Brokers and real estate agents spare no effort to keep ahead of their competitors. Using SEO, Google local business pages, listings on niche sites and power networks like Zillow and Trulia, and employing social media creatively are common marketing tactics that help the process.

But there are also more advanced strategies that will appeal to homebuyers, all while setting apart any real estate business. Realtors willing to go that extra mile and put in some time, money, and effort will see the results: more leads and quicker sales. Here are three novel real estate marketing ideas that help achieve these goals. 

1. 3D Walkthroughs

Since COVID-19 affects marketing tactics like open house viewings by potential buyers, investing in a software that generates 3D walkthroughs is an innovative alternative that has many other advantages too:

• Potential buyers will see and explore the property in immersive 3D (not possible with photos or 360° video tours), getting a sense of actually being there.
• Reduce or eliminate in-person visits, saving the time that will allow you to focus on other marketing strategies. 
• Allow interested clients and acquaintances of potential buyers to share the property with third parties to get feedback. 
• Eliminate property visits with customers who may not consider the property a good fit for their needs. 
• Set buyers’ expectations realistically as soon they take the 3D tour. 

If this sounds like a viable marketing idea for your real estate business, here are some companies offering the software you need:

• Matterport: create immersive 360° 3D walkthroughs for listing or appraising properties, documenting makeover projects, and close on properties faster. 74% of agents using Matterport win more listings.
• RTV: offers software for 360º virtual tour productions and 360/3D walkthroughs, 100% compatible with other third-party media, including Matterport.
• Concept3D: provides virtual tours featuring 360° photos and rendered panoramas. Create map-based tours that pair with interactive maps or fully immersive, customized 360° VR tours.
• Immoviewer: Create affordable and scalable 3D 360° tours. Generate individual listing landing pages from your listing feed and create Floor Plans without measuring.

2. Virtual Staging

A 2018 study by Home Staging Resource found that 85% of 4,200+  staged homes saw at least 6-25% more from the sale than non-staged houses in the same market.

House staging is a process that allows potential buyers to see how their future home looks fully furbished.  Hiring a designer is an expensive proposition, especially considering that the buyer may want to change the decor after all. Virtual staging software is cheaper than a designer, and you can use it for more than one listing. Here are the main benefits of virtual staging: 

• Virtual staging helps interested buyers visualize a property as a potential home.
• Realtors can restyle everything in a house with virtual staging without making real-life changes: flooring, walls, furniture, accessories, and decor. 
• Virtual staging saves time and money otherwise spent on an interior designer and construction crew.

There are several options of virtual staging platforms available, with prices ranging from affordable to premium. Here are some you could consider:

• VHT Studios: Virtual staging for spaces that need extra help, whether vacant, furnished, or simply in need of a cleanup.
• Virtual Staging Lab: Interior design meets virtual technology to help you sell a home faster and for a better price.
• IBD Luxury Home Staging by Barion Design: Combining luxury home staging and high-end design with state-of-the-art rendering technology to satisfy the most demanding buyers.

3. Drone Photography and Video

Whether you invest in a drone to create your own images and video clips or you opt for a third-party service, this marketing strategy can help your real estate business stand out from the crowd. With drone imagery, you can:

• Showcase an aerial view of any listing.
• Give potential buyers a sense of house architectural layout, grounds, landscape, and neighborhood. 
• Showcase property additional amenities and facilities (pool, garden, garage, etc.) in a full context. 
• Drive more traffic to your listing by enabling social media sharing for your drone photography and video. 
• Impress potential buyers before an in-person meeting. 

If you want to use drone imagery as a real estate marketing strategy and don’t have the time or skills for a DIY option with your drone, several third-party services can assist you. Among them:  

• Drone Base: Drone photography and videography services that help you showcase any home from the sky at a fraction of the cost and time. Pricing starts at $269 for a starter package, including fifteen high-resolution aerial images and five high-definition aerial video clips. 
• SeekNow’s HouseLens: Drone operator for estate homes and waterfront properties, drone photos, and video. Contact them for a custom quote.
• dronegenuity: Using drones for magazine-quality aerial stills and 4K HD quality videos. Contact them for pricing. 

These novel real estate marketing ideas will satisfy your potential buyers, increase qualified leads, maximize branding value, and set your business apart from your competition.

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Mihaela Lica Butler

Mihaela Lica Butler is senior partner at Pamil Visions PR. She is a widely cited authority on public relations issues, with an experience of over 20 years in online PR, marketing, and SEO.She covers startups, online marketing, social media, SEO, and other topics of interest for Realty Biz News.

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