Do it your way!

When clients come to HomeTruths because they can’t sell their house, the first place I look for clues as to why this is happening, is their marketing. Now, anyone who has been reading my blog for any length of time at all, knows that property marketing is ‘my thing’ so I usually have lots to say about it! But what can a seller do when none of their local estate agents offer the kind of quality marketing I tell them is absolutely vital in selling their home for the maximum price possible? “Do it your way” I tell them. Let me explain.

There are four key components to a property’s marketing: photography, description, brochure, online advert.

Very few estate agents get all these absolutely spot on, so why not fill in the missing pieces yourself? Let’s look at these components one at a time:

• Photography – source a good local photographer, asking to see his work. If he’s worked for local estate agents before, don’t use him! You’re only going to end up with more of the same. What you’re looking for, is an innovative and creative photographer, who can really bring the best out of your home, and cares enough to switch on lights, and move your sofa in order to get the best shots.

Expect to pay: around £300

• Description – you need a copywriter for this. Start off by writing a couple of pages about your home; everything you love about it, and all the features that you think will make a buyer love it too. This will give the copywriter a head start, and something to work with.

Expect to pay: around £150

• Brochure – a great brochure designer will come up with a creative layout and even a memorable logo. Printing costs depend on the size and number of pages and what paper your brochure is printed on. Most unique homes need at least 6-8 pages in their brochure, to show off all the key selling features of their property.

Expect to pay: around £500

• Online advert – this is where your photography and description can help your advert to really stand out above the competition. Make sure your brochure is uploaded and both this and your floorplan shown as a link on all the property portals. Give it all to your agent and they will do the rest.

Expect to pay: nothing! 

By allocating around £1,000 to your property marketing, you can create an amazing campaign, that will knock the socks off all the other properties for sale, Whilst it is admittedly a large up-front cost, relatively speaking, I would suggest you negotiate with your agent to make allowances for this in the commission you would be paying. A commission discount of 0.25% on most properties would allow you to recoup your investment, and you’d be doing a much better job than your agent would in selling your house.

Doing it your way is all about taking control of your own property sale; after all, it means more to you than anyone else, so put your passion and enthusiasm into creating a fabulous marketing campaign that will help your buyer to fall in love with your home, just as you once did.

If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch.

What to read next: 3 things to do today to get your home sold

What to do next: Sign up to my Selling Secrets http://www.home-truths.co.uk/selling-secrets

The post Do it your way! appeared first on Home Truths.

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Do it your way!

When clients come to HomeTruths because they can’t sell their house, the first place I look for clues as to why this is happening, is their marketing. Now, anyone who has been reading my blog for any length of time at all, knows that property marketing is ‘my thing’ so I usually have lots to say about it! But what can a seller do when none of their local estate agents offer the kind of quality marketing I tell them is absolutely vital in selling their home for the maximum price possible? “Do it your way” I tell them. Let me explain.

There are four key components to a property’s marketing: photography, description, brochure, online advert.

Very few estate agents get all these absolutely spot on, so why not fill in the missing pieces yourself? Let’s look at these components one at a time:

• Photography – source a good local photographer, asking to see his work. If he’s worked for local estate agents before, don’t use him! You’re only going to end up with more of the same. What you’re looking for, is an innovative and creative photographer, who can really bring the best out of your home, and cares enough to switch on lights, and move your sofa in order to get the best shots.

Expect to pay: around £300

• Description – you need a copywriter for this. Start off by writing a couple of pages about your home; everything you love about it, and all the features that you think will make a buyer love it too. This will give the copywriter a head start, and something to work with.

Expect to pay: around £150

• Brochure – a great brochure designer will come up with a creative layout and even a memorable logo. Printing costs depend on the size and number of pages and what paper your brochure is printed on. Most unique homes need at least 6-8 pages in their brochure, to show off all the key selling features of their property.

Expect to pay: around £500

• Online advert – this is where your photography and description can help your advert to really stand out above the competition. Make sure your brochure is uploaded and both this and your floorplan shown as a link on all the property portals. Give it all to your agent and they will do the rest.

Expect to pay: nothing! 

