What is real estate farming?

Before we dive into video marketing, let’s define real estate farming or “Geographic farming”. Farming is the process of targeting a specific geographic area and becoming the go-to agent for that area. This can include sending out mailers, hosting events, and engaging with the community and so many other strategies we teach here at Launch Your Farm. The goal is to become a trusted resource for buyers and sellers in that area, so they think of you when they’re ready to make a move.

Why use video marketing for real estate farming?

Video marketing is one of the most powerful tools for real estate agents for several reasons. First, it’s a great way to showcase your personality and expertise. By creating engaging videos, you can build trust with potential clients before even meeting them in person. Second, video is more memorable than text-based content, so prospects are more likely to remember you and your message. Third, you can reach more people with less effort. Imagine having the same conversation one on one to 500 people. Now imagine having that conversation once, and showing that video to 500 people. Think of the time, effort and energy you’d save. Finally, video is highly shareable, so you can extend your reach beyond your immediate sphere of influence and reach people that aren’t even in your sphere or farm.

How to create a video marketing strategy for real estate farming

Now that we’ve established why video marketing is important,it’s time to start planning our world domination with video. Let’s dive into how to create a winning video marketing strategy for real estate farming.

Define your target audience

The first step in creating any marketing strategy is to define your target audience. Who are you trying to reach with your videos? Are you targeting first-time homebuyers or luxury home sellers? Are you going to make videos for people already living in your farm or people thinking of moving to your farm? Are you trying to connect with people you already know, or people you’ve never met? There are a number of factors you want to consider at this stage. Understanding your target audience will help you create even better videos that resonate with them and get you results.

Choose your topics

Once you know who you’re targeting, it’s time to choose your topics. Your videos should be informative and engaging. They should be value adding and entertaining. They also should be videos that your audience can connect with. That is why it’s important to figure out who you are making the videos for FIRST. You need to think about what your target audience wants to know. You could create videos about the home buying process, local market trends, or tips for staging a home for sale, community based videos, things to do in the area, educational  videos around real estate or around the home. It really is going to depend on your audience as well as your expertise and interests.

Plan your production

Before you start filming, you’ll need to plan your production. Think about what equipment you’ll need, where you’ll film, and who will be on camera. The great news is you don’t need a full movie studio to get started. A simple high quality smartphone and a tripod is all you need to get started. After you know the type of equipment and where you want to film, you’ll also need to plan your script and any visuals you want to include.

Film and edit your videos

Once you’ve planned your production, it’s time to film and edit your videos. Make sure your videos are well-lit and the sound quality is good. One tip that I’ve learned over the years is that while you may want to write out the perfect script, it usually doesn’t translate well on camera if you are trying to memorise it word for word. That’s why I strongly suggest creating an outline with bullet points of what you want to cover and just go with it after that.

When it comes to editing your videos, it really is going to depend on your budget, your timing and the amount of effort you want to put into it. While many people will say you must have fully professionally edited videos, we’ve seen a shift back to more “boot strapped” video production as many people don’t like the over-polished look. If you are going to do editing, it’s important that your videos have a similar look and feel to them so be sure your branding is on point. 

You’ll need to decide if you want to become a video editor or have someone else do it. We’ll save that conversation for another day, as it can get pretty heated! 🙂 

Promote your videos

Finally, you’ll need to promote your videos. It’s one thing to create great content, but the world needs to find out about it. An awesome video will just sit there in the internet space time continuum if no one knows about it. That’s why it’s important to share your videos on social media, include them in your email marketing campaigns, and post them on your website. Share them in local community groups, or get local businesses to help promote them. Promoting your videos should take more time and effort than it does creating them. I once read a blog a few years ago that suggested an 20/80 split. You should be spending 80% of your time promoting your videos and 20% of the time creating them. The magic happens in the promotion, not just the creation. The more exposure your videos get, the more likely they are to attract new clients and the more likely the members in your farm will know, like and trust you.

Best practices for real estate video marketing

Here are some best practices to keep in mind when creating your videos for your farm:

Keep it short

Attention spans are short, so keep your videos short and to the point. Aim for videos that are no longer than two to three minutes. (You can create long form videos as well, but be sure you have plenty of shorter videos that people can consume quickly.)

Be authentic

Your videos should showcase your personality and expertise. Don’t try to be someone you’re not. People want to work with people they can connect with, so don’t be fake, people can smell it a mile away.

Use a call to action

Include a call to action in your videos to encourage viewers to take the next step, whether that’s contacting you for more information or visiting your website, liking and subscribing or checking out other resources. Whatever you do, make sure your video has a “next step” for them to take. If you don’t tell them to take it, most likely they won’t.

Optimize for SEO

Make sure your videos are optimised for SEO by including relevant keywords in your titles, descriptions, and tags. This will help your videos rank higher in search engine results. The great news is this becomes super easy when we are hyper locally focused. Most agents and marketers are trying to catch a larger audience and aren’t touching any hyper local keywords, so we have a ton of opportunity here to become the go to agent in our farm.

Include captions

Adding captions to your videos is important for accessibility, as well as for viewers who may be watching without sound. Captions can also improve your SEO by providing more text for search engines to crawl.

Add value

Your videos should provide value to your viewers. Whether it’s educational or entertaining, your videos should leave your viewers feeling like they’ve learned something or been entertained. If there is no value, your videos won’t be watched and definitely won’t be shared. You need to create a reason for people to WANT to come back and watch more.

Conclusion

Video marketing is a powerful tool for real estate agents looking to supercharge their farming efforts. By creating engaging and informative videos, you can build trust with potential clients and extend your reach beyond your immediate sphere of influence and position you as the trusted source in your neighbourhood. Follow these best practices to create a winning video marketing strategy and watch as your real estate business takes off. You’ll be happy you did, and so will your audience!

