In the words of the House of Stark from Game of Thrones, “winter is coming.” Many of us are hard at work getting our homes and yards ready for the season, but as a caring real estate agent you may be thinking more about your community. Winter is a booming time for some businesses, but this year, with people in their homes more than usual, they may need more support. Take a look at some of the businesses you can help this winter with these winter real estate marketing ideas.
Snow Removal Businesses
It may look beautiful, but snow is a lot of work. Some days it feels like you just finish shoveling and you need to start all over again. And there are all the snow-related injuries. It is estimated 11,000 people are hospitalized each year in the United States due to injuries sustained while shoveling.
While your real estate business may have a snow removal company for your office, now may the perfect time to find one for your home. If you have found a snow removal company that you love for your home, use them to plow the driveways of your listings. Not only will it take a load off the shoulders of your clients, but it will take away the worry of a slip and fall on your watch. Plus, you will be supporting a hardworking member of your community.
Christmas Tree Lots
Many people have abandoned a real Christmas tree for a mess-free artificial alternative. However, there are benefits to purchasing a real tree from a Christmas lot. Not only are you supporting a local business, but you are supporting a renewable resource. Once a tree is cut down, a farmworker plants one to three seedlings in its place. Every year in the United States there are over 350 million Christmas trees growing on 350,000 acres of land. Christmas tree farms preserve green space and provide a home for birds and other wildlife.
If your family celebrates Christmas, you could start getting your tree from a local lot, but you could also begin to make purchases for homes you have currently on the market. A fresh Christmas tree would also make a wonderful client gift – as long as you know for sure that your client does celebrate the holiday. It shows how you care about the community and the environment all wrapped up in a Christmassy-smelling tree.
Children’s Clothing Stores
Winter brings with it the need for snow pants, boots, and mitts. Clothing stores in your community (especially if they are locally owned) can always use extra support.By outfitting your own kids, or someone else’s, at local clothing stores, you will show that nothing matters to you more than the businesses in your community thriving.
Another unique idea is to connect families in need with local clothing stores. Winter is a costly time to be clothing children. There are times when clothing gets returned and cannot be sold – perfect for families who are currently struggling. Consider reaching out to parent council groups at local schools as a unique way to connect.
Make and Take Winter Workshops
A new craze in the craft world is events where you gather your friends and create a craft together. Everyone loves to decorate their mantels or front steps with wreaths and seasonal urns. These niche businesses will benefit greatly from your support. While you may want to have a family make and take, you could also purchase kits for past clients as a holiday gift. In our current COVID world, many of these types of workshops have gone virtual. So you purchase a kit and attend a live class from the safety of your own home to create your masterpiece.
CSA Produce Boxes
A community-supported agriculture (CSA) program is a subscription to a season’s worth of sustainable, locally grown produce that is distributed to members. It is a form of investment that allows small farmers to continue growing on a scale that may not be sustainable without the CSA model.
While many people support local farms during summer and fall, farms that have greenhouses will have produce available year-round. While you can sign up for a box for you and your family, you can also consider doing more. CSA boxes are a great gift for current and past clients – what a perfect way to support local farms and your community all at the same time. CSA boxes are also a unique way to welcome a new home buyer to the neighborhood.
Connect Your Love of Community With These Winter Real Estate Marketing Ideas
If you loved these community building tips and are looking to build your real estate business, consider finding a platform that helps you do both. Parkbench is an example of such a platform. Parkbench gives exclusive access to one agent per area, and agents use their hyper-local platform to support local businesses and build up their community.
References:
https://www.moneycrashers.com/real-fake-artificial-christmas-tree-types-facts/