Summer Slow Season? Not For Us in the Real Estate Industry!
The words “summer slow season” strike fear into the hearts of most business owners. Temperatures rise, vacations are undertaken, and summer hours kick in, leading to a slowdown in activity and revenue.
As you are certainly aware, the “summer slow season” does not exist in the real estate industry. In fact, according to the National Association of REALTORS®, 40% of the nation’s home sales take place between May and August.1 The combination of warm weather, extended daylight hours, and school vacation create the ideal environment for buying and selling homes.
To help you make the most of the traditionally busy summer season, we compiled a list of essential marketing strategies. Check it out!
Think locally
Summer brings people outdoors, giving your brand more opportunities to connect with potential customers. Follow these tips to boost your brand’s local presence.
- Sponsor a youth sports team. Teams are often in need of sponsors to fund expenses like uniforms, equipment, and travel. Sponsoring a local team allows you to give back to your community while providing a great marketing opportunity.
- Advertise in your community. Purchase advertising at a pool, beach, water park, or other summer hotspot in your area.
- Sponsor or participate in community events. Summer is filled with local events, whether it’s a Fourth of July parade, a Juneteenth celebration, a cultural festival, or a music or art gala. Getting involved with such events, either as a sponsor or a volunteer, can strengthen your community connections.
- Partner with an area business. Consider working with other businesses that target your client base. Collaborate on a cross-promotion event or raffle.
- Show appreciation. To recognize the customers and partners you have worked with in your community, take advantage of the warmer weather and hold a block party or barbecue in a local park. Be sure to include activities for young children.
Emphasize your market expertise
Buyers and sellers want to work with loan officers who understand their local markets, particularly how they are impacted by seasonal factors. Use social media to emphasize your most recent summer transactions. Or, share the most common challenges buyers and sellers face when navigating the summer housing market and what they can do to overcome them.
You can also showcase your expertise by providing resources for buyers relocating to your area. Offer information on shops, restaurants, entertainment venues, parks and recreation facilities, and public transportation. Promoting your brand in such a way increases the likelihood that new residents recommend your services to family and friends in need of home financing.
Summer content ideas
Incorporate summer-related social media and blog posts into your content calendar. Listed here are a few impactful content ideas:
- Travel tips. Provide information for finding the best vacation promotions and discounts or share advice for traveling with families.
- Projects. Popular ideas include planting a vegetable garden, building a fire pit, updating outdoor light fixtures, and painting a front door.
- Maintenance. A checklist of essential end-of-summer maintenance tasks will ensure your customers are ready for the seasonal change.
- Recipes. Whether it’s a tasty barbecue recipe, a colorful salad, or a refreshing cocktail, sharing summer-themed recipes is a great way to promote your brand.
- Books. List the best beach reads, poolside paperbacks, and children’s books.
- Trends. Summer traditionally means higher home prices, increased inventory, and more competitive buyers.
Share how you give back
Studies have shown that today’s consumers prefer working with businesses that participate in charitable giving and volunteering programs. This is especially true among the Millennial generation, which currently makes up 38% of buyers and 23% of sellers.
If you partner with a local charity or community organization, share information on your involvement. And if you don’t partner with a charity or organization, now is a great time to start. Many especially need assistance during the summer months.
Highlight quirky holidays
Summer has no shortage of unusual national holidays—from National Selfie Day on June 21 (snap one with a satisfied customer) to National Simplicity Day on July 12 (list local charities that accept donations) to National Relaxation Day on August 15 (provide tips on how to better manage work stress).
Review (and maybe revise) your goals
If you established goals in the spring, now may be an ideal time to assess and potentially revise them. The changing of the seasons is also perfect for reviewing your marketing calendar and making necessary updates to your timelines, budgets, targeted audiences, and goals.
Ready to connect?
We hope these strategies enhance your summer marketing efforts. However, if you want to position your business for greater success, you may need to work with an industry-leading marketing partner.
This is where we can help! Contact us today to learn how Volly can be your valued marketing partner.