Millennials – now one of the largest generations alive – are a generation like no other that has come before them. When it comes to marketing to millennials, it’s about way more than first impressions. Once you have their attention, you have to spoil them with a truly fantastic experience. No matter what industry you are in, millennials will respond best when you learn how to speak their language.
Marketing to Millennials in Real Estate
How can a real estate agent speak the language of a millennial? It’s likely that you’ve already learned a few tips to create a “TD” (amazing) millennial real estate experience. Your industry has recognized and embraced the millennial generation as the future of real estate. But the real estate industry remains competitive and to really hook this generation, you have to stay on your toes!
Why Real Estate Agents Sometimes Struggle with Marketing to Millennials
While real estate agents are well aware that they must learn how to catch the attention of the younger generation, marketing to millennials often presents a challenge. One of the biggest challenges is convincing them to use an agent at all. According to a study done by the Zillow Group, millennials are less likely than older generations to use a real estate agent when buying or selling their home. However, the same study yields good news as well. Millennials are much more likely to recommend their agent to a friend. For you, this places even more importance on providing them with an experience that they can’t help but brag about to their friends.
Marketing to Millennials in Real Estate
If you are looking to adjust your marketing strategy to serve the millennial generation with their real estate needs, here is a great checklist to get you started.
- Your Own Website with IDX Integration – Whether they are looking to buy or sell, a millennial’s real estate search will always start online. In 2017, you simply MUST have a website. Millennials will use your website to connect with you, so make sure it shows them who you are and what you can do for them. Catch their attention with IDX integration, a beautiful way to display your listings in real time directly on your site – including featured listings, new listings, open houses and more. IDX integration will also save you time that you would normally spend on manual updates to your site.
- Work on Your Online Presence – Creating your website is only the first step. Once it’s out there, you will need a way to direct people to you. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Social Media Marketing are both a must when marketing to millennials.
- Be Convenient – Millennials do everything at a very fast pace. They are used to the technology that allows them to multi-task and take care of business while on-the-go. They will work better with a real estate professional who provides the convenience of communicating via text or email and appreciate an agent who is also available to chat through social media. They want to be able to do their research easily from a mobile device – so make sure you are mobile-friendly!
- Be Informative – Millennials are a generation who know how to do their research. Because they can absorb and process an enormous amount of information quickly, this generation will consult many sources before making the decision to even pick up the phone and call you. Set yourself up to be an excellent source of the information they crave to learn more about the real estate process. Blogs, newsletters, ebooks, and videos targeting buyers and sellers are all a great place to start. Use marketing automation to intuitively deliver the information they are looking for at the time they are looking for it.
- Show Off, But in a Humble Way – Millennials are not just looking for any information … they are looking for valuable information that will help them navigate the real estate process in the most strategic way possible. They want to know that you know what you are talking about. Don’t be afraid to show off your expertise – that is what they are looking for!
Learn More About Marketing to Millennials
Over the years, technology has continuously evolved the real estate industry. Connecting with buyers, sellers, and investors in the digital environment is a must. With the millennial generation dominating the real estate market, you want to make sure you are setup to remain competitive in your market. Contact us to learn more about how to get started with a real estate marketing solution that will speak to today’s generation.
