To stay ahead of the competition and generate leads, the commercial real estate advertising industry has evolved to rely on multi-channel marketing that includes offline as well as online.
If you are a commercial real estate agent, you will need to do more than LoopNet listings to receive a steady flow of leads each month. We’ve put together a list of 11 commercial real estate marketing ideas to drive sales in 2024.
This article will cover the following:
1. Video marketing is a great investment
2. Make 3-D videos of your property
3. Create SEO-optimized websites that drive conversions
4. Use email marketing
5. Create a Google Business Page
6. Use testimonials to establish credibility
7. Google Adwords allows you to run targeted advertising campaigns
8. Remarketing campaigns can be run on social media
9. Guest articles for blogs and magazines
10. Advertise in traditional media
11. Build your network
Let’s get started!
Commercial Real Estate Marketing Idea #1: Invest in video marketing
Businesses are using video to market as mobile video consumption continues to increase. Only 50 percent of CRE companies use video in their marketing strategies, meaning they are losing new leads.
video can be used as part of a marketing strategy to create curiosity, build appeal, make a good impression, and improve brand recognition. Here is an example of commercial property marketing videos from Arena Towers, Austin.
The video begins with good music and explains the fun of a workday with beautiful visuals. It gives prospects a reason to ask more about the company’s services.
To create an award-winning video for your property, such as Arena Towers, should write a script that highlights the location of your building, its amenities, and outdoor areas.
Arena Towers uses the example above to show hard-working professionals in their mid-30s who are fun and energetic. This is aimed at businesses that have employees with similar attitudes and age ranges.
The use of sports imagery to show off their boardrooms and gyms helps the prospect feel confident that their workplace will make them feel like champions. A 3-D graphic video can be used to show prospects what their property will look like when it is finished.
If you want to save time and create stunning videos then you can use templates for commercial real estate that are already created by InVideo. You can create a property marketing video within 10 minutes by editing the template and replacing the text and media.
Commercial Real Estate Advertising Idea #2: Create 3-D videos of your properties
Because 3-D video walks give prospects a realistic view of the property, by creating an immersive and realistic experience, they are more likely to convert into a real lead.
Video walkthroughs also provide the most secure way to show off properties in the event of a pandemic. This allows your prospects to narrow their options and only visit the properties that they are interested in. A video walkthrough allows you to show your commercial property at any time of the day or night, to as many interested parties as possible.
This 3-D video tour of Mantra’s showrooms highlights the spacious interiors and important amenities such as parking.
You can create a 3-D video walkthrough using software such as Matterport, or you can hire agencies like Archello or Map Systems.
Commercial Real Estate AdvertisingIdea #3: Create SEO-Optimized Sites to Drive Conversions
SEO Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing your CRE website’s content and visibility in search engines. This will increase its visibility, improve trust among prospects, and generate highly qualified leads.
Search engines are used by users to locate commercial properties and real estate agents. By optimizing your site, you can build credibility and attract the right prospects.
Google, for example, displays the website of Coldwell Banker Richard Ellis (American Commercial Real Estate Company) when you type “cbre” into a Google search. It also includes a site link that is organic and has a search bar. On the right, there’s a Knowledge Panel and PAA (People Also Ask).
Moz keyword results show that their website is ranked for keywords like “commercial real-estate services” or “global corporate property service.”
The site also ranks first for a number of search terms, as it has built up authority and trust with its audience over time through high-quality content.
SEO is therefore a long-term strategy, and it’s important to stick with it if you want to see improvement in your organic traffic. Start your SEO campaign by making your website mobile-friendly and adding headings, page titles, and meta descriptions.
After you’ve mastered these basics, create high-quality content around search terms that your prospects might use. These can be generic (Las Vegas Commercial Realtor), specific (Class A Office Space for Rent in Houston), or brand.
If you’re interested in a Knowledge Panel similar to CBRE, watch the video below.
Commercial Real Estate Advertising Idea #4: Use email marketing
InVideo’s study has revealed that both commercial and residential realtors prefer email marketing because it allows them to build a relationships with their prospects by sending targeted messages to different audiences.
