According to a new Zillow report, homeowners plan to undertake 70 percent more outdoor home renovation projects than last year. Agents looking for potential listing leads can use this as an opportunity to connect.

How? Here are a few ideas that immediately come to mind:

• Create a board for outdoor renovation ideas on Pinterest
• Blog about renovation projects (again, you can mine Pinterest for ideas)
• Share info about home improvement fairs in your area
• Touch base with former clients and ask if they need contractor referrals
  

Homeowners are likely to spend more this year than last, too. Zillow reports that budgets have increased by an average of $1000. So what bigger, better projects are homeowners looking at? Open air living rooms, according to Zillow. The following trends are especially popular this season. You can use these ideas as a starting point when looking for content to share.

1. Wood arbors with "lots of greenery" can be used to define the boundaries of an outdoor living room. Arbors with white curtains and strings of lights are expected to be popular.

2. Fully upholstered couches are beating out the old wicker and plastic chair standbys as the outdoor seating choice du jour. This more luxurious (and comfortable!) option lends exterior spaces more of an indoor feel. To that end, Zillow says to expect homeowners to add interior accessories like rugs, lamps, and coffee tables to their outdoor spaces.

3. Soft and subtle is the trend for outdoor projects this year. Zillow reports that muted colors are the most popular hues for outdoor summer projects. If Pinterest is part of your marketing plan, consider setting up a board for sample color palettes.

A Better Way to Connect

You can use the ideas above as a client nurturing opportunity. Call up a former client and ask how life at 123 Elm Street is going. See if they have any renovation plans, or chat about the home improvement trends we just mentioned.

The competition for seller leads is fierce in many markets, and that makes it even more important to build upon your existing client relationships. Sadly, however, only 23 percent of homeowners will use the same agent again. The key to being top-of-mind with former clients when they're ready to sell is to stay in touch.

This is where many agents fail. Some never attempt to stay in touch at all, while others do--but in all the wrong ways. "Fluff" like refrigerator magnets, emails and posts about nothing but your listings, and advice on how to pack or increasing curb appeal are old standbys. They don't connect with homeowners, though.

Why? The vast majority of your contacts are not in the process of moving. Marketing that's only about your listings or about buying or selling a home are irrelevant to them. Offer them information that's relevant to them now, as homeowners. This can include topics like taxes, home insurance, energy conservation, how-to videos, community living and, yes, home renovations.

You can share this information in a variety of ways--via social media, blog posts, email, and beyond. Your efforts will position you as the home expert and may even prompt your contacts to contact you with questions. Take every opportunity to nurture your database of contacts!

To learn more about engaging homeowners, join us for a free webinar on Wednesday, July 23. We're teaming up with HomeActions to learn how to stay in touch with clients, generate new leads, and build and insulate your pipeline with a simple email every two weeks. Seats are limited--register today!