Four Simple Steps To Win More Instructions.
October 16, 2014
We have spent the past few months travelling the UK and speaking with hundreds of estate agency and letting agency directors.
Two constants wherever we go are that there is a shortage of stock for sales and rentals, and the battle to win instructions routinely centres on the fee being charged.
In this short article Rajeev Nayyar of Fixflo looks at an alternative approach that should pay dividends for your agency over the longer term.
The Power of Your Brand
Think about your last trip to the supermarket.
When you went down the aisles did you fill your shopping trolley with branded goods or their generic (and quite possibly cheaper) counterparts?
Put simply, branding works by selling a product to you before you even decide that you need that product.
If you want to win instructions before attending a valuation your brand is key. Here are four simple steps to help you to unlock the power of your brand.
Understand Your Brand
Start by visualizing your brand as a person. Would they be fun, quirky or traditional? Are they loud and brash or understated and serene?
Then at your next five valuations ask yourself whether the prospective client would like your brand if they were carrying out the valuation? Crucially would they trust your brand with their largest asset?
Once you have identified what your brand is and why clients would choose your brand it’s time to speak with your team.
It Lives and Breathes
A brand is something your agency should live not just a catchy tag-line on your website.
Before exposing your thoughts to customers get feedback from your entire team. For example, if you’re the agency that does everything with a smile then you will need the buy in from every single member of staff.
A single scowl from an overworked team member could shatter what you’re trying to achieve.
With a clear idea of your brand and buy-in from your team you should review how you treat your current customers.
Think of People NOT Roles
Building a brand is a long-term exercise that requires real commitment.
Start to think of everyone you interact with as someone who should see what your brand offers. For example someone may be a tenant today but they may be your landlord, vendor and/or purchaser of the future.
Every interaction your agency has is an opportunity to show off your skills and corporate ethos.
Make those opportunities count and in the long-term potential vendors and landlords will be sold before they walk through your door.
Build Your Proof
Unless someone has instructed you it can be hard to show the value that you add.
Ask customers (and yes that includes people who are or were landlords, tenants, vendors and purchasers) to give you feedback you can use for your marketing communications.
A quiet word from a peer is more powerful than you shouting about your value and your brand.
See how we use testimonials in our business here.
You May Also Enjoy
More than half of ‘Mumlords and Dadlords’ give rent back to help children buy their first home
54% of parents return some or all of the rent paid by their adult children to help them save for a deposit Just over a third say their children are living at home specifically to save for a house deposit; 45% say they feel like a landlord to their own child Parents charge £303 a…
Read More 
The First-Time Buyer Reality Shock
The First-Time Buyer Confidence Gap: 90% Feel Prepared, 71% Get an Unpleasant Surprise The First-Time Buyer Anxiety Index unveils a major ‘confidence gap’ which leaves first-time buyers unprepared for the realities of getting on the property ladder. Nine in 10 first-time buyers believe they are prepared and understand the home buying process before they begin…
Read More
£50k hit when climbing the property ladder
The average homeowner in England faces an estimated £15,513 in associated costs when upsizing their home, according to the latest research by Yopa. However, in London this figure climbs as high as £47,704. The full-service estate agency analysed the estimated cost of upsizing across England, based on selling an average flat or terraced home and…
Read More 
Conveyancing causes more stress than property chains
The latest research by Lyons Bowe has found that 42% of recent homebuyers say conveyancing is the biggest barrier to a smooth property transaction, compared with just 19% who point to property chains. The survey of 1,000 recent homebuyers* examined which aspects of the transaction process had presented the biggest barriers to a smooth journey,…
Read More 
Britain’s most competitive summer rental hotspots
New analysis from the UK’s largest property platform Rightmove has revealed the areas where renters faced the strongest competition this summer, with several North West towns emerging as the toughest places to secure a home Wallasey and Birkenhead in Merseyside were Britain’s joint most competitive rental market during July and August, with an average of…
Read More 
The 5 tasks lettings agents won’t trust to AI
AI must make lettings more human, not less, and that requires real rental intelligence. The latest research from Propoly has found that letting industry professionals see a clear role for AI in property management, but are reluctant to let it operate without human oversight, particularly when decisions involve people, complex circumstances or potentially significant consequences. Propoly…
Read More