Event Coverage
Make Your Marketing Useful, Human, Memorable, NAR's Nobu Hata Tells SILVAR REALTORS®
Last month, about 125 SILVAR members listened intently as National Association of REALTORS® Director of Industry Outreach Nobu Hata told them their job is to get educated better and their marketing needs to be useful. Do it right away, Hata said, because competition is fierce with so many real estate models, many of which are quite creative.
"You don't have the luxury of time anymore," said Hata.
Hata explained life is mobile and these days consumers do everything on their phone. The mobile phone has become a book, a grocery item selector, a bookstore, toy store, etc., largely due to Amazon's marketing techniques. People use Amazon for the convenience. It's a one-stop shop that saves them time.
"In the Age of Amazon everything is meant to save people time and money in an efficient, streamlined, 'transparent' way," said Hata. REALTORS® need to do the same for their clients.
Since people are inundated with thousands of marketing pitches from billboards, phone calls, to social media, Hata said a REALTOR®'s online presence needs to be useful and more transparent. Posting a listing for a three-bedroom, two-bath home is no longer enough. People are more demanding and impatient. They expect high value and tailor-made experiences at low prices. REALTORS® need to touch clients and make their brand human, more memorable, and have value.
"The job of the REALTOR® is to help your client not just see homes, but see the right home," said Hata.
"Post human messages that compel people to go offline and trust you," Hata told members. It's what companies like Google and Amazon do. REALTORS® have to be more trustworthy than an Uber driver and deliver premium services to their clients.
"The lack of professionalism is going to kill us," remarked Hata.
His tips: open houses are still awesome, post your current picture, be an expert at something, answer consumers' questions, make your messages memorable. Get away from a type of website that merely serves as an ego stroke. Offer website visitors much more.
Hata said REALTORS® need to gain the trust of consumers early, since many people are still 10-15 years away from buying a home. Fifty percent of homebuyers started their home search six to 12 months in advance; two in three researched the agent before reaching them; 10.7 points of information is needed for people to make a decision.
Be people-focused when marketing real estate, said Hata. "Do something different; be better. Focus on what's best for your buyer and seller, then execute."
Hata also noted, after a transaction don't hesitate to ask clients for referrals. Have them answer questions, like "Why did you use me?" and "What could I have done better?"
The NAR Director Industry Outreach reminded SILVAR members of the importance of post transaction experiences and making them memorable, as well. One REALTOR® gives away $100 college scholarships and invites his A-list clients to help him select the recipients; another puts their clients' names on a donation to charity. Nobu's wife Shay, who is a top producer, sponsors a Valentine's Day weekend dinner and a hair drying salon day for clients.
"Consumers have so much choice, so your marketing better be useful," Hata told members.
VIEW POWERPOINT PRESENTATION
The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 4,000 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay. SILVAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in Silicon Valley.
The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.
For further information, please email or call the SILVAR office at (408) 200-0100.