By allocating around £1,000 to your property marketing, you can create an amazing campaign, that will knock the socks off all the other properties for sale, Whilst it is admittedly a large up-front cost, relatively speaking, I would suggest you negotiate with your agent to make allowances for this in the commission you would be paying. A commission discount of 0.25% on most properties would allow you to recoup your investment, and you’d be doing a much better job than your agent would in selling your house.

Doing it your way is all about taking control of your own property sale; after all, it means more to you than anyone else, so put your passion and enthusiasm into creating a fabulous marketing campaign that will help your buyer to fall in love with your home, just as you once did.

If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch.

What to read next: 3 things to do today to get your home sold

What to do next: Sign up to my Selling Secrets http://www.home-truths.co.uk/selling-secrets

The post Do it your way! appeared first on Home Truths.

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Do it your way!

When clients come to HomeTruths because they can’t sell their house, the first place I look for clues as to why this is happening, is their marketing. Now, anyone who has been reading my blog for any length of time at all, knows that property marketing is ‘my thing’ so I usually have lots to say about it! But what can a seller do when none of their local estate agents offer the kind of quality marketing I tell them is absolutely vital in selling their home for the maximum price possible? “Do it your way” I tell them. Let me explain.

There are four key components to a property’s marketing: photography, description, brochure, online advert.

Very few estate agents get all these absolutely spot on, so why not fill in the missing pieces yourself? Let’s look at these components one at a time:

• Photography – source a good local photographer, asking to see his work. If he’s worked for local estate agents before, don’t use him! You’re only going to end up with more of the same. What you’re looking for, is an innovative and creative photographer, who can really bring the best out of your home, and cares enough to switch on lights, and move your sofa in order to get the best shots.

Expect to pay: around £300

• Description – you need a copywriter for this. Start off by writing a couple of pages about your home; everything you love about it, and all the features that you think will make a buyer love it too. This will give the copywriter a head start, and something to work with.

Expect to pay: around £150

• Brochure – a great brochure designer will come up with a creative layout and even a memorable logo. Printing costs depend on the size and number of pages and what paper your brochure is printed on. Most unique homes need at least 6-8 pages in their brochure, to show off all the key selling features of their property.

Expect to pay: around £500

• Online advert – this is where your photography and description can help your advert to really stand out above the competition. Make sure your brochure is uploaded and both this and your floorplan shown as a link on all the property portals. Give it all to your agent and they will do the rest.

Expect to pay: nothing! 

By allocating around £1,000 to your property marketing, you can create an amazing campaign, that will knock the socks off all the other properties for sale, Whilst it is admittedly a large up-front cost, relatively speaking, I would suggest you negotiate with your agent to make allowances for this in the commission you would be paying. A commission discount of 0.25% on most properties would allow you to recoup your investment, and you’d be doing a much better job than your agent would in selling your house.

Doing it your way is all about taking control of your own property sale; after all, it means more to you than anyone else, so put your passion and enthusiasm into creating a fabulous marketing campaign that will help your buyer to fall in love with your home, just as you once did.

If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch.

What to read next: 3 things to do today to get your home sold

What to do next: Sign up to my Selling Secrets http://www.home-truths.co.uk/selling-secrets

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The country mansion with a golf course in the garden

The fairways are big enough to land planes on.

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What’s your house brand?

Branding is a symbol or mark that distinguishes one product from another, just as it was originally intended to ensure farmers and ranchers knew which herd was theirs. It’s now a kind of short-cut; think of the Nike swoosh, or Red Bull’s wings; all the brand personality and attributes are delivered through that one graphic: perhaps you think of ‘Just do it’, and the message of hard work and commitment when you see the Nike logo, and fun, energy and people jumping out of space ships when you see the Red Bull logo.

Of course, a logo doesn’t make a brand, it just carries its ethos and message in a little, efficient package.  Large companies have a ‘brand bible’: a dossier of exact colours, fonts and basically rules, for every use of their name and logo in print or online.

People can be brands; just think of Lady Gaga, or Princess Kate. And so can houses. In fact, the stronger and more defined your house brand, the more likely you are to appeal to your buyer. But how? Let’s break it down:

Colours: the most visual of a brand’s personality, colours need to reflect the lifestyle and the tone of a house. So, muted, natural colours may accurately reflect a Georgian townhouse whereas a palette of white, black and even red may fit a bachelor apartment and convey its tone.

