Whether directly or indirectly, marketing value is typically expressed in terms of return on investment, but Laing+Simmons CEO and REIA President Leanne Pilkington says there are ways to nurture clients beyond the transaction which deliver a greater depth of meaning to your brand and message.
There are many tactics and initiatives agents can use which fall under the umbrella of marketing.
As a concept, it encompasses so much, but as an investment, it’s so often measured in short-term metrics.
Whether the benchmark for marketing success is leads, listings, sales, contracts or otherwise, ultimately most marketing efforts are evaluated in dollar terms.
For good reason, too. Marketing requires a tangible investment and this makes a return on that investment a reasonable expectation.
But there are opportunities to broaden our interpretation of marketing value.
Customers and communities nurtured over an extended period, even years, may not influence ROI in the short term. Nurturing alone may not lead to immediate transactional outcomes.
But eventually it will translate in dollar terms as well as in brand value terms.
This kind of marketing investment can be the deciding factor in long-term success.
One strategy depends on getting to know your community on a deeper, personal level.
Not in a stalking sense(!), but simply making an effort to be more observant and then responsive in a meaningful, helpful way.
For instance, in prospecting, if you notice a dog in the background, perhaps you could follow up with some doggy treats.
A pool in the yard? Some sunscreen might be a nice touch. Hiking boots on the front porch? Insect repellent is especially helpful in summer.
A team member in the Laing+Simmons Randwick office gives gifts of Tim Tams and a hand-written card to buyers, giving them a local’s first-hand perspective on their new neighbourhood, with tips for great restaurants and weekend activities.
A commitment to small but meaningful gestures can more intimately engage your clients and elevate your brand beyond the transaction.
As competitors’ flyers go in the recycling bin, your follow-ups go in the cupboard.
The key is to find something that is authentic to you and your team.
A young team member of the Laing+Simmons Port Macquarie office is also a recent first home buyer but prior to making her purchase, she experienced first-hand how some agents can mis-read or flat out fail to understand the help first home buyers actually need.
She was talked down to, even patronised, and yet as an agent herself, she also identified a deeper marketing opportunity.
This led to her creation of a complete first home buyer pack which takes people step-by-step through the entire process, from pre-approval to research, statistics, making an offer, having an offer accepted, contacts for solicitors, building reports, pest inspections and everything else.
Her message in giving this to the first home buyers she encounters is clear: it doesn’t matter if you don’t buy from me, but when you sell, think of me. A short-term gesture with a long-term view.
The Avalon-based Laing+Simmons Young Property has succeeded in marrying its brand with local artists supporting local charities and causes.
In doing so, through this unique community-focused initiative, the agency can justifiably own a reputation for creating community connections.
It’s not marketing in a traditional sense. In fact, because the vision is authentically developed with a third-party beneficiary in mind, it may not be immediately perceived as marketing at all.
However, the value to the Laing+Simmons Young Property brand is immense.
It stands for more than just real estate because it can’t be separated from the community-focused outcomes.
The brand becomes the vessel through which good work is done.
There are countless more examples across other leading networks and the wider industry.
Again, it comes down to finding that authentic sweet spot where the marketing gesture is not a box to be ticked but a moment to be savoured.
And the agents behind these personal initiatives are typically among the best-known and, crucially, most successful in their markets. It’s no coincidence.
