Do you run a property agency and want to promote it? If YES, here is a sample real estate agency marketing plan template, tips and ideas to attract clients.
Okay, so we have considered all the requirements for starting a real estate agency. We also took it further by providing an in-depth sample real estate agency business plan template. In this article, we will be analyzing and drafting a sample real estate agency marketing plan backed up by actionable guerrilla marketing ideas for real estate agencies. So put on your marketing hat and let’s proceed.
A Sample Real Estate Agency Marketing Plan Template
1. Our Present Business Situation
Joel Morrison and CO Real Estate Agency is a real estate agency that will operate in all the states in the united states of America but will be headquartered in Ocean City, New Jersey. Presently, our real estate agency has been duly registered in the United States of America and we have successfully obtained our real estate agency license and other legal documents that will enable us operate legally in the United States of America. We have been in full time operation for the past 6 months and our office is located in Ocean City, New Jersey.
At the moment, we have successfully equipped our office, prepared all our business / contract documents and we have about 10 full – time employees under our payroll. We also have been able to seal over a dozen real estate agency deals since we commence full – time operations and we are at the verge of concluding 5 more deals within the next 3 weeks.
Lastly, we have trained real estate experts and lawyers which will be handling our real estate consultancy arm of the business. Our real estate consultancy services will be opened to the general public in about six month time. It is vital to stress that we will do our best to see that all our clients are satisfied. As a matter of fact, our mantra is surpassing the expectations of all clients.
2. Our Product and Services
Joel Morrison and Co Real Estate Agency is set to offer a variety of services within the scope of the real estate industry in the United States of America. Our intention of starting a real estate agency is to make profits from the industry and we will do all that is permitted by the law in the US to achieve our aim and ambition. Our business offering are listed below;
- Facilitating a Purchase — guiding a buyer through the process.
- Facilitating a Sale — guiding a seller through the selling process.
- FSBO document preparation — preparing necessary paperwork for “For Sale by Owner” sellers.
- Property Management
- Exchanging property.
- Auctioning property.
- Preparing contracts and leases.
- Listing the property for sale to the public
- Providing the seller with a real property condition disclosure (if required by law) and other necessary forms.
- Preparing necessary papers describing the property for advertising, pamphlets, open houses, etc.
- Holding an open house to show the property.
- Serving as a contact available to answer any questions about the property and schedule showing appointments.
- Ensuring that buyers are pre-screened and financially qualified to buy the property. (Sellers should be aware that the underwriter for any real estate mortgage loan is the final say.)
- Negotiating price on behalf of the sellers.
- Acts as a fiduciary for the seller, which may include preparing a standard real estate purchase contract.
- Selling of Fully Furnished Properties
- Selling of Landed Properties
- Real Estate Consultancy and Advisory Services
3. Our Mission and Vision Statement
To be the number one real estate agency (company) that best understands and satisfies all real estate needs of our clients in the United States of America and Foreign Investors.
Our mission and values are to help people, businesses and property owners and clients in the United States of America and throughout the world realize their dreams of owning properties, selling properties, leasing properties or renting properties in the United States of America.
Our Market Goals
As long as there are people living in the United States of America, the services of real estate agents will always be in need. Businesses need facilities to operate from and families and individuals need shelters hence the demand for real estate agents to help them solve these needs.
We are well positioned to take on the challenges that are synonymous in the real estate industry, and we are quite optimistic that we will meet out set target of generating enough income / profits from the first month or operations and grow the business beyond New Jersey to other states in the United States of America within record time.
We have been able to critically examine the real estate market and we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast (market goals). The sales projection is based on information gathered on the field and some assumptions;
- Rent / lease a minimum of 20 housing units to clients (flats, duplexes, studio apartment et al) within the first 6 months of operations
- Rent / lease a minimum of 10 office facilities to clients within the first 6 months of operations
- Manage a minimum of 10 properties for clients within the first 6 months of operations
- Sell a minimum of 20 hectares of land within the first 12 months of operation
- Develop at least one estate within the first 24 months of operations
- Provide advisory and consultancy services for a minimum of 10 client per month
- Handle a minimum of 24 building makeover projects within the first 12 months of operations
What we aim to achieve from our market efforts are as follows:
- To be listed among the top 5 property real estate agency company in the United States of America (within a 5 years benchmark)
- To become the number one choice when it comes to any real estate agency related needs in the United States of America
- We want to build a self – sustaining real estate agency business that will contribute to the growth of the economy of the United States of America.
