The advertising for your listing is an all important step in realtor marketing. Here's where direct marketing techniques come into full play for making that all important sales. Preferably, you will also have your own unique website that is separate from your real estate firm's and represents only you as the real estate agent.
Before writing any of your ad copy, I would highly suggest that you read "The Federal Fair Housing Administration's Real Estate Advertising Guidelines". These guidelines prohibit advertising that state a preference or discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origins. You should familiarize yourself with the specifics of these guidelines, first.
It is a well known fact with direct marketers that headlines sell because they draw reader's attention to the ad and get them to actually start reading. The real estate marketer should also use headlines in their marketing advertising. Studies have shown that 50-75% more readers will read your real estate ad if it has a titillating headline.
One thing is that headlines cost more. This may be a major problem, especially if you are just starting out and on a limited budget. If you have budgeted enough money for advertising, always try to use a good headline.
One way to get around the extra cost of those larger, bold words is to make the first sentence a headline without making it stand out as a headline. You might want it to appear separate (like a one sentence paragraph) at the top of your ad, but the same size text as the rest of the ad. It produces the same result, drawing people into the advertisement.
The best headlines provide a benefit for the customer if they buy the house or property for sale. For example: "Watch the Local Wildlife While Drinking Your Morning Cup of Coffee". The benefit here is the lifestyle and scenic views you'll be "living" after buying the house and property.
But, you have to fit your headline into the thinking of your client. "Sense" them out. Find out what your client wants their property to "be known" for and find a benefit to that in a sales proposition.
Think of your ultimate buyer too. What do they want? This is pretty straight-forward thinking. But it does take a little work. And what works for your client and the buyer, as a whole, generally works out for you.
The second best headlines seem to be news-related types that feel like: "Just Came Out, And New in this Market". Curiously, they sell. Because they relate what seems to be news worthiness and pertinent to the moment.
Too many real estate ads I see that are "out of the norm" tend to be trendy and cute. This seldom works. What really sells is substance and emotion. My advice is to make sure that you headline(s) has something to say about the property and entices the reader's emotions to want them to read more.
Another well known marketing fact is that long ads sell better than short ads. But long ads are expensive too. That's where your own personal real estate website can help you out. You can refer people to a page on your website where you have ads for the house or property or whatever listing. These listings can be longer and more detailed (plus more of an informative sales page), without costing you any more.
Your listings have to sell. You want to do anything to get them sold and earn your comission. Personally between you and me, you want all the comissions and so you want to list and sell they house/property by yourself. Through your own business website if possible.
Most real estate ads I've seen lately lack something. Most of them state a bunch of features,like:
1. 4 bedrooms or 2 bedrooms
2. 2 baths, 1 1/2 baths, or 1 bath
3. Living room, (so many sq. ft.)
4. Do I have to go on...
Listen, Every house (with a "CO"), has been lived in (because someone saw the benefits of living there), and everyone of these lived in houses is meant to be lived in again. Sell it as such! Not only does it have great "features" but it has benefits to the potential buyer. Think about how the buyer will feel when they first move in get to know the place. Write to that.
One thing that the best direct marketers know when they write their ads is to use adjectives. Adjectives describe and can "pluck" emotional triggers. These make up "selling phrases" that will give benefitial properties to the house/property you're selling. You should use these words to make the potential buyer "feel" like they already live in that house and own the place.
Most importantly, You should move your reader through your advertising/sales copy from top to the bottom of the advertisement and close the ad with a "call to action". Buy now or never... At the least pre-sell the buyer on "what's in it for them.
And if you've pre-sold the property through your listing advertisements, the potential buyer has now seen the property, then the deal should be soon fulfilled ...
Listing advertisements are meant to sell the house/property in question. Use them to their advertising fullest and increase your personal comissions and your overall real estate business. Increase your sales from any listing by advertising it the best way you can through the writing of your listing advertisements.
