Be marketing FIT

Be marketing FIT

We often love our marketing ideas, and sometimes the more complex they are, the better we love them.

But the best marketing ideas are usually the simplest. I’m not talking fancy logos, clever straplines, or beautiful adverts; I’m talking about real, clear, goal-orientated marketing activities that are easy to create and implement.

 

Less is more, when it comes to marketing.

Agents tell me all the time they don’t have enough MAs. When I ask what marketing they are currently doing, I usually get a list like this:

  • Free conveyancing with this month’s instructions
  • Sponsor the local football team
  • Give 10% of fees to charity
  • Four page spread in the local paper
  • 10,000 newsletters sent out each month

I worked with an agent last year who was spending £30,000 on marketing, (excluding portal spend) £27,000 of which was completely unnecessary, and with a list like this one, you can see how it happened.

 

Only do what you KNOW works

Yes, sponsoring the local football team is a very admirable gesture, but can you tell me exactly how many market appraisals it has generated? If you can’t quantify the return on investment on your marketing spend, then don’t do it.

The right marketing can be tested and measured, then ramped up or changed as necessary. I know your biggest source of leads is ‘word of mouth’, but how exactly are you going to ramp that up when you have an empty diary?

 

Why you need a simple system

The reasons I hear from agents who need to ramp up their marketing are all about not having enough: not enough time, money, staff, space, tech skills, equipment, the list goes on.

But less is good! Less forces you to focus on what’s really important. You’ll never have enough _________ [enter your own favourite excuse here], so you may as well just get on with it, using what you already have at your disposal. You may be surprised at the creativity that is produced as a result.

 

Been there, got the t-shirt

My marketing system is very simple. But it wasn’t always so. Over the last 12 years, I’ve tried complex, expensive and elaborate marketing systems and they have all failed. I’ve spent many thousands of pounds on trying out new software and complicated funnels, not to mention wasting enough money on advertising to pay a marketing assistant for a year.

Now I have easy-to-use (almost idiot-proof) software that costs less than £40 a month. It has allowed me to build my highly effective marketing system – a system that generates around 20-30 new leads every single week, without me doing anything. I set it and forget it. For the last couple of years, I’ve been sharing the secret workings of my marketing system with my closest clients, one of whom is generating more leads than she can currently handle, and has had to pause her system while she catches up!

What to read next: How to get your phone ringing off the hook with new MAs

What to do next: Do you get my Supertips? They’re jam-packed full of great tips and marketing strategies, and best still – they’re free! Get yours here -> www.samashdown.co.uk/supertips

Speak to Sam: If you’d like to know how I think you could improve your marketing, just answer a few short questions here  and I’ll tell you if and how you could be more effective.

Sam Ashdown

Sam is an industry-renowned marketing strategist to estate agents. She helps agents grow and flourish, using her unique smart marketing techniques and strategies. Sam works with agents throughout the UK to help them gain more valuations, win more instructions and sell more properties.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Breaking Property News 21/11/25

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   VE+ the new procurement engine cutting developers costs without compromise Finishes packages are specification sensitive and expensive components of any build – VE+ fixes this  As construction costs continue to climb and procurement timelines tighten, developers and contractors are being pushed harder than ever…
Read More
Breaking News

Inheritance Tax Receipts raise £5.2 billion in seven months

Inheritance tax (IHT) receipts hit £5.2 billion in the first seven months of the 2025/26 tax year, according to data released by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) this morning. This is £0.2 billion higher than same period of the previous tax year and continues an upward trend over the last two decades. Nicholas Hyett, Investment…
Read More
Breaking News

FMB calls on Reeves to scrap housing tax threat

The Chancellor needs to scrap the Government’s proposed landfill tax quarry exemption which will add up to £28,000 to the cost of homes on small sites in next week’s Autumn Budget, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “At a time when the Government is failing to…
Read More
Breaking News

Full Steam Ahead! UK Construction to return to growth in 2026

Construction intelligence specialists predict renewed activity following false-start over the summer. Revised figures will see UK construction sector grow 21% over the next two years Private housebuilding remains on course to grow significantly, with activity still predicted to rise by almost a fifth in 2027 Commercial office starts set to continue their ascent, and increasing…
Read More
Breaking News

Winter is Coming: Douglas & Gordon Warns Landlords and Tenants to Take Action Before Disputes Occur

Mould, damp, burst pipes and boilers on the blink? With temperatures set to plummet in London this week, real-estate agent Douglas & Gordon is advising landlords and tenants to take action before issues occur. With 45% of landlords experiencing arrears or disputes, often linked to property condition or delayed maintenance* the agent’s expert lettings team…
Read More
Breaking News

Home sellers slashing asking prices amid Budget speculation

The latest research from Property DriveBuy reveals that homesellers are slashing asking prices across the country in an attempt to attract buyers in a stagnant pre-Budget housing market. The latest asking price data* shows that the average asking price in Britain (£364,833) fell by -1.8% between October and November 2025, contributing to an overall annual…
Read More