4. Our Marketing Budget
We are in the real estate agency not just to operate as a local champion but to favorably compete with top real estate agency firms in the United States of America. As a matter of fact, we are set to grow our business to be listed amongst the top 5 real estate companies in the United States of America and we are set to achieve this feat within the next 5 year. In view of that, we have set aside a marketing budget of 50,000 US Dollars to aggressively market our services.
Subsequently, we will budget between 5 percent and 15 percent of our annual income towards marketing and promoting of real estate agency business in the United States of America. We believe that for us to be able to make more money, we have got to spend some good money to make our business known to all and sundry.
5. MARKET ANALYSIS
- Our Target Market
Our target market is the whole of the United States of America and we have put plans in place to recruit freelance agents (brokers) nationally to represent our business interest wherever they are located in the United States of America. Below is a list of the people and organizations which we will go all out to market our services to;
- Families who are interested in renting / leasing or acquiring a property
- Corporate organizations who are interested in renting / leasing or acquiring their own property / properties (offices, warehouses et al)
- Land Owners
- Properties Owners
- Students in University Communities (Private Hostels)
- Foreign investors who are interested in owning properties in the United States of America
- The government of the United States of America (Government contracts)
- Managers of public facilities
6. SWOT Analysis
The fact that real estate business is a very rewarding business does not mean that there are no challenges in the industry. Starting a real estate agency in the United States of America comes with its own challenges, you would have to abide by the law and also compete with loads of other entrepreneurs who also are interested in making a living and building a business in the US.
In order to compete favorably in the real estate industry as a real estate agency (broker), we have been able to hire the services of tested and trusted business and HR consultants to help us conduct critical SWOT analysis for us.
We intend maximizing our strengths, by exploring all opportunities we will come across, properly manage our weakness and confront our threats. Here is a summary from the result of the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Joel Morrison and Co Real Estate Agency;
- Strength:
Some of our areas of strength which we will be bringing to the table in the real estate industry are our robust relation with property investment moguls in the whole of the United States of America. It is pertinent to say that we have a team of experts who have cut their teeth in the industry. Our commission structure and relationship with freelance real estate agents in New Jersey and other state in the US will also count towards our advantage.
- Weakness:
As a newbie in the industry, we might have some challenges like; competing with real estate agencies that have been in the industry for many years. That to a large extent is one of our weaknesses.
- Opportunities:
The opportunities in the real estate industry are massive and we are ready to take advantage of any opportunity that comes our way.
- Threat:
Some of the threats that we are likely going to face as a property real estate agency are unfavorable government policies and global economic downturn. There is hardly anything we could possibly do as regards these threats, other than to be optimistic that things will continue to work for our good.
competitive advantage
Joel Morrison and Co Real Estate Agency might be a new entrant into the real estate industry in the United States of America, but the management team and board members are considered gurus. They are people who are core professionals and licensed brokers in the US. These are part of what will count as a competitive advantage for us.
Another competitive advantage that we are bringing to the industry is the commission model (our commission structure). We know that freelance (licensed) brokers would work for the highest bidder, which is why we designed a commission structure that will be a win – win scenario for all parties involved in any deal undertaken by us.
Lastly, our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package is amongst the best in the industry meaning that they will be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and achieve all our objectives.
7. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY
We are mindful of the fact that there is stiffer competition in the real estate market in the United States of America; hence we have been able to hire some of the best business developer to handle our sales and marketing.
Our sales and marketing team will be recruited based on their vast experience in the industry and they will be trained on a regular basis, so as to be well equipped to meet their targets and the overall goal of the organization. The training is not restricted to only our full – time employees but to also all our freelance brokers that are scattered all over the United States of America.
Our goal is to become one of the top 10 leading real estate agencies in the United States of America, which is why we have mapped out strategies that will help us take advantage of the available markets and grow to become a major force in the industry so much so that property owners will be looking for us to give us their properties to manage for them. Joel Morrison and Co Real Estate Agency is set to make use of the following marketing and sales strategies;
- Introduce our business by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to stake holders in the real estate industry and also property owners.
