Thoughts on Real Estate Marketing…

Pick up a newspaper, read an e-mail, or browse web pages, and you’ll see dozens of marketers breaking the #1 rule, and wondering why success continues to elude them.

What is that #1 rule?

“It’s not about you.”

Many marketers think that their message should be about themselves and all the wonderful products they sell or the wonderful service they give. But it isn’t.

An effective marketing message is about your potential customers and clients – and what they want and need. The truth is, they aren’t the least bit interested in you or the products and services you offer. They care only about “What’s in it for me?”

When you’re selling real estate, no one cares if you’ve got a beautiful office. The office is no benefit to them. No one even cares if you have 13 different designations – unless you show them how those designations are going to help them buy or sell a home faster, easier, and in a way that’s financially beneficial to them. No one cares if you’ve been named Realtor of the Year or attended the NAR Convention.

None of that matters. What matters to your potential customers and clients is their problem – whether it’s getting their home sold quickly for a good price or finding the home of their dreams for a price they can afford.

When you’re selling a product no one cares about the research that went into producing it or how large the manufacturing plant is. Right now they might care to know what country that product is manufactured in – but the real bottom line is this: What will it do for me?

They want to know how that product will make their lives better in some way.

• Will it save them time?
• Will it help them do a better job of something?
• Will it make them more beautiful or handsome or healthy?
• Will it relieve a physical pain or a mental anxiety?
• Will it make them lose or gain weight or grow hair on a bald head?
• Will it make them more intelligent or give them more prestige with their peers?
• Will it help them “Get the girl?”

So how can you write about what you’re going to do without talking about you?

You can’t, not entirely, but you can begin every marketing piece with a focus on the customer, so that you gain their attention long enough to show them how you’re going to solve their problem.

Although you will probably need to edit and re-arrange later, start by writing the word “you” or “your” at the top of the page. From there begin writing a sentence that goes straight to their problem. Then just keep writing. Pretend you’re talking to someone who is right there in the room with you. Then tell them how their lives are going to change for the better because of your product or service.

Just turn everything around. Instead of saying “I’ll help you…” say “You can count on me to…”

This first draft might be what I call “lumpy,” but that’s OK. Because by writing the first draft this way you’ll get your head turned around to thinking of your customers and what they have to gain when they listen to you.

One caution – don’t become obsessed with banishing the words I, we, or me. You will have to use them now and then. Just don’t’ begin sentences with them!