Drone Real Estate Marketing Overview

In this blog post, we will discuss the different types of outreach to build your aerial photography business and succeed at drone real estate marketing. We will cover cold outreach, leveraging your network (warm leads), social media, developing partnerships, and establishing authority in the industry.

Cold Outreach

Cold outreach involves contacting potential agents who don't know you through email, calls, or in-person visits. This powerful and inexpensive prospecting method can help you build your first few clients and overcome the common resistance of not knowing anyone in the industry.

Cold outreach can be intimidating, but it becomes easier with practice. It's essential to reframe any negative beliefs and focus on the value you're providing to the agents. Real estate agents want to be found and grow their network. Finding their contact info and reaching out to them either through a cold call or a cold email can be a win-win scenario for you and the agent. The aerial photography you provide could help them sell their listings faster, helping them earn their commissions quicker.

In terms of cold outreach, I've had extreme success with it. Everything from small drone real estate jobs all the way to $14,000 mapping jobs just from a cold call. Remember, the worst someone can say is no.

Setting a daily or weekly quota, conducting research, and tracking your outreach can help you stay consistent and build your cold outreach muscle.

Cold outreach is amazing and a little scary when you realize how accessible things are. Cold outreach is a muscle that gets stronger.

Decide how you're going to conduct your research. Most real estate agent contact information is readily available online at sites like Zillow or Realtor.com. Phone calls at the same time each day also makes it very easy and almost non-negotiable for you, it becomes just a habit of something that you do.

Here's a big hack when cold calling:

Pull out your phone, type the phone number of your next lead and hit call before you can convince yourself otherwise. It will force you to not overthink or allow you to talk yourself out of it. Just dial and have a rough idea of what you will say to the agent. If you treat this like a big experiment without any pressure, it will help you have fun with it.

-DroneTribe

Warm Leads

Leveraging your network involves reaching out to people you already know or have a connection with. If you know a real estate agent, start by talking to them. Typically framing the conversation such that you are thinking of starting a drone real estate photography business and if you could learn more about the industry. This is a low pressure way to get started and learn more about the industry.

Ask friends and family who recently bought or sold a house for introductions to their agents. For this type of outreach, I typically call the agent and say "Hi [Agent], you were the real estate agent for my friend [Friend's Name] and he mentioned he had a great experience with you. I'm starting a drone real estate photography business, do you have a couple minutes? I wanted to learn more about the industry." It's as simple as that.

Warm leads are an easy way to learn and grow your business, as people prefer working with someone they know and trust. Be genuine and personable when talking to these potential clients.

Establishing Authority

Becoming an industry leader can significantly impact your drone real estate business. Here are some ways to establish authority in the field:

• Create a website and blog: Write articles about real estate drone photography for agents or your local area. This will help you share your knowledge and showcase your expertise.
• Speak at local meetings: Offer short presentations about drones, technology, airspace, legality, and Part 107 certification. Share your expertise with others, and engage with potential clients.

Remember to be friendly, confident, and passionate about drones when talking to people. Your enthusiasm will be contagious and help you create lasting connections. A great tone to take is educating vs. selling. No one wants to be sold to!

Social Media

A drone real estate marketing plan should include some amount of social media exposure! It's a free method to build content around your business. Each platform has a slightly different way to approach, from a focus on photos to video (short form and long form). Below is a list of different social media ways to utilize them:

• Instagram: Use this visual platform to showcase real estate aerial photographs and short video clips of your work. Use relevant hashtags, such as #dronephotography, #realestate, and #aerialphotography, to increase visibility. Engage with your audience by responding to comments and messages, and reach out directly to real estate agents in your local area.
• Tiktok: Create short, engaging videos that showcase your real estate aerial photos and videos, behind-the-scenes footage, or even educational content about drone technology or rules and regulations. Use popular hashtags and participate in trending challenges to increase your chances of going viral. Engage with other users by duetting and commenting on their content.
• YouTube: Develop a YouTube channel to share longer-form content, such as property tours, drone tutorials, and testimonials from satisfied clients. Optimize your videos with SEO-friendly titles, descriptions, and tags to rank higher in search results. Collaborate with other drone enthusiasts or real estate professionals to create valuable content and cross-promote each other's channels.
• Facebook: Create a business page to share your drone photography services, client testimonials, and updates on your latest projects. Utilize Facebook's advertising platform to target specific demographics and locations to reach potential clients. Join and engage with relevant Facebook groups, such as local real estate groups or drone photography communities, to network and showcase your expertise.

Social media can be a huge pipeline of new clients if used diligently!

Developing Partnerships

Partnering with businesses that have a massive deal flow can significantly benefit your drone real estate business. Consider the following partnerships:

• Top-performing real estate agents: These agents have more listings and therefore need more photos. Partnering with them can provide you with a steady stream of work.
• Ground-based photographers: Not all photographers have a drone or drone license! Some would prefer to have a partner who is certified drone pilot who is a specialist and understands all the rules and regulations.

By partnering with them, you can offer your drone services as an add-on to their existing packages. This mutually beneficial relationship can help both parties grow their businesses.

• Other real estate-related businesses: Consider partnering with contractors, landscapers, or other professionals in the real estate industry. They may have connections with agents or need drone photography services for their own businesses.

Action Steps

To get started, spend 15 minutes brainstorming potential partnerships and research local real estate photographers. Reach out to several about partnering through emails or phone calls.

Conclusion

Building a business in drone real estate involves various types of marketing outreach, including cold outreach, warm leads, establishing authority, social media, and developing partnerships. By utilizing these methods, you can create a thriving business and help agents sell homes more effectively.

Remember to be genuine, passionate, and confident in your interactions with potential clients and partners. With persistence and dedication, you can overcome any challenges and succeed in the drone real estate industry.