Mood: or atmosphere, is how your house makes someone feel when they walk through the door. Homely, impressive, calming, vibrant, cosy, minimalist; these are all feelings that a house can convey very quickly. As well as décor, music and lighting, and even smells, play a huge part in conveying a mood.

Furnishings: large squashy sofas and chunky wooden furniture will give your house a completely different feel to modern leather suites and glass and chrome pieces. What’s the style of your bed? Traditional or modern? Style above comfort? Or a huge wooden sleigh bed that all the family pile onto at the weekend?

Accessories: how is your house dressed? Is it formal, with tall, elegant vases and carefully chosen coffee table books? Or is it full of vibrant rugs and cushions in a jumble of colours? Look at your mugs – they can be a dead giveaway! If you are happy giving your guests mismatching mugs, then you probably have a relaxed attitude to your house style, and it may well be reflected in a casual, homely feel. A perfectly matching tea set could indicate a more reserved, uniform style that is apparent throughout the house.

Position: no matter how hard you try to overcome your location, some of it will seep into the house. So if yours is the only ‘Grand Design’ on a road full of sixties’ bungalows, it will diminish the overall wow factor for someone walking in. Unless they’ve been blindfolded…. So, muddy lanes feel the right way to approach a farmhouse, whereas a smart tree-lined avenue can really ‘pre-sell’ a period townhouse to a buyer as they approach.

A brand is like a jigsaw: it needs all the pieces to fit in order to work. In a house, one piece out of place, like an incongruous colour, an inconsistent piece of furniture or an ill-fitting neighbour, can detract from the overall impression you’re trying to create. By being aware of what your house brand is, or could be, may well help you to attract that buyer more effectively. Take that one step further, by commissioning a graphic designer to create your house name or number as a logo, and use it on your brochure, to really push that message home to a buyer. If it resonates, and it’s authentic, it’ll work.

If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch.

What to read next: New kid on the block? (Could be just what you need.)

What to do next: Sign up to my Selling Secrets http://www.home-truths.co.uk/selling-secrets

The post What’s your house brand? appeared first on Home Truths.

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What’s your house brand?

Branding is a symbol or mark that distinguishes one product from another, just as it was originally intended to ensure farmers and ranchers knew which herd was theirs. It’s now a kind of short-cut; think of the Nike swoosh, or Red Bull’s wings; all the brand personality and attributes are delivered through that one graphic: perhaps you think of ‘Just do it’, and the message of hard work and commitment when you see the Nike logo, and fun, energy and people jumping out of space ships when you see the Red Bull logo.

Of course, a logo doesn’t make a brand, it just carries its ethos and message in a little, efficient package.  Large companies have a ‘brand bible’: a dossier of exact colours, fonts and basically rules, for every use of their name and logo in print or online.

People can be brands; just think of Lady Gaga, or Princess Kate. And so can houses. In fact, the stronger and more defined your house brand, the more likely you are to appeal to your buyer. But how? Let’s break it down:

Colours: the most visual of a brand’s personality, colours need to reflect the lifestyle and the tone of a house. So, muted, natural colours may accurately reflect a Georgian townhouse whereas a palette of white, black and even red may fit a bachelor apartment and convey its tone.

Mood: or atmosphere, is how your house makes someone feel when they walk through the door. Homely, impressive, calming, vibrant, cosy, minimalist; these are all feelings that a house can convey very quickly. As well as décor, music and lighting, and even smells, play a huge part in conveying a mood.

Furnishings: large squashy sofas and chunky wooden furniture will give your house a completely different feel to modern leather suites and glass and chrome pieces. What’s the style of your bed? Traditional or modern? Style above comfort? Or a huge wooden sleigh bed that all the family pile onto at the weekend?

Accessories: how is your house dressed? Is it formal, with tall, elegant vases and carefully chosen coffee table books? Or is it full of vibrant rugs and cushions in a jumble of colours? Look at your mugs – they can be a dead giveaway! If you are happy giving your guests mismatching mugs, then you probably have a relaxed attitude to your house style, and it may well be reflected in a casual, homely feel. A perfectly matching tea set could indicate a more reserved, uniform style that is apparent throughout the house.