FAQs

1. Do I need professional equipment to create real estate videos?

While professional equipment can certainly help, you can create effective videos using just a smartphone and a tripod.

2. How often should I create and share videos?

It’s important to be consistent with your video content, but the frequency will depend on your available resources and target audience. At a bare minimum, aim for at least one video per month.

3. What kind of videos should I create?

Your videos should be informative and engaging. Consider creating videos about the home buying process, local market trends, or tips for staging a home for sale and more importantly, local community content that everyone can resonate with.

4. How can I measure the success of my video marketing efforts?

You can track metrics such as views, engagement, and conversions to measure the success of your video marketing efforts.

#videomarketing #realestatefarming #geographicfarming #targetaudience #localrealestate #communityvideos #realestateeducation #videoproduction #videoediting #socialmedia #emailmarketing #website #SEOoptimization #captions #valueaddedvideos #hyperlocalkeywords

Happy Farming!

Ryan Smith – Founder/Creator

Launch Your Farm

www.LaunchYourFarm.com

Be sure to check back on our blog and show to get awesome information about geographic farming!

Blog – http://www.LaunchYourFarm.com/LYFBlog

Show – http://launchyourfarm.com/category/interviews

The post <strong>How to Use Video Marketing to Supercharge Your Real Estate Farming Efforts</strong> appeared first on Launch Your Farm.

Why Buzz-Worthy Content Matters

In today’s digital age, it’s more important than ever to create content that stands out from the crowd. Gone are the days of writing boring, mundane and cookie cutter content. With so much noise and competition online, it can be difficult to capture people’s attention and get them to engage with your brand. The great news is this is still how most agents operate. (if they even create content at all!) 

Buzz-worthy content, on the other hand, is content that generates excitement, interest, and discussion among your target audience. By creating buzz-worthy content, you’ll be able to:

• Increase brand awareness and visibility
• Build a loyal following of fans and followers in your farm and beyond
• Attract new leads and potential clients with ease
• Establish yourself as an expert and ambassador in your farm
• Drive traffic to your website and social media pages that convert

Understanding Your Audience

Before you start creating buzz-worthy content, it’s important to understand your target audience. Start with thinking about who lives in your farm? Who are they? What are their interests, pain points, and motivations? What kind of content do they like to consume, and where do they go to find it? What things affect their day to day life? What local information and content would be relevant to them?

By answering these questions, you can begin to tailor your content to meet the needs and preferences of the people living in your farm, which will then increase the chances of it being shared and talked about.

Choosing Topics and Themes

When it comes to creating buzz-worthy content, it’s important to choose topics and themes that are relevant, timely, and interesting to your farm. Some ideas to consider include:

• Local real estate market trends and data
• Neighborhood profiles and guides
• Home staging and decorating tips
• Things to do in the community
• News and hot topics
• Local businesses
• Q&A sessions with local experts and influencers
• Touching and impactful local stories

Creating Engaging Formats

Once you’ve decided on the types of topics you will want to create, it’s important to present your content in engaging and attention-grabbing formats. Some formats to consider include:

• Infographics and data visualisations
• Videos and virtual tours
• Podcasts and webinars
• Blog posts and articles
• Social media posts and stories
• Interactive quizzes and surveys
• Print vs Digital

Which formats you decide to work with will be determined by the platforms you are sharing on, your audience, your skillset, your time and what gets the best response.

Promoting Your Content

Once you’ve created some buzz-worthy content, it’s important to promote it through the right channels to ensure it reaches your target audience. It’s one thing to create the content, but if no one finds out about it, it’s all for nothing. So don’t miss this crucial step. Some strategies to consider include:

• Sharing on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn
• Using paid advertising to boost visibility and reach
• Partnering with local businesses and influencers to share your content
• Including your content in email newsletters and marketing campaigns
• Repurposing your content for different platforms and formats

Measuring Success

Finally, it’s important to measure the success of your buzz-worthy content to determine what’s working and what’s not. Some metrics you are going to want to track include:

• Website traffic and engagement
• Social media likes, comments, and shares
• Lead generation and conversion rates
• Brand awareness and recognition

By tracking these metrics, you’ll be able to identify areas for improvement and refine your content strategy over time. This will help you create even better content that further gets spread and builds even more awareness.

Conclusion

Creating buzz-worthy content is an essential part of any successful real estate marketing strategy. The great news is that by focusing on  hyperlocal content, you will be able to reach people who resonate with it and increase the chances of your content being shared by members of your community. By understanding your audience, choosing the right topics and formats, and promoting your content through the right channels, you can generate interest and engagement among potential clients and establish yourself as an expert in your farm. 

And the great news is that most agents aren’t willing to put the time in to become the hyper local expert. This leaves room for you to become the big fish in the small pond, and carve out your own niche.

FAQs

1. What is buzz-worthy content?

Buzz-worthy content is content that generates excitement, interest, and discussion among your audience.

2. How do I choose topics for my content?

When choosing topics for your content, consider what is relevant, timely, and interesting to your target audience. You can start by researching local real estate market trends, neighbourhood profiles, and content that is relevant to your community. You can also offer insider tips and advice for buyers and sellers, host Q&A sessions with local experts, and offer virtual home tours and open houses. Find a balance between real estate topics as well as community focused information. If you are still struggling for ideas, why not call, doorknock or email your farm and ask them what type of content they would like to see. You can get it right from the source! 

3. What formats should I use for my content?

To create engaging content, consider formats like infographics, videos, podcasts, blog posts, social media posts, and interactive quizzes. Choose formats that are easy to consume and share, and that align with the preferences of your target audience.

