As a Hybrid Modern Agency (using modern methods of marketing complemented with traditional methods of service), we are noticing very different consumer behaviour in the office at the moment.
With all of our advanced Digital Marketing, that we spend thousands on every month, we know that this is still not enough.
The best results if you are selling or letting require the perfect balance – an Agent that spends money investing in their innovative marketing but also spends time talking to their potential buyers, one by one.
We have just celebrated our best few months recently, in fact they have been the best months since 1985.
However, what concerns me is that when we speak to other estate agents across the UK, I am not receiving the same feedback
Why is that?
I think I have the answer. A few years ago, we changed our mindset.
We introduced an entirely new online system that meant our properties could reach potential buyers in all four corners of the earth – it was amazing.
It works brilliantly and has done so for a while.
Our properties were selling in fantastic time and we were achieving the best prices for our clients – multiple viewings that created multiple offers.
The rest of the Industry soon followed and there are now only a few Estate Agents that you will come across that are not taking advantage of the likes of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to help sell their clients properties – these are brilliant Business property marketing platforms.
However still our most important method of marketing is the personal touch we give to both our sellers, landlords, buyers and tenants.
Without a doubt, our most important marketing tool is the telephone.
In most estate agency practices the telephone has been forgotten – I think most estate agents still believe that buyers just go online and then come running through the door to buy our properties.
My list of ‘Hot Buyers’ is now more important than ever as the market stalls again.
So many estate agents are struggling and getting so negative and in some cases just simply giving up and closing.
At campbells we are still selling but it’s hard work.
Our properties are still selling but only where every marketing method is used, including the telephone.
When choosing an estate agent, make sure the team still has the traditional methods in place as well as the latest digital marketing methods.
Our up-to date, extensive list of ‘hot buyers’ is extremely valuable to our sellers.
It is no good having a ‘list of potential buyers’ if an agent isn’t regularly keeping up with them. They may well have a list of 2000 buyers on their databases but the ‘potential buyers’ on that list could well be years old.
I will be honest, on my personal list of ‘hot buyers’, I only have 50….but…..they are 50 genuinely motivated buyers who are ready to move right now and who are looking in Daventry, Rugby, Northampton and all the villages in-between. Some of my colleagues have up to 150 each that they regularly keep in contact with.
Each of our buyers are spoken to at least every 30 days – it is our company policy. We call it our ‘Call Them or Loose Them’ policy which our Customer Relations Manager watches on a regular basis to make sure, as a team, we are looking after both our sellers and potential buyers.
So, how else do you benefit from this as a seller?
I feel a lot of people have their heart set on a specific property, which is why I think it is so important to keep up with your buyers regularly. It sounds cliché but it really is the best feeling when you finally match a buyer to their dream property – at that stage, everybody wins!
I will regularly go out to properties and speak to sellers who wish to sell quickly and the chances are I already know that I will have the perfect buyer for that property.
However, as an important disclaimer – that does not mean we won’t put the property to market first. We might well have the ‘ideal buyer’ but after all, you must remember we are trying to achieve the seller the very best price, so surely everyone should be given the opportunity to offer?
Just as a side note, I can never understand when Estate Agents show off about selling a property in 24 hours?
The only person that has benefited is the agent, I can assure you. Don’t get me wrong, we want to sell our clients properties quickly but we need to give everyone the chance to offer, to achieve the best possible price?
This is where our Open Houses come in handy. Give me a call if you want to know more about this.
When choosing an Estate Agent to sell your most valuable asset, make sure that their personal and face to face marketing is just as good as their online marketing.
It is not good enough to just show your property to hundreds or thousands of people and wait for the phone to ring or receive an email.
The ideal perfect balance – select an Agent that spends money investing in their innovative marketing but also spends time talking to their potential buyers, one to one.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Jamie Campbell
01327 878926
jamie@campbell-online.co.uk
