18 ways to market your listing (and thrill sellers)

Take it from us: Standing out from the huge crowd of agents trying to get sellers’ business is no joke.

You want your sellers to see you’re working hard for them, to lock down future referrals and word-of-mouth buzz. To even have a shot at getting the listing, sellers want to see examples of your marketing (so it better be flawless and plentiful). They want to know exactly why you deserve their business more than the next agent and exactly what you’ll be doing to earn every dime of that hard-fought commission.

Once you get the listing, you also have to sell the listing, and sometimes that means getting creative. These 18 out-of-the-box listing marketing ideas will show your seller you mean business when it comes to getting their listing the exposure needed for a successful sale.

• Send a weekly email to your prospects rounding up the best new listings and local market updates that highlight your listing as a top property. Make it personal by calling out some of their must-haves and other details they’ve mentioned in past meetings.
• Optimize your social media and post your listings, open house tours and market info daily to make those in your network aware of your listings. Real estate is moving faster than ever, so daily updates are critical in this competitive market.
• Answer people’s questions on social media and prove yourself a valuable resource. Showing prospects your expertise will help to highlight your strengths as an agent and drive engagement on your accounts.
• Send “just sold” postcards to all the houses in the neighborhood around your last sale. Never underestimate the value of old-fashioned direct mail marketing.
• Visit every single open house you can and connect with the buyers and agents there. The personal connections you can make from attending industry and community events are often some of the strongest you’ll find.
• Door-knock the neighborhoods you want to work in. This one might seem old-fashioned, but it is perhaps the most direct way to gain new clients. This is how we started, so don’t ever underestimate its power.
• Market your listing across multiple platforms such as direct mail, social media and email marketing. By hitting all of these communication mediums, you’ll have the best chance to find a qualifying buyer across multiple touchpoints.
•  Create a unique listing website that stands out from the rest. Make sure the website is dynamic and shows off the listing’s best features and amenities through high-quality imagery and a range of videos highlighting the home, the neighborhood and more.
• Run Facebook and YouTube ads for your videos to drive traffic to your listing website. This will help with initial momentum when your website and listing go live.
• Employ virtual staging. Giving prospective buyers as many opportunities as possible to visualize themselves in a space is vital, especially if the property is currently vacant.
• Try experiential marketing. Stand out from the crowd and discover what resonates most for future efforts. 
• Partner with local businesses on unique cross-promotions. This is an excellent way to tap into their network and build brand recognition.
• Use high-quality drone photography. These shots are a great way to provide buyers with a unique property angle that a regular camera can’t capture.
• Create impactful and unique video content. Video content gives prospective buyers a more cohesive look at the space and the lifestyle the property affords, so ensure your content is of high quality if you decide to showcase a video online and on social media.
• Collect and display positive testimonials on your social media and website. Don’t be afraid to ask previous clients to write brief, positive testimonials about their experience working with you. We find most are more than willing to vouch for exceptional buying and selling experiences and professionalism.
• Maintain an email newsletter. Our newsletter, The Blueprint, offers readers the opportunity to stay on top of all things currently happening in the real estate industry.
• Invest in branded swag to hand out at your listings. A complimentary tote bag or hat could be just the right touch that helps your prospect remember their visit to your listing.
• Host an event that goes beyond a traditional open house. If budget allows, incorporating different experiential elements such as live music, refreshments and other creative ideas like a tarot card reader or performers can help catch prospective buyers’ eyes and bring new clients in the door.

To reiterate, once you’ve created a marketing strategy, stick to it. There’s no such thing as a “miracle marketing tactic” in real estate, so be sure to do what speaks to you and keep doing that one thing consistently.

Don’t be afraid to pivot as needed should your efforts require you to. Every listing requires a different strategy to complete the transaction.

James Harris is a director at The Agency in Los Angeles. Connect with him on Instagram. David Parnes is a director at The Agency in Los Angeles. Connect with him on Instagram.