The first thing that came to my mind when I thought about writing about real estate marketing was to make a pun with the concept of home, and for that, nothing is better than songs. Typed the sentence “music with the word ‘home‘,” and, as you guessed it, the browser flooded with options, from John Denver’s Take Me Home, Country Roads to Michael Bublé’s Home, and from the romantic tune of The Cinematic Orchestra to the irreverent track of J Cole and Skylar Grey. However, all these songs have one thing in common: they are not singing about real estate. Instead, they use the word “home” to project a feeling and emotion, whether it is love, belonging, or comfort, and this is what we will talk about during this article —the emotional benefit of choosing the right home.
The Importance of Customer-Centric in Real Estate Marketing
Real Estate is a specific industry to do marketing. Real Estate shopping requires a lot of investment (time and finances) and thought from the customer, which takes them to more rational decisions, which usually does not happen when purchasing FMCG or Retail products. Yet, something unique occurs when rationality cannot discern between different options. Emotions take over the process and often drive the decision. Homebuyers seek a place that resonates emotionally, where a house becomes more than a property—it becomes a home. This is why customer-centric real estate marketing is pivotal.
Understand your benefits
So, how do you achieve customer-centricity in this industry? It begins before the first brick, right on paper. When you decide where to build your project, you must understand where and what you are developing (Internal Brand Analysis). This analysis will provide an overview of the functional and emotional benefits of this place whether is accessibility, space security, or family memories. Recognizing these benefits defines what you are selling beyond mere houses. Just as Coke does not sell soda and Netflix does not sell streaming services, you do not sell houses; you sell commitment, belonging, and roots.
Understand the environment
The second layer is understanding the market. Not all houses are the same as Apple, which differs from Samsung or Milka from Nestlé. While they are neighbors on the retailer’s shelves and may satisfy similar needs, they vary significantly in functionality and emotional resonance. So, ask yourself, are there any houses for sale on shelves around you? If yes, what are they selling? Try to answer these questions without the obvious response: “They are selling a three-bedroom apartment with a sea view” because they are not. Look at their marketing, you will find that they are probably selling an experience, perhaps Selling Sunset (no pun intended for the TV show, but its name summarizes the idea pretty well). Finally, conclude with the questions that put the roof of your head: Where is my open opportunity and how can I give the customer a crucial emotional experience?
Understand your public
The third layer is understanding the audience. Each project has its target. It can be the end customer (B2C) such as first-time homebuyers, upgraders (usually a bigger family that needs an upscale property), Downsizers (usually a retired couple or empty-nesters, that is, parents whose children move out and do not need such a big space now), Second-home buyers (usually for vacation or future retirement purposes). Or it could be an investor (B2B), and they can also have different investments and thinking methods as motivations and desires. Each public has its priorities, and as we start seeing throughout the previous steps, they are not exclusively functional (location, budget, or size), but also emotional motivations (achievement, comfort, calmness…).
The Foundation of Real Estate Marketing
These three steps will help build the foundation for a robust strategy and should be present since the sketch phase. They will give you the much-needed tools to attract the right people.
In summary, you need to develop a human-centric marketing strategy to turn your project into a home, and a home into all the emotions people sing about in songs. Now, as said in Portuguese – “mãos à obra” (which literally translates to hands to the construction but means “get to work”) and give your project the right message to the right people.
João Pedro Pina from Garrison Marketing Group and Filipa Valdemar from Hesta Studio*
*Hesta gives an A-to-Z marketing and communication solution for real estate projects. They identify the target, develop the storytelling, and implement all the communications tools, including 3D video/animation, one of the best engagement strategies “to bring unbuilt projects to life”.
