*This blog post is a Part of A Series. You may appreciate Reading Part 1.
Have you ever met someone & thought...after a whiff...Wow, that was more than I needed to know! It's called BO aka Body Odor. We all have it; some in a more pronounced fashion than others. The unique chemistry of the human body is an interesting thing.
Intense scientific research about the power of scent informs billions of dollars of advertising. Every major fashion magazine employs our olfactory glands in making of the sale whenever we finger the glossy pages and catch of whiff of a variety of fragrance enhancements.
Have you ever thought about the fact that the real estate market is also a highly sensory experience? The challenge with sensory perception is that most of us tend to get used to our own stuffiness. We're comfortable with our peculiar odors.
Johnny's stinky tennis shoes no longer bug us, nor do the lingering reminders left by pets or last night's dinner. In fact, these unique smells are what make home a warm, familiar place to come back to. And yet, this familiarity can be an absolute turn-off to those who we invite into our space while a home is on the market.
To sell a home in a Challenging Market, is important to understand the role of all the senses in our marketing effort. Human beings are experential creatures...we see what we like ~AKA Print/Visual Media, we continue to explore by listening ~AKA Video/Audio and then we proceed to Touch, Taste, Feel & Smell. Most real estate marketing today targets the first one of maybe two options. Unfortunately, this leaves the experience by the consumer wanting. For it is in the experience of: touch, taste, feel and smell that a buyer truly commits to buying.
So, where do we start? Well, first make sure that you are well represented in reaching the "eyeballs" of your target audience...buyers for your home. The vast majority of buyers are looking for their next home online. If your real estate agent does not have a website or blog which can be located on the Internet...you have a serious problem. But, if you stop there, in today's market you may be missing another huge segment of the population who utilize ancillary sites like craigslist, zillow & trulia to supplement their research of the offerings of the local multiple listing service. If your real estate agent has NO KNOWLEDGE of this type of marketing, it's equivalent to trying to run a hotly contested race without a good pair of running shoes.
Which brings us to the topic of one of the most famous brands of real estate ever contested for in the history of mankind...The battle between Rebook & Nike for the soles of our feet. When NIKE launched it's widely successful ads which catapulted the company to worldwide fame with the famous words "JUST DO IT," they were marketing to a far more illusive quality than what their sneakers looked like.
Nike GOT IT...they understood that the perceived experience with their product was the Sale. If you believed that you could fly in the sky like Michael Jordon when you put on Air Jordans or Do It Like Bo...you were in. Enthusiasts who wore Nike Products felt different whenever they put a pair of them on their feet.
We can learn some lessons from this process in marketing a home. When a home is being viewed within packages of 50-60 similar offerings, it should be a given that the visual package must be well executed. I'm referring to multiple well taken pictures, and interesting narratives. But after the story is told and they arrive at your door...what you make happen next will determine if your home is SELECTED AS IT...or not.
Ask yourself...Is the experience when a buyer arrives at my home about MY PAST or THEIR FUTURE? Is my PAST reflected in untidiness, filth, odors and excessive clutter? Does my refrigerator bear images of the history of my significant moments? Does my garage bear witness to my past home improvement projects? Do my pets and their presence remind everyone that they're guarding my home territory?
Be brutally honest with yourself in answering these questions. Be forewarned...this may result in some major house cleaning and trips to the local thrift store. It may be necessary to rent storage space for stuff you can't bear to get rid of just yet. When a buyer comes into a home, they want to be able to imagine themselves in the space. Is there room for their stuff in the closets? Are items arranged in a manner that is attractive and inviting? Are there special places set up to imagine the moments which make home special...like a nicely set dining table or a pitcher of iced tea and cookies on the deck? Does relaxing music invite them to stay awhile longer? Does your home urge potential buyers to...JUST DO IT NOW!
If future home owners cannot perceive more than glimpses of THEIR FUTURE in your home, their call will be NEXT...and movement will proceed onward to the next house just down the road.
Copyright 2008 Audu Real Estate All Rights Reserved
Photo of perfume is courtesy of Metissa's photostream on flickr.
Photo of Nike Shoes is courtesty of Stewart Liewakabessy's photostream on flickr.
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