In this day and age, consumers are constantly asking of the businesses they work with, “What value can you offer me beyond this transaction?” To stay ahead of the competition, you’ve got to make sure you have plenty to offer potential clients.
To do this, you’ve got to do some content marketing.
The Value of Creating Content for Homebuyers
Creating content through the various stages of the home-buying journey provides valuable information to clients and, most importantly, creates trust and loyalty with your brand.
The Marketing Funnel Stages
When creating content, consider what the buyer experiences throughout the home-buying process and apply it to the marketing funnel stages.
If you’re not familiar with the four marketing funnel stages, here’s what they are and how they apply to the client journey.
Awareness. This involves general research, preparing for costs and fees and shopping around for a mortgage.
Intent. In this stage, the buyer is finding a real estate agent, getting approved for a mortgage and beginning their search for a new home.
Decision. The buyer narrows down their search, puts in an offer, schedules an appraisal and inspection and closes on the home.
Loyalty and Advocacy. After closing, clients are looking for information on maintaining their home and sharing their home-buying experience with others.
Content for Every Stage
As a real estate agent, you want to provide support and encouragement through your client’s entire process. Here’s how to do that in each stage.
Awareness
The type of content you want to create here is educational. Not only does this help the buyer prepare for their journey; it also establishes you as an expert from the get-go.
At this stage, create content based on topics like tips for preparing to buy a house or how to get the best rate on a mortgage.
Intent
This stage should involve more than sending out a new listing every now and then. Consider sending listings with your own notes about why a client might like certain properties. Make it personalized, so they feel that you care.
Decision
Help them complete the home-buying process by providing them with information on topics such as questions to ask your inspector or what to expect at closing.
Loyalty and Advocacy
During this stage, you want to create content that helps you retain your clients and get new ones through their referrals.
Send them a message congratulating them on their new home, and maybe provide some seasonal home maintenance tips a few times a year.
Types of Content to Create
There are a variety of mediums you can use to create this content. This could include blog posts, infographics, printables, videos or even a podcast.
Sharing Your Content
Create email lists for clients in specific stages of the homebuyer journey, or email personalized messages for a client’s specific situation. And be sure to post all your content on social media.
For more information on how our team can help you, please visit RealEstate.QuickenLoans.com.
Lauren Nowacki is a blog writer for Quicken Loans.
