Real estate agents are still dealing with the fallout of the pandemic. Affordable housing markets are shrinking and millennial pocketbooks along with them. There’s plenty of competition from nontraditional players in the market such as fee-for-service brokers. And there is the onslaught of new technology to learn — contactless home tours and closings and virtual home stagings.
The worst news? IBuyers — the companies that purchase homes directly from the owner, leaving real estate agents — and everyone else involved in a home sale. Using algorithms, these buyers determine the value of a property and give the seller a cash offer.
So, what is a struggling agent to do? Believe it or not, the answer is simple. While digital marketing is here— and probably for the long run— print marketing is still a very powerful tool for the real estate firm or agent.
Adding it to your marketing mix for the upcoming year could be the key to a competitive advantage — and a more profitable year.
Real Estate and Print Marketing — Still a Powerful Pair
Our marketplace is ultra-digitized with “virtual this” and “online that” everywhere the homebuyer or seller turns. While it may be effective in some cases, it can amount to sensory overload.
And that’s where print marketing comes into play. With a firm foothold in performance, direct mail wins the day over digital. Check out these statistics:
- Direct mail requires 21% less effort, cognitively, on the part of the recipient than digital.
- In overall effectiveness in one study, direct mail scored 1.31 versus 0.87 for all digital channels.
- Consumers getting direct mail offers could recall brand names 75% of the time, while the accuracy dropped to 44% for digital.
- Nearly three-quarters of Americans would rather be contacted by direct mail so they can read it whenever they wish.
While these apply to direct mail campaigns, print marketing in general still pays off, setting you apart from competitors and leaving a lasting — revenue producing — impression with potential leads.
Here’s how:
- Stand Out from the Crowd with Print
The average home buyer or seller sees more than 5,000 digital advertisements every day. It’s gotten so bad that 86 million of them use ad-blocking software to try and escape. And emails? The average office worker gets 121 every day. That means if you are trying to communicate via digital channels, you may be getting lost in the crowd.
Print advertising via a brochure, flyer, or business card gives your prospect something to hold onto that they can examine at their leisure, when they are most receptive. Studies show that 80-90% of physical mail gets opened, but only 25% of emails make the cut.
- Leave a Lasting Impression
Potential leads can gloss over a digital ad and “click it and forget it.” Print marketing that they can feel and see tends to stay around for longer. And, if they forget details about your, your agency, or a home you have for sale, they can always refer back to the material to get the information they need.
- Build Trust — and Relationships
A person’s home — whether they are looking for a new one or selling the one they have — is probably their most valuable investment. When they want assistance, they will be looking for a trustworthy source.
Print marketing is considered by 56% of customers to be the most trustworthy marketing type. And that trust is the basis for a future relationship that can bring you repeat business over the years.
Virginia Business Systems — Everything You Need to Create Stunning Print Marketing Materials
At Virginia Business Systems (VBS), we offer an extensive array of leading-edge printers.
From compact, multifunctional devices that can also scan, copy, and fax — all the way up to production-level equipment for agencies that need high-volume and high-quality — we have the right tool for your needs — and budget.
We partner with leading printer manufacturers to bring you the best options for creating the kind of stunning print marketing that drives results. And, we have print experts on staff to help you determine which printer is the perfect feet for your needs and budget.
Stand out from the competition in the real estate market. Contact VBS today to learn how easy it is to create brilliant print marketing materials right in your office.
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