It’s a well-known fact that real estate slows and grows according to the season. Things heat up in the spring, sales hit their peak during the summer, and then rapidly fall as winter approaches. This pattern makes it easy to plan ahead, but it can also spark complacency, which is evident as Thanksgiving draws near. Anticipating the holiday season and accompanying slowdown, some agents reduce their outreach efforts and approach to Thanksgiving real estate transactions.
It’s easy to feel discouraged by seasonal trends, but that doesn’t mean you should give up during the cooler months. Thanksgiving real estate success stories are possible — these victories simply require a change in strategy.
The benefits of Thanksgiving real estate marketing
Each real estate season comes with unique opportunities and challenges. As Thanksgiving draws near, real estate professionals are more aware of the difficulties that lie ahead. This negative focus can prevent you from key advantages in the month of November. You might miss out on some of these things:
- Greater potential for qualified leads. Typically, only the most invested buyers or sellers hit the market during the holiday season, so there’s no need to worry about wasting time or marketing dollars on clients who don’t pan out. This can be beneficial for both buyer and seller agents, and it is particularly valuable when convincing potential first-time buyers to take the plunge.
- Gratitude as a marketing tool. The concept of thankfulness appeals to potential buyers and sellers, who want to know that their real estate agents actually care. Of course, any efforts to integrate this concept into marketing initiatives should be 100% genuine. Today’s consumers are savvy and can see through hollow marketing schemes.
- Get a head start on the holiday season. Consumers regularly complain that they are bombarded with marketing messages during the month of December. Stand out from the crowd with a Thanksgiving-oriented campaign that wraps up just as the competition of the holiday marketing craze starts to get fierce.
- Keep your real estate business top of mind. Even if buyers or sellers don’t anticipate getting involved in the real estate market right now, it’s worth your while to continue to cultivate your relationships. You want to remain top-of-mind so that prospects think of you first when they are ready to move forward.
Best practices for Thanksgiving real estate marketing
While Thanksgiving presents numerous opportunities, it’s important to proceed with caution. Best practices to keep in mind include:
- Be authentic. As mentioned previously, disingenuous marketing messages will drive otherwise interested prospects away. Given the personal nature of your connections with clients, it’s especially important to speak from the heart. Let them know why you’re passionate about your work in real estate and what you hope to help clients accomplish by bringing your inherent passion to the forefront.
- Consider timing. A very brief marketing lull often occurs in the first two weeks of November. While some businesses use this period to get a head start on holiday marketing, others prefer to step up their efforts in December. Take advantage of this off-peak time to get your Thanksgiving message out to possible buyers or sellers.
- Focus on your target market. While this advice always applies to real estate marketing, it’s particularly important during slow periods. To make the most of every marketing dollar, narrow your focus based on your clientele. For example, maybe you primarily work with young couples or retirees who like the idea of avoiding the summer sales scramble of families with school-age children. Tailor your marketing message or any events you host to appeal to your intended audience.
Top Thanksgiving marketing ideas for real estate professionals
If you’re ready to gear up your marketing efforts but are also at a loss for ideas, don’t worry. Below, we highlight a few of the most compelling Thanksgiving marketing ideas for realtors and some strategies for making the most of these off-season opportunities.
Highlight charitable initiatives
Thanksgiving is a holiday to express gratitude and help others. These efforts do not need to be purely altruistic; they can provide a powerful marketing opportunity. If you are already committed to giving back to your community, don’t hesitate to let prospects know about your charitable endeavors. This can increase enthusiasm and goodwill among top leads and encourage followers to invest in your initiatives.
Organize a Thanksgiving food drive
Perhaps your list of recent charitable deeds is looking a bit short. No worries — you can give back now. Better yet, get clients involved. Partner with an organization that serves low-income individuals to organize a Thanksgiving food drive.
Host a casual Thanksgiving dinner
Nothing encourages clients quite like the promise of food. Use Thanksgiving as a marketing opportunity with food samples or even a sit-down meal as a client appreciation event.
Invite clients to a Thanksgiving fun run
Encourage clients to burn a few calories prior to their big meal with a 5k run. Many neighborhoods hold turkey trots and similar events on Thanksgiving morning, with proceeds typically targeted at local nonprofits. Build a team of real estate clients to tackle a Thanksgiving jog together.
Share your gratitude on social media
Let followers know how thankful you are for your community with social media posts that come from the heart. This could take many forms. For example, with their permission, you could highlight specific clients you were grateful to work with during the past year. Otherwise, a simple picture and a thoughtful message should let followers know that they are appreciated.
Don’t forget social media for documenting the aforementioned marketing events, such as fun runs, food drives, or Thanksgiving dinners.
Expand on Thanksgiving wishes with a full blog post
Save in-depth Thanksgiving wishes for blog updates and provide a more personable message about the power of gratitude in the real estate industry.
Send thankful emails
Harness the power of real estate email marketing to let clients know that they matter. A simple message can go a long way when it’s personalized. A Thanksgiving blurb can be included in your regular real estate newsletter, but a Thanksgiving-oriented email may be even more effective.
Ultimately, the best Thanksgiving real estate email marketing campaigns let both future and current clients know that you genuinely care about their well-being, as well as your community at large. This is key to building strong connections that pay off throughout the year.
Give thanks for today’s top marketing opportunities
Seasonal lulls need not result in real estate dry spells during Thanksgiving or other holidays. Look to the marketing strategies highlighted above to provide a much-needed boost while conveying your unique, authentic brand identity.
Use this opportunity to experiment with Thanksgiving-based social media, blogs, or email messages. Let clients know that they matter with content or events that convey your gratitude.
Continue the momentum throughout the season by tapping into some more Holiday Real Estate Marketing Ideas.
Did you know? Constant Contact offers a corporate account option designed for real estate brokers/owners, so you can provide agents with all the digital marketing tools they need, in one place. Benefits of a corporate account include a discounted rate for your agents, locked branded templates to keep brand consistency across all users, tools to track results (opens, clicks, etc), and more. For more information, fill out this quick form, and we’ll reach out with more information on how you can make your marketing easier and more consistent throughout your brokerage.
