Russell Quirk,Co-Founder and Advisor/Non-Exec Director of Properganda

Who are you and what does it say on your business card?

That depends on which business card. One says ‘Properganda PR, Co-Founder’; another ‘Advisor/Non-Exec Director, various property businesses including Vyomm.com’.

What is Properganda and what does it do?

Properganda is a PR agency that I’ve co-founded. We curate B2C and B2B media coverage. Lots of it.

What services do you offer and in what ways do you work with estate and letting agents?

We work solely with estate and letting agents, PropTech start-ups/growth businesses, co-working spaces, mortgage brokers, property lawyers, house-builders, renter platforms etc. Properganda takes time to understand each business and then provides creative ideas backed by thorough, robust research that journalists use to write news articles. Typically we land hundreds of pieces of coverage each month in mainstream newspapers, news websites, blogs, property industry trade publications and on major radio stations such as the BBC, LBC and TalkRADIO. 

What makes your product different and how does it benefit agents?

We are the only PR agency run by property people for property people. And our approach is not just to achieve brand mentions in the media for our clients and the resulting increase in website traffic and trust that comes with that – it’s also a major SEO strategy. In other words, our volume coverage and the numerous referral links and mentions that we gain, underpin increased domain authority via Google and push those clients’ website rankings to page one on Google. More traffic. More customers. No brainer.
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What is your greatest achievement in your current role and what made it so special?

That within six months we’ve already attracted more than a dozen clients and that each one is seeing on average 40+ monthly media mentions. We are delivering what we say we will deliver and our clients are genuinely benefiting. 

What is the most satisfying part of your job?

Seeing our ideas splashed across the Daily Mail, Evening Standard, Telegraph etc and for them to be heard randomly on the radio. I guested as a paper reviewer on TalkRADIO recently and by coincidence as I walked into the studio the newsreader was talking about one of our stories as their main headline that morning. That made me feel very proud indeed.  

What do you see as the biggest challenge facing estate and letting agents at the moment?

Change. The view may be that because the online sector has stalled (some might say failed), that it’s therefore a return to the status quo – business as usual. The industry is still in flux and will need to adapt its ‘normal’ model for most participants to now prosper. The question is, what does that adaptation look like? To me, it’s neither a Countrywide approach nor a PurpleBricks approach.

What is your property prediction for the remainder of 2019?

More traditional branch closures. More online sector failures – probably a big one soon. But also, the beginnings of a ‘post-Brexit bounce’ in demand in the property market. Even at the top end.

Country house or city apartment?

Country House

Trendy roof terrace or traditional English garden?

Traditional English garden

Would you rather be a free-moving tenant or settled owner occupier?

Settled owner occupier

What is your favourite room in your home?

The den. It’s my office where I can work and chill out (occasionally) away from what is otherwise a very busy and noisy house at times

Homes under the Hammer or Location, Location, Location?

Grand Designs ;-)