Marketing in CRE
Hi everyone! I’m wondering what type of marketing techniques have been most effective for you (more specifically for brokers or smaller investors). I understand that a lot of larger companies have in house marketing teams and resources but I am wondering for those that do marketing themselves or hire third parties/free lancers what has been the most valuable / what would make your day-to-day job easier and allow you to concentrate your time in more productive areas?

I currently am working with a small real estate company and am looking to get ideas to streamline marketing efforts and maybe create some solutions that others may be useful to others long term. 
[{"id": "eev0pxj", "text": "Depends on what your team does? Are they NNN retail, in which case an automated OM system would be great along with creating websites for each listing. \n\nAre they tenant rep? If so, then creating thought pieces to mail to clients to get your name out there is valuable. \n\nAre they landlord rep? Then creating a database of properties along with their lease expirations allows for brokers to call people whose lease is coming up for renewal. \n\nIf there was a mailer that automatically sent transaction details to owners in a three block radius of every lease or sale your company does, that would be great as well. \n\nSmaller companies = smaller budget = more eblasts. Using some kind of email system to check what your open rates on those emails are would be helpful. Most of the time people have no idea what their return on investment is for advertising. They do things because they have always done things and it is not until they see their competitor do things that they want to change. \n\nFor the most part, CRE brokers have not adapted to technology like the Resi brokers have. Seeing what works in the resi field will trickle into the CRE field, and if you can Shepard in those changes you will look like a genius.  ", "replies": [{"id": "eev1xgk", "text": "Thank you. That is super helpful. Right now  my team owns and operates small industrial and some office. And my brother is a broker for a local firm in the industrial space. We were trying to think of some marketing efforts that may benefit both of us and maybe start helping others on a local level as well. I really like your last point about resi brokers and I will look into what they find successful, it\u2019s so frustrating how behind the CRE field is. ", "replies": [{"id": "eev353s", "text": "OK, so you guys are more like property management then, if you own your own buildings and lease it up. \n\nAre you looking to develop new buildings? Are your tenants having trouble expanding? What industries are growing / shrinking in your area? \n\nWhat makes your properties different than your competitors? Do you know who your competitors are? \n\nThis is not a tough business, you put a sign on the building and wait for the phone to ring. So there has been resistance to change but it is coming. \n\nYou post your properties on Loopnet? If they are small enough, you can also do Craigslist. \n\nOne thing you can do is feed your brother. You get sign calls on your property for tenants. They don't work out for whatever reason, well, those are leads for him to follow up on. You may leave the sign up on your space even without vacancy just for this purpose. When tenants leave, well, you have the rent roll, you can feed him the details of that tenant to help them move into larger or smaller spaces. \n\nI have brokers that make decent money doing one or two leases a week on super small units in business parks. Getting one of two of those parks will keep you busy, but if you can standardize the leases, and standardize the leasing procedure, you are minimize the brain damage. It is defacto property management, but that may be something worth looking into for others if you are doing it already. \n\nAnd when you lease their property for 5 years, well, when it is time to sell, you have the financials to know what the property is worth and offer a fair price. \n\nOr you can roll your commission into equity into the property. That is how you really make money in this business. \n\nFind what your niche is, know what your market is, and the money will come to you. It is a lot easier to tell people what you do, when you actually know what you do and are good at it.  ", "replies": [{"id": "eevtc76", "text": "We do a lot of property management but it\u2019s not our entire focus. We do development, investment, GC and PM. We work with brokers (who don\u2019t seem to give much attention to our properties - but who are unfortunately contracted so that we are unable to use other brokers; long story). \n\nI think what I\u2019m wanting to invest my time in is getting quality photos/videos for our properties, and create quality web content. Loopnet does nothing, is expensive and is terrible showcasing. \n\nMy brother is primarily a sellers broker who has made his business primarily cold calling and is looking into some other marketing options. So maybe your point to adopting what residential brokers use is the route to take. ", "replies": [], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "eevkw3j", "text": "Bump. I have been an agent with a boutique CRE broker for many years in Dallas (agent for +/-3 years, and employee for almost 7). We do industrial, office, retail, special use, seller/buyer/landlord/tenant. We are pretty much just a slave to Loopnet and Costar, of course except things like walking neighborhoods and established business. One thing that is driving me insane is the amount of small, unqualified leads that come to us from our listings. I'm still hunting hard to get the leads I get and to build that \"pipeline\". I know catching big fish is up to myself and my networking efforts, but damn there are only so many hours in the day. My broker's name recognition should be catching big fish since he's been a trusted name in the area since the 80s, but it doesn't always. I am also an assistant property manager and the marketing manager--in other words, while trying to build leads and relationships, I also have to manage a few shopping centers AND I handle all of the agents' online marketing presence/property flyers/floor plans/photos, all for a very small salary with no other benefits. I just don't know how to effectively market myself without spending too much time networking, but the truth is this industry is about who you're connected with. ", "replies": [{"id": "eevtxh3", "text": "Yeah, loop net is awful. And it gets very little traction for us. I want to take advantage of the technology that is out there and market our properties in a more efficient way. I now am basically looking for ideas to be a guinea pig to see what marketing solutions may or may not be effective. ", "replies": [], "depth": 2}, {"id": "ef9pna0", "text": "When you're canvassing neighborhoods what do you normally say when you walk in the door? Do you research them before hand or just walk in and ask for someone ?", "replies": [], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "eevte4o", "text": "I have been trying to figure this out for my independent commercial mortgage broker business. I've been writing articles for local trade magazines, buying ad space, Google ads, reaching out to resi. brokers for referrals, and the like but it's been slow. \n\nEven still, my best traction comes from existing relationships and referrals. I expect it will get easier as that network grows.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}]