Industry Interview: Jerry Lyons of Property Expert
Is having a strong online presence important for estate and letting agents?
Yes, absolutely. Your agency will be judged by the way your website looks as a starting point and how user friendly it is.
Other ways you can build your digital profile to win instructions are:
Use social media regularly.
Have a weekly / fortnightly blog.
Distribute a monthly email newsletter.
Run timed email marketing campaigns.
But don_t do it half heartedly _ good content which your audience finds useful is very valuable to your brand. Sloppy, salesy or lazy content will turn people off.
I think it_s also very important not to totally dismiss print marketing. You need a well balanced marketing approach which appeals to as much of your local market as possible.
Should agents pay special attention to social media, apps and property tech within the industry?
100 per cent. I see all the digital tools we have available as a way of building relationships, saving time and speeding up processes in the real world.
Any digital technology which can ultimately help you win more instructions has to be considered and looked at seriously.
Good tech can be used to enhance the relationship, rapport and results you enjoy with clients.
There are a lot of choices out there so choose wisely and again commit to it for a sustained period rather than playing at it.
How important is it for agency_s to publish content at certain times to gain maximum impact?
Timing is crucial in any walk of life. I_m always staggered by how little importance estate agents place on building client databases and then developing a relationship with people within in it.
A great example of timing the distribution of your content so it hits the mark is using the recent announcement regarding a ban on lettings fees.
One of our clients emailed an article explaining how it might affect landlords and how they could best protect their income / assets just two hours after the announcement was made.
This led to 16 landlords contacting the agency to find out more and to arrange meetings.
Right subject, right audience, and right time _ great response.
Jerry Lyons is an award winning former journalist and the founder and chief tea boy at Property PR Expert. His company specialises in writing content and guides for independent estate agents.ÿJerry Lyons Jerry@propertyprexpert.co.uk
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