4. How do I promote my content?

To promote your content, use social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, and consider paid advertising to boost visibility and reach. You can also partner with local businesses and influencers to share your content, include your content in email newsletters and marketing campaigns, and repurpose your content for different platforms and formats.

5. How do I measure the success of my content?

To measure the success of your content, track metrics like website traffic and engagement, social media likes, comments, and shares, lead generation and conversion rates, and brand awareness and recognition. Use these metrics to identify areas for improvement and refine your content strategy over time.

#BuzzWorthyContent, #GeographicFarming, #RealEstateMarketing, #TargetAudience, #EngagingFormats, #ContentPromotion, #MeasuringSuccess, #LocalTopics, #HyperlocalContent

Happy Farming!

Ryan Smith – Founder/Creator

Launch Your Farm

www.LaunchYourFarm.com

Be sure to check back on our blog and show to get awesome information about geographic farming!

Blog – http://www.LaunchYourFarm.com/LYFBlog

Show – http://launchyourfarm.com/category/interviews

The post <strong>Create Buzz-Worthy Content for Your Farm</strong> appeared first on Launch Your Farm.

The real estate industry is changing. It always has been, and it always will be. That’s great news for you. With those changes comes opportunities and some disadvantages. The old school ways of doing geo farming have come and gone, however we are left with new ways of establishing yourself as the community expert. Today we are going to dive into some of the pros and cons of real estate farming you should know about if you want to build a long term successful business.

What is Real Estate Farming?

Before we start, It’s important to discuss what exactly is real estate farming? Some call it geographic farming. You may hear geo farming or geographical farming. You may just hear it referred to as “farming”. Whatever you call it, real estate farming is a marketing strategy where you focus on building relationships with homeowners and potential buyers within a specific geographic area. It involves consistently marketing to a specific neighbourhood or area to build your brand and generate leads. The great news is there are plenty of strategies you can do to build your geo farming business, which we cover in other blogs.

Before we dive into some tips and tricks, let’s talk about the pros and cons of farming you should understand!

Benefits of Real Estate Farming

Consistency

One of the main benefits of real estate farming is that it can provide consistency in your business. Agents who learn to master their efforts in their farm can build an incredibly predictable stream of leads and business from their farming efforts. This consistency can help you build a sustainable business and make it easier to plan for the future. It also allows you to be able to really reinvest in your business because you know you can get consistent returns on your marketing and efforts spent.

Predictability

Geo farming can also provide predictability in terms of your marketing efforts. This predictability allows you to create a plan that you know gets results and gets engagement. By understanding your basic metrics and your returns, you can spot changes in your market, your efforts and see more opportunities or changes that may need to be made.  Also, when you farm the same area consistently, you can create a marketing plan that is tailored to that area and its residents. Which further increases your predictability. 

Increased Brand Awareness

For most agents, the reason they choose to farm is they want to build a recognisable brand. Consistent farming allows agents to dramatically increase their brand awareness within their farm, thus making it easier to convert more leads, spend less and make more money. By consistently marketing to a specific neighbourhood, you can build a reputation as the go-to agent in that area which compounds all your other efforts and increases your overall business. This can help you build trust with potential clients  easier and also makes it easier to generate consistent leads.

Higher Conversion Rates

When you choose to start a farm, you may not realise it, but the right approaches can lead to MUCH higher conversion rates than traditional real estate efforts. Because the right type of farming focuses on building relationships, positioning yourself as the expert and ambassador and by putting the community first (our signature C.P.R. system) you create a much stronger sense of familiarity and trust. This can make it easier to convert leads into clients and close deals because you have inherent loyalty, name recognition and stronger relationships.

Cost-Effective

With the right approaches, agents can use geographic farming as a cost-effective marketing strategy. By focusing on a specific area, you can save money on marketing expenses and generate a higher return on investment. This is due to higher conversion rates, doubling up on your strategies that work and learning to leverage what we call “strategy stacking” to get way more bang for your buck. Your tailored marketing efforts can also convert higher because it’s more suited for the specific area you are serving, rather than trying to be a general agent to all.

Personalization

Finally, real estate farming allows you to personalise your marketing efforts. By focusing on a specific area, you can create marketing materials that are tailored to the interests and needs of that area. This helps the community connect more to your marketing, as well as establishes you as the agent of choice, as you position yourself as the community specialist. This can help you build even stronger relationships with potential clients and generate more leads than you can keep up with!

Drawbacks of Real Estate Farming

It Requires Patience

One of the drawbacks of real estate farming is that it requires patience. As you are probably aware, that is something many of us agents struggle with. We want instant results and quick profits. However, farming isn’t a get rich quick scheme and takes effort.  Building relationships with homeowners and potential buyers within a specific area takes time and effort. It can take months (if you learn our strategies) or even years to see results from your marketing efforts. And for many out there, they just don’t have the patience to see it through.

Time-Consuming

Geo farming can also be time-consuming. Again, it’s not a get rich quick scheme. You are going to have to put time into it to see results. The great news is that most agents aren’t committed to putting the needed time and effort. That bodes well for agents like you who are ready to make it work. The right approaches require consistent marketing efforts and a long-term commitment to build strong relationships in your farm. This can take time away from other aspects of your business if you are trying to juggle multiple balls at the same time.

Requires Consistency

One thing that is a guarantee is that geographic farming requires consistency! Consistency in your marketing efforts, in your lead generation, in your follow up and in your growth . You need to consistently focus your energy and efforts in your community or neighbourhood to ensure you get the most from the relationships you build.This can be challenging if you have a busy schedule or other responsibilities that take up your time. Or if you just aren’t fully committed. 

Competition

Another drawback to farming is that you may face competition from other agents who are also targeting the same area. This can make it more difficult to stand out and generate leads. The great news is, from our experience, most areas don’t truly have a dominate agent in their area, or at least not one that you should be worried about competing with.

