In fact, Valeriote says he had an “aha moment” when it came to digital advertising thanks to phenomenal reach that resulted in the success he had selling units for this small bay industrial project, with units selling under $2 million. This medium enabled him to cast a wider net to attract people who may be interested in purchasing units and generated qualified calls versus cold calls, which was a game changer for his business because he felt like he was always two steps ahead of any other strategy he has used in the past. This meant Valeriote’s time was better spent talking to would-be buyers than trying to drum up a cold call list.

The digital advertising platform used by Kingridge Developments’ Hanlon Creek project is run by Just Sell Homes – an online marketing service provider for real estate professionals that generates the advertising plan and captures all leads. All leads from the landing page that were generated by the digital ads were sent directly to Valeriote. For every 10 people who clicked on the ad, he says about three – or 30% – turned into actual interactions, which is an excellent rate of return. 

Artist rendering of the Hanlon Creek project in Guelph, Ont.

And now that the project is under construction, Valeriote has a qualified list of interested buyers who may be prompted to make a purchase, given that the number of available condo units has significantly decreased since their last interaction. In addition, he also has a new database resource when selling similar condos in the future.

Using a data-focused approach to selling commercial and industrial real estate results in a phenomenal reach that just hasn’t traditionally existed in this space before, says Valeriote, whose newfound appreciation of social media advertising makes him excited for future projects as well. 

Great opportunity for residential agents

This type of smaller unit project is a great way for residential agents to test their clients’ appetite for commercial properties as well – either for their clients to personally occupy or as investment opportunities.

About the 585 Hanlon Creek project

This premier commercial and industrial condo development located at 585 Hanlon Creek is part of the 675-acre Hanlon Creek Business Park. The development came to light in response to a significantly under-serviced market for well-priced, flex commercial and industrial space. With an emphasis on smaller units featuring plenty of parking, this project empowers businesses to build equity instead of renting, while growing the business in a central location five minutes from Highway 401, and close to Toronto, Hamilton and Kitchener-Waterloo.

The project is 75 per cent sold out and is now under construction. Move-in is slotted for mid-2023.

Click here for more information on the 585 Hanlon Creek project. 

Click here to find out more about the Just Sell Homes marketing strategy for Realtors today!

REM Advertorials

The post Commercial real estate agent finds success with digital ads appeared first on REM.

1.  Your schedule 

A mistake that people often make is sharing their vacation plans online before they go on a trip. While this may seem like a good idea, you could potentially be advertising an empty home to strangers on social media, which could put your home and personal property at risk. Brag about that amazing holiday all you want from the comfort of your own home after you return. 

2.  Negative content

Whether you’re expressing dissatisfaction with a company or service, discussing clients or even talking about your competitors, don’t be negative. Sharing this content is essentially airing your dirty laundry in public and will not result in anything positive, we promise. There is a time and a place to discuss these things and social media is not it.

3.  Confidential information

Like we said before, anything that gets posted online cannot be taken back. So don’t share anything that should remain private. This includes both confidential work or client information and also your personal information such as your social security number or bank details. 

4. Stolen content

Screenshotting and posting someone else’s image on social media, without permission or crediting the original creator, is a great way to ensure an inbox full of angry direct messages. If you see an image you would like to repost, either share their post to your story or reach out and ask them if you can post their image on your feed with credit. Remember, no one likes a thief. 

Now that you know what you shouldn’t do, let’s have a look at what you should do on social media. Click here to read Just Sell Homes’ step-by-step guide on how Realtors should set up their Instagram.

Éireann Sharkey

Just Sell Home’s lucky charm- all the way from Ireland. Marketing Strategy Coordinator who eats breathes and sleeps Instagram. With a background in education, I’m passionate about coaching agents on how to accomplish their marketing goals. Please don’t say top of the morning to ya. I’ll laugh politely and it’ll be awkward for both of us.

