Describing Your Home Like You’re Describing A Garage Sale (Perfect If You Want A Garage Sale Price For Your Most Valued Possession)
World class property photographs will make potential buyers of your property salivate at the prospect of owning it, but the accompanying words are the herbs and spices that flavour it exactly to their liking.
How often do we see newspaper and internet advertising for real estate consisting of one or two photographs, usually of the front view – followed by a short paragraph of waffle and a few bullet points of ‘features’ to describe it? You know the type…
“Feature packed this charming property boasts 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, huge main bedroom with walk in robe and ensuite, timber floors throughout, off street parking, large private garden, modern kitchen and heaps of natural light.”
Blah blah blah.
The property promoted in this way becomes just one of thousands promoted in any given week; nothing makes it a ‘must-see’ property any more than all the others in vying for attention.
Compare that with a comprehensive description of your home with all the features and benefits of ownership – written in such a way that you get drawn in emotionally, combined with several photographs offering a variety of rooms and angles.
Buyers want to see kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms, backyards, entertainment areas and more, not just a front view. Of course unless you’re prepared to pay a small fortune for pictorial ads in the newspaper large enough to accommodate a comprehensive description this may not be terribly practical (or in fact necessary). The good news is there is no added expense on the size of your ad when it comes to advertising on the internet; and the internet has an added bonus, that is, around 90% of buyers use the internet to find their next home for most property types in metropolitan areas.
WHAT YOU GET FROM THE INTERNET - comprehensive ad + maximum exposure for a negligible price!
Now some agents will argue, with a perfectly straight face, that people don’t have time to read any more and will only look at ‘bullet points’. In truth, only part of that’s correct. The reality is that people who are only window-shopping and have no real interest in buying might only look for ‘bullet points’, but to anyone serious about making a major purchasing decision, like that of your property will, believe me, want to get a hold of all the information they can so that they can make an informed decision.
Successful copywriting then, is not a matter of the number of words or whether or not to rely on just bullet points. One of the real dangers of not engaging a professional writer is that you can easily end up with copy that’s either far too short on detail or it’s uninspiring and boring.
A good writer will invest the time to learn all the benefits of living in your home. They’ll get a solid understanding of the kind of people that are likely to be interested in it, and then write as if they were talking directly with them.
The writing style should be specific yet not dry; be as long as necessary yet never dull; be emotionally compelling, never fluffy; be easy to read yet never condescending.
The writer will find the ‘unique selling proposition’ of your property and focus on it in the ‘story’. They’ll create ‘word pictures’ that place the reader’s imagination right there in your home, creating a strong desire to contact the agency.
Professional copywriting can truly be the difference between a potential buyer clicking away, taking no action, and you achieving a sale for a premium price.
The Key:
Think back to your primary school days. Remember “Show & Tell”. SHOW great images; TELL a compelling story. Don’t rely solely on either ‘Show’ or ‘Tell’. Use both. In other words, make it easy for your prospects and you’ll SELL your property sooner and for more. One of the best and least expensive investments you can make to sell your property is investing in professionally written advertising copy.