The pandemic has forced all of us to accelerate our adoption of digital solutions, whether we were ready or not. Social distancing guidelines will continue to shape how we interact with clients for the foreseeable future, so leveraging digital communication channels will be more critical to your success than ever before. Here's an overview of tools you can use to stay connected with customers right now, and how to get the most from them.
Texting has the power to dramatically speed up the sales process. In fact, consumers respond to text messages faster than any other communication method. Just like email, texts can be automated and tracked as part of your multichannel communications strategy to deliver an optimal sales experience and free up more of your time.
Having an online presence is essential as potential clients continue turning to search engines to find local businesses. Especially if your office remains closed, or you’ve shifted permanently to working from home, an online search may be the only way for people to find you. If your business doesn’t show up in the search results when someone looks for your product or service, you’ve failed before you’ve even begun. Improving your local SEO will help you get found and prevent valuable customers from finding your competition first.
As soon as stay-at-home orders went into effect, nearly everyone shifted to video conferencing to allow for face-to-face dialogue. “Zoom” became the new buzzword, and virtual happy hours filled the gap as we longed for social interaction. But the power of video extends far beyond helping you achieve facetime with clients. As one of the most effective marketing channels out there, video can help you infuse a human touch into your brand and create crave-worthy content that engages and converts.
There's no denying that Facebook is one of the most robust social platforms for connecting with customers and attracting new ones. But is your Facebook page up to par? Are you still posting marketing plugs from your personal account? You need a plan for what content to post ... and when. Then there are paid ads, and Messenger, and Stories — oh my! If diving into Facebook makes your head spin or your page just needs some sprucing up, this essential guide will get you up and running quickly.
In a time where you can’t get up close and personal, IG lets you get up close and personal by providing a more detailed, behind-the-scenes look at who you are and what your business is all about. Since the platform relies primarily on images and videos to get your message across, you can leverage that to curate a more authentic brand narrative that builds trust and promotes customer loyalty.
With professional networking events canceled or going virtual for the rest of the year (and maybe longer), you’ll have to rely on your online network to nurture professional relationships and partnerships. A polished and active LinkedIn profile can help you expand your network, cultivate and maintain vital partner relationships, and position yourself as a leader in your market.
Tried and true, email continues to lead the way as one of the most successful marketing channels. You likely don’t need much convincing to see why (but no worries, we’ve still got the data to back that up). Automatable, scalable, and measurable, email has the power to transform the way you drive sales, nurture relationships, and promote your brand. Make sure you're using it to its fullest potential.
These resources are great, but remember that technology is only as good as the person behind it. While digital tools help facilitate connection and communication, it's ultimately your service and your expertise that people are looking for. According to a survey by the National Association of REALTORS®, over half of homebuyers and sellers strongly agreed that a real estate agent's guidance is especially valued, particularly during the pandemic. That likely rings true for any professional involved in the homebuying process.As long as you continue providing value to clients, they’ll keep looking to you as the expert they need no matter the market climate.