Increasing suggestions and even orders to stay at home due to the global pandemic have contributed to a struggling market that is redefining business. Many have been forced to develop creative solutions to build their business in a way that doesn’t require in-person interaction. According to Julia Falcon with Housing Wire, demand for virtual home tours has spiked for realtors in recent weeks. Similarly, Ariane Aramburo with KTUU writes that healthcare facilities are seeing a jump in “virtual visits” for healthcare needs. Market changes are making it imperative to add “virtual value” that continues to help businesses grow while avoiding direct contact with potential leads.
Embrace the Change
Virtual solutions are not a new trend. In fact, smartphones have changed the way business has been conducted for a number of years. The market already has an enormous number of people who prefer to engage with businesses through online methods. With this already being the case, we have proof that there are effective strategies and approaches for doing business virtually. While we are now forced to make these changes to adapt to the current environment, adding virtual elements to your business strategy will prove to be valuable even when the current crisis is over.
Brainstorm How You Can Go Virtual
While you may not be showing homes or reading storybooks, you can still add virtual value. Identify which marketing strategies you would ordinarily use to generate new leads. In a normal business environment, you might:
- Plan a lunch & learn
- Attend a trade show
- Participate in a panel discussion or other educational event
Now is the time to consider how to deliver that same content in a new way. Consider how your existing content from a traditional setting could translate to a video, webinar, or even a live stream.
Incorporate Your Virtual Strategy Into Physical Marketing
You can consolidate virtual and physical marketing strategies in a number of ways. If you think outside the box, you can fuse virtual and physical strategies for a marketing campaign. Think of ways to create that fusion. You could:
- Provide a packet of seeds to grow while social distancing along with a flyer. Include a link to a webinar or live stream to a course for first time home buyers.
- Team up with a local restaurant (who will undoubtedly be looking for new sales ideas too) to supply a cookie, drink, and/or chips to registrants of virtual training sessions on how and why to refinance, the home buying process, or other topics. Voila – a virtual “lunch and learn”.
- Collaborate with realtor partners by hosting a virtual breakfast, coffee, or even happy hour. Discuss sourcing new leads, doing business in the current market, or adding value to their virtual tours.
Stand Out by Offering Virtual Value
Ultimately, your goal is to stand out and make it easy for your prospective leads and clients to engage with you and want to use your services. Virtual value allows you to stand out from the others and show leads and clients that you are navigating the current market with ease like a true professional. Make it as easy as possible for people to access your virtual activities. To do this, you’ll likely need to do some research and find the best online resource. Don’t forget to encourage registrants and viewers to text your keyword to 36260 so you can capture the contact information of the leads you generate. You can also use the CardTapp SMS Marketing tool to get information about your upcoming training or event to your network quickly.