Limited Reach

Real estate farming also has a limited reach. Some agents fall into the trap of “FOMO” and feel that farming can limit their business. By focusing on a specific area, you may miss out on potential clients who live outside of that area. This can limit your overall reach and potential business opportunities. However, the right approaches and long term plan, can all but eliminate those concerns.

Factors to Consider Before Implementing Real Estate Farming

Before implementing any geographic farming strategies in your business, there are several factors you should consider:

Your Budget

Farming requires a financial investment in marketing materials, events, and other initiatives. But it also requires a “Time” budget as well as an “energy and effort” budget as well. You need to consider your budget before you fully commit and make sure you have the resources to sustain a long-term marketing effort. The great news is that it doesn’t usually require as much as many agents think.

Your Audience

You need to identify your audience within your farm and build a plan to connect with them on matters that have the biggest impact for them. An audience living in a condo building won’t have the same opportunities, challenges and concerns as someone living in a rural or suburban area, so understanding the needs of the residents in your farm area is very important.

Your Niche

You also need to consider your niche within the specific area. This may involve identifying the types of properties, price points, or pockets you specialise in or the types of clients you work with. 

Your Strategy

Finally, you need to develop a clear strategy for your real estate farming efforts. The great news is that you came to the right place. Here at Launch Your Farm, helping you develop your strategies is what we do!

Tips for Successful Real Estate Farming

To be successful in real estate farming, consider these tips:

1. Be consistent in your marketing efforts
2. Provide valuable information to residents in your targeted area
3. Build relationships with potential clients through community events and other initiatives
4. Use digital marketing tactics, such as social media and email marketing, to supplement your offline efforts
5. Measure your results and make adjustments as needed

Conclusion

Real estate farming can be a powerful marketing strategy for building a sustainable real estate business. It offers consistency, predictability, and the potential for higher conversion rates. However, it also requires patience, consistency, and a long-term commitment. By considering the pros and cons of farming and developing a clear strategy, you can successfully implement real estate farming in your business. The key is to get started!

FAQs

1. Is real estate farming a cost-effective marketing strategy? 

Yes, real estate farming can be a cost-effective marketing strategy because it allows you to tailor your marketing efforts to a specific area and generate a higher return on investment.

2. How long does it take to see results from real estate farming? 

It can take months (if you leverage our customised strategies) or even years to see results from real estate farming because it requires consistent marketing efforts and a long-term commitment to building relationships within a specific area.

3. Can real estate farming be used in combination with other marketing strategies? 

Yes, real estate farming can be used in combination with other marketing strategies, such as online advertising and social media marketing.

4. How do I identify my target audience within a specific area? 

You can identify your target audience by researching the demographics, interests, and needs of the residents in that area as well as micro farm opportunities in your farm.

5. What are some examples of marketing materials used in real estate farming? 

Examples of marketing materials used in real estate farming include postcards, newsletters, and brochures, social media, video marketing, online marketing like PPC ads and retargeting, community outreach, branding opportunities and many others.

#RealEstateFarming #GeoFarming #GeographicFarming #MarketingStrategy #CommunityExpert #Consistency #Predictability #BrandAwareness #ConversionRates #CostEffective #Personalization #Patience #TimeConsuming #Competition #LimitedReach #Budget #Audience #Niche #Strategy #SuccessfulFarmingTips

Happy Farming!

Ryan Smith – Founder/Creator

Launch Your Farm

www.LaunchYourFarm.com

Be sure to check back on our blog and show to get awesome information about geographic farming!

Blog – http://www.LaunchYourFarm.com/Blog

Show – http://launchyourfarm.com/category/interviews

The post <strong>Pros and Cons of Real Estate Farming</strong> appeared first on Launch Your Farm.

Real estate agents often talk about the importance of networking in their profession, and for good reason. Establishing connections and building relationships with people in your industry can open up a world of opportunities and help grow your business. One area where networking is especially crucial is in geographic farming, which involves targeting a specific area or neighbourhood for your real estate business. In this article, we will discuss why networking is so essential to success in geographic farming, and offer tips on how to build your real estate network.

What is Geographic Farming?

Geographic farming is a marketing strategy where a real estate agent focuses their efforts on a particular neighbourhood or area. The goal is to establish themselves as the go-to agent for that particular area, by marketing themselves and their services to the residents of the community. By focusing their marketing efforts on a specific area, agents can build name recognition and credibility, which can lead to more listings and sales in that area.

Why is Your Real Estate Networking Important in Geographic Farming?

When it comes to geographic farming, networking is a crucial part of creating a successful plan. If you’ve been following us for any length of time, you know that we talk about C.P.R. (Community, Positioning & Relationships) And the ultimate goal for any “farmer” is to strengthen existing relationships and build new ones. 

The more connections, or relationships, you have in a particular area, the more likely you are to be successful in that area. Networking can help you establish relationships with other professionals in your area. You can focus on real estate related businesses such as mortgage brokers and home inspectors, who can refer clients to you. But it’s also super important to focus on businesses that aren’t directly tied to our industry. Networking can also help you build relationships with potential clients, such as homeowners who may be looking to sell their homes in the future.

Networking can also help you stay up-to-date on what’s happening in your target area. By attending local events and staying active in the community, you can gain a better understanding of the neighbourhood and its residents.This helps you with the “Positioning” part of the C.P.R. by becoming more of an expert in the community. This knowledge can be invaluable when it comes to marketing your services and connecting with potential clients.

