We all know that you want more leads…like yesterday. Let’s be honest, we also know that Facebook Advertising is the way to go in 2017.
So if you are sitting on the sidelines waiting for the opportunity to get in the game…now’s the time (well actually the time was probably 5 years ago…)
Imagine generating leads on autopilot WITHOUT having to cold call, door knock or rely on crappy Zillow leads…
Sure, cold calling and door knocking works…but it’s not an efficient use of your time…
How does it feel when that roof sales guy or those Jehovah Witness people knock on your door?
Don’t you love receiving that 87th call from a Loan Officer asking for referrals (feels great doesn’t it)?
Sooo….how do you think it feels for your prospects when you cold call them?
It’s 2017, either get with the times or get left behind.
You want to get with the time, but don’t know where to start?
Why not try out Facebook Advertising?
Why Facebook Ads?
There are many reasons to use Facebook Ads, but I would argue the main reason is that you are able to capture the attention of your ideal clients (2 billion+ active Facebook users).
Another reason for using Facebook Ads is the targeting features. You can pinpoint the exact person that you want to show your ads to. You can literally target by your desired income level, demographics and intent to buy or sell a home.
Finally, another reason is you can achieve a measurable ROI that mostly outperforms any other form of advertising (if done right). Why? Because Facebook has only been around for a few years, the cost to advertise is much lower than the other mediums (but it will go up as it continues to grow).
So here are three tips that you can apply to generate more leads for your Real Estate business.
Offer Something of Value for Your Prospective Buyers and Sellers
In the marketing world, this is called a Lead Magnet or Bait. This is where you offer something of value that will catch the eye of your prospects.
For example if you live in San Diego and are looking to get more leads, you could compile a list of homes under $500,000 or a list of single story homes (want to see the exact Facebook Ads campaign that has generated leads for Real Estate Agents all over the country? Click here)
Then when they click through to your landing page they are required to input their information (name, email, phone number) in exchange for your Lead Magnet.
If you also want to pinpoint sellers try this: Once they fill out their information on the first page, send them to another landing page and ask them if they want to know how much their home is worth. Then on this page have them fill out just their address.
Target Locally with Facebook Ads
Using Facebook Ads you can target your ideal clients within a local area of your choosing.
Wouldn’t it be nice not to have to travel so far?
There are a few ways that you can target locally:
- Zip Code: You can pick and choose the specific zip codes that you want to target for buyer and seller leads (hint: the more specific and personalized your ad copy is, the more leads you will get)
- Radius: You can select to advertise to a specific radius around an area. This works especially well if you want to drive people to an open house or want to target people within a certain amount of miles of a specific address or area. (Tip: switch the location to “Living In” instead of “Everyone in this location” to avoid advertising to people that are passing through the area).
Make sure to build campaigns that cater to the exact area where you are advertising. If you are advertising in an area that has a lot of condos, you will want to adjust your lead magnet to appeal to that audience.
Use The Facebook Pixel
No seriously…USE IT!
If you aren’t using the Facebook Pixel to track your conversions then you are leaving a LOT of money on the table.
What is the Facebook Pixel? The Facebook Pixel is a line of code that Facebook provides to people that advertise on Facebook that allows you to track people who have visited your website or landing pages.
This may be the single most important thing you need to know about Facebook Ads.
Retargeting is vital to customer acquisition because it allows you to build the most important components to getting the sale: getting your prospect to Know, Like and Trust you.
Asking for the sale to a cold audience is like asking someone to marry you before the first date.
Sure, there may be some people that are going to say yes, but the majority of people need to be dated first to learn about you (know). They need to know if they align with your personality (like). And finally to know if you are the person they want to spend the rest of their lives with (trust).
Much like dating, marketing takes time.
So if you aren’t tracking the people that have been on your website or landing pages, you are missing out on building that relationship with your prospective clients.
The Facebook Pixel also allows Facebook to track who is converting into a lead and can then target people that are most likely to convert.
Seriously, if you aren’t using it, start now! (Don’t know how to install it? Check out my “How To” article here)
BONUS TIP: Video
I know, I know. I said 3 Facebook Advertising tips, but I wanted to throw in an extra one just for fun.
Facebook Video Ads have been proven to increase engagement compared to image ads (i.e. Drone video tour or value video with you talking).
Facebook video views are generally the cheapest way to get the most views. You can then retarget people that have watched a certain amount of your videos with more ads.
People that watched 50% or more of a 30-60 second video are generally more interested in what you are offering.
I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any questions or comments! I would love to hear your opinion!
Luke Shankula
P.S. If you are interested in hearing how I can help your business with Facebook Advertising, book a strategy call here.