7 Reasons Why Your Real Estate Marketing Isn't Working

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Marketing shouldn't feel like a chore in your business. Marketing should be there to empower you. Marketing should be there to generate opportunities. Marketing should be there to connect you with more customers. 

But if you're not getting the results you're looking for, you're constantly spinning your wheels, or you're feeling frustrated, then we have to face a hard fact. Your real estate marketing isn't working for you. 

On one end of the scale, you could know that you could be more effective. But on the other side, you might be seriously struggling and looking for an answer stat. So, regardless if you need a small boost or major improvement, I'm sharing seven reasons why your marketing isn't working and exactly what to do instead.

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One of the reasons I started the Ideas for Real Estate podcast was to share practical, proven marketing advice with agents. I hated seeing agents struggling with their marketing or wasting their time or money on strategies that didn't work. Marketing should be a tool in your business that propels you forward, yet for so many agents, it holds them back. And if you feel like your marketing isn't working, I want you to know that it's ok. Marketing is an ongoing process that evolves over time.

Where you are today is not where we can get you to be tomorrow. There is always room for improvement for everyone. So, I encourage you to come from a place of positivity as we work towards improving your marketing. If what you're doing isn't working, don't get frustrated. See this as a chance to recalibrate and an opportunity to get the results you're looking for. Even as a professional marketer, I have to make changes to what I'm doing. It's a process that makes you better.

Yet, over my many years in real estate marketing, I've pinpointed the most-frequent mistakes that Realtors make. And I am here to help you avoid them!

So let's dive into today's topic - the seven reasons why your real estate marketing isn't working:

Mistake 1: You're Starting with Ideas, Not Strategy 

Here's a scenario that might sound familiar. Picture this, you've committed to getting serious about your real estate marketing, and you decide to do something about it. Or maybe, you've watched a training or seen another agent find success, and you're inspired to take action with your own marketing. So, you dive right into a marketing "idea" such as creating an Instagram Reel, filming a video, or making a lead funnel. You are so excited to put in the time and energy to make it happen.

Maybe your idea got attention right away or worse, was completely ignored by potential customers. Then over time, life and business happen, your great idea is left behind, and you never get the results you were looking for. You start to feel frustrated by your lack of results, and your confidence is shaken. You were so sure this was going to work, and it's discouraging to have your idea not take off.

I have seen this happen to countless agents over the years, and I know why.

It's not that the marketing idea wasn't a good one. The problem was that you're approaching marketing in the wrong order. For marketing to truly work long-term for your business, we cannot start with ideas. You have to start with strategy.

I say this time and time again, but your "real estate marketing should support your business goals, and all of your individual marketing ideas are part of a larger strategy. We first need to decide what you are looking to accomplish in your business, who you want to attract, and then how marketing can help you get there.

Ideas are not strategy. Ideas are pieces to a puzzle and won't work if you don't know what the whole picture is going to be.

So, before you hop right into the next great idea, I want you to take a step back and ask yourself, "how does this idea help my overall strategy?" If you can't answer that or aren't sure, you need to clarify your overall marketing plan. To help you, I have a complete real estate marketing plan that you can download by visiting ideasforrealestate.com/plan.

Mistake 2: You're Trying to Copy Someone Else's Success 

As a professional marketer and podcaster, I know all too well the power of inspiration. Inspiration can give you the push forward to take action, encourage you to step outside your comfort zone, or even give you insight into a new concept. These are all great reasons to look for sources of inspiration and to look up to others who are finding success in real estate.

However, the mistake I see agents make is they try to mimic exactly what other successful agents are doing. I've been to enough top-agent panels and trainings where people share their best practices. And while I am all for learning from peers, I want you to do just that - learn.

If you try and copy someone else's marketing strategy exactly, it's not going to be your strategy. Because your market, customers, business, lifestyle, strengths, weaknesses, and goals, are probably different from theirs.

So, why would it make sense to copy somebody else who isn't you?

