Hone Your Target Market

Back in the old days when Amazon was “just” a bookseller, its target audience was made up of readers/book buyers. Now that the behemoth sells everything under the sun and more, everyone is Amazon’s target audience.

It’s the same for real estate agents. Finely defining and targeting your audience are requirements for your success. Here are Mike Jeneralczuk’s “how to target your audience” tips as he expressed them in a recent article for Inman News: (Jeneralczuk works in real estate sales with REAL New York.) 

1. Know and “fine-slice” your target audience.
   1. The more specific you are about your audience, the more you can create and adapt your services to the particular needs and wants of and for that audience.
   2. Identify common threads among your customer base. Young children? Entrepreneurs? Self employed? Artists? Athletes? Military?
   3. Identify those in your market area who would most benefit from you services and your value as a professional.
   4. Adjust you marketing plan to the needs/wants of you target audience.
   5. Identify an underserved niche within your market that no one is paying attention to and start paying attention to them now.
   6. Be current and a bit predictive of market trends so you’re able to forecast the needs/wants/behaviors of your target audience.
2. LISTEN to your clients when they communicate to you via surveys, emails, social media, conversations, etc.
   1. Clients have ideas, suggestions, constructive criticisms about the services you provide, the services they would like you to provide and about how you provide them. LISTEN to them!!!
   2. ASK them for their ideas, thoughts, suggestions, criticisms. People LOVE to be asked…then LISTEN to them.
3. Know the needs, wants, ideas and issues most important to your target audience.
   1. Everything you do as a real estate agent is likely built around answering your clients’ questions and solving your clients’ problems.
   2. Write/market content that is specific AND relevant to your clients’ questions and issues. If your target audience is composed for first-time buyers, write content about home loans, maximizing open houses, maintenance issues, etc.
   3. Create video content around these same, specific topics that may be relevant to first-time buyers.
   4. Make sure your written and video content is consistent, specific and clear.
4. Use social media channels used by and relevant to your target audience.
   1. Once you’ve chosen your target audience, choose social media channels that your target audience uses. Then your target audience can and will find you.
   2. Once your target audience finds you on “their” social media, make sure you give them relevant, useful, accurate, engaging information that speaks directly to their questions, needs and wants.