Inspiration

Are your estate agency messages powerful enough?

RAT 59 (Rawlings Agency Tip)

If you’re like most estate and letting agents you’ll no doubt try very hard to ensure that local homeowners and landlords are aware of what you do, as this is a pointer to the type of service they can expect to receive. Or is it?

Speed of change and a highly competitive industry have combined to make it very easy for agents rapidly to harness various initiatives in the name of good customer service. Then you see that a competitor is doing the same thing and your competitive edge has been lost. This could apply to opening hours, affiliations, floorplans, EPC costs, on-line progress tracking, etc. Once again, our service offering has become a commodity and the only weapon agents seem to have at their disposal is cutting commission levels.

But fee-cutting is a poor substitute for good marketing! (Notice that customer service and marketing are effectively one and the same – the only reason most agents want to enhance their customer service is that they hope it will attract more business).

Yet when it comes to promoting your business, how often do you really look at what particularly matters to the client? Looking at most agents’ website, it would appear very seldom. Most simply state that they are estate agents operating in a certain area, along with a selfish “about us” page, a property search facility and a form to fill in if you want a valuation. Basic basic basic, and with very few points of distinction or attraction. And this applies to advertising and appraisals too.

It’s a bit like applying for a job. Your CV may tick all the boxes, but ultimately it’s usually a matter of how you interact with the interviewer that clinches the deal. So it’s not what you do, but who you are that counts!

This aspect is not usually harnessed to promote business in agency. Your key messages should go way beyond free valuations, no sale-no fee, or membership of The Guild etc and should engage with what really matters to clients.

So what does really matter to clients? Transparency, approachability, a willingness to listen understand and respond, consideration of their daily routine, empathy with their situation, a understanding of their reasons for moving, your authority in your local market, straight-talking good advice, your knowledge of other agents’ stock, security, discretion, humour, integrity, enthusiasm, dedication, results, generosity and no doubt a few more.

Yet very few of these words appear on agents’ websites, adverts, marketing materials, or are passionately delivered during a take-on.

It might just be worthwhile taking a few minutes to determine your own positioning statement based on more appealing key messages than you may have relied on in the past. And if you’d like a hand, please do let me know.

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© Richard Rawlings 2010
Richard Rawlings is the founding director of Estate Agency Insight, which specialises in helping estate agencies harness opportunity through innovative method, marketing, publicity, and training. He can be contacted at or on 0845 838 1354.

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