How Promotional Products Can Boost Your Real Estate Business

Realtors know it’s all about location, location, location. The same goes for your personal advertising. If you can get your name in the right locations your business will prosper. In this article we’ll take a look at some advertising strategies and how something as simple as a promotional keychain can help boost your real estate business.

There are four key components to every marketing program.

• Products and Services — What is the commodity, product, or service that you’re offering? In real estate we know that those products are land, houses, and other buildings. And as a realtor you are offering your knowledge and expertise in real estate as your service.
• Price — What is the cost of your product or service? We all have experience buying things--you see something for sale that you want and pay for it. Price is governed at the most basic level by supply and demand.
• Distribution — Where are your products and how do you get them to your customers? It’s a little bit trickier in real estate since your product can’t necessarily be distributed. This is where a realtor can fill in the gaps by distributing their services in order to bring customers to the product.
• Promotion — How will you let people know about your products and services? This includes attracting new customers and also getting them to interact with your product or service. Even with a limited advertising budget, this is an important area on which to focus.

If you’re a realtor your name is part of your brand. The more familiar your name is to people, the more you will gain their trust. And, consequently, gain the trust of their friends, family, and colleagues. There are several ways to advertise yourself and it will likely take a combination of methods for you to see the successful results.

You can capture a small segment of people with a For Sale sign in the front yard of the property that you’re trying to sell. This works well for a client that has narrowed down the type of neighborhood she might like to live in and is casually browsing available homes by driving around. This also is good for the neighbors to see if they plan on moving in the future. This is especially true if the neighbors are close friends because it often leads to a direct referral.

This is one of the more traditional paths to name recognition. Prints ads can be worth it if you’re advertising in the right publications. They can also be more costly than other options. It may be cheaper to get a sales ad or classified listing in a low cost or free publication that is distributed locally, however it’s also going to get less eyes from serious buyers. If you work with a brokerage you may already have connections to dedicated real estate publications. And if your budget allows, you can go as big as a highway billboard to advertise your services.

It can be a good idea to include a good clear headshot photograph with your print advertisements because people want to see the friendly face that will be helping them along in their house buying adventure. Make sure to include any other relevant information along with your name, phone number, website, and office location.

We have been living in the internet age long enough that everyone realizes the power of online marketing. Unlike print advertising, you can instantly reach a global market when you have an effective online presence. Another added bonus is that there is virtually no extra cost to get started. Having a Facebook page is often enough to manage your web outreach.

To truly take advantage of the internet, though, you’ll want to consider a building a web page with your own customized domain name. This builds trust that you are committed to what you are doing and lets potential clients find you easily. And it looks better on a business card!

Like with print advertising, you can also pay to have your ads show up in more places across the internet. The sky is the limit with this option and more money may not always equal more results. Take some time to find a balance that works best for your business. You can use a service like Google Adwords to get started.

Nothing beats free swag. And the best part is that it’s advertising that people willingly take home and keep! In fact, somewhere in your home you probably have a magnet on the refrigerator, bottle opener keychain, or other logo-emblazoned item that you received for free as part of a promotional giveaway. Giving your clients or potential customers something for free is a great way to keep your brand fresh in their heads and possibly even in use in their daily lives. Promotional items can yield long-term results as well since a physical object is a tangible reminder to help them remember you in the future.

This is the easiest to achieve because you don’t have to do anything more than provide excellent service. People are happy to recommend a product or service to friends after having a positive experience. For realtors, this is one of the most powerful tools in your toolbox. Choosing a real estate agent can be a daunting task for a new home buyer and just one referral from a friend or family member can influence them toward using your services.

A 2015 survey conducted by the National Association of Realtors found that 40% of home buyers found their real estate agent through direct referral.

How do you plan to implement the above strategies into your marketing plan? We suggest investing in promotional products as a core part of your plan. There are plenty of reasons why this is a good idea. We touched briefly on how giveaway items have an impact on your customers earlier in the article. Now we’ll take a more detailed look at promotional keychains and how they can play an essential role in your advertising strategy.

• Low effort, high reward — there is an initial cost but after that you just give them away. It doesn’t take your continual attention and resources. Order in larger quantities to save money.
• Longevity and reach — people tend to hang onto these items for a long time. A 2004 study by L.J. Market Research revealed that in a survey of business travellers at Dallas Fort Worth Airport, 71% had received a promotional item in the last 12 months. Of those people, 33.7% had that item on their person.
• Brand recognition — The longer people keep their keychain and use it, they will see your name again and again. This kind of recognition will keep you fresh in their minds and more likely to recommend your services to a friend or family member.
• Increased sales — In a Baylor University study, researchers found that sales persons who utilized promotional products conducted 22% more business than their peers who did not. [From: "Competitive Positioning of Promotional Products Sources Based on Client Perceptions and Experience," Journal of Promotion Management, Vol. 14, No. 3, (3rd Quarter 2008), pp. 375-389.]
• Promote a Good Image — You remember when someone does something nice for you. 71% of people surveyed remember the company that gave them a promotional product and retained a favorable view of that company. [source]
• Open a dialogue — a customer or client will be more receptive to engaging with you when they receive a promotional product. 52% of people surveyed said they were more open to doing business with the company that had given them that promotional item. [source]

We realize the importance of a good promotional product and carry a wide variety of custom keychains, lapel pins, bottle openers, and more in order to meet your marketing goals and help grow your business. Hopefully, reading the information presented in this article has convinced you of the impact that a great promotional item can bring.

We would like to present to you several of our keychains that are designed specifically with real estate in mind. They are great for trade show events, office take-homes, and also make a fantastic gift when you hand off the keys of the house to your successful new homeowners.

No Place Like Home

This chrome finish metal keychain is made in the classic house shape. One side is drawn with windows and a door to give the house a face. The reverse side is blank and is awaiting your custom message. Our laser engraving process produces a beautiful silver tone on tone, which is permanent and will have your message looking its best for years to come. Nothing says “Welcome Home” like this elegant keychain.

House Shaped Chrome Keychain

The House Shaped Chrome keychain is similar to our No Place Like Home keychain, except that both sides are left blank for your personalized engraving. We use the same laser engraving process to make a permanent silver tone on tone imprint of both sides of this house. You’ll have double the space to display your promotional message. And our custom engraved metal keychains will come packaged in an attractive gift box.

Key To The House Keychain

The Key To The House is another metal keychain with polished chrome finish. It is shaped like a key with both the bow and the bit of the key shaped like a house. The intent of this keychain is clear: real estate. Engrave one or both sides of the bow with your custom promotional message.

Custom Key Shaped Bottle Opener

These key shaped bottle openers are made uniquely for you with our custom MasterCast process. Achieve 3-dimensional results in any shape or design. Choose from our beautiful metal plating options to further customize your promotional keychain.

Vinyl Shapes Keychains

Our soft durable vinyl keychains can be custom made to any shape. We have a nice selection of house shapes as well. With 17 vinyl colors and 49 imprint colors from which to choose, these keychains are a popular way to spread a cheerful branding message.

100% Custom Made Keychains

Make a fully customized keychain to meet your exact needs. Maybe none of the options above are quite what you’re looking for or you want something that will be as unique as your organization. In that case, we can manufacture 100% custom made keychains for you also. From full color options to 3-D metal and color enamel, we can make the exact promotional keychain that you require. Our high quality custom made keychains are going to impress both you and your customers.

Take the first step toward your marketing success and order your promotional keychains today. We’re here to help you along in process if you have questions or want to create customized artwork for your keychains. Give us a call at 1-877-848-4044 or browse promotionalkeychains.biz for more great options.