Social media may allow you to reach many people in just a few clicks but it does not offer the same level of segmentation and personalization that email offers. Email marketing is therefore more effective than other social media channels at acquiring and retaining customers.
Unfortunately, many commercial real estate email marketing campaigns fail to produce the best results. This is because they bombard prospects with listings and don’t make an effort to connect with them. To avoid this mishap, you should create an email marketing plan to share valuable content with your prospects.
Here’s another great example of a commercial real-estate email from Sharp Launch. The email opens with a brief subject line and highlights the features of the commercial property. It ends with a clear CTA.
Segmenting your email list and sending relevant and concise emails with short subject lines can also help you get great results.
Set up an automated follow-up sequence (politely), as most prospects won’t open your first email.
You can send your company newsletters that include your thoughts on the latest commercial real estate trends and news to your prospects. This will help you build a relationship with them and increase response rates.
Add videos to your email to boost clickthrough rates at least two to three times. This is because it helps to create a personal connection, which in turn drives more deals. InVideo’s Real Estate Video Maker allows you to create videos in just minutes.
Commercial Real Estate Marketing Idea #5: Create a Google Business Page
Google My Business is essential because it is likely to be the first place that your potential customers look. Why? GMB shows testimonials, contact information, and other details that enhance your credibility.
Your business will now appear in local searches, such as “commercial agents near me”, which improves the visibility of your website and increases your ranking. This is because it shows Google that your site is relevant to what people are searching for.
Searching for “commercial property in Houston”, for example, will show many GMB listings, reviews, and ratings, even though the paid ads dominate.
Follow the steps below to create your GMB page and boost your credibility.
1. Click Manage Now on the Google Business page.
2. Search for your property using the address bar, or choose C Create a Business under this name to add your property on Google.
3. Add your company name, and then fill in your address and service area.
4. Add your company description, photos, and address. Download a spreadsheet template if you have multiple offices. Upload the completed spreadsheet.
5. GMB will verify your property instantly if you have already verified it on Google Search Console. If you choose not to use the postal verification, then you will have to do so.
Commercial Real Estate Advertising Idea #6: Use testimonials to establish credibility
Testimonials can be used to gain trust from potential clients and pitch your services, without actively selling. This is because they show how you have helped your customers solve their problems.
Create a testimonial page for your website and display testimonials on multiple platforms (websites, videos, email, social media, etc.). Or, create case studies that explain why your customers should choose you over competitors.
The Nesbitt Commercial Group displays testimonials from their clients on their homepage. They also show the company’s willingness and ability to listen to clients’ goals, budgets, etc. They can then move them into the appropriate space.
Coworking SEO created case studies that demonstrate their approach to solving client challenges and delivering results.
In this Case Study, outlines how they helped reduce the footprint of an organization and align workspaces with their employees’ work styles.
Ask your client about the problem they were facing, what you did to help them resolve it, and a few positive things about working with you.
Include the name and photograph of the reviewer if possible to give your testimonials more credibility.
You can reach out to your past clients and remind them about the value that you have provided. Give them an incentive to take the time to provide a great testimonial.
InVideo templates make it easy to create video testimonials that you can use on your website, in emails, or for social media. Start with this InVideo Template for a professional appearance. If you want to simply showcase your expertise by using text testimonials, then use this InVideo Template.
Advertise your commercial real estate with Google Ads.
Google AdWords is the most effective way to reach audiences looking for commercial property. You can test different messages and see which one brings the best return on investment.
You can also improve your organic ranking if you are competing with big players in commercial real estate. Ads appear before organic results.
Searching for “commercial property in Austin” will show ads from Reonomy and Satterwhite Business Park. These results appear above other prominent CRE websites like LoopNet, PropertyShark, and Aquila.
To create killer Google Ads that give you the best ROI, make sure to include the abbreviations of states in your keywords, add
Commercial Real Estate Marketing Idea #8: Run remarketing campaigns on social media
Only 2 percent of website visitors convert on their first visit. You need to run Remarketing Ads that target website visitors as well as those who have interacted with your video to convert more leads.
