8 Holiday Marketing Ideas for Real Estate Pros

Ho-ho-how are the holidays upon us already? In a matter of days, we'll ponder what we're thankful for and rush to stores in droves for the year's hottest gifts.

However, now's not the time to neglect your business just because your life has become pumpkin spiced. The holiday season is the perfect time to "sleigh" your holiday marketing and make good on your goals, while connecting with your prospect and clients in a merry, merry way.

1. Take advantage of remarketing season

Have you ever seen an ad from a website you've visited? Of course you have! That's remarketing at it's finest. 'Tis the season to remind your audience of what they're missing out on, and remarketing helps push those leads through your funnel. Use this opportunity to stay top of mind for those who have shown interest in your business by:

• Highlighting your wins from the year
• Reaching out to those that are more likely in the market to buy and/or sell

Google and Facebook are great places to start.

2. Reach out for ratings and reviews

It's no secret that we live in a crowdsourced world, meaning that consumers rely on one another when it comes to decision making. With 85 percent of consumers trusting online reviews as much as personal recommendations, having bad reviews or not having ANY at all could get you a lump of coal.

Since the winter months are often a slower time for sales, use the down time to reach out to your sphere of clients to rate and review your services. Not only will it boost your holiday marketing efforts, it will offer positive social proof to incoming clients. Easily add reviews and recommendations to your realtor.com® profile by signing up for a free dashboard account.

3. Pre-plan seasonal content

Steer clear of overly salesy content as consumers will be bombarded with sales pitches during the season. Instead, light up their holidays by offering relevant and helpful content that will captivate their attention and elevate their interests. Here are a few hyperlocal blog topics to help you get started:

• 10 [Location] organizations to support this Thanksgiving
• Top holiday events in [Location]
• Best hotels for a [Location] holiday staycation
• 5 [Location] businesses to support on #SmallBusinessSaturday
• Craziest Black Friday deals in [Location]
• Holiday gift guide for last minute [Location] shoppers
• Best Christmas lights in [Location]
• A new home for the new year in [Location]
• Best places for holiday decorations in [Location]

4. Host a holiday contest on your social media channels

Seasonal engagement is a great way to stay in front of your audience. In addition to your regularly scheduled posts, host holiday contests that will keep your followers talking and sharing. You'll stay top-of-mind during the busy holiday season and you may gain a few new followers along the way. Not sure where to start? No worries, we have a few ideas:

• Photo contest – Followers share a photo with a hashtag according to your rules for a chance to win. For example, have your followers share a photo of their holiday home decor, and offer a grand prize to the photo with most likes.
• Caption this contest – Those who follow you can offer a caption for a photo of your choosing, and the caption of your choosing becomes the winner.
• Tag a friend contest – Followers must tag a friend that meets your provided criteria to be entered to win.
• "Share this" contest – Followers repost a post of your choosing in order to win. With this type of contest, you can offer one grand prize and additional promised donations to a local organization for the first 100 reposts.

5. Get seasonal in your email marketing

Your email marketing campaigns are perfect for incorporating a bit of holiday cheer. In addition to holiday visuals, using holiday lingo in your subject lines is a great way to spark interest and increase open rates. Here are a few words you can use in your holiday marketing:

• Holiday
• 'Tis the season
• Give thanks
• #GivingTuesday
• Thankful
• Fall and/or Winter
• Season
• Gift
• Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Christmas or New Year's Eve/New Year/NYE
• End-of-year
• Naughty or Nice

6. Mail your season's greetings

Sending season's greeting is a classic holiday marketing tool in real estate. It's not enough to just buy a card and slap a stamp on it before mailing it out, though – a personal touch is a must! Consider sending something similar to what you would send a family member or close friend. Take it a step further by including a handwritten note.

While greeting cards are a great personal touch, there is a good chance they'll receive several cards from other businesses, family, and friends. If you're looking to truly stand out, pair your handwritten note with a unique gift.

Sure, the personalization will take more time, but it'll show your contacts that you truly appreciate their continual support. To reap the full impact of using mail in your holiday marketing plan, be sure to follow-up after sending.

7. Reach out to the community

'Tis the season to give back and reach out to your community. Community stewardship shows you truly care about the area and the people who live there.

• Publicize charities and causes that you're supporting
• Encourage your clients, friends, and colleagues to participate
• Sponsor local holiday events
• Share the updates and outcome via email and social media
• Cross-market with your business relationships

Involving your sphere in a worthy cause helps build loyalty and trust, and solidifies your reputation within the community that supports you. Be sure to thank those who participate.

8. Put a holiday spin on open houses

With your seller client's permission, deck the house with boughs of holly! Offer open house attendees seasonal cuisine and drinks, play holiday music, and add candles with holiday scents. Lightening up the ambiance will make guests immediately feel warm and cozy in their potential new home.

While all of these ideas can help you grow your business this holiday season, you also deserve time to relax and enjoy yourself. With the Business Builder Bundle, you can set your holiday marketing on cruise control and enjoy the most wonderful time of the year! Capture leads, communicate regularly with clients, deliver value throughout the entire real estate lifecycle, and ensure repeat and referral business. Click here to learn more.

This post originally appeared on ListHub News.