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Do you think your prospects don’t know this?

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with Marte Cliff Copywriting

How many times have you seen this line or a variation of it?

“Your home may be the most expensive purchase you’ll make in your lifetime.”

It appears in dozens (Hundreds? Thousands?) of real estate websites across the country – perhaps in every country.

Why?

Do the folks writing that line think their clients don’t know this?

While there are many, many points to be made to help buyers and sellers make wise decisions (sometimes in spite of themselves) this one seems almost insulting to me. It’s kind of like saying “Now honey, remember that this is a lot of money we’re talking about.”

I just think this statement is a waste of space in a marketing piece. There are better things to say - ways to say you will help them protect that investment or make a wise investment.

  • How about a buyer’s agent promising to listen well and help find a home that fits her clients’ wants, needs, AND budget?
  • How about a listing agent promising to do such exceptional marketing, negotiating, and follow-up that the house will sell quickly and at the best possible price?  
  • How about offering advice regarding the often unmentioned costs that can attach themselves to a home purchase (or home ownership) and destroy a carefully considered budget?

The purpose of any marketing material – whether it’s a letter you send in the mail, an email, a blog post, a newsletter, a web page, or a print ad – is to catch your prospect’s interest and attention and get them to keep reading long enough to decide that you just might be the agent they need.

Telling them something trite that they already know is not going to make them think “This might be important. I’d better read it!”

So think twice before you write the same statement they’ve heard a hundred times.

Yes, making a statement your reader will agree with is always a good way to begin a correspondence, but come up with something a bit more original. 

Comments(27)

Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Marte- What I love about your posts is that you keep us on our toes.  It's so easy to slip into some of the very things you warn us against.  And if no one points it out or reminds us, then we go on our merry way.  

I still cringe when I hear agents and everyone talk about "declutter and depersonalize" for preparing your house for sale. 

Sep 03, 2016 10:48 AM
Marte Cliff

Kathy Streib I'm curious about that. What should agents say to clients whose homes are so filled with "stuff" that you can't see the house itself? 

Sep 04, 2016 01:33 AM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

                                  Thank you Marte Cliff 

Sep 03, 2016 11:17 AM
Marte Cliff

Thank YOU! And thanks for today's reading list! 

Sep 04, 2016 01:33 AM
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

I agree with you. I love the post. Thank you for the reminder.

Sep 03, 2016 08:35 PM
Marte Cliff

Thanks Gita Bantwal!

Sep 04, 2016 01:34 AM
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Chicago, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

Good morning Marte. Sometimes we get so caught up in catch phrases, we ignore the fact that they lack content! Enjoy your day!

Sep 03, 2016 11:01 PM
Marte Cliff

Yes Wayne Martin - there are a whole lot of words used that don't mean a darn thing. 

Sep 04, 2016 01:34 AM
Dorie Dillard Austin TX
Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX
NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

Good morning Marte Cliff,

I've just returned from vacation and am enjoying catching up in the Rain. I found this post in Kathy Streib's "Ah-ha" moments for the week and so glad I read it! I so agree with you..you definitely keep us on our toes..thanks for the reminder.

Sep 03, 2016 11:43 PM
Marte Cliff

Thanks Dorie Dillard - and welcome back from vacation!

Sep 04, 2016 01:35 AM
Sheri Sperry - MCNE®
Coldwell Banker Realty - Sedona, AZ
(928) 274-7355 ~ YOUR Solutions REALTOR®

Hi Marte Cliff - you made some very good points. Most of my customers are buying a 2nd or 3rd home.  So, it would be silly for me to make a statement like that. BUT, I am going to review my materials and web pages to make sure I don't have that line in there!

Sep 03, 2016 11:44 PM
Marte Cliff

Yes Sheri Sperry - MCNE - if you pointed that out to someone buying a 2nd or 3rd home they might think you'd lost it! 

Sep 04, 2016 01:35 AM
Sheila Anderson
Referral Group Incorporated - East Brunswick, NJ
The Real Estate Whisperer Who Listens 732-715-1133

Good morning Marte. I laughed as I read part of this. I always found each situation unique and had no lines I used regularly.

Sep 03, 2016 11:46 PM
Marte Cliff

Sheila Anderson - as many times as I read and heard that it was good to use scripts, I never did. When I heard other people using them I thought they sounded foolish. 


I think the only thing that should be scripted is your elevator speech - so you can say it all without having to stop and think about it. 

Sep 04, 2016 01:37 AM
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Marte,

And I wonder why, when they say that, their listing brochures are done on cheap copy paper, they take their own pictures often without understand lighting, and write poor descriptions...A

Sep 04, 2016 01:00 AM
Marte Cliff

Yes Ron and Alexandra Seigel - it does all sort of fit together, doesn't it?

Sep 04, 2016 01:38 AM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

This is great advice to share. There is definitely too much sameness in real estate marketing.

Sep 04, 2016 03:14 AM
Marte Cliff

Roy Kelley It's amazing how many agents I talk with when doing their bios who can't tell me what they do that's any different from what everyone else does. 


No wonder their marketing is all the same! 

Sep 04, 2016 06:30 AM
Evelyn Johnston
Friends & Neighbors Real Estate - Elkhart, IN
The People You Know, Like and Trust!

Great point Marte Cliff , tell them what they don't know, be of assistance to them and then they will think you might be the Agent they need!

