How to Combat the Rise of Online Estate Agents
As the battle between online and high street retailers rages through all industries, the fight for the property market is heating up.
Online estate agents may have gained steam lately, with companies like Emoov and Yopa attempting to undercut traditional property marketers, but it’s not quite game over for high street agents.
Your biggest advantage is quality leads. Online property marketers might exploit the convenience of the internet, but when it comes to handing over cold hard cash people still prefer to deal with estate agents in person.
In 2015 it was estimated that only four per cent of homes were sold online. This is predicted to rise but, instead of worrying about forecasts, your time and energy would be better spent on improving and increasing quality leads.
When people step through your door they’re hoping to deal with someone who’s knowledgeable, engaged and trustworthy. Cultivating the right environment is crucial to convincing clients of your expertise and finalising the sale. We’ve highlighted a few small changes that’ll help you do this.
Apply the principles of colour psychology
If used correctly, colour can be a subtle and persuasive way to talk to your customers – it has a big impact on atmosphere, after all. The principles of colour psychology tell us that cool colours, like blue and green, create a relaxed and reassuring atmosphere, perfect for soothing last-minute buyer nerves.
On the other hand, bold graphics and bright colours work great in windows to draw attention to important information or exciting new properties.
Invest in some greenery
Customers who’re buying from or selling with your agency will likely have to spend a lot of time in your office, so providing an attractive and pleasant environment is key.
The biophilia hypothesis suggests that a connection to nature extends to the workplace and has many benefits for businesses. Getting a few indoor office plants is an easy way to create a peaceful atmosphere and welcome customers.
Champion your local community
Local knowledge and expertise are the biggest selling points of high street estate agents, but this means more than knowing your statistics.
Being invested in your local community shows that you’re a reliable source of information, so join your high street initiative or get involved in charity drives and events. At the very least, it’ll help to get your name out.
Investing in quality leads by making a few changes to your current office set-up doesn’t have to be difficult. Start small and see if our top tips help you to improve sales.
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