outsource – The Property Writers

How to get attention in real estate marketing – light it up!

July 8, 2016 No Comments

How long is the average person’s attention span?

This is what I found on Google:

How long is the average person’s attention span?

If your audience is still paying attention after the first 8 seconds, you have approximately 4 minutes and 52 seconds until their attention spans are exhausted. The average adult attention span has plummeted from 12 minutes a decade ago to just 5 minutes now, according to a Fortune.com article.

Wow, not long! And what has caused the plummet?

We could certainly take a wild guess. The (rising) influx of technology and tidal waves of services that are designed to make our lives easier are perhaps contributing factors. No one has any time any more.

From when we rise in the morning, until our heads hit the pillow at night, or even the early hours, we have information directed at us, choices to make and information to process.

It certainly is tiring.

When it comes to marketing, specifically real estate marketing, the key is standing out, while not demanding too much from weary home-seekers or investors.

My husband is an electrician. He has always said that lighting is everything. We’ve renovated numerous houses together and he has always done the lion’s share of the major changes, including lighting. I must say, his choices have been spot on.

Modern lighting has a way of evoking different vibes and moods, depending on the look you are going for. And is such a value-adder.

At The Property Writers, we just love fawning over a lot of the stunning lighting that we see in property photographs that come through our inboxes.

Indoor lighting, outdoor lighting – even candlelight! To be able to see anything, the first port of call for our eyeballs is processing light. Our eyes are drawn to light. It’s instinctive.

Perhaps one of the best examples of utilising lighting for advertising and marketing is Times Square in New York City. I remember I visited in 2006 (Ten years ago?! It’s been way too long between visits) and I felt just like a character in a movie. Cliche, but true. I was totally smitten as I took in the immense lit-up signs. I bet they’re even more spectacular ten years on.

So it was only a matter of time until these mammoth, illuminated billboards trickled down into real estate/realty marketing.

I know they’ve been popping up all over the country lately and have been showcased at trade shows. But I must say it was a real treat to recently spot an illuminated sign at night, out the front of a property.

I spotted it whilst driving, around a week ago. It was a listing for Ray White, in Largs Bay, South Australia. And it looked magnificent!

This lit-up sign made me slow and pull in to the curb to read it.

The image and words were perfectly and crisply illuminated, the darkened street around it providing the ultimate shadowy backdrop, much like a stage.

These solar powered and otherwise real estate signboards are only going to become more prevalent and accessible – that’s our prediction.

Fast forward a year from now and I’m thinking they will be absolutely everywhere.

An image from "Digital Central", a company offering illuminated signboards. Copywright lies with Digital Central Real Estate Signage Company. — *An image from “Digital Central”, a company offering illuminated signboards. Copyright lies with Digital Central Real Estate Signage Company.*

It’s awesome to see the industry utilising such technology to stand out and do the absolute best for their vendors. It would be great to see costing eventually become accessible across a spectrum of price ranges.

I think these signs should capture up to the 4 minutes and 52 seconds allotted for average adult – plenty of time to note the name and number of the agent and phone them!

Does anyone else have any thoughts on these innovative signboards? Or are you a business who offers them as a service? Let us know on Instagram or Twitter.

Note: this post is NOT sponsored or endorsed by any company or business, it is our expressed view on a product and service.

Business, Copywriting, Tips

What is copywriting?

June 17, 2016 1 Comment

It doesn't have to be an awkward conversation when you are asked what you do!

As copywriters, it’s safe to say that we’ve encountered that slightly puzzled look when we answer that question:

“What is it that you do?”

Which is completely fine, because we have been the ones who give that look, when occasionally encountering someone whose own profession is way over our own heads. But these conversations are fun to have.

I think the confusion is typically because the terms copywriter or copywriting can easily be mixed up with ‘copyright’.

To set the record straight; copyright is a form of intellectual property, so a way of publicly and legally safeguarding original creative works. Here is the wikipedia link for more clarification.

Copywriting – what we do – refers to the action itself of what our role is, but you just need to do a little switch-eroo with the wording. We write copy. And the ‘copy’ part refers to content. You’ll find the wikipedia link for copywriting here.

So… we write content!