Sep 04, 2016 07:12 AM
Marte Cliff

Yes Evelyn Johnston - there are plenty of things that your prospects don't know, so tell them those things. 

Sep 06, 2016 02:48 AM
Laura Allen, Lake Tahoe - Truckee Real Estate for Sale TahoeLauraRealEstate.com
Coldwell Banker Realty, Tahoe City, CA (530) 414-1260 - Tahoe City, CA
Tahoe Real Estate Agent Helping Buyers and Sellers

Marte Cliff - Great advice to re-think your catch phrases and evaluate them for their effectiveness!

Sep 04, 2016 07:42 AM
Marte Cliff

Laura Allen, Lake Tahoe - Truckee Real Estate for Sale www.TahoeLauraLuxuryHomes.com Some words and phrases are just empty. No one needs to use them. 

Sep 06, 2016 02:49 AM
Beth Atalay
Cam Realty and Property Management - Clermont, FL
Cam Realty of Clermont FL

Marte Cliff, I don't claim to be a marketing genius but we have to offer something of value, something they find useful, no need to repeat what they already know.

Sep 04, 2016 08:24 AM
Marte Cliff

Beth Atalay It really boils down to common sense. You need to market yourself to stand out from the crowd. 

Sep 06, 2016 02:50 AM
Sam Shueh
(408) 425-1601 - San Jose, CA
mba, cdpe, reopro, pe

When we look for our last home or purchase another one it is only based on practicality. How many bed room, how many bath, sf.  Does it fit the budget yes. Go for it. 

In CA the homes are mostly cookie cutters, there is not much selection may be one floor plan is better than other.  They are tract homes.  Why being picky?

Sep 04, 2016 12:32 PM
Marte Cliff

Sam Shueh We know people make choices based on emotion and then justify them with logic (or practicality), so how does that work if the houses are all alike? Does it come down to the paint colors? The staging? The rest of the neighborhood? 

Sep 06, 2016 02:52 AM
Kristin Johnston - REALTOR®
RE/MAX Platinum - Waukesha, WI
Giving Back With Each Home Sold!

I can see why Kathy chose to high light your post this week!  Great stuff!~

Sep 04, 2016 11:50 PM
Gene Mundt, IL/WI Mortgage Originator - FHA/VA/Conv/Jumbo/Portfolio/Refi
NMLS #216987, IL Lic. 031.0006220, WI Licensed. APMC NMLS #175656 - New Lenox, IL
708.921.6331 - 40+ yrs experience

If you lack so greatly in creativity by using that line, Marte Cliff ... why would a client think you owned the creativity and ability to provide services beyond the norm?  Plus why .. oh why .. would they even continue to read that piece of marketing?  Same ol' same ol' ... zzzzzzzzzzz

You're a wise woman, Marte ...

Gene

Sep 06, 2016 02:35 AM
Marte Cliff

Thanks Gene Mundt, IL/WI Mortgage Originator - FHA/VA/Conv/Jumbo/Portfolio/Refi I don't know about being wise, but I am interested in marketing - and in words. 

Sep 06, 2016 02:53 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Hi Marte

As always you bring to everyone's attention a message that should not be ignored, and a terrific reminder that those popular catch phrases we all likely use, and I am guilty of it too, need to be carefully considered for how effective or ineffective they may be.

Jeff

Sep 06, 2016 02:56 AM
Marte Cliff

Thanks Jeff Dowler - If nothing else, I try to be a good nag! 

Sep 06, 2016 04:31 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

I kind of feel the same way with the line "You only get one chance at a great first impression" because it's been said so often. But it's not exactly the same thing. There are still many people out there that just don't give impression a second thought.

Sep 06, 2016 06:43 AM
Marte Cliff

I agree Sharon Tara. They don't realize that we humans form first impressions that just don't go away.


For homeowners: One "bad" showing because the house wasn't ready to be seen can poison the pool of buyers when that first agent tells other agents.  


And for agents - something simple like showing up late for an intial meeting can mean there is no second meeting. 

Sep 07, 2016 03:40 AM
Robert Vegas Bob Swetz
Las Vegas, NV

Hello Marte and this is kind of a silly statement!

And I don't think brokers or agents use this for people that make BIG money that purchase Learjets and or collections of cars that run into the millions of dollars.

Your post has been featured to the group:

EXPRESS WITH WORDS AT ACTIVERAIN

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Sep 07, 2016 02:32 PM
Marte Cliff

Thanks Robert Vegas Bob Swetz - I don't think so either. At least I hope not! They'd lose that client pretty quickly. 

Sep 07, 2016 03:28 PM
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

I cannot remember ever using that line with a buyer.  It just doesn't sound like me so I use other statements like I know this is an important decision and want you to have all the information to make a good one.

Sep 08, 2016 11:41 AM
Marte Cliff

That's a MUCH better statement, Debbie Reynolds.

Sep 09, 2016 08:51 AM
Diana White-Pettis
Bennett Realty Solutions - Upper Marlboro, MD
GRI, CDPE, CNE, WHC Upper Marlboro Homes for Sale

This is great advice.  Reading your posts always encourage me to think out of the box with my marketing. Making a good first impression is essential. Thanks for sharing.

Sep 11, 2016 06:07 AM
Marte Cliff

Thanks Diana White-Pettis I appreciate that you read my posts! 

Sep 11, 2016 07:12 AM