Remarketing ads are a great way to acquire new customers with lower ad costs because they only target customers who’ve shown interest in your products. This graphic explains how remarketing works:
InVideo’s study showed that Facebook is the most popular platform to run remarketing ads because it has a wide reach and a great ROI.
Mike Sherrard explains how to set up a Facebook Retargeting Ad in this video. The tips can be used for both residential and commercial real estate. Make sure your ads are relevant, crisp, and clear.
Pro-Tip: Because your prospects are spending a lot of time on social media watching videos, you can create Facebook retargeting ads to increase your conversion rates. InVideo’s templates for real estate ads are the fastest and easiest way to create these ads. You can also modify these templates to create an effective commercial real estate retargeting advertisement.
Commercial Real Estate Idea #9: Guest articles in blogs and magazines
By gaining backlinks on sites Google trusts, sharing your real estate expertise in magazines and websites dedicated exclusively to this industry can help you improve your search ranking.
You can also build authority by exposing yourself to readers who are already interested in your type of content.
You can get a link to your site when you submit articles to CRE-related online publications like The Broker List or Urban Land. These publications will include a few sentences that inform prospects of the work you have done.
Check out how The Broker List showcased Allen’s CRE experience by highlighting his memberships and achievements in exchange for submitting a piece to the online publication.
Compile a list of the most popular real estate magazines. Enter the publication name and the words “write with” or “blog” to see if it accepts guest posts.
You can submit your article to websites accepting guest posts by following their instructions. Then voila! Now you’re ready to improve your search engine ranking and increase your backlinks. This video explains how to build backlinks.
You can work with real estate magazines by following a similar approach to contact them. Once you have made some inroads into the real estate industry, you can talk to journalists or magazine editors to either get a piece written about you or to write a guest blog for the publication. This will help you gain more exposure for your business.
Commercial Real Estate Idea #10: Advertise on traditional media outlets
Offline advertising can be effective in conjunction with digital marketing, even though has taken over commercial real estate.
Advertising in print media, such as flyers, signs, journals, etc. is a great way to build brand awareness and make sure local prospects remember your commercial real estate business.
CoworkingSEO, for example, sends out press releases regularly to news agencies to promote their brand and demonstrate their expertise within the CRE sector.
You can build your media presence even if you are not able to send out many press releases. Contact editors at popular news agencies, and contribute a piece that establishes you as a subject matter expert.
Add a QR code to local newspaper ads that will take users to your site or a phone number where prospects can leave a message so that someone from your business can contact them. You can measure your offline campaign results and make adjustments to improve them.
You can also contact local radio stations to pitch your ideas and invest in radio advertisements to increase inquiries.
Local channels such as Real Estate Radio LA, for example, have a weekly program and memberships that allow you to attend events and grow your network. The Real Estate Radio Guys also has a great radio station that broadcasts regularly, and hosts summits and other events.
Commercial Real Estate Advertising Idea #11: Build your network.
You will need a database of contacts to help you grow and maintain your real estate business. You can achieve this through the marketing activities listed above, but it is also important to actively build and maintain your network.
Socializing with people in your industry through events like networking, parties, social gatherings and those hosted by larger brokerage firms, wealthy clients, local politicians, and celebrities are great ways to achieve this. These events can help you get noticed in the industry, and develop a relationship with potential clients.
Tip: Always follow up on new people that you meet at such events. With a quick text or email, a message of goodwill can help them remember you.
Summary
Commercial realtors are using digital and offline marketing to promote their services. Many commercial realtors aren’t sure how to start marketing their services and what activities to invest in.
This real estate marketing plan will help create a marketing strategy for your business. The ideas will help kickstart your marketing and help you see results.
Start with video ads if you are serious about your real estate marketing. Sign up for InVideo to create video ads using templates in under 10 minutes.
If you like to learn via video, then you should check out our channel on YouTube. We share video creation tricks and tips, as well as the latest trends, and we help you earn more money by being a video maker.
