What ELSE does really good real estate marketing copy look like?
Yesterday's message was about making your words transparent by avoiding errors and making the copy physically easy to read.
Really good real estate marketing copy has two more important attributes:
- It looks like it's about the reader.
- It looks like it was written to just that one person.
First – it's all about them.
Even though your message is "about" you and what a superior agent you are, it can't look like it's all 
about you.
It has to be about the reader and what interests that reader. Of course you'll get to all the benefits of choosing you, but that comes later – AFTER you've gotten the reader's attention.
- You can begin with a statement he or she will agree with.
- You can begin with a question about his or her situation, wants, or needs.
- If you can begin the first sentence with the word "you," do it.
- You mustn't begin with "I" or (shudder) "I want."
There are only two places where "all about you" fits. One is your agent bio or profile, and the other is your personal brochure. And even there, it all needs to tie back to how those things "about you" make you someone the potential client will like and trust.
Next – it has to look like a personal message.
Even if you're sending the same letter to 1,000 people, make it look like it was written to just one person. One person at a time will read it, and that person wants to be seen as an individual, not as a member of a herd.
So never say "Dear Friends," or "Dear Homeowners." If you don't know the person's name or can't personalize your mailing, at least get rid of the plural.
As you begin to write, visualize one person in your target audience. Think about that person's wants, needs, and concerns. Think about what you would say if you were sitting down to enjoy a cup of coffee with that one person.
If your list is too diverse for you to visualize just one person who would be representative of the group, consider dividing your lists. Remember that your first time buyer and your luxury home buyer don't have quite the same anxieties. Nor do all of your sellers have the same kinds of motivations or concerns.
Boastful man image courtesy of bplanet@freedigitalphotos.net
Chatting over coffee image courtesy of Serge Bertasius@freedigitalphotos.net
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