- Promptness in bidding for contracts
- Advertise our business in real estate / properties magazines and websites
- List our business on yellow pages
- Attend expos, seminars, and business fairs et al
- Create different packages for different category of clients in order to work with their budgets and still deliver quality housing/ property to them
- Leverage on the internet to promote our business
- Places a “For Sale” sign on the property indicating how to contact the real estate office and agent.
Sources of Income
Joel Morrison and Co Real Estate Agency is established with the aim of maximizing the profits in the real estate industry via delivering quality and affordable property to our highly esteemed clients and effective property management on behalf of our business partners (landlords and property owners). A licensed real estate agency can generate income from diverse means in the real estate agency, especially if they are part of a vibrant real estate network that covers the whole of the United States of America. Below are the sources we intend exploring to generate income for Joel Morrison and Co Real Estate Agency;
- Developing Properties for our Clients
- Renting of Properties /Leasing of Properties; Leasing for a fee or percentage of the gross lease value.
- Selling of Fully Furnished Properties
- Selling of Landed Properties
- Leasing of Bare Land
- Manage Properties and Facility for Clients
- Property Makeover Services
- Real Estate Consultancy and Advisory Services; Hourly Consulting for a fee, based on the client’s needs.
- Home Selling Kits — guides advising how to market and sell a property.
8. Sales Forecast
As long as there are people living in the United States of America, the services of real estate agents will always be needed. Businesses need facilities to operate from and families and individuals need shelters hence the demand for real estate agents to help them solve these needs.
We are well positioned to take on the challenges that are synonymous in the real estate industry, and we are quite optimistic that we will meet out set target of generating enough income / profits from the first month or operations and grow the business beyond New Jersey to other states in the United States of America within record time.
We have been able to critically examine the real estate market and we have analyzed our chances in the industry and have been able to come up with the following sales forecast. The sales projection is based on information gathered on the field and some assumptions;
- Rent / lease a minimum of 20 housing units to clients (flats, duplexes, studio apartment et al) within the first 6 months of operations
- Rent / lease a minimum of 10 office facilities to clients within the first 6 months of operations
- Manage a minimum of 10 properties for clients within the first 6 months of operations
- Sell a minimum of 20 hectares of land within the first 12 months of operation
- Develop at least one estate within the first 24 months of operations
- Provide advisory and consultancy services for a minimum of 10 client per month
- Handle a minimum of 24 building makeover projects within the first 12 months of operations
N.B: Please note that we could not put a specific amount to the projection because the prices and commissions vary for different properties and for different clients. Part of our business strategy is to work within the budget of our clients to deliver quality property / properties; hence it will be difficult to project what we are likely going to make from such deals.
But the bottom line is that we are definitely going to make reasonable profits from any business deal that we execute since we work based on commission. The property market is structured in such a way that property developers will always make profits from any deal they handle.
9. Our Pricing Strategy
Part of our business strategy is to ensure that we work within the budget of our clients to deliver excellent properties to them. The real estate industry is based on commission, and properties are valued by professionals based on the area the facility is located, the type of facility and other factors. Since we are not directly in control of the pricing system in the real estate industry, we can only abide by what is obtainable when it comes to pricing structure.
Our Unique Selling Point; What Makes Our Real Estate Agency Company Superior to Our Competitions
Our unique selling point as a real estate agency is that we will be bringing to the table our robust relations with properties investment moguls in the whole of the United States of America and also we have a team of experts who have cut their teeth in the industry.
Our commission structure and relationship with freelance real estate agents in New Jersey and other states in the US will also count towards our advantage. We know that freelance (licensed) brokers would work for the highest bidder which is why we designed a commission structure that will be a win – win for all parties involved in any deal undertaken by us.
Additionally, we will ensure that we work within the budget of each of our clients when it comes to giving them various options of properties to rent, lease or purchase and also we will continue to work hard to gain the trust of landlords / property owners who are also our clients.
Benefits Our Client Stand to Gain When They Patronizes Our Property Agency
As part of our plans to make our customers our number one priority and to become one of the top 5 leading real estate agency firm in the United States of America, which is why part of business strategy is to ensure that we work within the budget of our clients to deliver excellent properties to them. We will ensure that we deliver quality and affordable property to our highly esteemed clients and effective property management on behalf of our business partners (landlords and property owners).
