While most estate agents have reopened their doors, buying and selling property looks vastly different than before, with a brand new set of guidelines to follow and a totally different way of working to adapt to.
For potential buyers, this is uncharted territory. Consumer confidence is understandably low, with people likely to remain cautious about large purchases for months to come. Not only that, but many have concerns about their health and safety when it comes to visiting other people’s homes. So what does that mean for property marketing?
People are seeking out extra security when it comes to the house hunting process. They want reassurance that both estate agents and vendors are doing everything they can to ensure that all parties stay safe and healthy from the very first point of contact through to completion. This is likely to involve a lower contact approach than a traditional property sale.
There are a couple of marketing techniques you can use that will still show the potential of your listings, generate interest and allow potential buyers to get a good feel for the property without having to set foot inside.
Property Videos
Video has always played a key role in property marketing, but now more and more estate agents are using them as a way to give a better overall view of a home prior to arranging an in-person viewing. This helps to cut down on unnecessary visits while ensuring your instruction creates the perfect first impression.
Recently we’ve seen a rise in videos where the agent effectively ‘presents’ the property, providing information about the key details and features of the house. Here is a recent example of a video we created for Fine and Country:
This approach combines all the benefits of a normal property video with the personal touch of the agent directly addressing the viewer – the next best thing to meeting a potential buyer in person.
Virtual Tours
Going forward, virtual tours will be instrumental in doing initial viewings. Interested buyers can either look at their leisure, or you can control the tour yourself while opening an audio chat, allowing you to conduct a true virtual viewing.
Virtual tours are an immersive experience that give a much better sense of size and layout that images alone. The technology has come a long way in recent years, offering a high-definition look at a property at any time, from any location.
Our 360 tours are really gaining popularity thanks to their ease, cost-effectiveness and minimal contact approach. If you’d like to see what they look like, you can view a sample tour here.
Communication Is Key
Naturally, at some point potential buyers are still going to want to have a physical viewing of the house. When this happens, it is important that you keep up to date with the government guidelines, which you can find here.
A vital part of reassuring your clients and buyers is keeping them in the loop. If you haven’t already, come up with a written set of guidelines for both vendors and buyers surrounding property viewings. You can then send them over to clients and people looking to view, or even make them readily available on your website. This will help to show that you are actively taking steps to protect your staff, clients and buyers, and will go some way in instilling a sense of trust.
Get Social
The importance of communication carries over to your online presence. Over the past few months, social media has played a vital part in keeping people connected while being physically apart. Even though the lockdown has begun to ease, it’s still important to keep in touch with your audience.
There will be many potential clients and buyers who simply won’t feel ready to list their home or resume their house hunt. By showing up for them online and staying front of mind, you’re more likely to be the first person they call when they feel ready to take the next step.
If you would like more information on creating a great social strategy, here are some resources that can help:
- 7 ways you can use social media to bring in more enquiries
- 10 social media mistakes to avoid
- Instagram post ideas for estate agents
- Getting started with Instagram stories for estate agents
When Things Are Quiet
Your diary may not be as full as you would like, but as we covered in our blog post, Property Marketing In Uncertain Times, there are plenty of things you can do in the meantime to help support your marketing efforts. This might be a task like:
- Planning or launching your newsletter
- Running an Instagram audit
- Scheduling your social media posts
- Updating your website
By using a little imagination, you can continue to provide a top-quality service through these unprecedented times. If you would like to find out more about property videos or virtual tours, or if you just have a marketing question, please do not hesitate to get in touch.