How to Write a Real Estate Marketing Plan

In this article, we will describe what should be included in each component of your marketing plan and provide some marketing strategies that can help you generate leads, build credibility, and strengthen the brand of your real estate business.

Download our Ultimate Marketing Plan Template here

What is a Marketing Plan for a Real Estate Business?

A real estate business marketing plan is a written document that outlines the specific actions you’ll take to generate leads, convert prospects into customers, and retain customers over time.

Your marketing plan should be built around your unique selling proposition (USP), which is the one thing that sets you apart from other real estate businesses in your market. From there, you’ll need to develop targeted marketing campaigns, create compelling offers, and craft a promotions strategy that will reach your ideal customers.

For example, if you specialize in luxury real estate, your USP may be that you offer a boutique level of personalized service. You can then use that to craft messaging and create campaigns designed to reach upscale clients looking for a higher level of client service than they would get from a large brokerage firm.

Once you have all of the pieces in place, you’ll need to track your progress and adjust your plan accordingly. The best way to do this is to set measurable goals and track your results regularly.

 

Why You Need a Real Estate Marketing Plan

There are several reasons why you need a real estate marketing plan. First and foremost, it will help you focus your efforts and ensure that you’re making the best use of your time and money.

With a well-crafted marketing plan in place, you’ll be able to track your progress and make necessary adjustments along the way. This will help you fine-tune your marketing efforts and eventually achieve the results you’re looking for.

In addition, a marketing plan will also give you a written record of your marketing activities. This can come in handy if you ever need to justify your marketing expenditures or prove the effectiveness of your campaigns.

Finally, a marketing plan can help you avoid common mistakes that many real estate businesses make. By taking the time to develop a comprehensive marketing plan, you’ll be in a much better position to avoid these pitfalls and set yourself up for success.

 

Marketing Plan Basics

A typical real estate marketing plan template includes the following components:

1. Executive Summary
2. Target Market Segments
3. Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
4. Pricing and Positioning Strategy
5. Offers
6. Marketing Materials
7. Promotions Strategy
8. Digital Marketing Plan
9. Conversion, Referral, and Retention Strategy
10. Financial Projections

How to Write a Real Estate Marketing Plan

Executive Summary

The first section of your real estate marketing plan should be written as the final section of your marketing plan.

In two or three pages, summarize all of the information you have presented in the other sections and include a summary version of any graphs or charts you have included.

You should also include your marketing goals, objectives, and success metrics for the first year of operations.

 

Target Market Segments

Begin by dividing your potential customers into segments based on their demographics, geography, lifestyle, behavior, or any other factors that are relevant to your organization’s cause. Be sure to explain how you determined these target market segments.

For example, a real estate business that specializes in luxury properties may target high-net-worth individuals in the area. They may also target foreign investors looking for second homes in the area.

Once you have identified your target market segments, you’ll need to create buyer personas for each one. A buyer persona is a fictional character that represents a specific type of customer that you’re trying to reach.

When creating buyer personas, be sure to include detailed information about their demographics, behaviors, needs, and goals. This will help you develop targeted marketing campaigns that are more likely to resonate with each segment.

Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

Your USP is the one thing that sets you apart from other real estate businesses in your market. It’s what makes you unique and it’s what will make prospective customers want to do business with you.

To develop your USP, start by brainstorming a list of all the things that make your real estate business unique. Then, narrow down this list to the one or two things that are most important to your target market segments.

 

Pricing and Positioning Strategy

This section should cover your pricing strategy, how you determine pricing, and what sets your prices apart from those of competitors. If there are specific circumstances that might affect your pricing strategy for certain types of customers or in certain market conditions, be sure to mention them here.

For example, a real estate business that specializes in luxury properties might have different pricing strategies for domestic and foreign buyers. For instance, they may charge foreign buyers a premium due to currency exchange rates.

You should also include your positioning strategy in this section. Positioning is how you want your real estate business to be perceived by potential customers. For example, are you the most affordable option? The most reputable option? The best choice for high-end properties? Whatever it is, make sure to be as specific as possible so that potential customers know what sets your business apart from the competition.

To develop your positioning strategy, start by thinking about the things that are most important to your target market segments. What needs do they have that you can address? What are their pain points? How can you position your business as the best choice to meet their needs?

 

Offers

Describe your company’s products and services in this section. Include any special offers, seasonal promotions, or plans to expand into new goods or services in the future. You will also want to include information about prices, discounts for bulk purchases, payment options, how frequently you offer sales, etc.

