Changes in Real Estate Networking

In recent years, the way customers navigate the home buying journey has undergone a significant transformation, accelerated further by the pandemic’s digital push across industries. However, there remains one industry where face-to-face interactions with intermediaries hold profound importance: real estate.

Despite 41% of home buyers starting their property searches online, a staggering 87% ultimately purchased their homes through a realtor. Similarly, around 90% of home sellers partnered with a real estate agent to sell their properties (Source).

What does this reveal?

Realtors continue to play a pivotal role in the real estate market, necessitating effective networking strategies to attract, nurture, and close deals, despite the increasing prevalence of online engagement in property searches.

Paper Business Card Challenges

Traditionally, realtors initiate client relationships by exchanging physical business cards during initial meetings. However, these conventional cards come with inherent limitations:

• Hard to Update: Once printed, traditional cards cannot be easily updated. For instance, if your contact information changes, reprinting is necessary, which is costly and time-consuming.

• Difficult to Track: Physical cards offer no insights into client engagement. It’s impossible to know if a card has been retained or discarded shortly after a meeting.

• Limited “Real Estate”: They restrict you to basic contact details like name, email, and phone number, limiting opportunities to share comprehensive property listings or multimedia content.

These drawbacks contribute to a cumbersome networking experience between realtors and clients, prompting the need for a more versatile solution: digital business cards.

Digital Business Cards: The Solution

Digital business cards like TAP Card, equipped with dynamic QR Codes, offer unparalleled flexibility. Unlike their paper counterparts, digital cards allow realtors to update contact information and content in real-time. Whether it’s a change in email address or adding new property listings, updates are instant and hassle-free. This flexibility not only saves costs associated with reprinting but also ensures that clients always access the latest information, enhancing professional credibility.

One of the significant advantages of digital business cards is their ability to track client interaction. Metrics like the number of scans, time of access, and popular content links provide valuable insights. Integration with analytics tools like Google Analytics amplifies this capability, offering deeper insights into client behavior and optimizing networking strategies accordingly.

Digital business cards empower realtors to share multimedia content beyond basic details. Whether it’s linking to virtual property tours, social media profiles, or payment gateways, these cards enable direct engagement with prospective clients. Such multimedia integration not only enriches client experience but also boosts conversion rates by providing instant access to relevant information.

Another compelling feature of digital business cards is their ability to facilitate online retargeting. By capturing client data through QR scans, realtors can retarget interested prospects with targeted ads on platforms like Google and Facebook. This strategic approach helps real estate agents stay top-of-mind during the lengthy property consideration phase, significantly increasing the likelihood of closing deals.

Designing an Effective Digital Card

Choosing the right digital business card platform is crucial. You need a platform that allows for personalization as well as flexibility in multimedia and link sharing. When designing digital business cards for real estate, consider incorporating:

• Professional headshots
• Comprehensive property details
• Social media links for following and sharing
• Video walkthroughs of top properties
• Comprehensive contact details
• Testimonials and success stories

TAP Cards store contact information in a virtual format accessible via QR code, NFC tap, or URL click. They facilitate quick data exchange and can be updated in real-time, ensuring recipients always have the latest information at their fingertips. Include any information on your card that will encourage buyers or sellers to contact you.

Still Have Questions?

The shift towards digital business cards offers real estate agents a versatile tool to navigate the evolving landscape of client interactions effectively. By leveraging digital networking, realtors can streamline their efforts, enhance client engagement, and ultimately, drive business growth in the competitive real estate market. Check out our other articles for more advice on specific industries and use cases.