The post 4 things you should never share on social media appeared first on REM.

Where do you get started? Don’t worry, we’ve mapped it out for you step-by-step.

Your handle versus your name

Your handle is shown at the top left of every piece of content you post. It’s also used when people want to tag you in their content.

Choose your username carefully and make sure it’s easily searched. If your handle looks something like @bestrealtor86725, it’ll make it hard to impossible for potential followers/clients to find you. We recommend you use your company name. This way, those aware of your brand will be able to type in your name and find you right away.

Your name is listed above your bio and is the perfect opportunity to use searchable keywords so people who don’t know you can find you. Think of what your ideal client would type into Google search to find you. We recommend going with your service, followed by your location. For example, Toronto Realtor or Vancouver Real Estate.

Once you’ve selected your name, head over to the Explore page and type those keywords in. Does your name pop up? If so, you’re all set! If not, try different keywords.

Take full advantage of your bio

Instagram limits the number of characters you can use in your bio so it’s vital that you include as much relevant information as possible. Instagram bios are searchable too, so using relevant keywords can help new followers and potential clients find your account.

This is also a good opportunity to let people know exactly what you offer, list more specific areas you serve in and show off your brand’s personality.

Stay away from bios like this:

I can sell your home over asking! Give me a call 416-555-1234

Or worse, no bio at all.

Instead, try writing a bio like this:

📍Helping you navigate the Toronto real estate market

🏡 200+ happy clients since 2018

💚 Less house, more home

Let’s find your dream home together! ⬇️

Use your website link wisely

This one may seem obvious. Put your website link where it says website and you’re done. Before you do that, we’d like you to consider something first. This area is the only place, outside of your Stories, where you can add a clickable link.

We often see people add links to their post captions but not only are they not clickable, you can’t copy and paste them either. Make sure you keep links out of your captions and instead include call-to-actions inviting your followers to tap the link in your bio.

That being said, you definitely need to make sure you make the most out of your one link.

Using a website like Linktr.ee or the Link In Bio feature if you have a Later.com account (a post scheduling platform) allows you to create a landing page where you can add multiple websites under one link.

Your profile picture – the first piece of branded content

Followers and potential clients want to feel like they have a clear vision of your brand before reaching out. The first thing they’ll see when visiting your profile is your picture.

Low-quality, busy pictures should be avoided at all costs! Ensure that your picture is high quality, clear and the correct format so your image is centred and not cut off within the circle. Keep it simple, it’s a small space. Try to avoid small text or multiple elements. We recommend using a professional, well-lit headshot or, if you’re a team, stick with your logo.

Your contact button

Just like the link, followers aren’t able to tap or copy and paste contact information left in captions. If you’d like them to contact you, include a call-to-action inviting your followers to tap the Contact button in your profile.

To add a Contact button to your profile with your phone number and email address, tap “Edit profile” below your website link, select “Contact options” and type in your information. Once you’ve filled that out, a Contact button will appear on your profile page.

Your Instagram story highlights

Instagram stories only last 24 hours, then disappear. With Instagram Highlights you can save specific stories to your profile long-term. This is a great way to introduce yourself and your team, show testimonials, let people know what you offer, show off your current listings and any other company pillar.

We’ve created a few Canva templates with Highlights covers that you can customize and use on your profile. Simply tap each link to save the templates to your Canva account.

Highlights Template 1

Highlights Template 2

Now you have everything you need to optimize your Instagram profile. Have questions? Leave them in the comments below.

Jennifer McNamara

Hi, I’m Jen and I’m a social media marketer with Just Sell Homes & REM. I’d love to have a clever bio written for you but it’s just not my strength. What I can do is teach you how to create a social media strategy customized to you and show you how to put it into action. Whether you’re just looking to refine the strategy you’ve got or you’re, shall we say, technically/social media challenged? Either way, I’ve got your back.

The post How to optimize your Instagram profile appeared first on REM.