For example, real estate businesses might offer discounted packages for first-time buyers, reduced prices for bulk purchases of rental units, or special financing options for those with limited credit.

 

Marketing Materials

In this section, you’ll want to include information about the marketing materials you use to promote your business. This might include your website, brochures, business cards, email newsletters, and social media accounts.

You should also include information about how often you update your marketing materials and what kinds of content you include in them. For example, real estate businesses might include information about local market trends, upcoming open houses, or recent sales in their newsletters.

 

Promotions Strategy

Your promotions strategy should detail how you plan to generate interest in your products and services. This might include trade shows, webinars, speaking engagements, press releases, or social media campaigns.

You should also include information about how often you run promotions and what kind of marketing budget you have for them. For example, a real estate business might plan to run two promotions per month, with a budget of $5000 for each promotion.

 

Digital Marketing Plan

In this section, you’ll want to detail your plans for reaching potential customers online. For a comprehensive digital marketing strategy, you should include search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, social media marketing, and email marketing.

You should also include information about how often you’ll update your website, blog, and social media accounts. For example, a real estate business might commit to posting two blog articles per week and updating its social media accounts daily.

 

Conversion, Referral, and Retention Strategy

Your conversion, referral, and retention strategy should detail how you plan to turn potential customers into paying customers and keep them coming back for more.

This might include offering incentives for referrals, providing discounts or rewards for repeat customers, and offering value-added services.

For example, a real estate business might offer a referral bonus of $1000 to anyone who sends them a qualified lead or 20% off their next purchase if they refer three friends to the company.

Finally, it might include a loyalty program or other perks to thank your most loyal customers and keep them coming back.

 

Financial Projections

In this section, you should include your plans for generating revenue and growing your real estate business. This might include information about your target customers, pricing strategy, distribution strategy, and promotions strategy.

You should also include financial statements for your real estate business, such as your income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement.

If you’d like to quickly and easily complete your real estate marketing plan, download Growthink’s Ultimate Marketing Plan Template and complete your marketing plan in hours.

 

Common Marketing Strategies for a Real Estate Business

Although every real estate business will need to develop a marketing plan that meets its own unique needs, here are some common strategies you may choose to implement.

 

Generating Leads with a Website

One of the best ways to generate leads as a real estate business is to have a website that is optimized for search engine ranking. This means using keywords throughout your site that your target audience is likely to use when searching for someone in your field.

In addition to keyword-optimized content, your website should also include a strong call to action (CTA) that encourages visitors to take the next step, such as scheduling a consultation.

 

Generating Leads with Paid Advertising

Paid advertising is another great way to generate leads as a real estate business. You can use paid search ads, display ads, or social media ads to reach potential customers who are actively searching for someone in your field.

 

Generating Leads with Referrals

Referrals are one of the most effective ways to generate leads as a real estate business. You can use a referral program, word-of-mouth marketing, or other tactics to encourage existing customers to spread the word about your business.

 

Generating Leads with Social Media Platforms

Social media is a great way to connect with possible customers and generate leads or purchases for your real estate business. You can use social media to build relationships, share valuable content, and drive traffic back to your website. Consider using Facebook, LinkedIn, and other platforms where your audience can be best reached.

 

Generating Leads with Events

Events are a great way to generate leads and build relationships with future customers. You can attend trade shows, conferences, or other events that are relevant to your target customer. You can also host your own events, such as webinars or workshops.

 

Generating Leads with Content Marketing

Content marketing is a great way to generate leads and build credibility for your real estate business. You can use blogging, infographics, e-books, or other forms of content to educate customers about your services.

 

Generating Leads with Networking

Attending local networking events is a great way to generate leads and build relationships with likely customers. You can attend industry events, join relevant professional organizations, or connect with potential and current customers through social media marketing.

The marketing strategy that you choose will strictly depend on the ideal customer and where you are most likely to reach them. 

 

Generating Leads with Email Marketing

Email marketing is a great way to stay in contact with existing customers and attract new ones. You can use email newsletters, automated messages, and other strategies to keep your audience informed about important updates, promotions, and more.

 

Generating Leads with Promotions

Promotions are a great way to entice potential customers and generate leads. You can offer discounts, special offers, contests, or other incentives to encourage people to choose your services.

 

Generating Leads with SEO

SEO (search engine optimization) is a great way to help your website rank higher in search results and generate leads. You can use keyword-focused content and other strategies to help your website rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).

 

Sample Marketing Plan for a Real Estate Business