The topic of Facebook marketing has been covered by just about every media outlet, thought leader, marketing blog… the list goes on. But when it comes to targeting your Facebook audience as a real estate agent, the lines can be blurry. Shouldn’t everyone be a potential client?

Unfortunately, the answers aren’t always that simple. Even if you’ve worked with everyone from retirees to first time homebuyers, you’ll need to narrow your focus for the purposes of Facebook ad targeting.

With the right strategy, there is enormous potential to find hundreds of new clients through Facebook marketing, and really, it doesn’t require an exhausting amount of time and effort on your end.

Get started with a few of these tips, and you’ll be amazed the speed at which you can pull prospects in.

Identify your top audience.

Who is most likely to buy from you? Who have you had the most success with? What kind of buyers and sellers are most prominent in your area? All of these questions are essential in determining who to target with your Facebook ads. If you think there’s value in targeting multiple groups, consider setting up different campaigns with varying messages and imagery. Once you know who makes the most sense for you to target, your job is a lot easier.

Pull from lists you already have.

One of the most brilliant parts of targeted Facebook advertising is that the platform allows you to pull audiences from contact lists you already have. If you have a list for prospecting purposes you’ve already put work into, you can use this as a starting point for your ads, just make sure the copy you use in the add make sense for this particular list.

Build your message.

There is probably something you already do as an agent that makes you stand out—use this to your advantage in your ad. Whether it’s a promise you make to every customer or a recognizable symbol in your logo, make sure you carry your personality and branding through to the ad.

Keep the time of year in mind.

Different types of buyers and sellers are more likely to buy and sell at different times of year. If you’re setting up an ad in in the winter (slow season, when buyers and sellers are more desperate), you could run an ad that reflects your ability to sell quickly. If your ad will run in late spring, you could target families looking to move to a better school district. The point is to make your ads as niche as possible, without excluding potential clients.

Show off your properties.

These ads are not just an opportunity to show off yourself and your business, but can be used as targeted listings, too. Upload images of your current properties, and keep in mind the verbiage you use to describe the home (there is a little more leeway in describing the properties in a Facebook ad as opposed to a print ad. Facebook even allows you to target people “likely to move” (Facebook may remove in October 2018), “new movers”, “recent homebuyers”, or even “recent mortgage borrowers.”

Most important, it’s critical to show your personality in your ads. Once you’ve established your audience, get creative figuring out the message and imagery to use. You already know standing out in the industry is everything, and targeted Facebook advertising can give you a clear leg up on the competition.