Farming in real esate marketing doesn't involve an actual farm.
The successful real estate agent must continually market his services to potential clients. There are many ways to do this, such as newspaper advertising, Internet advertising, creating websites, blogging, social networking online, actively participating in community service or by farming. Farming involves long-term commitment, and consistency is one key to its success.
Identification
Farming is a marketing technique employed by real estate agents. The principle is that the agent plants and tends the seeds and over time will harvest new clients, in the same way as a farmer harvests his crops. Farming involves regularly sending out mailings to the same set of addresses, over a long period. The agent does not expect results immediately, but over time.
Geography
The agent begins by identifying a certain location or area to farm. This might be her neighborhood, or an area where she has special knowledge. Selecting the right area to farm is the first step toward a successful harvest. For example, if the agent knows nothing about commercial real estate, selecting an area composed of commercial property would be a poor choice.
Size
Before proceeding, the agent budgets his money, to determine how much he can afford to spend on postage, printing and other expenses involved with farming. Some agents may decide to send out mailings monthly, quarterly or another time frame. The size of the mailing might be 100 or 200 pieces, depending on the agent’s budget. The agent must gather mailing addresses for the area he has identified. Some title and escrow companies will provide mailing lists to agents. He might ask for a specific number of addresses within a certain tract.
Features
The agent sends out mailings to the same addresses on a regular basis. Each agent has his own style, and what one agent sends out on a farming campaign might be different from another. Some send postcards, such as recipe post cards which include contact information on the agent. Others send out newsletters or real estate information. The mailing might be a simple letter, stressing the agent’s expertise or a current market trend.
Considerations
Traditionally, farming involves regularly sending mailings through the United States Postal Service. Today more and more agents are using email. Because of concerns of spam, an agent should not send email to those who have not requested information or have not given permission to the agent to make contact via email. One way to incorporate farming practices with email is to use blogs or websites to invite potential clients to sign up for email newsletters or other email mailings.
Tags: agent must, agent sends, area farm, Farming involves, involves regularly, involves regularly sending, mailing might