Imagine being able to raise millions of dollars for a syndication deal in just a few days, with very little effort on your part. If you build it right, an online platform allows you to do just that, scaling your capital raise business by 10X in just 12 to 18 months!
Kate Buck is the Director of Marketing for us here at The Michael Blank organization. With nearly 15 years of experience in social media management and content production, Kate has worked with some of the top names in the digital marketing space and led strategic social media campaigns for global corporations, films, entrepreneurs and nonprofits.
On this episode, Kate turns the tables to ask me some questions about building an online platform to raise capital for multifamily syndications. We discuss what it takes to build an effective digital marketing platform and why you DON’T have to be a writer or a tech genius to do it. Listen in for the 4 things your platform needs before you try any of the more advanced marketing strategies (like paid advertising) and learn how I leveraged our online platform to raise $8M in 3 days!
Key Takeaways
Kate’s extensive background in digital marketing
- Work with pioneers in online marketing space
- Expert in social media and content production
How I learned the value of online marketing to raise capital
- Struggled to raise money for deal 18 months ago
- Realized not engaging list beyond lead capture
- Started producing weekly content for audience
- Able to raise $8M in 3 days for recent deal
Why syndicators need to create an online platform
- Scale capital raising business (10X in 12-18 months)
- Impact and serve more people, grow influence
The function of an online platform for syndicators
- Attracts certain kind of person/investor
- Capture information (e.g.: email address)
- Serve audience with educational material
- Lead audience to some transformation
The biggest mistakes syndicators make in creating a platform
- No way to capture lead on website
- No follow-up to make leads deal ready
- Overwhelmed by process, do nothing
- Think every element must be perfect
Why ANYONE can build an online platform to raise capital
- Can create original content without being writer
- Never been easier to use technology
- Easy to outsource content production
The 4 things your platform needs before you try advanced strategies
- Method of capturing leads
- Series of automations to welcome and indoctrinate
- System for onboarding to investor club
- Infrastructure + commitment to produce regular content
Some advanced marketing strategies for promoting your platform
- Promote lead magnet at Meetup, on podcasts
- Shout out lead magnet on YouTube channel
- Suggest next best action (e.g.: book + companion course)
- Paid traffic through Facebook
The business case for building an online platform to raise capital
- Invest at least 20% of acquisition fee in marketing machine
- Convert industry standard 1 investor for every 32 leads
- Earn about $2,100 for average investment of $70K each
Connect with Kate Buck
Resources
Sign Up for Michael’s Live Webinar—April 15 at 8pm EST
Michael’s Spreadsheet & Blog Post on Building a Platform
Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing by Michael Blank
Join the Nighthawk Equity Investor Club
Apartment Investor Network Facebook Group