As a real estate agent, you’re always looking for new ways to market to your target audience and attract them to your business. You’re also probably eager to set yourself up as the local industry expert so that more people can find you. If so, a virtual meeting with local buyers and sellers may be just the thing you need to get a few great leads!
Hosting a buyer’s seminar is an absolutely fantastic way to engage with your target audience in a meaningful way. You can provide tons of valuable information to buyers and attract them to work with you by creating one simple event. And hosting it online just makes it that much easier!
All you have to do is pick a topic you’re passionate about that answers buyer questions (renting vs. buying, the home buying process, mortgage tips, etc.) and create a brief presentation and you’re ready to host a seminar! Here are a few tips for creating a truly stunning buyer seminar as a real estate agent.
Send Out Reminders
Don’t expect that everyone is going to remember that you announced a seminar and have it plugged into their calendars. You’re going to have to be proactive and get the information out there.
Send out calendar invites in emails and texts. Announce the event on social media with a link for people to use to add the event to their calendar. Send an email and a text with the same link so that nobody misses out or forgets what they saw on social media.
Be sure you send out reminders frequently, too. You want to, at the least, send a reminder the day before and a few minutes prior to the beginning of the event. You may even want to send a reminder a few times the morning of to keep it top of mind.
It’s easy to create a schedule with an online program so that you don’t have to manually send the invite that many times and disrupt your preparations. But don’t forget to remind people or they likely won’t show up!
Test Equipment
Before you actually begin the seminar, make sure you test the equipment so that you know it’s going to work. It’s impossible to always avoid tech issues, but do your best to make sure that a tech issue is really a tech issue and not something you could have figured out on your own.
Test out your camera, lighting, and microphone weeks in advance so that you know if you need to make any replacements. You don’t want to be scrambling on Amazon for a new camera the day before an appointment!
You should also try to test out with an audience (family member or friend) so that you are aware if any of your equipment is causing issues with your connection. Again, do this far enough in advance that you can run to the store or place an order if necessary.
Engage Early
When you’re finally there, don’t hesitate to have some fun and engage as quickly as possible! If your audience comes into a boring, awkward call, they’re liable to drop right off again since everything is online.
Start by asking your audience some engaging questions, which could be as simple as how their week has been or how many of them are cat people vs. dog people. Be sure you create a friendly, high-energy environment.
If no one is willing to speak up, don’t hesitate to call out your audience by name and force them to comment. This isn’t rude, it’s just a way to engage the people who actually cared enough to attend your seminar and remind them that they’re here to talk and learn, not just to hear and then forget.
Share the Agenda
Share the agenda for the meeting first thing so that your audience knows what to expect. Then, be sure you periodically remind them of the agenda in case new people have joined or someone wasn’t listening the first time.
You should also periodically remind people to drop comments either asking questions, answering questions, or simply engaging with the information you’re sharing. This will keep people engage and ensure they learn what they need to from your presentation.
Call them To Action
At the end of the seminar, have a specific call to action to give. In truth, your audience isn’t likely to do a lot if you don’t have something specific for them to do following the seminar. But, if you provided them with valuable information AND a next step, they are likely to follow through.
A great way to incentivize them to act is to have a special offer such as a free resource on homes in the area that they can only get if they send you an email. That way you provide them with something of value so that they don’t forget about you and know you can help them with the buying process.
Follow Up
Once the seminar is over, don’t hesitate to follow up with every attendee. Send a thank-you email that includes a recap of the event and your special offer/call to action. Add them to a drip campaign so they occasionally get information from you and you remain top of mind when they get serious about buying.
If you follow these tips, you’re sure to generate tons of leads and create a really successful business as the local real estate expert! With that reputation behind you and the new connections you’ll gain from the seminar, you’re well on your way to more lucrative listings in the near future!