Inspiration

A couple of estate agency marketing tips

RAT 71 (Rawlings Agency Tip)

How about this simple but effective marketing idea for the cold weather…Many agents do freebies – umbrellas, key fobs, supermarket trolley tokens etc. Fine. They all generate a degree of awareness. But how timely are they? Clever timing can add real impact if used correctly. For example, branded umbrellas are only useful when it’s raining. So why not hand them out to people in the street, free of charge, when it's pouring! People would surely be much more likely to remember the kind gesture and associate it with you. They might even think that you gave them YOUR personal umbrella. Wow factor or what?

A client of mine recently used a similar concept with branded ice scrapers. These are useless when it’s warm but invaluable when it’s minus 11degrees (as it was at our house recently!) The agent went around local streets in the early morning and put a branded ice-scraper under the windscreen wiper of all the cars in the street, each one being owned by a member of precisely the right target market for that agency. The thanks came flooding in and the PR will last much longer than the cold snap! it's all about communicating empathy and the message that you really do go the extra mile.

From my perspective, 2011 is already on course to be a cracking year in terms of innovation in estate agency, with the recession having squeezed out the very best ideas for securing greater market share from lower volumes. One in particular about which I am passionate is buyer representation, which is certain to become the next chapter in British estate agency. I'm involved with a business which helps estate agents integrate this new revenue stream into agencies such as yours at minimal cost. Following a very successful open day last month we have 12 more planned over the coming months, the first of which is in Watford, next Thursday 27th January and it would be great if you can make it for an hour or so in the evening. I think you’ll be impressed to the point of excitement! You can reserve your place online via www.TheHomebuyerCentre.net where you can also check out the proposition.

Quote of the Day: "Winter is the season in which people try to keep the house as warm as it was in the summer, when they complained about the heat."

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© Richard Rawlings 2012
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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