Couldn’t get a property sold before Christmas, now it’s suddenly on page 5 of realestate.com? It happens – sometimes, it’s just the luck of the draw.
The problem is, once your listing has been pushed that far down the page list, buyers start to wonder what’s wrong with it. Is the asking price too high? Are there issues with the building and pest report?
Potential buyers can’t see, just by scrolling through the portals, that you had a contract fall over at the last minute due to finance (that is, if they even get to page 5).
Another problem is that new inquiry is typically at its highest at the start of the new year. Resolutions, and all that. That means your listing is getting buried further and further beneath new stock.
Your challenge is to bring it back on people’s radar in a fresh and exciting way. Ready for the solution?
- Change your marketing message
- Get it in front of buyers
Fresh ideas for a not-so-fresh listing
For many, this month marks the start of things going back to normal(ish). Many of us are back to our usual commute, and feeling the pain of standing up in a train for 30 minutes (and the sting of public transport fares) more than ever. It’s tougher than walking to the spare room or dining table, that’s for sure.
If you’re selling a property close to the CBD or professional hub, capitalise on that in your ad copy.
In 2021, we anticipate people will be trying to eliminate their commute as much as possible.
Alternatively, if you’re on the outskirts, promote the work-life balance your listing provides.
Talk about the cafe precinct nearby, or the picnic spots – things potential buyers would have the opportunity to do in the evenings and weekends if they bought the place.
Get the right buyer eyes on your listing
You have to go where the buyers are – and that’s on social media. We’re averaging almost seven hours a day online, and every one in three minutes is spent on social media.
Usage skyrocketed across the world in 2020. As a nation, we grew reliant on social media during the worst parts of the pandemic; our average time spent on these platforms grew by 30 per cent.
Here are a couple of ideas to get buyers – the right kind of buyers, for every type of listing you have – on your listings.
- Send out an alert to everyone who has inquired about a similar property listed by your agency, telling them you might have the perfect home for their needs.
- Use a filter to create a list of all previous open home and inspection attendees. Pick up the phone and contact them to let them know this property is still available – they might have had a change in circumstances over the holidays. Perhaps they’re in a better position to make an offer (or you might learn about their interest in another property you’ve listed).
- Hone in on your audience and get niche with your marketing; no more ‘spray and pray’. Use the intel you gathered when tweaking your marketing message to curate an online audience – is it first home buyers? Investors? Get specific. Then, use Facebook’s inbuilt targeting technology to serve your ads to them on a silver platter.
You can do #1 and #2 for free, and the digital campaign described in #3 could cost you as little as $50.
Think outside the box and get those listings sold without having to ask for more VPA, and you’ll have yourself some happy sellers.
