How to Host a Successful Real Estate Event

Events are as savvy of an investment as real estate. Putting on an event is one of the best ways realtors and real estate professionals can get their name out there, building their client base and professional network. Events are sure to boost your profile, and possibly boost your sales, too.

But how in the world do you actually do that? How do you find the space, the time, and people to actually show up to your real estate event? Never fear, Sparxo is here with a 6 step crash course on hosting real estate events! Your event will be a hot commodity in no time.

Pick an Event, any Event

The first step? Settle on the type of real estate event you want to sell tickets to. You’re looking at two primary event types: B2C events (client attendees) and B2B events (real estate professional attendees). Since these types of events have totally different types of attendees, they also have different themes and marketing options.

B2C events: Most buyers find their agents through their existing networks, not online portals like Zillow. Referrals and existing connections, the kind made at real estate events, account for over 66% of agent-client partnerships, according to the 2018 NAR Home Buyer and Seller Generational Report. Real estate events will help you meet new clients, building your reputation and exposure among potential buyers. Generally, B2C events are free to attend, or very low cost. B2C events are great for attracting potential new clients, especially by offering food, drink, and some sort of entertainment to draw people in to meet you and your work as an agent.

Client appreciation events are also a great B2C option, especially if you already have an established clientele. Events and marketing focused on your existing relationships are incredibly powerful, as again, over 60% of a real estate agent’s business comes from their existing networks. If you have an existing network of clients, appreciation events can help you leverage it. Client appreciation events tend to be akin to parties, where guests are your star clients and their plus ones. Often, agents rent out bars, night clubs, or even run pool parties. The goal is to provide a fun, easy going experience that leaves attendees with a great taste in their mouths. It helps if that taste is margarita. Costs can run high for client appreciation events, but hosting a party-like event is sure to draw plenty of attention and make marketing the event much easier.

Client appreciation events are also a great B2C option

B2B Events: Networking with other real estate professionals will be the goal for this event type. B2B events will help you meet other real estate agents and agencies, boosting your visibility in the community and industry. For B2B events, real estate conferences are always on the table. You don’t need a massive venue or speaker list–you can host a small network night, allowing local real estate professionals to bump elbows with free food and drink. Another B2B option: educational events. Educational workshop style events can be a great choice, especially as you or your agency have expertise in a certain part of the real estate process, like listing presentation or house showing tutorials. You likely already have all the expertise needed to put on a killer educational real-estate event, and you likely have real estate agents and professionals in your network who attend similar events. Like with conferences, educational events offer attendees a chance to network with other real estate professionals, but they have the added draw of offering a new skill, too. It’s a two for one.

Budget

You shouldn’t have to break the bank to put on a bankable real estate event. If this is your first real estate event, your budget will probably be more of a guesstimate, and probably an underestimate at that. Be sure to round up. It’s better to be safe and anticipate more spending.

Generally, B2C client appreciation events tend to be pricey because they’re essentially just wild parties for clients. Events aimed at new clients may be less pricey, but they still require food, drink, entertainment, and of course venue costs. Although it is best to utilize a listing you or your brokerage has for your venue as a two-in-one stop. It gets foot traffic in the door for the listing for potential buyers and buyer networks, and it is a free space for you! Workshops and B2B events include similar costs, though you may not have to splurge as much on entertainment and attention grabbers as it is a professionally themed event. For first-time event planners, you may not have a great sense of how many people will actually show up. That’s okay. Plan for more attendees than less. RSVPs and ticketing systems can help, but ultimately experience will be the best teacher. Your budgeting will get more exact as you put on more events.