Position: no matter how hard you try to overcome your location, some of it will seep into the house. So if yours is the only ‘Grand Design’ on a road full of sixties’ bungalows, it will diminish the overall wow factor for someone walking in. Unless they’ve been blindfolded…. So, muddy lanes feel the right way to approach a farmhouse, whereas a smart tree-lined avenue can really ‘pre-sell’ a period townhouse to a buyer as they approach.

A brand is like a jigsaw: it needs all the pieces to fit in order to work. In a house, one piece out of place, like an incongruous colour, an inconsistent piece of furniture or an ill-fitting neighbour, can detract from the overall impression you’re trying to create. By being aware of what your house brand is, or could be, may well help you to attract that buyer more effectively. Take that one step further, by commissioning a graphic designer to create your house name or number as a logo, and use it on your brochure, to really push that message home to a buyer. If it resonates, and it’s authentic, it’ll work.

If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch.

What to read next: New kid on the block? (Could be just what you need.)

What to do next: Sign up to my Selling Secrets http://www.home-truths.co.uk/selling-secrets

The post What’s your house brand? appeared first on Home Truths.

from Home Truths https://ift.tt/2WtgTot
via IFTTT

What’s your house brand?

Branding is a symbol or mark that distinguishes one product from another, just as it was originally intended to ensure farmers and ranchers knew which herd was theirs. It’s now a kind of short-cut; think of the Nike swoosh, or Red Bull’s wings; all the brand personality and attributes are delivered through that one graphic: perhaps you think of ‘Just do it’, and the message of hard work and commitment when you see the Nike logo, and fun, energy and people jumping out of space ships when you see the Red Bull logo.

Of course, a logo doesn’t make a brand, it just carries its ethos and message in a little, efficient package.  Large companies have a ‘brand bible’: a dossier of exact colours, fonts and basically rules, for every use of their name and logo in print or online.

People can be brands; just think of Lady Gaga, or Princess Kate. And so can houses. In fact, the stronger and more defined your house brand, the more likely you are to appeal to your buyer. But how? Let’s break it down:

Colours: the most visual of a brand’s personality, colours need to reflect the lifestyle and the tone of a house. So, muted, natural colours may accurately reflect a Georgian townhouse whereas a palette of white, black and even red may fit a bachelor apartment and convey its tone.

Mood: or atmosphere, is how your house makes someone feel when they walk through the door. Homely, impressive, calming, vibrant, cosy, minimalist; these are all feelings that a house can convey very quickly. As well as décor, music and lighting, and even smells, play a huge part in conveying a mood.

Furnishings: large squashy sofas and chunky wooden furniture will give your house a completely different feel to modern leather suites and glass and chrome pieces. What’s the style of your bed? Traditional or modern? Style above comfort? Or a huge wooden sleigh bed that all the family pile onto at the weekend?

Accessories: how is your house dressed? Is it formal, with tall, elegant vases and carefully chosen coffee table books? Or is it full of vibrant rugs and cushions in a jumble of colours? Look at your mugs – they can be a dead giveaway! If you are happy giving your guests mismatching mugs, then you probably have a relaxed attitude to your house style, and it may well be reflected in a casual, homely feel. A perfectly matching tea set could indicate a more reserved, uniform style that is apparent throughout the house.

Position: no matter how hard you try to overcome your location, some of it will seep into the house. So if yours is the only ‘Grand Design’ on a road full of sixties’ bungalows, it will diminish the overall wow factor for someone walking in. Unless they’ve been blindfolded…. So, muddy lanes feel the right way to approach a farmhouse, whereas a smart tree-lined avenue can really ‘pre-sell’ a period townhouse to a buyer as they approach.

A brand is like a jigsaw: it needs all the pieces to fit in order to work. In a house, one piece out of place, like an incongruous colour, an inconsistent piece of furniture or an ill-fitting neighbour, can detract from the overall impression you’re trying to create. By being aware of what your house brand is, or could be, may well help you to attract that buyer more effectively. Take that one step further, by commissioning a graphic designer to create your house name or number as a logo, and use it on your brochure, to really push that message home to a buyer. If it resonates, and it’s authentic, it’ll work.

If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch.

What to read next: New kid on the block? (Could be just what you need.)

What to do next: Sign up to my Selling Secrets http://www.home-truths.co.uk/selling-secrets

The post What’s your house brand? appeared first on Home Truths.

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