What Real Marketing Looks Like When Selling a Home

Most agents say they’re “marketing your home everywhere.”
In Miami, that usually means hearing phrases like:

• “It’s on over 500+ websites”

• “We’re using social media”

• “We have great exposure”

The problem is not that these statements are false.
The problem is that they are meaningless without measurement, strategy, and adjustments.

If you’re selling a home, especially over $1M, here’s what real marketing actually looks like, and how to tell whether it’s happening or not.

The First Misunderstanding: Marketing Is Not About Showing Everything

One of the biggest mistakes sellers make is assuming that the features they value most in their home are the features every buyer values most, and therefore should be showcased everywhere.

That’s not how buyers behave, especially online.

Effective marketing doesn’t give away every detail.
It entices the right buyer with the right details, in the right places, at the right time.

Luxury homes, in particular, have dozens of potential stories:

• lifestyle

• land value

• architecture

• location

• renovation potential

• neighborhood identity

Good marketing doesn’t tell all of them at once.
It tests which stories, and where to tell those stories, to attract the buyer willing to pay the highest price.

The Five Pillars of Real Estate Marketing (And What Should Be Measured)

When I market a home, everything I do fits into five pillars. More importantly, each pillar produces measurable data.

1. Social Media

Posting is not marketing.
Marketing is engagement.

What matters:

• Do people watch past the first 3 seconds?

• Are saves, shares, and comments occuring?

• Is engagement strong enough to justify scaling or adjusting the content?

Low engagement doesn’t mean “social doesn’t work.”
It means the message, platform, or presentation needs adjustment.

2. Online Search & Portals

Uploading to the MLS and letting syndication happen is passive.

Active online marketing means:

• Monitoring views and saves on Zillow.com, Homes.com, and Realtor.com, as well as other sites

• Adjusting descriptions for SEO and GEO relevance

• Curating photos to tell a story, not dumping 50 at once

High-definition photography without strategy is lazy.
Marketing should build curiosity, not exhaust it.

3. Agent-to-Agent Outreach

Serious buyers often come from agents with active clients.

This includes:

• Direct conversations

• Thoughtful follow-ups

• Feedback collection (when possible)

If this pillar isn’t being tracked, it’s being ignored.

4. Offline Marketing

Flyers, postcards, and circle prospecting still matter when used intentionally.

They work best when:

• Messaging aligns with the ideal buyer

• Results are tracked, not assumed

• Adjustments are made based on response

5. Signage

A sign isn’t decoration, it’s a lead source.

Texts, calls, and inquiries from signage should be logged and reviewed.
If no one knows how many came in, no one is measuring.

What the Data Is Supposed to Tell You

Marketing metrics are not vanity numbers, they are diagnostic tools.

High impressions + low showings

→ Marketing is working, pricing may not be.

High showings + no offers

→ Either buyer expectations aren’t being met, value isn’t being communicated effectively, or pricing may be deterring.

Immediate flood of activity in a slow market

→ Often a sign of underpricing, especially if little marketing was executed.

This context should be explained before the home ever goes live, not after frustration sets in.

👉 For a deeper breakdown of why listings stall even with “good exposure,” see:
Why Homes Don’t Sell in Miami (And What Actually Fixes It)

Why One-Size-Fits-All Marketing Fails in Miami

Miami is not one market.

• South Miami buyers skew younger — Instagram and TikTok perform well.

• Pinecrest and Coral Gables buyers often engage more on YouTube and Facebook.

• Homes in pristine condition perform differently than land-value or renovation properties.

Trying to meet buyers where they aren’t creates misleading data and unnecessary price reductions.

Marketing should follow buyer behavior, not agent habits.

Early Warning Signs Sellers Miss

• High engagement but no private showings

• Long days on market where that’s not typical for the area

• Multiple price reductions creating buyer skepticism

The longer a home sits, the more buyers assume something is wrong - usually condition, not price - even when price was the original issue.

Once reductions start, buyers often feel justified offering even less.

The One Weekly Question That Reveals Everything

Every seller should ask their agent, every week:

“What did you focus on this week, and what did the data tell you?”

Clear answers = strategy
Vague answers = guessing

If that question can’t be answered clearly after 2–3 weeks, the home is being left to chance — and that can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

Why This Matters Before You Sign a Listing Agreement

Pricing correctly is a collaborative decision, based on:

• current market data

• where the market is heading

• buyer expectations

• the condition and positioning of the home

Marketing is how that pricing strategy is executed, or undermined.

Having these conversations before signing an agreement saves time, frustration, and money later.