Engaging copy needs to captivate and inspire your audience.
Here are my real life examples of how planning media strategy to a specific target audience benefited the real estate and media campaign.- plus my 4 step process to use when planning to write for a target audience.
As crazy as it seems there are still properties which are not selling as quickly as agents want. Be it the price point or media strategy, at times it can be down to the overall message being confused.
Recently I’ve had a few cases where I have come on board for round 2 of a campaign. In these cases, the price point was reflecting comparable market prices, the photography and staging were good but the overall delivery of the message was confused.
When I spoke with an agent and asked who their target audience was the response was- someone with money. Great. Obviously, we want our deals to settle. Knowing your target audience and their media habits greatly increases your reach and frequency.
When I did the strategy for a well-known fast food company we actually didn’t even focus on our #1 buyer. Why? They were already engaged and buying. The majority of our advertising was focused on our #2 demographic. The same works with property. If you are selling in a master planned community that a family know they want to buy in- they are already converted. The audience you need to reach is the buyers who are looking outside the area and let them know why your property is ideal for their needs. Additionally, if you are selling outside one of these communities and want to poach that master planned community buyer- you can too! As they are your secondary audience.
A real-life example of this is when we renovated a house on a huge block in Moreton Bay. Now buyers could have a new house in a master planned community from Stockland’s just down the road. For the same price we were offering an incredible block size, fully renovated and landscaped property, so we targeted the master plan buyer and it worked. That sale successfully converted the #2 target demographic and resulted in a multiple offer situation thanks to an effective campaign outlining the features and benefits of the listing. We still had the #1 obvious demographic come through who wanted our suburb specifically but we didn’t need to spend valuable marketing time on them- the ambient media did its job for us there.
Not all houses are created equal and one person’s dream isn’t the same as the next. Through knowing this we are able to generate targeted specific media content that speaks to the right target audience.
For example, the majority of homes I write about are 4-bedroom, 2 bathrooms in family friendly areas. But not all of the listings sound the same. It is looking for the unique differences with the location, the property history and features that make it stand out. Just listing off the inclusions only tells your buyer so much- it doesn’t paint the lifestyle they could be living and get them excited about the home.
When creating copy, I use the following points to determine what makes this property stand out. Secondly, I research the suburb data to ascertain who is living in this area; this helps me visualise who is going to be buying the home. I need to know if this is a young family, is there a work from home situation or can I see the parents sitting back drinking margaritas on the back deck while the sun sets? These points help paint a picture with words for your buyers.
· Seek out the point of difference
What makes this property stand out from the others? Does it have solar panels? A park across the road, established fruit trees, is it a blank canvas? Either way- it is someone's dream but your words might be the connection the buyer needs to get the inspiration.
· Highlight the benefits
Some buyers might take some inclusions and features for granted- remind them of why they are getting a great deal. For example- save time on cleaning with the inclusion of ceramic tiles throughout high traffic zones of the home.
· Visualise the buyer in the home
When you can picture how the space is used with all the features and benefits, this helps your create that aspirational vision for the buyer.
For instance- covered patio's are common in Queensland. Copy could read like this:
4 bedroom ,2 bathroom home with open plan living and outdoor patio.
Or like this:
With room for the whole family to grow, enjoy peace and privacy with 4 bedrooms, including an ensuite in the master. Bright and welcoming open plan living makes entertaining a breeze with seamless transition to the outdoor covered alfresco area. Sit back and unwind enjoying the sunset views over your easy-care landscaped yard.
· Deliver a call to action
Create a sense of urgency so the buyer picks up the phone and makes an offer. Highly sought after- this will not last long.
The final step is to look at similar listings in the area. I was annoyed the other day after writing some witty copy to suit a certain area, only to see another agent had used similar words in their listing. So, I changed it. Copy needs to stand out.
Knowing who your target audience overall is vital. It helps with the generation of compelling copy that is aspirational as well as being informative.
For words that work email erin@e3content.com