Frequently, real estate brokers view real estate marketing as a one-size-fits-all approach. However, your real estate marketing plan is severely weak if you're not making an attempt to engage with potential clients where they are, based on issues that are unique to them. There should be consideration given to the specific needs of each generation of property owners. Here's how to connect with Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers to generate active leads and expand your network.
Generation 'B'
What Do Baby Boomers Want And Who Are They?
People born between 1946 and 1964 are known as baby boomers. The majority of Baby Boomers are now retired and have established real estate interests and demands. This generation, which was raised after the Second World War, is renowned for seeking out constant safety and stability, thus it is likely that they are in secure financial standing and aren't looking for any new residences. They might, however, be about to buy the last house they will ever own. Because of this, elder baby boomers are less inclined to give up on their ideal home.
Marketing To Baby Boomers: A Guide
This generation is the most tactile of all, and while they are also at ease with digital marketing, they are most likely to relate to traditional marketing. Even then, though, it's more likely to be through a desktop than a mobile device when they do engage with digital marketing. Keep your marketing messages to this audience concise, well-organized, and focused. Avoid using highly technical or contemporary language.
You can incorporate the following key phrases into your marketing content:
- Retirement residences
- Assisted living facilities
- Retirement lifestyles
- The 55+ communities
Standard Marketing
Boomers are notorious for meticulously going through their mail, unlike other generations. They are more inclined to pay attention to and develop trust in direct mail advertising and print media. Boomers frequently respond better to physical marketing than to digital marketing, which might come off as unreliable.
Think about distributing branded calendars, holiday cards, pamphlets, and invitations to neighborhood events in your hyperlocal communities with a high baby boomer demographic.
Email Promotion
With this generation, it's essential to keep email marketing in plain English and specific instructions for what you want your customers to accomplish or buy from you. If you put too much emphasis on attractive language and eye-catching imagery, just like in print marketing materials, you'll lose this reader. Are you requesting recommendations from previous customers for a new listing? In a succinct and precise text-based email, introduce yourself, the property, and exactly what you need from the reader.
Facebook is the social media platform with the highest activity among baby boomers. Be sure to talk directly about the issues and passions of this age group on your Facebook business page.
Facebook post material should be slower-paced and highly educational. A surefire technique to capture this generation's attention is by using text on the screen and simple images. Facebook ads are yet another effective way to connect with this demographic. Ads should be specifically targeted at this group, and relevant search terms should be included in their language along with your offer. A CTA that reads "Click here to learn more" rather than "Check it out now" is, for instance, more likely to elicit a response from a baby boomer.
Age Group X
What Do Members Of Generation X Want?
The term "Generation X" refers to those who were born between 1965 and 1980. Of all the buyer generations, this one is most likely at its "peak earning years" and has the highest income. Gen X was brought up to value development and create a life for themselves; as a result, they have a strong desire to buy a property and want to reside close to their place of employment. This generation has a strong sense of loyalty to the products and people who have been kind to them and value them. A successful relationship with a Generation X client could generate leads for the rest of their lives.
Social Media
Instagram is where Generation X may be found second, after Facebook. They enjoy watching lengthy videos that are packed with useful information. This video might appear as a Facebook video or as Instagram posts and reels. With this generation, you may use more original communication techniques (like fast-paced images and narrative) without losing your audience.
Assume you are presenting a brand-new listing. You might provide a tour of that new listing on Facebook Live to demonstrate all the ways the house has been winterized and to share advice with your potential clients about how they may do the same for their residences. A long-form video's combination of educational and promotional material will immediately appeal to Generation X.
Use photographs, charts, and other effectively structured and colorful graphics to swiftly convey your message because this generation is also very prone to share anything they believe will be helpful to those closest to them.
For instance, if you want to expand your circle of influence, think about creating excellent social media material like this infographic. It is concise, obvious, appealing, and shareable.
Those in Generation X are quite accustomed to using email, and if you provide them with something explicitly valuable and are known to them, they are more likely to check and click on your emails. To add a personal touch, address customers by name and include a lead magnet that will keep them checking your emails for weeks or even months.
Sending an email to your client about open houses you will be hosting in their area of interest is a terrific way to do this. Then include a brief guide that provides some information on the area and way of life associated with each entry.
Millennials
What Do Millennials Want And Who Are They?
In 2022, millennials will be the age group that real estate will target most. This generation, which comprises those born between the early 1980s and the early 2000s, is full of first-time homebuyers who make just enough money to establish solid financial foundations. This generation, unfortunately, has a noticeably shorter attention span than any preceding generation, which is bad news for real estate brokers. They are accustomed to using personal technology and adapt swiftly to new developments, so you'd better keep up.
The Great Recession occurred when Millennials were still sufficiently young to be negatively impacted by it in later life. Because of this, millennials are more prudent with their money, frequently delay starting their careers, or live at home longer. They are also less driven by financial achievement.
Without the assurance of stability that Generation X was given, Millennials have gravitated to buying more compact, multipurpose, transitional apartments and contemporary homes. Additionally, they care more about being in the center of things to do and less about being close to their place of employment.
