Promoting an Online Estate Agents
Discussion
My Dad's had a bit of a rough ride in recent years. He sold out of a moderately successful small business in 2005, and after a couple of years retired but bored, he put a lot of his money into starting an estate agency business just before the credit crunch and subsequent slump. Clearly this didn't go well, and whilst it had as much success as could be expected, he didn't pay himself a wage in 4 years or so. He decided this year to close the premises, make the staff redundant and move to online only. I spoke to him recently, and he said he is giving this one till Xmas (not very long in my view) and if nothing happens by then it's going to be wound up and he may have to try and fine employment to see out the relatively short time to retirement. Basically he is a very good salesman and businessman, and is just a victim of the current economic situation. The customers that he does get think he is great, and always goes the "extra mile". How do I go about giving him a hand in promoting his business other than just emailing people or posting stuff on the internet? I want to help him out. Any helpful advice welcomed.
nail on the head re what buyers want and what sellers want. He is aware of this. I think he has about 10 properties on the books currently, but to make it a decent business proposition needs to be more like 30-40. Has some software that connects out too zoopla and rightmove for publishing etc. I guess the thing is, if you have an attractive proposition, it takes real time to build up due to the long sales cycle for some/most properties, and simply accruing the pipeline. The actually selling is not an issue for him as he is very good at it. Simply an issue of getting sellers on-board.
surveyor said:
Blown2CV said:
nail on the head re what buyers want and what sellers want. He is aware of this. I think he has about 10 properties on the books currently, but to make it a decent business proposition needs to be more like 30-40. Has some software that connects out too zoopla and rightmove for publishing etc. I guess the thing is, if you have an attractive proposition, it takes real time to build up due to the long sales cycle for some/most properties, and simply accruing the pipeline. The actually selling is not an issue for him as he is very good at it. Simply an issue of getting sellers on-board.
He needs boards up. How do you get these? With other boards up. There's no high street presence for people to see so it's old and new mixed I would suggest.Maybe a 1/4 page ad in local property page - it's expensive, and not really working for the on-line market though and very localised.
Leaflet drop. Probably surprisingly affordable, but even more localised.
Local Radio - expensive
Good well optimised website. - loads of others to compete
Addwords. Expensive in this market I think.
PR - quirky fun ways to attract press interest. Free, but difficult, needs flair
Word of mouth - best option, but takes years in this market.
groak said:
Most of them (in fact all of them) are pretty poor at letting. Mind you, at least they can make a sort of a living at it. Don't think it would be possible to make an online-only estate agency work well, though I'd be interested to hear to the contrary. Plenty have tried, but I don't know any who've succeeded.
well, he's done some lettings... not as a managing agent or anything but had some minor success to compliment the main businessGassing Station | Business | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff