I love going to Starbucks. I shell out four-plus dollars a few times a week for my lattes and they make me very happy. As a marketer, I sometimes have “recency and frequency” envy of other marketers. What does this mean? Recency (the last time you interacted with a customer) and frequency (how often you interact with your customers) historically track as the two strongest indicators of how long you keep a customer.
In a word, it’s how sticky your brand becomes to your customers.
Now that I am in the real estate industry, matters of recency and frequency are quite different challenges than they were when I was in the travel industry and customers could stay at our hotels dozens of times a year. People simply don’t buy houses once a week, or even once a year.
So how do we tackle this issue?
At Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, we have several great ways to increase the stickiness of our brand, and we put those right in the hands of our brokers and agents.
1. We have a tremendous amount of lifestyle content on our website, bhgrealestate.com. We have articles, tips, and videos on topics as varied as do-it-yourself fixes to home staging to being an informed buyer or seller
2. Additionally, our website offers dynamic neighborhood data which educates our consumers on everything from housing trends, schools, and in-depth community info and search capabilities
3. We have customized subscription programs for Better Homes and Gardens and Traditional Home, two popular magazines which enable our agents and brokers to send a year’s subscription to anyone in their sphere of influence…complete with their picture and customized message on the mailing label—a great way to have a high quality reach to consumers
These tools are just a sampling of what we offer. It all comes down to this:
Increase Your ‘Sticky’ Factor
• Use social media, but use it responsibly. Be relevant, offer quality information, give your network information and tips that they can really use
• Perhaps there is a local radio show or local TV show that can use the expertise of a real estate professional to contribute content or perspective
• Reach out to past clients (or prospective clients) on important home-related or life milestones
• Stay connected in your community: attend events, fund raisers, volunteer opportunities—get involved!
• Seek out relationships with contractors, home-related professionals, or even community influencers that may provide you the opportunity to meet and educate people on a more regular basis…regardless of whether they are ready that moment to buy or sell or not
Humans are simple creatures. We tend to best remember what—or who—is closest to us. Get out there and stay out there—formally, informally…you are the best tool to build your personal brand.
Jennifer Marchetti is the Vice President of Marketing at Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate.
To read this column on Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate’s blog, “Clean Slate,” visit: http://bhgrealestateblog.com/2011/11/21/how-sticky-is-your-brand/.
