How to Sell Homes Online: 11 Strategies During COVID-19 [Part 2]

4-min read

Learn some of the very important and interactive ways you can sell a home online.

Welcome back to how to sell homes online during COVID-19. In my part-one article, I discussed the importance of SEO and mobile responsiveness. I found that many people are searching for a home with their phones and tablets more so than desktop computers. In this article, you’ll learn even more digital marketing strategies to sell your homes online in a more interactive way even with the uncertainty from COVID-19.

Table of Contents

How to Sell Homes Online:

1. Have Clear CTA’s

CTA’s or calls to action are action words used to guide prospects through the homebuyer’s journey. Without a clear CTA, your prospect will be unsure about their next steps. Although not every homebuyer will be ready to purchase, having a clear CTA can inform the homebuyer on what to do and can help bridge the divide between information technology and human action.

2. Be Responsive

Rest assured knowing that people are still buying homes even during the pandemic. Another strategy you can is to reply to your buyer’s questions and concerns within minutes, not hours. Start the conversation while it’s fresh in their minds for the best results. Your target audience drives your business, so be responsive and get back to your buyers in a timely banner.

3. Incorporate Text Marketing

Not everyone can reply to a client’s concerns within minutes and I get that. An alternate way to decrease your response times is to incorporate text marketing. Let’s say a homebuyer is browsing online for a new home and wants to learn more. However, it’s the weekend and you don’t have access to your work email. Add a texting feature on your website for them to contact you directly via text. This is a win-win tactic for you and your buyers.

4. Provide Reassurance

Many people right now are feeling worried about the future and need reassurance. Let them know that now is one of the best times to buy a home or condo because of low interest rates. Not only share the low interest rates, but also address their on-site safety concerns too. Share with them your cleaning and sanitation efforts to keep your homes COVID-19 free.

5. Send Out a Newsletter to help sell homes online

Have you experienced any changes to your business since COVID-19 started? Did your hours of operation change? Are you only holding appointments online now instead of in-person? Can people still come to your design center or office? Answer all of these questions and more in an easy-to-read newsletter to inform your audience about any updates to your company. Any touch point you can use will help build trust and a lasting relationship.

6. Update Your Submission Forms

Many homebuilders and developers are adding a field that asks the viewer to scheduling an appointment to view a virtual tour in real time. In other words, make it possible for your visitors to schedule a Facetime, Zoom or Skype appointment for someone to show them a tour of a home through a phone or mobile device. Make it easy as possible to see your home and make a purchase.

7. Take Professional Photography

Did you know buyers spend 60% of their time looking at listing photos and only 20% of their time reading the descriptions for each home and agent? With each new home or community, you build, be sure to use professional photography to capture the best angles, lighting, and features. Let the photography sell your homes for you, a photo says a thousand words.

8. Give Them Resources

Not only do homebuyers want reassurance, but they also want information. Be more than just their builder or developer and give them resources about financing, tips on owning your first home and other helpful guides your buyers will appreciate. Here are some ideas to add to your website to give your audience more relevant content…

9. Add a Mortgage Calculator

A mortgage calculator can be the missing piece in turning the prospect into a buyer. Take a look at this mortgage calculator example:

mortgage calculator

As you can see, people will be more inclined to follow through with their purchase when they realize their monthly mortgage payment plans are affordable. Plus, it might even be cheaper than the rent they are paying now at their current residences. Use resources like this one as a tool.

10. Introduce Them to a Lender

It takes more than just “contact a lender” for homebuyers to be comfortable with purchasing a home. A home purchase is the biggest investment most people will make in their lifetime and they want to be sure they are making the best decision for them and their loved ones. Go the extra mile and introduce them to a lender you know and trust.

11. Create Relevant Blog Content

Remember in part one when I said without good content, there’s no SEO? That holds true and it’s more important than ever to offer your target audience relevant blog content that they are actually searching for. Get together with your marketing team and create articles to help your audience in this uncertain time.

Here are some blog topics to help you get started:

How to determine a homebuying budget during a quarantine
Things to do while stuck inside my home
How to deep clean and sanitize my home
How to set up a home office or gym
Updates to your local businesses who are still open
Ways to give back locally to your community
How to destress about COVID-19

I hope these eleven digital marketing ideas, along with the six mentioned in part one, offer you all you need to create a successful home building and development campaign. Do you have any more ideas? Please send them below.

For more articles related to home builder and developer marketing, head over to the following:

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