Engaging words are SO important.
(Image Copyright Gary Larson)

We tend to go on about how much we love what we do, because that’s the truth – we do love our job. We love how we each bring different strengths to our professional partnership and we love that we have a genuine 100%, authentic belief that what we do is valid, useful and value-adding for our clients.

It’s also demanding, often performed in a high-pressure environment and each day brings variety, as well as obstacles. But we take all of that in our stride.

Another question we are often asked is:

“How do I become a copywriter?”

The answer to this isn’t very straightforward, which is also encouraging for those who seek to get started in copywriting. That’s because there is no pre-requisite for commencing a copywriting role, at least not if you work for yourself.

It's okay to have a fictitious mentor, right? — It’s okay to have a fictitious mentor, right? Image Copyright Weiner Brothers/AMC Studios.

There are so very many areas in which copywriters are required, including medical and technical copywriting and specific, strategic SEO copywriting/consulting.

Essentially, copywriters can be “hired guns” on a permanent or freelance basis, or work on retainer or salary for companies across literally hundreds of industries.

As a copywriter, you can create a business or company, based on your own strengths or interests. This would allow you to provide a specific, unique service that caters to appropriate clients, who have a use for your service. Where there is a demand and value in what you do, there is work.

We have several university degrees between us, but neither of us went to university to study copywriting.

Our work today is the result of wonderful, sometimes random opportunities, that set us on a path in which we sculpted our work to suit the real estate industry.

We would however recommend that as a writer or prospective copywriter, you engage in and join a combination of communities and support networks. So, for example, you could join your local writer’s centre and (if you’re in Australia), the Australian Writer’s Guild.

And then, the information, opportunities and support you receive from these can be complimented further by joining your local Business Network, which in our case is Business S.A.

The combination of having access to information both as a creative writer and a business owner should set you on a course of (relatively) smooth sailing as you charter the waters of content writing.

And please hit us up for advice, any time you please!

This post is not sponsored or endorsed by affiliating membership bodies, it is simply based on our own experience and preferences for running a copywriting business in Australia.

Business, Marketing, Tips

Help us help you

April 19, 2016 No Comments

This post is penned by a total film tragic, so straight up apologies for the quite obvious reference. That said, this quote and its use was flooding plenty of different creative industries after the 1996 film in which it was featured. We just thought it was time to bring it up again.

Yep, we are referring to Jerry Maguire’s spiel to Rod Tidwell. (See below, if you need a refresher. Note, all Copyright of clip remains with owners/proprietors of the original film.)

Don’t get us wrong, we aren’t in the habit of ranting at our clients, or bothering them whilst they are attempting to dress. And we pride ourselves on our really positive relationships with all of our clients.

When you communicate with a client purely via Emoji, that’s when you know you’ve built up a solid working relationship!

But what we love about this “help me help you” ethos is that in the marketing world it’s easy for pressures and strains to compete to get in the way of taking a deep breath and going back to basics.

Asking the really simple (seriously, very simple) questions of a client at the beginning of a brief, we have found anyway, have ensured that we are providing the best possible service (read: help) that we can.

Questions such as:

Who are you trying to reach with this?
Do you have any documentation that can give us a unique insight? (For example, vendor’s statements about what they love about their home, why they first built in the area, etc..)
When do you plan on publishing this and/or having your other material complete?
Can you describe your ideal “buyer”, who would read this copy and be enticed to pick up the phone and call you?
Can you cite an example of a listing/catch-phrase/campaign you’ve seen recently that has sparked your interest and what did you love about it?

We have found that when providing our service for the first time to a client, whether they are an agent from a boutique agency, or someone from a powerhouse agency, questions like these help so much.

All it takes is this initial ten-minute or so conversation and we are in the best possible situation to help and to produce something tailored, unique and exactly what is required by the client. As a result of them helping us. Win-win!

It can also save a stream of emails back and forth following a brief, which may be a hindrance on time, on both ends.

So whether you’re a copywriter reading this, or a business owner/agent/agency who currently outsources to writers such as us, it’s a good little tagline to embed in your brain for the day.

help me help you

Simple right? But effective! Have any other tips for that first efficient, effective copywriting briefing? We would love to hear them.

