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Inman contributor Brandon Doyle made it his goal to interview 100 real estate professionals. Here’s a Snapshot of those conversations.
Andrew Fogliato, the founder of Just Sell Homes, a digital marketing agency specializing in the real estate industry, helps his clients adapt to changing trends and leverage effective marketing strategies. In an industry where most struggle with conversion, Fogliato provides strategic insights to help agents simplify their marketing and identify the gaps hindering their success.
The birth of Just Sell Homes
Fogliato’s journey in the real estate industry began over a decade ago as an agent in Aurora, Ontario, Canada. His passion for training agents on social media and paperless operations quickly led him to accept a position as a trainer for RE/MAX Integra.
As he recalled, “I really enjoyed training agents and then they kept asking to hire me to do it for them. That role had no future on its own but it opened a lot of doors.” Recognizing an opportunity, Fogliato decided to create Just Sell Homes.
Fogliato describes his current role as the owner of Just Sell Homes and Real Estate Magazine as doing “whatever needs to be done and hiring people to take over the roles so that I can fire myself from different as many of them as possible.” His enthusiasm is evident when he talks about providing those “aha” moments to agents with their marketing, simplifying complex issues and guiding them towards a clearer path.
Addressing conversion struggles
According to Fogliato, the biggest struggle agents face today is conversion. “Whether that’s converting followers on social into a lead, or converting a lead into a client, most struggle with it quite a bit. Everything is focused so much on building the best mouse trap for conversion but very few ever look at what they’re trying to do even needs a mouse trap to get the job done,” Fogliato explains.
His agency offers a solution to this pervasive problem by creating customized marketing plans for each client, thereby eliminating the risk of marketing in the dark.
The wheel house marketing framework
A significant part of this solution is the Wheel House Marketing Framework. Fogliato explains, “It breaks everyone’s marketing strategy into six components, or six spokes on a wheel that work together: Discover, Conversations, Join, Convert, Trust, Loyalty. We learn about their business, what do they have for each of the six. If you have a couple of things running in your business for each of the six, you’re going to be in good shape marketing-wise.”
This framework allows agents to identify any gaps in their marketing strategy and focus their efforts more effectively.
Current trends and budgeting in digital marketing
When it comes to current trends in digital marketing, Fogliato advises agents to be cautious of chasing the shiny new thing. Most of their ads either leverage Facebook lead generation forms, which are the cheapest source of leads right now, or focus on content promotion and retargeting those engaging with content.
The budget for digital advertising varies significantly from one agent to another. While some might not need to spend at all, others might need to allocate $10,000 per month or more.
Fogliato recommends that agents willing to buy ads should be prepared to spend around $500 per month consistently. “You can be successful without buying ads on social but spending a lot of time. You can get an ROI on social just spending ads and never engaging with anyone, but the leads stop in that scenario the second you stop spending,” he explains.
For social media platforms, Fogliato recommends agents focus on where their ideal clients are. Lately, this has mostly been Instagram for organic interactions and both Facebook and Instagram for paid advertising.
To optimize Facebook lead generation forms and increase conversion rates, Fogliato advises tailoring the setup of the lead form to the client’s needs. They utilize a double dip offer strategy on the thank you page of the form, providing leads with additional value after they’ve signed up.
Successful campaigns and client acquisition
Just Sell Homes serves 30 to 40 clients on a monthly retainer basis, offering a variety of services to hundreds of clients per year. Most of their clients are sourced from speaking events, webinars and referrals.
Fogliato cites examples of successful campaigns run on Instagram and Facebook, emphasizing the importance of solving pain points for potential clients. On Instagram, stories are utilized to start conversations and collect contact information. On Facebook, ads focus on offering specific types of homes that match the clients’ goals.
Andrew Fogliato’s approach to digital marketing in real estate is a testament to his deep understanding of the industry’s nuances. He emphasizes the importance of strategy, adaptability and client-oriented solutions. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, his insights are an invaluable resource for agents seeking to navigate the complex world of real estate marketing.
Brandon Doyle is a Realtor at Doyle Real Estate Team — RE/MAX Results in Minneapolis and co-author of Mindset, Methods & Metrics – Winning as a Modern Real Estate Agent. You can follow him on Twitter.
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