Tips for Building Your Real Estate Network

Here are some helpful tips for building your real estate network in your geo farm:

Attend Local Events

Attending local events, such as community fairs, festivals, arts and craft shows or anything that brings your community together, can be a great way to meet new people and establish connections. Make sure to bring business cards with you and introduce yourself to other attendees. One of our favourite things is to ensure you have branded clothing, but make sure it’s subtle and not over the top. You should also try to strike up conversations with people in your farm to find out more about them and their interests and needs. You never know who might be in the market for a new home or looking to sell their current one. And you can also create connections you didn’t even think about.

Join a Real Estate Organization/Group

While this may not be networking directly in your farm, by joining local real estate organisations and groups, you can connect with others in our industry and help establish yourself as a credible contact for your area. These organisations often host networking events and seminars, which can help you make connections while also learning more about how to be a better agent overall.These types of relationships can be invaluable when you learn to network with out of town professionals..

Use Social Media

I’m sure by now you’ve realised the power of social media. It can be an extremely powerful tool for networking in real estate. Make sure to have a strong presence on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, and post regularly about your services and your target area. But if you want to get the best return on your time, we’ve found that agents who use social media to focus on adding value OUTSIDE of real estate to their community on social media, are the agents who develop the strongest network. Let’s be honest, most people aren’t thinking about real estate 24/7, unless you are an agent like us, so if all you use social media for is to talk about real estate, you won’t connect with the community at a high level.  You can also use social media to connect with other professionals in your industry, like we mentioned in the last suggestion, but done virtually online., And connecting one to one on social media with your clients can further strengthen your relationships and referrals. 

Volunteer in the Community

Volunteering in your community can be a great way to give back and meet new people at the same time. At Launch Your Farm, our suggestion is to look for local organisations that align with your values and interests, and get involved. This way you are going to ensure you enjoy doing it and can get behind a cause that means something to you, and has an impact in the community as well. This can be a great way to establish yourself as a trusted member of the community and build relationships with potential clients. This ties into the “Positioning” category by establishing yourself as an ambassador for the community.

How to Maintain and Strengthen Your Network

Building a real estate network is just the first step. As we mentioned at the beginning, it’s crucial you think past just businesses and people directly servicing the real estate industry and connect with others in your community. Also, it’s important to maintain and strengthen those connections over time. Here are some tips for doing so:

• Follow up regularly: Don’t just meet someone once and then forget about them. This is a mistake most agents make. You need to ensure you follow up with your relationships regularly, whether it’s through email, phone, or social media, in person or any other form of communication you put in place.
• Provide value: This is an absolute MUST if you plan on maintaining market share or even becoming a household agent. It’s important you are always looking to offer your contacts something of value, such as market updates or helpful tips for homebuyers and sellers. But you also want to provide value outside of the real estate space as well. This will keep you top of mind and help establish you as a knowledgeable and helpful resource inside and out of the real estate space.
• Attend networking events: Don’t just go to one event and call it quits. Keep attending local events and real estate organisation meetings, even after you’ve established some connections. The consistency and continual contact will help you continue to expand your network and meet new people while staying top of mine.
• Ask for referrals: Don’t be afraid to ask your contacts for referrals. If you build relationships that are genuine and based on adding value, you should have no problems asking for referrals. If you build your farm from a strictly transactional system, then you’ll struggle getting consistent referrals. When you come from contribution, add value and focus on relationships, if they know someone who’s in the market to buy or sell a home, they will drastically be more likely to refer them to you.
• Show gratitude: When someone does refer a client to you or provides some other kind of help or support, make sure to express your gratitude. A simple thank you note or phone call can go a long way in maintaining strong relationships.

Conclusion

In conclusion, networking is essential to your success in your geographic farm. When you focus on the C.P.R. in your business, you will find more opportunities to grow. By building connections and relationships with other businesses, your community and other professionals, you can establish yourself as a trusted and knowledgeable agent of choice in your community. Attending local events, joining real estate organisations, using social media, and volunteering in the community are all effective ways to build and maintain your real estate network.

FAQs

1. What is geographic farming?

Geographic farming is a marketing strategy where a real estate agent focuses their efforts on a particular neighbourhood or area to establish themselves as the go-to agent for that particular area.

2. Why is networking important in geographic farming?

Networking is important in geographic farming because it helps you establish connections in the community and build relationships with other professionals in the industry, as well as potential clients in your target area.

3. How can I build my real estate network?

You can build your real estate network by attending local events, joining real estate organisations, using social media, and volunteering in the community.

4. How can I maintain and strengthen my real estate network?

To maintain and strengthen your real estate network, you should follow up regularly, provide value, attend networking events, ask for referrals, and show gratitude.

5. What are some benefits of having a strong real estate network?

Some benefits of having a strong real estate network include more referrals, increased credibility, and a better understanding of your target area and its residents.

#LaunchYourFarm #LaunchYourFarmElite #RealEstateNetworking #GeographicFarming #RealEstateMarketing #CommunityInvolvement #LocalEvents #SocialMedia #Volunteering #RealEstateOrganisation #RealEstateReferrals #RelationshipBuilding #AgentPositioning #CommunityEngagement

Happy Farming!

Ryan Smith – Founder/Creator

Launch Your Farm

www.LaunchYourFarm.com

Be sure to check back on our blog and show to get awesome information about geographic farming!

Blog – http://www.LaunchYourFarm.com/Blog

Show – http://launchyourfarm.com/category/interviews

The post Build Your Real Estate Network appeared first on Launch Your Farm.

To Door Knock Or Not?

Do you door knock in your business? Do You door knock in your farm?

Door knocking is about as polarizing as Coke vs Pepsi, right wing vs left wing, vegan vs meat eaters, Chevy vs Ford  and Android vs Apple.

For everyone who swears by it, there is another who swears AT it! If you are on either team, don’t fret, you aren’t alone. But there are some things you may want to consider if you are looking to get the most out of your farm.