If you take the approach of mimicking someone else, you'll quickly find yourself in a comparison trap. This isn't healthy, and it doesn't help your business. Instead, what I want you to do is take notice of how they are getting business. Maybe it's YouTube videos or social media marketing. Critically think about how you can apply what they're doing to your own marketing.

Be inspired by those you look up to and use that as fuel for your own business. It's less stressful and more sustainable!

Mistake 3: You're Not Amplifying and Identifying Areas of Opportunity 

You have a lot of options for real estate marketing, so it's important to choose wisely.

That's why I have the marketing philosophy of:

• Amplifying where you're already finding success &

• Identifying new areas of opportunity

If you can build off of what's already working while capitalizing on new opportunities, it's a guaranteed combination for success. So, when I meet with experienced agents, my first question is "where does your business come from now?"

If most of your business is repeat and referrals, then I'd want to make sure that your marketing strategy includes ways to engage your sphere. We might implement new ideas to increase engagement, but we are dialed into marketing to this segment of your business.

Next, we move on to "identifying new areas of opportunities." (This is where we would start for new real estate agents.) What types of customers would you love to work with, is there a geographic area you want to serve, and is there a need you could fill in your local market? Once you've established what a profitable opportunity is, then we apply marketing to help you get there.

For example, you might have a lot of new construction in your market and want to work with new build buyers. We would then determine a strategy to reach those specific customers and choose a marketing channel to focus on, such as Instagram and YouTube.

Many agents make marketing more complicated than it needs to be because they're not thinking about the bigger picture. Let's do more of what works and be strategic about new opportunities. So, always remember to "amplify" and "identify."

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Mistake 4: You Can't Master Consistency 

This mistake is so common that I feel like I'm preaching to the choir by even including it.

But it has to be said, because the number one reason why marketing doesn't work is because it's not consistent. You could have the best marketing campaign in the world ever created, but if it's not out in the world gaining momentum, it's not going to get results. Period.

You cannot expect one-off marketing ideas to equal long-term success. You have to give your marketing time to be seen, generate engagement, become memorable, and resonate with your ideal home buyer and seller.

Yet, real estate agents struggle to master consistency! Whether it's posting on social, emailing your database, or prospecting in your local market, you have to keep at it. While I can give you tips to be more organized and effective with your time, I'll be 100% honest with you - 90% of consistency comes down to mindset and determination.

If you truly want to be consistent because you know it will help you grow your business, then you'll do it. It's just like anything else challenging in life. You have the power to make it happen, but you have to push yourself to do so. And I know that you can do it!

So, put it into your calendar and get the work done. Yet, if you find yourself still being inconsistent despite your best intentions, mistake number 5 might be the culprit...

Mistake 5: You're Doing Too Much 

You cannot expect to do it all and do it well.

Nobody can. You could be the biggest real estate company in the world or a brand new agent with no budget at all and still have the same problem. We all have time and budget constraints.

To see more results from your marketing, I want you to take the approach of "less is best."

It might seem counterintuitive because the more marketing you're doing, the more chances you have of attracting new customers, right...? Wrong. If you are doing too much, you are spreading yourself too thin. You'll find it challenging to be consistent, and you won't be as effective with what you are doing.

Quick Exercise:

• Jot down all the places you're marketing and ideas you're implementing on a piece of paper. You might even find yourself thinking, "well, I should be doing this," and including that in the list as well. Brain-dump until all of your marketing is in a simple list.

• Next, rate yourself on a scale of 0 to 5 for each item on your list.

  • 0 means you're not doing it or haven't started

  • 1 means you're just getting started

  • 2 means you're trying but not seeing any results

  • 3 means you're working towards consistency and getting some results

  • 4 means you are consistently seeing results

  • 5 means you're getting lots of business from this

I'd be willing to bet money that this exercise opens your eyes. Imagine if you had 1-2 marketing strategies that were ranked at a 5. That alone would help you grow your business. Having a lot of 0-3s, is going to be an uphill battle. So, narrow down what you're doing and reach for 4s and 5s.

