Make mobile apps part of marketing plan

Mobile technology is the next new frontier for real estate, according to Eric Blumberg, president of Smarter Agent, a mobile applications design company.

Blumberg believes now is the time for REALTORS® to embrace mobile technology while it’s still evolving. “Just a little over 10 years ago, real estate agents were so into keeping their MLS book a secret and resisting the Internet that third party portals jumped in, aggregated listings and became the first stop for many consumers.

“Now NAR is reporting that six out of 10 buyers last year were GenX (ages 30-40) and their point of entry for looking at homes is through their phone,” Blumberg said. “You don’t have to understand how the mobile apps work but you do need to understand that probably 50 percent of your clients will start their home search on their phone within the next three years. It’s easier to be ahead of the curve.”

Reaching this mobile generation is only becoming more important, Blumberg said. And while many see the iPhone as the “Mercedes” of the smart phone industry, Blumberg notes that Blackberry still holds the greatest market share at 35 percent.  Apple follows with 28 percent of market share and the Android follows with 9 percent.                                             

“Mobile apps are just a piece to your marketing puzzle,” he added. “You need to understand all of the pieces, the web, texting, e-mail and they all need to be mobile friendly. By adopting mobile technology early, you can make sure consumers always have a REALTOR® in their pocket and you can win in this growing market.”

Blumberg is the guest speaker at the upcoming Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) luncheon on Tuesday, Sept. 28 at the Harrisburg Hilton. Reserve your seat for $17. Blumberg is also speaking at the Triple Play REALTORS® Convention in Atlantic City.