'Optimised websites' are next goal after agency group's winning streak

The Property Franchise Group says it has seen 13 consecutive years of growth for the five High Street brands within its portfolio. 

Against what it calls “a backdrop of a challenging sales market in the summer of 2016” the PFG's five traditional brands - Martin & Co, Ellis & Co, CJ Hole, Parkers and Whitegates - saw average trading office revenue tick up from £270,000 to £275,000.

During the same period the growth of the Martin & Co lettings brand has been to such a scale that it floated on the London stock market in 2013, and last year’s acquisition of hybrid agency EweMove added to PFG’s profitability, the group says.

“We recognise that that there is still so much more to do – with a real need to be driving towards £300,000 average revenue per office. To that end we are investing in new ‘optimised’ websites to generate landlord and vendor leads, with Whitegates the first of these scheduled to go live in May” says Ian Wilson, Property Franchise Group chief executive.

“The digital marketing technology we are harnessing has already achieved a 10-fold increase in response to our ‘Ask Martin’ landlord campaign launched in autumn 2016, with over 1,400 leads generated in a four-week window” adds Wilson.

He says the PFG is currently investing in a new digital marketing director and three new brand managing directors to strengthen its leadership team.

The Property Franchise Group is the largest property franchisor in the UK with over 375 offices.