Marketing your Property to Sell

Promoting your property is an essential part of achieving a successful sale.  LJ Hooker are experts at marketing properties to achieve outstanding sales results.  Our secret to success is making the BEST use of the multitude of tools we have available to showcase your listing and present it to the market.

The importance of a marketing plan

Marketing is a considerable expense, therefore it is important to get it right from the start.  LJ Hooker agents prepare a plan in conjunction with the vendor to ensure maximum exposure for the property in the market to ensure it reaches the largest number of buyers.  The best plans combine a mix of different media such as internet sites, signboards, print advertisements, social and search advertising and letter box drops to name a few channels.

What ways can I market my property to sell?

LJ Hooker offers our vendors a multitude of ways to promote their property to reach the most amount of people, generate as many leads as possible and achieve the highest sales price.

Agents may also present the property directly to buyers already on their database, in addition to holding open inspections to the public. This can help to generate competition and will also give an early indication of what buyers are willing to pay for the property.

Professional Photography & Copywriting

Great marketing is all about using maximum exposure to capture people’s attention and interest in a property. 

In most cases the first thing a buyer will see is an image of the listing, therefore the best way to grab someone’s attention is to use a professional photographer who is focused on capturing the best features of a property.  With 70 per cent of buyers likely to see your property online, making sure you have high-quality, accurate images of the property will help your property stand out from the crowd.

It is important the first image is eye-catching and will engage any prospective homebuyer. This may or may not be a photo of the front of the house. Think about what attracted you to your property and what is its best feature and discuss this with your agent. If you have an amazing backyard, then that could be the best way to entice buyers to click on your advertisement.

Getting the copy right means using a good copywriter who can write engaging and accurate text that focuses on the property's features, along with the potential lifestyle benefits.  Great copywriting will evoke imagination and aspiration and connect with buyers.  This text along with a floor plan drawn to scale will appear right across your property marketing material so getting it right is important.

Online advertising

Social media

LJ Hooker has proven to be a leader in producing content that resonates with audiences to provide the network with a competitive edge.

The network utilises an innovative technology platform that allows its offices and agents to share exclusive content and expand their online community with ease. There are tips and links to blogs to cover every aspect of the selling and buying property process. Agents will also choose to highlight new listings on their social media and educate their online audience about their local area.

Social media also allows for videos and stories which can give viewers a quick insight into your property. These can really help to bring a listing to life and attract enquiries. So, if you can afford to include a video in your marketing then it can be worthwhile.

Analytics can also indicate if your property on social media is attracting views.

Digital marketing is a great way to generate new leads. Sometimes, a person will not know they are even house-hunting until they see something they like online. The use of hashtags can further expand the reach of a post and attract even more enquiries.

Real estate portals

Potential buyers use online as their main tool to search for properties, therefore it is vital that this channel forms part of your marketing campaign.  Websites such as realestate.com.au, domain.com.au and ljhooker.com.au are the first places buyers head to as it is the most efficient way to view all properties for sale in one place.  The added bonus is buyers can sign up for property alerts and be notified when a property is listed meeting their criteria.  Sellers can therefore be assured that the right buyers are being instantly directed to their property matches.

Print Media

Whilst social media and the internet have undoubtedly grown as locations for potential buyers, newspapers still remain a key media placement.  Not all buyers are online.  Active buyers will most likely see a property online, however, there are a significant number of passive buyers also in the market who didn’t know they were looking until they found the right property, or were adopting a wait-and-see approach to buying.  This market is often best reached in print where they will take their time browsing a publication at their leisure.

Signboards

Street-side signboards are the cornerstone of property marketing.  They enable you to showcase the features of the property and are one of the best ways to capture local buyers who may not be actively seeking a new property but are willing to purchase when the right property appears.   

Technology has increased the visibility of signboards allowing them to be seen at night time too. Illuminated signs provide 24-hour exposure and may just catch the eye of someone passing by your home.

Homeowners want to hear about other properties that are on the market or have recently sold in their neighbourhood. Drop cards are a powerful tool that allows agents to showcase a new listing or outstanding result in a bid to generate enquiries. It may just land in the right letterbox of someone who was considering upgrading, downsizing or has a friend or relative looking to buy in the suburb.

Brochures remain a popular marketing tool. These can be taken away from prospective buyers attending open inspections, used in the real estate agent's office window or as a letterbox drop. Quick and effective, brochures don’t require anyone to log into a screen and serve as a reminder of the property’s highlights.  

Style Your Home to Sell

First impressions are essential when winning over a prospective purchaser. According to 98% of LJ Hooker agents, styling your home is the most important element to a successful sale.

Styling starts with decluttering, cleaning and de-personalising your home. It will also include rearranging existing furniture or even hiring pieces and artwork. Employing a professional home stylist is the best way to ensure that your property will appeal to the widest audience possible. They will remove the majority of the existing belongings and then refurnish and decorate the space with hire items.

While it may sound like hard work, property styling your home will boost the final sales price from 7.5% to 12.5% according to a survey of the top agents in LJ Hooker. 

It is important to have your home styled before taking any marketing photographs and videos. Remember, any changes suggested by your stylist may not be to your taste but are designed to appeal to buyers. This may mean having to change the wallpaper or change the colour of a feature wall to something more neutral.

There are also some simple steps you can do to improve your home’s street appeal. This includes tidying the garden, washing down pavements with a high-pressure hose, cleaning the windows and adding some new landscaping. So, get ready to roll up your sleeves and get to work.

Your LJ Hooker agent will be able to put you in touch with a home stylist who will suit your budget. To find out what you should do in each room of your home download our Styling to Sell eBook. 

DISCLAIMER - The information provided is for guidance and informational purposes only and does not replace independent business, legal and financial advice which we strongly recommend. Whilst the information is considered true and correct at the date of publication, changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact the accuracy of the information provided. LJ Hooker will not accept responsibility or liability for any reliance on the blog information, including but not limited to, the accuracy, currency or completeness of any information or links.