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

Estate Agent Talk

Will the ‘Our Future Homes’ report address the needs of an ageing population?

Will the ‘Our Future Homes’ report address the needs of an ageing population? By Kevin Shaw at Leaders The government recently published an independent report, ‘Our Future Homes’, which considers our ageing population and looks at how housebuilders can meet the wants and needs of older people. It is widely acknowledged that not enough new homes…
Read More
Breaking News

Zoopla: Over a quarter of parents ‘lie or break rules’ to get children into their preferred school

Admission Impossible: Over a quarter of parents admit to ‘lying or bending’ rules to get their children into preferred schools Over a quarter (27 per cent) of UK parents admit to flouting the rules to get their children into schools, rising to 38 per cent in London The number who admit lying is on the…
Read More
Breaking News

Government planning reforms to protect nature

News that the Government has warned that the planning system must protect nature, as it unveils reforms Partner Alison Ogley, Freeths commented: “This is a potential game changer addressing the current inertia in the system, providing a solution that is more effective than individual developers trying to address environmental improvements on a project by project…
Read More
Love or Hate Rightmove
Breaking News

Surge in demand for investment sector as interest rates drop

The latest insights from the UK’s number one commercial property website Rightmove reveals that there has been a surge in demand to invest in commercial property compared with the same period a year ago, as interest rates drop following the second Bank Rate cut. The trend marks a continued recovery for the investment sector as…
Read More
Letting Agent Talk

7 Ways Self Storage Supports Business Growth in 2025

As businesses face increasing challenges in managing costs, scaling operations, and adapting to changing markets, self storage has emerged as an indispensable tool for success. Whether you’re a small startup or an established multinational company, self storage offers a practical, affordable, and secure way to handle the demands of modern business. As businesses grow, they…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

How much would Bridget Jones’ iconic London apartment cost today?

How much would Bridget Jones’ iconic London apartment cost today? A new study has revealed that the average price to purchaseBridget Jones’ iconic London apartment in the Borough Market area is now £415,090. The study calculated that this is a price increase of 182% since the first film premiered in 2001. The research obtained data…
Read More