In view of that, here are the benefits our customers and potential customers stand to benefits when they patronize our services:
- Standard and affordable properties
- Free consultation services as regards future investment in any real estate related business portfolio et al.
- Good value for their money
10. Guerrilla Marketing Strategies for Our Real Estate Agency
- Creating Brand Identity for Our Real Estate Agency Company
We are quite aware that if our brand is well communicated to our target market, it will make it easier for brand to be well accepted. We have been able to work with our consultants to help us map out publicity and advertising strategies that will help us walk our way into the heart of our target market. We are set to take the real estate industry by storm which is why we have made provisions for effective publicity and advertisement of our company.
Below are the platforms we intend to leverage on to promote and advertise our real estate agency business;
- Place adverts on both print and electronic media platforms (TV, radio, newspapers and real estate related magazines)
- Place our flexi banners with our company’s logo and contacts in every property we put up for sale or lease.
- Sponsor relevant TV shows
- Maximize our company’s website to promote our business brand
- Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Facebook ,Twitter, LinkedIn, Badoo, Google+ and other platforms (real estate online forums) to promote our business and list our properties for sale and for lease.
- Install our Bill Boards on strategic locations
- Distribute our fliers and handbills in targeted areas from time to time
- Attend landlord and residence association meetings with the aim of networking and introducing our business.
Strategic Marketing Alliance with Our Competitors in the Real Estate Agency Industry
Good enough, the nature of the real estate agency business gives room for a real estate agent / agency to form a strategic marketing alliance with their competitors in the industry. As a matter of fact, no real estate agent / agency can survive the industry without networking with other real estate agents / agencies. This is so because in most cases, the agent that is responsible for renting / leasing or selling a property is not always the person that will bring the clients as required. Other agents / agency might have a client on ground.
For instance; if agent A has a property to rent / lease / sell, all he has to do is to inform other agents within his network. Once an agent within his network brings in a client that eventually rents, leases, or purchases the property, then they will share the agency fee as agreed by both parties. Sometimes more than one agent is involved in such deals.
11. Our Client Retention Strategies (Ways to Improve Our Customer Experience)
As a real estate agency company, our business goal is to ensure that we make available properties that are of good standard and affordable to our clients and also to ensure that we work towards giving them god value for their money.
In view of that we will do all we can to make our properties; rented properties most especially highly secured and comfortable to all those who rented them. Part of plans to achieve this is to ensure that we properly screen tenants before renting our properties to them. This will give us the opportunity to only rent our properties to responsible citizens who won’t damage or properties or make trouble with other tenants.
These are the ways we intend utilizing when it comes to improving our customer experience so that we can create a good impression and generate repeated business from them:
- Ensures that we deliver standard properties to our clients and tenants
- Ensure we get feedback from our tenants at all times
- Ensure that we work within the stated budget of our tenants or clients who wants to purchase properties
- Make use of effective customer relationship management (CRM) software to effectively manage our clientele base / tenants.
- Ensures that we carry our customers / tenants along when making decisions that directly affect them.
Possible Ways We Intend Offering Incentives to Our Tenants / Customers / Clients (Bonus, Discounts, etc)
Part of our marketing strategies which is clearly stated in our business plans is to ensure that we offer our customers / tenants incentives in order for us to retain them and of course to continue to generate repeated business from them and also to attract new customers / tenants. We know that if we are going to win our own fair share of the existing market, then we must be willing to outsmart our competitors.
Part of the incentives that we intend dishing out to our highly esteemed customers / tenants is to give them free consultancy services as it relates to renting / leasing apartments or purchasing properties. We will also give our existing customers / tenants the opportunity to be the first to access any opportunities that is available through us. This means that if we have any property that is up for rent, lease or sale, we will first and foremost give preference to our existing customers; before making it available to the general public.
We will also create a loyalty plan that will enable us reward our loyal tenants who have been able to stay in our properties for a long time, paying their rents without defaulting, keep our properties under their care in good shape and who also refer our services to their family members, friends and colleagues. Rewarding them could be giving our customers discounts anytime they patronize us and also giving them gifts during special occasions like Christmas, New Year, Thanksgiving, Independence Celebrations and Easter et al.