Team No Door Knock

Those that are on team #NoKnock tend to choose not to door knock based on their own personal feelings around it. They don’t like to be bothered by others knocking, so they don’t want to put others in the same situation.

Some agents choose not to door knock based on the amount of time and enrgy it takes, and don’t feel its worth it.

But the most common reason, I’ve found, that agents choose not to door knock is their insecurities around it. They may feel they are not good enough, or they don’t know what to say, or they feel they are bothering people.

Team Door Knock

The team #Knock are the ones who have figured out that it’s not as scary as you might think. The agents who have built solid businesses around door knocking have found ways to bring so much value while they are door knocking, that they aren’t bothering people.

They see the value in the short term and long term pay offs of their efforts and find ways to tie their door knocking into their business, their community involvement and find ways to connect with people.

There Is No Right Or Wrong

There is no right or wrong answer on whether you should door knock in your farm. If you are on team #NoKnock, you can’t knock the agents who do it, as there are plenty of agents who do it well and enjoy doing it. 

If you are on team #Knock, you can’t knock agents who choose not to.

So whatever your reason to knock or not, the key is to make your decision based on adding value to your farm, not based on your fears or misconceptions.

Happy Farming!

Ryan Smith – Founder/Creator

Launch Your Farm

www.LaunchYourFarm.com

Be sure to check back on our blog and show to get awesome information about geographic farming!

Blog – http://www.LaunchYourFarm.com/Blog

Show – http://launchyourfarm.com/category/interviews

The post Should I Door Knock In My Farm? appeared first on Launch Your Farm.

Have you heard these farming myths?

If you’ve been in the business for any length of time, you’ve probably heard different things about farming. Some may be true. And probably just as many myths about farming. (Whether you know it or not!)

The thing with this business is we get a lot of information passed on to us from other agents who mean well, but don’t always have the right answers or experience. Many people have “tried” farming, but in most cases they THOUGHT they were farming, but really didn’t know what they were doing. These agents then tell other agents what they think works or doesn’t work, but its usually not based on accurate information. 

This creates more misunderstandings or as I call them “myth-understandings” and it furthers misinformation about the business. There are other factors that cause these, and I cover them in my popular “Top 10 Farming Myths” class I teach, but for the sake of today, I want to cover a few common myths that might be holding you back from farming.

I can’t compete against the competition

I hear it ALL the time… I can’t farm in such and such an area because there is another agent there. The truth is 95% of areas are not farmed, or at least not farmed correctly. Many times agents think there is a dominant agent there simply because they are doing a few deals, but hte truth is most don’t have nearly the market share agents think.

And even if there is an agent who is doing business there, it doesn’t mean you can’t compete. You just need to learn to do things differently, and stay committed to the long haul.

If you aren’t sure about picking the right farm, I strongly suggest you check out our 30 Day Launch program that is designed to help you pick the perfect farm. www.TheFarmLaunch.com 

It’s all about mailing out postcards

This is probably the most common myth I hear. People have this crazy idea that farming is about sending out a bunch of post cards. While that can be a strategy you use in farming, it is not the basis for farming. It was very common in the past, but the reality is that farming is WAY MORE than sending post cards.

If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you’ve heard me talk about C.P.R. (Community, Positioning & Relationships) and you know that the key to any great farm is focusing on the C.P.R.! 

Can you get success from postcard marketing in your farm? Yes!

Do you NEED postcards to have success? NO!

It costs too much to farm

Bad news. It sure can cost a lot of money to farm. 

Great news. It doesn’t have to!

It doesn’t always cost money to farm, but it will cost something. Time, energy, resources and money. You need to decide which of these things you are going to spend if you want to succeed.

While you can spend a lot of money, you don’t have to. If you are getting started in your farm and don’t have a large budget, there are countless strategies that don’t cost you a penny, but you will need to budget your time and energy to ensure they are a hit.

Conclusion – Busting Myths About Farming

There are a ton of other misconceptions about farming, but these are 3 myths you may have heard that could be stopping you from succeeding. If that’s you, put these myths to bed and get working on your farm. Your wallet and your community will thank you!

Happy Farming!

Ryan Smith – Founder/Creator

Launch Your Farm

www.LaunchYourFarm.com

Be sure to check back on our blog and show to get awesome information about geographic farming!

Blog – http://www.LaunchYourFarm.com/Blog

Show – http://launchyourfarm.com/category/interviews

The post 3 Myths You Probably Believed About Farming appeared first on Launch Your Farm.

Finances and farming go hand in hand. Agents are always asking “Where should I spend money in my farm?” and it’s a legitimate question and SHOULD be asked.

However, many agents get a lot of bad advice, or don’t do enough research when they are starting their farms and end up spending money in all the wrong places (We’ll discuss that in another blog!)

The truth is, if you are getting started in your farm, there are only a few places I strongly suggest investing your capital and we’ll share those today. There are 3 key areas that we will discuss.

Building Relationships

The first place you should focus your finances is in building relationships. That’s either making new relationships in your farm, or strengthening the ones you already have. That could be getting out and meeting new businesses or taking people out for coffee. It could be put into community events or one to one networking. 

The key is that you are BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS. What that doesn’t mean is trying to get your name out to the area. Sending out a bunch of postcards or paying for a billboard doesn’t build relationships, and should not be one of your main focuses when getting started. 

You have to think about how you can meet new people or add value to the people you’ve already met.

Systems

The next thing you should spend money on is your systems. This could be a lot of things to a lot of agents, but the fundamentals to investing money in a system in your farm should be that it furthers your goal, takes tasks off your plate and/or increases your productivity.

Investing in the right systems can be a game changer. Whether that is working with the right CRM or investing in a lead generation platform. It could be a blogging platform or a dialer system. You could be spending money in a monthly newsletter or retargeting ads. Whatever  the system you invest in, it should be designed to make your job easier. Not just look better.

