The Missing Piece in Most Realtors’ Marketing Strategies

As an experienced realtor, Amanda Downs is used to operating in the ever-evolving housing market. Hers is a story of adaptability, resilience, and navigating challenges gracefully (all characteristics that make a great business owner).

From the beginning of her career, Amanda had to hustle to generate leads, connect with clients, and see deals through to completion. The market was down, so she didn’t have the luxury of waiting for business to fall into her lap.

It was sink or swim. And she chose the latter.

Fast forward to 2023, and the market underwent another major shift. Interest rates skyrocketed, leaving both buyers and sellers in the lurch.

It was then that Amanda realized that her job isn’t simply to facilitate deals. Now, people were counting on her to help them navigate the uncertain housing market.

These days, real estate agents hear many of the same, disheartening lines:

• “We’ll just wait and see if interest rates drop.”
• “We’ll save up and come back next year.”
• “We’ll just have to keep renting until the economy improves.”

Instead of giving her clients pushback, Amanda learned to give them empathy. She stayed connected with them, checking in to provide updates and useful insights. This kept her top-of-mind — and began to reveal the power of marketing strategies.

She knew she needed to do more than wait for the economy to improve. She needed a proactive marketing plan that would keep her in front of prospective clients (even if they weren’t yet ready to buy or sell).

That’s when she found Platform Marketing. We know a thing or two about marketing strategies. So, she decided to work with us.

A truly great marketing strategy isn’t about beautiful listing videos (though we can help with those, too). In the end, marketing is about long-term connections, and to form those, you need a strong brand and an airtight retargeting campaign.

Building these assets with Amanda (and all of our clients) is equal parts guidance, support, and accountability. We give her some direction, she does the work (be it taking a photo or connecting with a local business owner), and then she sends her account manager the results. If she needs help brainstorming or drafting creative ads, her account manager has her back.

At this point, every potential lead who watches one of Amanda’s videos for ten seconds or more continues to see her content for months to come. That’s the magic of a good retargeting campaign.

But far be it from us to take credit for the entirety of Amanda’s success. Yes, we’re her marketing team, but it’s her understanding of the emotional side of real estate that sets her apart.

“Real estate is about personal connection,” says Amanda. “A lot of my clients become good friends… I want them to feel safe knowing I have their back.”

So, how does she establish this personal connection with each client? The secret is that she begins before she meets them.

Amanda is in the habit of sharing aspects of her personal life on social media, including her travels, her favorite books, and even her family memories. She strives to show prospective clients who she is outside of real estate.

After all, she’s more than a business owner — she’s a real, living, breathing person. She has dreams and goals, emotions and insights, just like everyone else. It’s these things that have become the backbone of her brand and her relationships with clients.

This combination of personal branding and automated retargeting allows Amanda to nurture her audience, providing useful content in a friendly, approachable way. Even in a down market, she’s staying on top of her Platform homework. She recognizes that real estate is a long game, so staying consistent is crucial.

And yes — this mentality is how she sold 65 homes in 2024 for a total of $22 million. Reliable marketing strategies FTW.

You can listen to Amanda’s story here. And if you’re ready to leverage your marketing efforts and make lasting connections with your clients, you can see if your market is available here.