Looking at the data, there are definitely ways to connect with Millenial clients that will make real estate agents stand out. Millennials crave relationships, experiences, and instant gratification, and Realtors can use this to their advantage. According to the NAR Millenials made up 36% of all home buyers and 20% of all sellers in 2018. That number continues to rise year-over-year. Investing in this client segment is definitely worth it. These creative real estate marketing tips are sure to win Millenials over.

Offer Value: Content Marketing

Millennials spend most of their time connecting online. This generation uses the internet more often than any previous generation. Mostly, because they grew up with it. But straight ads featuring Realtor information rarely makes an impact with Millenials. In fact, Forbes recently reported that “Millennials are less likely to be persuaded by traditional advertising.”

Millennials hate being interrupted with ads on Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Youtube, or any other online hub. Instead, they preferred being offered content that educates, entertains, and enriches their lives. This is what turns them into loyal followers and clients.

Real Estate Content

So what kind of appropriate real estate content can reach Millenials? Here are some winning ideas:

• Moving checklists
• Neighborhood or subdivision guides
• “Best of” lists like the best bars, coffee houses, restaurants, etc. in your area.
• Market information/reports (articles like “Is this summer the best time to sell your house?”)
• Stunning, Instagram-worthy listing photos
• Articles that help sellers/buyers choose the best type of property to fit their lifestyle

It is also important to note that content marketing takes consistency. Agents won’t find their email blowing up from one piece of content. It is an ongoing strategy that builds a client base over time. Being consistent with content that educates, entertains, and enriches is key.

Create Experiences

One of the best real estate marketing tips to reach Millenials is to use experiential marketing. This type of marketing focuses on engaging leads by creating a memorable experience that sticks with them and impacts their purchasing/listing decision.

Some memorable examples of experiential marketing include Red Bull’s Stratos events where adrenaline junkies launch themselves insanely high into the air. Or when cosmetic companies like Kylie Cosmetic’s founder, Kylie Jenner visited beauty YouTubers to get her makeup done during tutorials. Another great example came when Refinery29 offered up its 29Rooms funhouse for visitors to explore.

Real Estate Experiences

Again, these are well and good for big brands, but how do they apply to real estate? There are easy ways for Realtors to create experiences or micro-experiences for Millenials. The good news is, most of them are free!

• Host a Facebook Live seller’s class
• Create Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook Live videos of listing tours
• Go live at an open house
• Do a Facebook Live real estate Q & A
• Feature videos or live feed of favorite local bars, coffee shops, parks, and local attractions
• Create virtual tours of listings and share them to social media feeds
• Host a real-life seller/buyers educational event at the office. Blast it out on apps like Local and NextDoor.
• Have an office open house with pizza and refreshments. Blast it out on apps like Local and NextDoor.

Experiences for Past Clients

Past clients are the number one source of leads f0r agents. Referrals make up 41% of all real estate clients. So making sure past clients stay connected should be a top marketing focus. Creating a yearly event that past clients attend, whether it be at a restaurant or local picnic is a great idea. Other micro-experiences like sending custom video messages on client’s birthday are a great idea.

Retargeting and Lead Capture

Retargeting is a creative way to get leads to make a decision. This happens when someone visits a web page. Ads and content from that website then follow the individual around the internet.

It happened to me the other day. I saw some makeup content on Instagram that I liked and clicked through to the site. Now I am getting ads from that company on Facebook, in my inbox, when I visit other blogs, and on Instagram. I plan on purchasing an eyeliner from them later this month. They got me.

Retargeting can be used for real estate, too. By capture the information of leads visiting an agent’s website, Realtors can then have targeted content follow the lead over to social media and through Google.

Social Media Focus

As the old saying goes, “you gotta go where the fishes are.” Millennials tend to hang out on social media… like a lot…5.4 hours a day to be exact. With that much time spent on Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, and LinkedIn, it’s easy to see why it might be the best way to engage this generation. While Facebook is beginning to lose Millenials engagement (not to mention Gen Z), Instagram and Snapchat have seen steady growth with younger generations. Using social media to boost content is a great use of a marketing budget.

Instant Gratification

Another defining trait for Millenials is their desire for instant gratification. And who can blame them? Technology has rewired their brains to be better at multitasking. There are downsides to this, too. Scientists now believe that younger generations have an attention span shorter than a goldfish. This need for instant gratification has had marketing managers on their toes for the past 15 years.

This is evident is online activity, too. The more click-throughs or backlinks people need to click to get what they want, the less likely they are to buy into a product or brand. Putting all online content like virtual tours, listing photos, videos, floor plans, open house, Realtor contact info etc. in one place is the best bet. Also, creating hubs like neighborhood landing pages that offer information in one, central hub is a good idea, too.

Real Estate Marketing Tips

Marketing approaches need to change based on what generation real estate agents want to reach. Millennials continue to grow as a real estate consumer population year-over-year. By focusing on content marketing, creating experiences, retargeting, social media, and instant gratification, agents can attract Millenial sellers and buyers.