These systems can be expensive up front, or in the long run, and that is why its crucial that it’s actually helping you advance your goal. Spending money on a system for vanity’s sake is pointless. So make sure you track your spending and be willing to invest in the right system.

Generating Leads

And lastly, it’s important to be willing to spend money to generate leads. I’m not saying you should run out and start buying internet leads. What I am saying is that it takes money, time and resources to generate leads. Whether those are cold leads using a dialer system, marketing based leads from online and offline lead sources or investing money into community based approaches that help you generate leads.

We all need leads, and no matter what way you slice it, it’s gonna cost you something. Whatever route you go down, be sure that when you spend the money, you have a plan in place to make it back. If you don’t have a marketing and follow up plan in place for the leads you generate, then you are probably just throwing away money. So be sure you invest just as much into the follow up as you do the lead gen. 

Conclusion – Where Should I Spend Money

So if you aren’t sure where you should spend money, make sure you take some time to assess why you want to spend the money in the first place and if it’s going to help you achieve your goals. And if you are stuck and hesitant to spend money, remember, most agents are, but the ones who are willing to be strategic with their investments in their farm are the ones who usually see the best returns. 

Happy Farming!

Ryan Smith – Founder/Creator

Launch Your Farm

www.LaunchYourFarm.com

Be sure to check back on our blog and show to get awesome information about geographic farming!

Blog – http://www.LaunchYourFarm.com/Blog

Show – http://launchyourfarm.com/category/interviews

The post Where should I spend money in my farm? appeared first on Launch Your Farm.

Don’t Do These And Risk Failing In Your Farm

No one ever starts a farm with the expectation that they are going to fail. Just like no one gets into the real estate business with the expectation that they are going to be one of the casualties of this business.

I’m here to bring you some truth. 

Most agents are going to fail at their farm. Especially their first farm. It’s a matter of fact and a matter of pure numbers. I’ve been training agents for years and been in the business for nearly 15 and I can tell you with certainty that I’ve heard more agents tell me they have “tried farming” than have succeeded in farming.

There is some good news and some bad news though.

The bad news is that if you don’t change what you are doing in your farm, odd are you are going to be one of the ones who don’t make it. 

The good news is that there are some very easy to spot mistakes that most agents make and you can avoid them and DRASTICALLY increase your chances of success.

Here are a 5 deadly mistakes I see most agents making in their farms and how you can avoid them:

They Don’t Start Small

I’ve seen it over and over and over and over again. Agents think that if they want to succeed they need to have a HUGE farm. They think that the more homes, the more opportunities, the better they will do. This may seem counterintuitive to many, but the truth is if you don’t know what you are doing in your farm, you are just going to fail on a bigger scale.

One of the mantras I live by is “It’s better to scale up, than to scale back”. Nothing destroys a person’s farm more than starting too big. You will blow through your budget, you won’t be able to handle the amount of work it takes and you won’t have the systems and tools in place to maintain it. So don’t start too big!

They Don’t Budget Correctly

We talked about this recently on our blog. But one of the first things you need to figure out is your budget. Most agents don’t account for time, energy and resources in their budget and don’t realise it takes to make your farm really take off.

Not only do they not budget time, energy and resources, they usually don’t have a strong understanding on what it takes financially to make it work. I’ve had many agents approach me saying they want some strategies that don’t cost any more, that are easy to do and don’t make them comfortable. 

They are looking for a unicorn. And the truth is, those don’t exist.  

Real farming will cost you.

It will cost you time, money, resources or energy.  You can’t have it all and put nothing into it. Unless you are ok with getting zero results. But I don’t know about you, but I’m in it to win it, so be prepared with a proper budget.

They Don’t Get Out Of Their Comfort Zone

As stated above, many agents are looking for some magic pill where they won’t have to do anything. They may be willing to spend some money, or even a LOT of money but aren’t willing to do anything that makes them uncomfortable. This is a recipe for disaster and will not lead you to ultimate success in your farm.

As we’ve talked about many times here at Launch Your Farm, in order to have a balanced business, you need to be willing to invest in the S.C.O.P.E. Method in your farm if you want to see real, long lasting results. That usually requires most agents to get out of their comfort zone at some point. 

If you aren’t uncomfortable, you aren’t growing.

If you aren’t growing, either is your farm!

They Don’t Stay Consistent

Consistency is key! It’s true across most facets of life, but even more so in geographic farming. One of the things I’ve learned from farming myself and from the hundreds of agents I’ve interviewed is that consistency is the key to winning the long term game.

You don’t “try farming” and you don’t occasionally dabble in it. You jump in and you commit. When you commit, you have to understand that you MUST become consistent. That is why it’s so important to start with a farm that you can afford financially and time wise. This means you need to budget for at LEAST a year. Set aside enough money and time to be able to consistently stick with your farm and you’re halfway to success!

They Don’t Do My Training

This may be a bit tongue in cheek, but it’s true! If you don’t know what you are doing in your farm, you are basically relying on either luck or from learning from your own costly mistakes a long the way. 

The GREAT new is that there is a better way. You can learn from my training programs and save yourself thousands of hours, and thousands more in money by learning to implement proven strategies that will help you grow your farm in a more consistent and predictable way.

You can go at it alone, but if you are reading this, chances are you are looking for some ideas and inspiration to get you going, so you’ve come to the right place.

If you’d like more information about our training head over to www.LaunchYourFarm.com and click on the “Programs” tab at the top and get started!

Conclusion

The fact you are here reading this means you want to know more and that tells me that you are a lot less likely to fail in your farm. That is great news! Follow these steps above and you can guarantee you will beat out 80% of your competition. If you want to beat the last 20% then definitely consider investing in one of our programs and we can help you take your geographic farm to the next level!