Millennial Marketing Strategies
They want everything to be speedy, effective, and long-lasting because they were nurtured during the dawn of the information age. They are aware that improvements can always be made to make life more easy and more effective because they have witnessed the advent and sustained success of the digital world. Keep this in mind when creating marketing content for this generation. Engage with and master at least a few social media channels if you want to effectively target millennials. Join an email nurturing campaign later to close the sale. Also, keep it looking nice! The term "Millennial Pink" wasn't coined by accident; when it comes to real estate, this demographic favors attractive and shareable imagery.
Social Media
You don't have to be active on every social media network because millennials are experts on all of them. Select a few platforms that appeal to your particular millennial target, and then move forward. For instance, if you are concentrating on first-time buyers in a hip neighborhood with young professionals, you could want to focus on Linkedin and Instagram. However, Facebook and Instagram would be the best social media channels to concentrate on if you primarily work with young families who are buying their first house outside of the city.
You can use most, if not all, of the social media platform's resources to attract millennials, but we advise against using bland, purely informative content. Millennials enjoy giving everything they do a little color and coziness.
Weekly reels of home décor advice uploaded on your Instagram can draw in and hold the interest of a potential millennial customer. Encourage viewers to follow you or interact with your posts so that they will be aware of and familiar with your brand when you post about a fresh listing the following time.
Social Support
Since millennials created the culture of online forums and reviews, they are likely to read what others have to say about you before deciding to go further. This is why you need to present yourself in the best possible way on your Google Business Page and any other online review platform. Encourage your clients to post complimentary comments and testimonials on your social media pages, as well as on other websites like Yelp, Zillow, and your own real estate website.
You'll have to work harder to stand out in their inbox because millennials are accustomed to receiving a barrage of emails. Pay special attention to catchy wording and headlines that maintain the viewer's interest throughout. In order to maintain the momentum, conclude with a CTA.
For instance, describe a narrative about how you overcame obstacles to help a client realize their dream of owning a home. After that, include social media icons and invite people to follow you for more amazing client success stories, advice, and listings.
Gen Z
What Do Members Of Generation Z Want?
Although Gen Z is still young, it will have a significant impact on the real estate market within the next five years. These people, who were born between 1997 and 2012, are only now beginning to reach the age when they can buy a home. Gen Z has a laser focus on sustainability and social responsibility because they came of age during significant societal change. Due to their intense independence, they are more likely to believe the voice of the "people" than conventional authorities.
Marketing To Generation Z
Compared to the stability-deprived baby boomers, Gen Z has gone a long way. As the most ethnically and educationally varied generation to date, they are well aware of the wide range of housing options and styles available. They avoid exclusive communities and homogeneous neighborhoods. For 61% of Gen Z, finding a space that is adaptable to their needs is the main driver behind purchasing real estate.
Gen Z is an expert researcher, just like Millennials, and will probably enter the home-buying process with a higher level of education than most other generations would. Make sure your online reputation is impeccable and deal with any unwanted reviews or photographs as soon as possible.
Social Media
Social networking is king for Generation Z. If millennials invented social media, Generation Z has honed its application. Here, we'll concentrate on and go into more detail about how social media can help you engage with this demographic.
Polls And Competitions
Social media users in Generation Z are active, talkative, and expressive. Create a space for community building and interaction on your social media pages, then engage leads by producing content they care about before concluding with promotional content.
Here's an illustration:
Post a poll on Instagram asking what kind of property Gen Z wants most. In the heart of the city, is it a highrise? A beach town condo with a cottage feel? A shared residence in the countryside? Once you've got a sizable number of responses to your poll, you should compose an article outlining the processes to take in order to buy the selected house depending on pricing and lifestyle. From there, you'll know to push the listing out to your Gen Z audience to get active leads when you score a listing of that kind.
Video Materials
With an average of just 8 seconds to hold their attention, this generation has the lowest attention span of any thanks to apps like TikTok. You should concentrate on giving them the most useful information possible as swiftly, attractively, and in a style that appeals to them as possible.
Take the current trending TikTok song as an example, and create a brief video with 5 suggestions for saving and getting ready to buy your first property. This subject will probably be saved and shared because it is so pertinent to this age range. Your viewers will know who to get in touch with when it comes time to purchase their first house.
Make Contact With You Simple
Gen Z doesn't want to wait 5 to 7 business days for an answer. You must act swiftly because services like Amazon are setting the bar for how quickly people expect results and responses. To quickly respond to client inquiries, we advise integrating a chatbot with your website. Additionally, you should double-check that the bios of all of your social media accounts have a clear listing of your contact information.
In Summary...
Every generation will eventually reach the point in their lives when they are prepared to purchase a property, but that does not imply they will have the same criteria. You may create a real estate marketing strategy that achieves notable results by being aware of the characteristics that distinguish each generation and what they value.
Making TikToks for Generation X or direct mail flyers for Generation Z is a waste of effort. Meet them where they are because various generations interact with real estate media and marketing in different ways.
And keep in mind that each client is unique, despite the fact that there are broad, general real estate marketing trends among each age group. Working closely with your clients and fostering conversation about their needs and what you can provide should always be a priority.