Blog for SavvyCard

1. Content is Key
Posted on June 22, 2015 by SavvyCard
Build stories to sell residential properties
It is becoming more evident in an increasingly crowded real estate market that
branding is the best way to stand out from the pack. In the recent article
“Playbook: How Content Marketing Solves A Real Problem for Real Estate”,
Forbes discusses the importance of content for real estate agents by branding
yourself and your listings. “How do you generate the interest, which becomes a
lead, which becomes a client, which becomes a return client, which leads to a
referral? The answer is very simple: Content. More specifically, great visual,
thoughtful, human-centered content–and lots of it.”
Given the personal nature of the residential market, maintaining relationships and
nurturing referrals is key to moving properties and gaining customers. You are
not simply selling a house, you are providing a home.
Here are some suggestions of effective ways to create and deliver your content:
Words give life to an image
Shaping words to complement images is an effective way for buyers to fall in love
with your property. Many residential real estate agents utilize staging techniques
to allow buyers to envision homes as their own. Providing supporting copy allows
your audience to feel as though they are in the room, and not just looking at it on
a screen or a sheet of paper.
Transform visualization into an experience
Note aspects of the home that are unique or tell a story – such as crown
moldings, vintage fixtures, built in cabinetry, and display places for treasured
family mementos. This is also the base of a terrific script for open houses and
walk-throughs. Offer ideas and suggestions on how to utilize the space:

2. ▪ Living rooms with fireplaces offer a place to gather.
▪ Bedrooms can become private sanctuaries with garden views.
▪ A wall of cabinets is now the ultimate in storage solutions.
▪ A deck becomes a spot for reading in the sun, or an intimate spot for morning
coffee, or romantic nightcap.
▪ A patio and yard transforms into ‘the place to be’ for outdoor dining and
entertaining.
▪ A detached studio can suggest a place for creating arts & crafts, an awesome
man cave, a home gym without distractions, a quiet home office, or even a
guest cottage for overnight visitors.
Trends and community spark conversations on Social Media.
Stay on top of seasonal home design trends, and use them as topics for
discussion. For example, hardwood floors with a dark, rich stain are very popular
right now. A fashionable as well as functional solution – it can hide
inconsistencies in the wood, and enhance the presence of floor coverings, while
giving an extra pop to light and colorful furnishings. Craft your social media as
questions and discussions around upcoming seasonal color and décor.
Community impact is also a great way to spark a conversation. In drought-
stricken areas like the Southwest, a big selling point right now is native, drought
resistant landscaping and drip irrigation. Ways to save water and energy such as
energy efficient appliances, updated storm drains, solar paneling, and low flow
toilets are great ways to spark opinions and interactions. Highlighting
neighborhood schools, charity events and local businesses can facilitate
conversation and grow goodwill (and even referrals!) in places where your buyers
are looking to become a part of the community.
This strategy creates a conversation about what the buyer is looking for, the kind
of home they envision and makes the whole process more personal. That can be
the difference between selling a house and providing a home to your customers,
while building an excellent avenue to continue connections and create more

3. referrals.
Here are the benefits an approach like this can provide:
1. Demonstrate you are an expert in your field. Understanding the needs of the
marketplace suggests they are getting quality and value from your
professional services.
2. Be an excellent avenue of referral to your service partners – interior designers,
painters, landscapers, etc. Nurturing relationships and referrals from your
recommended providers is easily fruitful.
3. Show you are invested in the community. Supporting the local businesses,
events and institutions can result in fertile leads and a nice boost to your
profile and reputation.
Content delivery can be easily managed with networking tools like SavvyCard®.
The interface makes it simple to share postings with several social media
platforms. Agent and Property SavvyCards™ even offer places for written content
that is easy to add, edit and deliver via profiles and feature listings. Sharing
SavvyCards in social media postings and blogs gives your audience the perfect
way to engage with you directly, while the Analytics page allows you to track user
engagement and referrals.
Creative avenues to engage your audience while personalizing your brand and
properties is the most effective and cost efficient way to get ahead of the curve in
a competitive real estate market! For more information on delivering powerful
content for your real estate listings via SavvyCard, contact us today at (727) 502-
6012.