Marketing, Tips

Why sophisticated language sells homes

March 22, 2016 1 Comment

As we often tend to splash about, we really:

a) Love what we do
b) Revel in how much time we give back to real estate agents
c) Feel that fresh, colourful words are essential to selling property

To anyone who really thinks there isn’t the need for sophisticated language in real estate marketing, we would love to change your mind.

Think on it; how much work goes into the purchase of a home? Whether a property in question is targeted at investors, home-buyers, of the first or seasoned variety, so much work goes into the sale.

It’s a big deal.

Before you even get to that chapter, from a real estate agent’s perspective, you need to put your best feet forward, in a very competitive market. Designer threads, impeccable grooming and warm smiles are only a fraction of how to make a solid impression on your prospective buyers.

Compare the marketing of a property to that of well-known soft-drinks. Billions of dollars worldwide is spent every year on the marketing of these products. Products that, individually anyway, can cost as little as $1.50AU.

And all a buyer needs to do to acquire one is click a few buttons on a vending machine, insert coins, or wave a card – and the drink is theirs.

SO much simpler than the mountain of meetings, paperwork, hoops and phone-calls it takes to buy a property, right?

Not that we are strictly comparing apples with apples, but the cost of a home these days can be upwards of $300,000 and obviously way beyond. A very expensive ‘product’, a very important decision and one that requires much more of a comprehensive decision-making process than a can of Sprite.

So, why should you not invest a little in your marketing content? What you are selling is worth several hundred thousand beverages, in a competitive market. This means at the very least, the property needs to have features and benefits highlighted, in a sophisticated and direct way. Seeking some outside help (such as the likes of us ‘adladies’) is a brilliant decision.

Think of us as the people who come up with those insanely catchy, yet very precisely thought out, key words for those colourful and appealing drinks. But for property.

Sophisticated language, weaved into web titles, content for online and print marketing and even signboards for your properties allows your listings to, like you, have their very best feet forward (now there’s an image, a house with feet!).

What sounds BETTER?
– Three-bedroom home in Manly
– Seeking somewhere tasteful in Manly?

Then of course, there are real estate agents out there who love nothing more than taking the time to craft the words for their listings themselves and they do it well, time after time. Cudos to them, we love their work and some could seriously give us a run for our money in marketing content.

But if you fall into the more common category of being time-poor, or inspiration failing to strike for piecing these listings together, then we encourage you to contact us to let our sophisticated language really help you sell.

Business

Work smarter, not harder: outsourcing to experts

September 8, 2015 No Comments

If you’ve ever cackled at Terrible Real Estate Photographs then you already know how bad amateur marketing attempts can be. More and more, vendors understand the impact of a good first impression, and the trend is firmly heading towards the use of professionals. Vendors use professional stylists, swap their own furniture for rented to ensure a coordinated look and then use professional photographers and videographers to ensure that their property puts its best foot forward. Professional copywriting, too, is on the rise, with the newest and slickest agencies using professionals exclusively to make their listings stand out from the crowd. When the sale is achieved, you need a Form One (vendor disclosure statement) prepared; once traditionally done in-house, there are an increasing number of specialised conveyancers and real estate professionals who prepare these for agents. All of these services are paid for by the vendor, even where the agent is liaising with the specialists, with the cost being charged as disbursements in the overall costs agreement.

What does the change in the landscape mean for agents? It means several things.

It’s good news for small players. Hitherto, it was difficult to compete with the big agencies who had in-house studios with photographers and copywriters on call. Today, all you need is a good relationship with some of the many talented freelancers working in these industries and you’re good to go. As a bonus, using freelancers means you don’t pay overheads in terms of salary benefits and offie space; just what you need, when you need it.
It frees you up to focus on selling. Most agents go into real estate because they have a passion for property, excellent people skills and enjoy a fast paced career. They don’t want to be sitting at a desk preparing legal documents or writing copy. With the price of professional services passed on to the vendor in any event, it makes sense to free up your time to do what you love. And that’s important, because:
You need to be at the top of your game when it comes to core skills. With professionals levelling the playing field for marketing services, it no longer matters as much if your ability to write a description is better than the agent down the road. What does matter is the skill that you’re hired for in the first place, which is your ability to get the house sold for the best price. Sales and negotiation skills are your core business, and more than ever before, you need to work hard to stand out from the crowd.

So build your networks of talented and responsive marketing professionals and do what you love to do – sell!