Happy Farming!

Ryan Smith – Founder/Creator

Launch Your Farm

www.LaunchYourFarm.com

Be sure to check back on our blog and show to get awesome information about geographic farming!

Blog – http://www.LaunchYourFarm.com/Blog

Show – http://launchyourfarm.com/category/interviews

The post Why Most Agents Fail In Their Farm! appeared first on Launch Your Farm.

Why Focus On Your Budget?

As agents, we sometimes get super excited about the next best shiny object. We fall in love with the latest technology or marketing strategy and we sometimes lose sight of what it all means for our business. When it comes to our geographic farms, this is no different. It’s great to be innovative and implement new tools and systems, but we have to ensure we stick to a budget if we want to ensure success.

I don’t mean that in the “stick in the mud” sense saying that you can’t do things just because you made a budget for yourself 6 months ago. But what I am saying is that we have to always look at our business from a budgetary standpoint. 

That also doesn’t just mean financial. If you’ve ever heard me speak or taken any of my training, you know that I talk about a few elements of budget that we need to consider. These are key factors that can really dictate whether you succeed or fail! 

Financial Budget

The easiest to understand is your financial budget. But sometimes the hardest to stick to. You need to understand how much you are spending. How much is coming in vs. how much is going out. We often overlook a lot of the little numbers, and they really add up. 

If you haven’t taken a real account of your finances, I strongly recommend doing that now!

Time

The most underestimated element is the time budget. Especially if you’ve never farmed before. Many agents don’t truly realise how much time it will take to get a farm up and running and STAY running. It’s easy to get all excited at the beginning and budget a lot of time to get it running, but many agents overlook how much it will take to keep their efforts up.

The great news is that through technology and outsourcing, we can leverage a lot of the time intensive tasks so we aren’t bogged down doing all the little work, when we need to stay focused on the big work. This time budget is critical to focus on if you are going to stay focused on growing a truly successful farm. So make sure you are always tracking your tasks, time and efficiency. 

Resources

Another important factor to consider that is often overlooked is your resource budget. This is the resources you have that you will need to stay on track. Are you using lock boxes, signage, pop up tents or anything else you need from a resource standpoint. Sometimes it overlaps with your financial budget as you may need to purchase things, but once you own them, you need to ensure you have enough resources to accomplish what you are after.

Energy

And last but not least, your energy budget. This is the amount of mental and emotional energy your tasks and strategies are going to take. For some, getting out door knocking is a breeze, for others, it’s dreadful! For others, the idea of getting on camera  sends shivers down their spine and for others, they truly shine!

You need to account for these activities as you have to be aware of how much mental and emotional energy your strategies will take. Understanding this makes budgeting your time, resources and finances so much easier!

Conclusion

So whatever you plan to do in your farm, you want to ensure you are thinking well in advance and budgeting yourself accordingly. Obviously as things change, your budget may need to adapt, but you have to ensure you stick to your budget as much as you can to ensure you’ve given it a fair shot. If you sell yourself short, you may miss out on a lot of opportunities and if you miscalculate, you could end up broke, miserable and super busy with nothing to show for it!

Happy Farming!

Ryan Smith – Founder/Creator

Launch Your Farm

www.LaunchYourFarm.com

Be sure to check back on our blog and show to get awesome information about geographic farming!

Blog – http://www.LaunchYourFarm.com/Blog

Show – http://launchyourfarm.com/category/interviews

The post Do You Know Your Budget? appeared first on Launch Your Farm.

No one is saying you need to start your own online show or become the next celebrity agent on HGTV, but you should be making it a bigger part of your marketing plan in your farm if you haven’t already.

One of the best and easiest ways to incorporate video into your farm is through live video.

Why You Need Live Video

I know, I know… Thinking about doing live video may seem worse than getting a tooth pulled for some. The reality is that the only person you are hurting is yourself! You owe it to you and your farm to capitalize on the power of video.

Here are 3 ways you can use live video to crush the competition and take top spot.

Community Events

If you are active and engaged in your community, (which you should be!) then you are probably out and about at events and things happening in your farm. This is a perfect opportunity to be using live video. You can show your followers what you are up to, what exciting things are going on and invite people out.

The great news with this type of video is you don’t even need to be in front of the camera. For the camera shy folks, you can just do a voice over while you record. This way you can still let people know what’s going on and let the event do the work!

Interviews

Interviews are another great opportunity to use live video. You can interview local businesses, organisations, people in the community and even clients. This allows you to position yourself as the community expert, share valuable information and help bring attention to businesses, causes and people that your farm should know about.

This can take some upfront scheduling, but these types of live video could be repurposed into other awesome content. Plus it’s also more likely to be shared by the people being interviewed. This will drastically increase your reach in the community, and very quickly!

Q&A’s

If you want to be more informational, you could do a regular Q&A segment where you answer things about real estate, the community, the town or anything relevant to your farm. People can type in questions and you can answer them live and they can feel a more sense of connectedness as they are also part of the process.

This can also be repurposed into more content again which will give you even more opportunities to share your message. (See last months LYF Elite Theme) These types of Q&A’s can also help you come up with ideas for creating other content like blogs, other videos, newsletter content, reports and guides.

Conclusion

There are a ton of ways you can use live video in your farm, but the first step is to start. You may have to step out of your comfort zone and get started, but it’s worth every minute of it if you are committed to long term success!

Happy Farming!

Ryan Smith – Founder/Creator

Launch Your Farm

www.LaunchYourFarm.com

Be sure to check back on our blog and show to get awesome information about geographic farming!

Blog – http://www.LaunchYourFarm.com/Blog

Show – http://launchyourfarm.com/category/interviews

The post Use Live Video To Crush Your Competition! appeared first on Launch Your Farm.