Mistake 6: You're Afraid to Be Specific 

This is another common mistake, and it's one that comes from a place of fear and misunderstanding.

The more specific you can be with your marketing, the more effective it will be. You might just want business. So, taking the approach of narrowing your focus might feel like you are leaving money on the table by missing out on potential customers. While I understand where this outlook comes from, I want to assure you that it's inaccurate and misplaced fear.

You cannot market to everybody and anybody.

I want potential customers to feel like you are talking to them and you are the absolute best agent for their needs. They not only trust you, but they're excited to work with you. They're not going to feel that way if you're marketing doesn't first draw them in and relate to them. Instead, what's going to happen, is they're going to pass you by for an another agent who is more clearly a better fit.

In that example, it's clear that you lost out on business. So, you have to be specific and implement a target marketing strategy. By knowing exactly who you want to market to, you can tailor your marketing to them. This will, in-turn, create more opportunities for you and lead to more closings. 

And always remember that your marketing should be customer-focused. It's about them and not you. It's there to help them on their real estate journey and be a bridge to connect you. So, if you want to implement a customer-centric marketing strategy, then you need to know WHO you are marketing to.

So, don't let fear hold you back. Target marketing works, and if you'd like to learn more, be sure to check out Episode 64: Target Marketing for Realtors: How to Identify & Attract Your Dream Customer.

Mistake 7: You're Not Playing the Long Game 

It makes sense to want business now. You want to generate leads now. You want to work with customers now. Yet, you cannot run your real estate business with a short-term mindset, and the same goes for your marketing.

If you want to be successful for years to come, you need to start "playing the long game." This is exactly why I don't teach "get lead quick tactics," and instead, focus on marketing foundations that you can continue to build from.

I want you to start making marketing decisions that can continue to serve you and will build momentum. Focusing on building your agent brand, executing marketing plans, leveraging target marketing, and implementing relationship-based marketing will help you for years to come. It also gives you the flexibility to capitalize on marketing that's currently working and trending while sticking to a well-crafted strategy.

Stop thinking that marketing is a one-and-done approach.

Set yourself up for success by being true to who you are, avoiding annoying sales tactics, and always focusing on the customer. If you lead from a place of authenticity, people will want to work with you. You'll form genuine connections that lead to closings, and your marketing won't feel like advertising. It's a pathway to relationships. Learn more about building trust through your real estate marketing.

Finding Success in Your Real Estate Marketing 

I want your real estate marketing to empower you!

Yet oftentimes, I find that marketing is a frustration point for many agents. If that's the case for you as well, likely, one of the mistakes I shared today is the reason why. So, let's recap the biggest mistakes standing in your way:

• Mistake 1: You're Starting with Ideas, Not Strategy

• Mistake 2: You're Trying to Copy Someone Else's Success

• Mistake 3: You're Not Amplifying and Identifying Areas of Opportunity

• Mistake 4: You Can't Master Consistency

• Mistake 5: You're Doing Too Much

• Mistake 6: You're Afraid to Be Specific

• Mistake 7: You're Not Playing the Long-Game

And if you found yourself nodding along to any of these or thinking, "yes, I'm guilty of that mistake!"

Good.

It's not a bad confession. Now, you've recognized where you have room for improvement. If you hadn't taken the time for self-reflection, you'd still be heading down the same road where your marketing wasn't working. 

Now, you have the opportunity to make a change and to find the results you're looking for!

Looking for more? Don't miss these top related episodes:

• How to Create a Real Estate Agent Marketing Plan

• Target Marketing for Realtors: How to Identify & Attract Your Dream Customer

• 7 Ways to Keep the Momentum Going for Your Realtor Marketing Plan

Plus, here are some featured resources you might enjoy!

• Download Your Free Real Estate Marketing Plan

• Download Your Free Target Marketing Blueprint for REALTORS

{Click here to learn more & join me inside IG Unlocked for Real Estate!}

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I’m Heather Colby, host of the “Ideas for Real Estate Podcast.”

If you like what you read here today, I’d encourage you to take a listen to the episodes. :