If you’re ready to prepare your home for listing, you likely already know that the majority of those looking at Fairfield CT homes for sale first locate properties they are interested in online. To appeal to these buyers, not only do you need to have professional photos taken of your home and completely fill out the listing, but you also need to create a strategic online marketing plan that targets your ideal buyers. Here are some tips on how to market your home online to help it sell quickly and for the highest possible price.

Understand Your Market

To market to your ideal buyer, you first have to understand who they are. What demographic can afford the price you are selling your home for? Is it more appealing to empty-nesters? Growing families? Young professionals? Keep in mind that, in the marketing world, if you’re attempting to sell to everyone, you’re effectively selling to no one. Your Fairfield CT real estate agent can help you understand the type of buyer who will be most interested in buying your home and where they hang out online. This will help you choose the right platforms and methods to incorporate into your online marketing campaign and maximize your budget.

Prep It Accordingly

Now that you understand your target market, you have to make sure your home is properly prepared before you can create and launch your marketing plan. Remove as much clutter as you can from your home and place excess belongings in a storage unit. Depersonalize it by removing sports memorabilia, family photos, and any other items that are unique to you. You also need to make any necessary repairs that will either detract from the appeal of your home or pop up on mandatory inspections. The final step is to have your home professionally staged as Fairfield CT homes for sale that are staged can sell for up to 20% more.

Get Photos Taken

It’s only after your home is properly cleaned, decluttered, and staged that you should schedule your professional photo session. If you’re not sure which photographer to choose, ask your Fairfield CT real estate agent for recommendations. He or she has likely worked with plenty of local photographers and will know which are best for your project. Your photos are critical to the success of your marketing plan, so don’t be tempted to save money by making them yourself.

Components of an Effective Online Marketing Campaign

Now that you’ve done the prep work, it’s time to design a campaign that will deliver results. Effective online marketing campaigns for Fairfield CT homes for sale have some or all of the following components:

•         A landing page. Your Fairfield CT real estate agent will have your home listed on the MLS as well as on their agency’s website. To facilitate your marketing campaign, you’ll also need a landing page with its own link designed for the sole purpose of marketing your home. This one-page site, which can also be located on your agent’s main website, will feature all of the selling points of your home as well as a strong call to action such as “book your in-person showing now.”
•         Social media ads. During the market research stage of your marketing plan, you should have discovered which online platforms your ideal client spent most of their time on. You can now use this information to run social media ad campaigns on their favorite platforms and craft messages that will incite action. Social media ads are effective in marketing Fairfield CT homes for sale because they can be extremely targeted and have informative analytics that helps you refine your ads and audience.
•       Google ads. Many of those looking at homes for sale will Google key phrases such as “condos for sale Fairfield CT” or “luxury apartments Fairfield CT”. To make sure your landing page comes up near the top of these searches, you can run Google ads for specific key phrases. You will be charged by the number of clicks you get on each ad, meaning you won’t be charged if you’re not getting results.
•         Retargeting campaigns. Once a prospective buyer views your landing page, you don’t want them to forget about your listing as they continue their home search. That’s where retargeting campaigns come in. Those who visit your landing page will continue to see ads for your home when they go to other sites, ensuring your property stays top of mind while they look at other Fairfield CT homes for sale.

How to Make Online Marketing Work for You

Putting a plan in place that incorporates the above components is a good place to start when it comes to selling your home. You can boost the effectiveness even more with the following tips:

•         Choose the right Fairfield CT real estate agent. Unless you’re in the marketing industry, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to create an effective marketing campaign on your own. That’s where your agent comes in. An experienced local agent will either have an in-house marketing team or work with an outside agency that specializes in online marketing for home listings.
•         Share everything on your personal social media pages. You may not think anyone who follows your personal pages will be interested in your home, but you never know who they are connected to. When you share on your personal pages, you increase exposure and target more potential buyers.
•         Have a budget. Marketing your home can get pricey, so make sure you plan for this and include it in your overall home-selling budget.

Though fall and winter tend to be slower times for the real estate market, you can still successfully sell your home if you create a strategic online marketing campaign. If you’re ready to get started, reach out to one of the trusted Fairfield CT real estate agents at The Local Realtors for expert guidance throughout the entire selling process.