How can agents save time on their core marketing activities?

01 August 2018 8142 Views

In a world increasingly obsessed with all things digital, it's no surprise that many estate agents are choosing to experiment with new ways to market properties and reach customers.

While pushing the boundaries can be a good thing, it's also crucial that you don't forget the proven marketing methods that have been so successful in the past.

Yes, with so many channels now available to reach customers, it can feel a little overwhelming, but the great news is that by making your existing marketing efforts more efficient and streamlined, you can free up time to experiment with new digital channels.

Below, we outline our top three tips for saving time on your core marketing activities.

For brand consistency use templates

Some research says people form their first impression within just 50 milliseconds, so it's absolutely vital that your branding is consistent across all customer touchpoints and materials. 

You'll want your business to be instantly recognisable to customers, whether it's online, on window cards or on valuation reports. To achieve this, you could create templates for regular marketing material and store them in a centralised system – that way, you reduce the chances of incorrect branding. What's more, you'll be able to standardise how your brand is presented and eradicate the need for multiple alterations. This'll save you time in the long run.

Where you can, save time

Running an agency day-to-day can be busy and sometimes manic, so it can be difficult to find the time to produce new marketing materials, property brochures and flyers. More often than not, they can tumble to the bottom of the to-do list or be carried out incorrectly – which could in turn have a negative impact on your business.

You can save time, though, by making use of automation, which still enables you to create head-turning and correctly branded materials. Certain software platforms even allow you to produce marketing materials – such as property brochures or 20/20 campaigns – at the mere click of a button.

Take a smarter approach to direct marketing

In recent months GDPR has been one of the biggest topics around. While there's a lot of information to process regarding the new data protection rules and regulations, this doesn't mean that your direct marketing efforts should be impeded.

It is still one of the most effective ways to win over new customers, with a recent study by Mailmen finding that UK consumers are more likely to engage with a campaign that incorporates direct mail.  According to the research, “mail can work alongside traditional broadcast channels and digital media to deliver stronger business outcomes.”

Some 70% of respondents, in fact, said that direct mail makes them feel more valued and was also more likely to grab their attention and be seen as secure and important.

Even in the new post-GDPR world, there is no reason to shy away from direct mail or using customer data (as long as it's done in the correct manner). Make sure, too, that you are working with a reputable, GDPR-compliant supplier.

How can Ravensworth help?

Here at Ravensworth we provide a number of tools and products for estate agents to allow you to improve the effectiveness of your marketing. Through our web to print platform, Marketing Toolkit, you can run direct mail and email campaigns with ease. The platform helps to bring together the worlds of digital and offline marketing, with pre-approved templates, offering customers a consistent experience from your brand.

Find out more about how Marketing Toolkit can help you save time on your marketing.