11 Holiday Marketing Ideas for Real Estate Agents

As Thanksgiving and the holiday season approaches, this is a wonderful time to show your clients, friends, co-workers and affiliate vendors that you are thinking of them. It has been a year of ups and downs and sideways. Our mindset – focused on the positive – can help keep us afloat. A positive attitude will also help you spread cheer towards others despite the challenges they may be facing this holiday season.

An Attitude of Gratitude, along with your marketing skills, can help you create business success.

Gratitude is powerful and works. Numerous studies have been conducted to verify this scientifically.  One psychologist, Dr. Robert A. Emmons of the University of California, conducted research on gratitude and the benefits among group participants. This is an excerpt from some of the findings and benefits as outlined by Dr. Robert Emmons: Practicing gratitude hosts numerous benefits that cover most aspects of our being, including physical, psychological and social.

Physical

Stronger immune systems
Less bothered by aches and pains
Lower blood pressure
Exercise more and take better care of their health
Sleep longer and feel more refreshed upon waking

Psychological

Higher levels of positive emotions
More alert, alive, and awake
More joy and pleasure
More optimism and happiness

Social

More helpful, generous, and compassionate
More forgiving
More outgoing
Feel less lonely and isolated.

Keeping this attitude of gratitude top of mind, let’s move now to top marketing ideas that rock!

Get Personal

1. Connect with Those in Your Database via Telephone or Video

Make time to call. If you cannot reach them right away, then send them a text to see when they are available to speak. You can learn a lot from your conversation with a person via the telephone or a video call versus texting, which can be misinterpreted. Just a few minutes of your time letting them know you care can make a difference and further build trust and rapport. Connecting with others helps you stay top of mind.

2. Send Out Holiday Cards

Send out a holiday card via the post office. This is preferred over an e-mail card. We are so inundated with e-mails these days, that sending out a holiday card offers a personal touch. If you know the person, versus a lead or someone you have not met yet, consider writing a short personal note.

3. Participate in or Host a Fundraiser Drive

‘Tis the season of giving, and what better way than to contribute to an organization that is important to you and your community. Some ideas include hosting a food drive for a local shelter, veterans, animal shelter or rescue center.

4. Offer a Zoom Class in your Farm Area or Community.

Focus the class on something that will interest your target audience, such as How to Sell Your Home During These Times for Maximum Value. To gain the most participation, you can give out a gift certificate as a prize to someone who answers one of the questions asked during the presentation. (Make sure to follow game promotions/sweepstakes guidelines for your state.)

You can even ask someone from your local government to speak at your event, or anyone who you think would be of interest to your community.  Then send out lots of mailers or send the information via e-mail by the HOA (if there is one in the community). This will help generate the maximum number of attendees.

5. Host a Silly Pet Video Contest

Pet owners love to show off their pets and what better way to do it than with a video? Choose the judges, promote it, and post some of the funniest ones online. This can be lots of fun!

6. Help a Neighbor

One real estate agent in a community has put in place a support group for neighbors in need. In coordination with the Homeowner’s Association, they now have several people that live in the community willing to help move or pick up something (at the grocery store or pharmacy) when needed. Little things can make a difference, especially during holiday time.

7. Host A Shredding Event – Very Popular

We all know how much paper we accumulate over the year and for years. With the high incidence of identity theft, many of these papers stay stacked in boxes or are forgotten in closets. Shredding events or Shred-a-thons are hugely successful and a great way to market your business.

See if any local vendors or if your city offers a shredding event and be a volunteer. Or, plan it and host it along with some of your vendors. It is usually limited to a few hours, so you can watch the lines grow as people wait in their cars to give their boxes to shred!

Plus, it can be environmentally friendly. Ask the shredding service that you hire, if the shredded, unrecognizable paper is given to pulp mills after to create new paper. The death of your unwanted files can give birth to new paper.

Social Media Holiday Marketing Ideas

8. Post Personalized messages on Your Client’s Facebook Wall

Wish them a safe, healthy, and wonderful 2021. Use your own personal greeting that is unique to you.

9. Post Personalized Birthday Videos

Mark it in your calendar so you don’t wait for the last minute and record it a week ahead. Create a birthday video and then schedule it to post on their page for their birthday. Have fun with it! Silly, can be a good thing.

10. Support your local businesses by delivering gift cards to your top clients and referrals.

Now more than ever is a great time to support local restaurants, services, and businesses by giving a gift card to your top clients. Many vendors will offer you a discount when you purchase multiple cards, so you won’t be paying full price. Send it along with a personal note. Or you can deliver it to them personally, when possible.

11. Host a Virtual Holiday Party or Game

Many people in communities are missing their get-togethers. Consider hosting a fun game or offering a virtual holiday mixer. Prepare an upbeat music playlist or enlist the help of local musicians to participate virtually in the event. Combine it with a local comedian, magician, or some talent which will spark the interest of those participating in the event.

Become the ambassador of good this year. Bring the holiday spirit and joy this season to those you know and want to know. That’s the greatest gift of all.

And remember, when the time comes to process your real estate transactions, use Form Simplicity for a smooth, digital experience. Our real estate transaction management software is the leading platform in the industry!

Written for Form Simplicity by Janice Zaltman, a Realtor, LEED AP, Marketing Coach and Writer with more than 20 years of experience in the sales, marketing and media fields.