- After Sales Service and Customer Support Services
When it comes to the real estate agency industry, there are rooms for after sale services. The truth is that once you are able to rent out an apartment to a tenant, it is your responsibility to ensure that every facility inside the apartment is functional as expected and if they are not, it is your responsibility to fix such facility. The truth is that most landlords would usually assign the responsibility of maintaining a property to a real estate agency firm; they are usually the caretakers of properties that they rented out especially if they are involved in property management aspect of the real estate industry.
In view of that, we will maximize our customer relationship management software applications so as to keep in touch with out tenants and customers so that they can easily communicate to us when they have any challenge with the properties we rented / leased to them. We will also make sure we carry them along when we have any promo that we know will benefit them.
Possible Questions We Intend Asking Our Clients during Our Market Survey
These are the 10 possible questions we are going to put forward when conducting marketing survey on our customers / clients:
- Are you satisfied with the quality and standard of our property that you rented, leased or purchased?
- If you are not satisfied with the quality and standard of our properties in what areas would you want us to improve on going forward?
- If you decide to change location, what area would you want to relocate to and what kind of accommodation would you be looking at renting, leasing or purchasing?
- How would you want us to communicate to you when we want to pass useful information that will be of benefit to you or someone you know (i.e. when we have property for sale, lease or rent et al)? Through letters, text messages, e – mail, or via mobile apps (BBM, twitter, 2Go, WeChat, WhatsApp et al)
- Are you looking for a property to rent, lease or purchase? If yes, what is your budget?
- If you have a property for rent, lease or sale, would you freely give it to us to help you handle?
- Are you satisfied with the facilities that are available in our properties?
- If you are not satisfied with the facilities that are available in our properties, which additional facilities would you want us to include in our properties?
- Can you comfortably recommend our real estate agency company to your family members, friends and colleagues?
- Are you satisfied with our customer service delivery? If not what areas would you want us to improve on?
12. Actionable Marketing ideas for Our Real Estate Agency
Cost Effective Ways We Intend to Advertise / Promote Our Real Estate Agency Business without Using the Internet
- Place adverts on both print (newspapers and real estate magazines) and electronic (radio and TV) media platforms
- Sponsor relevant community programs
- Attend local and intentional real estate fairs / expos
- List our business on yellow pages
- Place our bill boards in strategic locations
- Distribute our fliers and handbills in targeted areas from time to time
- Attend landlord and residence association meetings with the aim of networking and introducing our business.
Low Cost Ways We Intend to Advertise / Promote Our Real Estate Agency Company on the Internet
We are quite aware that the internet is presently the biggest platform when it comes advertising / promoting any business and one good thing about adverting on the internet that is far cheaper than other conventional advertising platforms. This is why we will ensure that we explore all available means on the internet platform to promote our real estate agency business.
Here are they ways we intending leveraging on the internet to advertise / promote our real estate agency business:
- Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Flickr, Fotolog, Pinterest, Shutterfly, Tumblr, WordPress, Facebook, twitter, YouTube, Google+, and Snapchat to promote our real estate agency brand
- Design an interactive corporate website and we will make use the platform to promote our real estate agency company
- Place adverts on high traffic websites
- Engage in blogging and make use of the platform to promote our real estate agency company
- Leverage on email marketing strategy to advertise and promote our real estate agency company
Creative Marketing Ideas Specific to Our Real Estate Agency
One of the key factors that work pretty well for real estate agents / agencies is their ability to network with as many real estate agents / agencies that they can find. This will give them leverage in the market place. With a robust network and data base of tenants, it is easier to link a tenant who is looking for a property to rent , lease or purchase to a real estate agent / agencies who have properties listed for rent, lease or sale.
Another creative marketing skill that is highly productive in the real estate agency industry is leveraging on the internet. The internet is perhaps one of the easiest ways you can get clients sourcing for accommodations to rent, lease or buy. Just ensure that you target high traffic real estate sites to list your properties that are up for rent, lease and sale and you will be amazed at the rate of calls or mails you will get from those who are interested in the property. You can also leverage on social media platforms like twitter et al to market your properties.