Industry Interview: Stephen Moss, CEO of Pring.co.uk
What brought you to launch Pring.co.uk?
I launched Pring.co.uk to address a gap in the market for a dedicated search engine for investment properties. There was nowhere that brought together all the vital calculations and figures needed to work out if a property is a viable investment. Instead, investors, like myself, would have to spend hours going through individual properties and working out whether they were worth viewing.
What is the unique selling point of Pring.co.uk?
Every investor has different search criteria; some want to achieve a particular yield, some want a property that they’ll be able to sell on quickly. Pring allows them to view properties that match their exact requirements bringing together the price, rental value, yield and return on investment. Uniquely, it also gives an investability score for every property- a mark out of five stars based on an algorithm.
How important is Social Media within your businesses marketing?
Social media is vital for marketing an online business like Pring. It has made the process of growing an audience faster and easier. Our social media has been focused on our @pringsearch account on Twitter, which serves the double benefit of amplifying our brand and keeping us in the loop when it comes to property investment, so we can see and respond to what our audience needs and what’s on their minds. Our users expect us to respond to queries instantly and being active on social media channels allows us to do this.
Do you think the future of Estate Agency / Property Purchasing / Investments is online now?
Online is more important than ever but I believe there will always be a place for online and offline agencies and property purchasing. Property investment is all about relationships and there will always be some investors that prefer speaking to someone and visiting an agency to discuss particular properties.
What words of advice can you offer any of our reading #PropTech start ups on building a brand within the UK property sector?
First and foremost, really know who your audience is, or best of all be part of the audience you are aiming for. I have 15 years’ experience in the property sector, and I love applying that knowledge to my marketing and brand building – knowing what my audience needs. LinkedIn is also an incredible tool for connecting with your target audience.
What are your thoughts on Estate Agent Networking?
It’s a fantastic way for like-minded people to share their tips, advice and expertise. The more people you meet, the more your business name gets out there and the more you’re likely to firm long lasting connections. The sector is always changing and new rules and regulations are always being introduced- it’s vital to keep up to date with what’s going on and Estate Agent Networking is a brilliant way to stay in the know.
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