be overlooked.

You need a web presence.

That means not only having a web site, but also marketing your website so that when someone types in your city + your niche into Google, that your website is at or pretty near the top of the list.

In the real estate field, there are some extremely knowledgeable professionals with 20, 30, and even 40 years of experience. You know what you’re doing. People who are looking for houses or trying to sell houses need your skills.

But did you know that some newbies to your field are beating you out of business that you would normally be getting because they have a web presence that they are actively marketing?

Imagine, you are losing jobs to newbies who have 2 years of experience compared to your 20 years.

Why?

Because their website is #1 in Google or at least showing up on the first page.

Referrals are the life blood of any business, and if you are not marketing your website you are snubbing the #1 referral source on the planet–Google.

Some free marketing advice for real estate agents (and this also applies to many service based local businesses):

1 – You must have a website.

Your website needs to look professional, but it does not need to be flashy. Sometimes simpler is better.

Here is the information to offer on your website (and again, this info would apply to many online and offline service based businesses as well):

Provide an “About” page that displays a picture of yourself. Many times people will look at your website to form a first impression about you and to decide if they want to contact you. It is easier to make a connection with a person who you can imagine in your head. It makes your potential clients feel more comfortable about meeting you.
Freely volunteer information that you think that a person would want to know before enlisting your services. Tell your background and highlight any special qualifications or certifications that you have. Explain your business philosophy and what sets you apart from your competitors. This is the time to toot your own horn.
Either provide a page that lists testimonials or say that you are willing to provide references and/or testimonials upon inquiry. I think it is better to provide the testimonials right on your site. That makes it easier for the reader, and it helps build that positive first impression. If you can provide a photo of the client who is giving the testimonial, then that is better.
Provide valuable content that would be helpful to your target market. For example, a real estate agent should have a page called “How To Find A Great Real Estate Agent” or “7 Things To Look For When Hiring A Real Estate Agent”. Provide web pages with articles giving tips about the home buying process. The idea is to convey to your reader that you are a source of excellent information. You are not just trying to sell them on your services. You are an advisor, a counsellor, and an authority in your niche. Having helpful content on your site is also helpful for SEO reasons.
2 – You must market your website.

Market your website with article marketing. Many everyday, non-technically minded business owners find that article marketing is the most reliable and user friendly website marketing tool.

Here is how you would submit articles for a local business.

Getting started…

As I said, this information could apply to any service based businesses, but I particularly had real estate agents in mind when writing this.

If you are an agent who already does article marketing, then pat yourself on the back and keep it up! You are light years ahead of your competitors.

If you are not marketing your website yet, what is stopping you? If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me. Call Jim at 937-559-9889