We’re so close to the end of the year, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to pack it all in and stop working. There are plenty of end of year items to check off the list to ensure you finish the year on top!

Plus, download our full December marketing checklist to discover how to turn the last month of the year into a brand-building, lead-generating success.

Manage your data

Your database is your most valuable asset as a real estate agent, so don’t neglect it heading into the holiday period.

Before you create a marketing plan for 2023, or get in touch with any of your clients, you’ll need to make sure your CRM is up-to-date so that you’re touching base with the right people! Low value and irrelevant content makes up a large percentage of the most common reasons people unsubscribe from email marketing (below email frequency). Refreshing your database will ensure you’re not harming your relationships by sending irrelevant emails.

So, prioritise the following things:

• Adding new names and email addresses into your CRM
• Adding all of the notes you’ve made on your contacts over the past year
• Updating your categories/tags/lists with new contacts and switching out any contacts who don’t belong in those categories anymore.

Touch base

Make sure you’ve touched base with all of your contacts before heading off for your Christmas holidays! To make your touchpoints more meaningful your method of communication and messaging should meet your contacts at their stage of the property journey.

SMS

Reserve calls or text messages for your more engaged/warmer contacts. A good rule of thumb is to make sure you’ve spoken to a contact via phone or in-person in the past year before you call them for the holidays. If you’ve never spoken to a contact over the phone or if they haven’t reached out to you in a while a catch up call may feel invasive.

SMS or call any clients you know are in property mode to find out if you can help them before the holidays hit. Or, contact cooler leads to arrange a chat at the beginning of 2023. 

Your contacts want to have their property goals sorted before the holidays hit so this is the perfect opportunity to meet their needs.

Email

Now that you have your categories managed in your database you can create so many meaningful touchpoints via email communication!

 Essentially, your communication via email at this time of year should do the following things:

• Increase your knowledge of your database so that you can create a more impactful marketing plan for 2023
• Fill your pipeline for 2023
• Build on your existing relationships with relevant information

For those contacts you know aren’t in property mode, a simple Christmas message and gratitude for their support is the perfect way to develop a rapport without encroaching on their time. This doesn’t mean you can’t show off your expertise about the local area. Try sending a guide to local shopping for Christmas gifts, events and news of the area to look out for in the new year.

For cooler buyers and potential sellers, it’s the perfect time to book in a meeting for the new year. Just like you, your contacts have been busy with life and work and are just now getting the breathing room to think about their property goals for 2023. Be the first agent to reach out to them with an email to book in an appraisal or a catch up.

Determine your 2023 goals and establish a marketing plan

Now, we know you’re busy agents so we’re not expecting you to have a full marketing plan sorted by the time your office closes this year, but, this is a perfect time to start thinking about your marketing efforts for next year.

Our advice is to do the following things before Christmas:

• Reflect on your marketing efforts from 2022 and write down what worked and what didn’t – what’s worth keeping? 
• Establish one or two long-term goals to work towards in 2023 and then split them into short term goals
• Work out your social media post and ads schedule, set up automated email campaigns and write up a draft of your first newsletter in preparation for January 2023
• Set yourself up with a free trial or demo of any software or services you’re interested in using in 2023

These are small tasks you can tick off the list now so that you can hit the ground running in the new year.

Want to know how Christmas marketing can help you to fill your pipeline for 2023? Download our full Christmas marketing checklist today.