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Thought Leadership

A place to keep up-to-date with the latest marketing trends

Strategy, Workshops

5 Ways to Align Your Sales and Marketing Teams

By on

12 November, 2021

- Strategy, Workshops

Misalignment between the sales and marketing teams is a common problem in many businesses. We’d all agree that it’s imperative that they need to work hand in hand. But believe it or not, some sales and marketing teams barely speak to one another.

 

They both have the same objective – to drive sales and revenue. Marketing’s role is to generate qualified leads, manage the customer experience, increase brand awareness and create a brand-appropriate sales environment. The sales team’s role is to turn the qualified leads into sales and provide an exceptional customer experience.

 

According to Marketing Mag, “the two need to work hand in hand in order to fire up the lead gen engine.”

 

As featured on the Marketing Mag website, here’s Azadeh Williams’ (the founder and managing partner of global B2B media and marketing agency, AZK Media) take on how sales and marketing can work together to generate real, tangible results:

 

1. Adopt a complementary mindset

When you think of marketing as ‘secondary’ to sales, that’s where you start having problems. When you instil a culture of seeing the two as complementary, everyone’s mindset shifts towards being more collaborative. After all, there is a lot of dependency, especially in B2B, that marketing has on sales and vice versa. The whole idea of alignment is understanding what those key dependencies are. Then align roles and responsibilities so everybody has a clear-eyed view of what the future looks like.

 

2. Use common language

One of the first ways to align is by creating a common language. As an example, what a ‘lead’ means for your marketing department (MQL or marketing qualified lead), may be completely different to what it means to the sales team (SQL). A marketing team could say, ‘I’ve generated 27,000 MQLs’, but zero of these have turned into revenue. That’s a terrible disconnection. A common framework or a common language and clear expectations is a starting point for any of this to create alignment.

 

3. Establish common KPIs

Another way to align is to look at performance metrics and evaluate revenue goals and budgeting together. It is critical to formulate targets in this way so you’re sharing a common goal – regardless of how you budget, your account-based marketing plan or even your inbound lead gen strategy. It’s important to find a common ground.

 

Once those things are clearly defined, you can consider creating a playbook that clearly outlines roles and responsibilities. This is a place to hold one another accountable. Every quarter, you can then review the metrics and playbook, and continue to iterate and evolve, so sales and marketing continue to complement each other and work like a ‘well-oiled machine’. 

 

4. Identify common mistakes to avoid when trying to get sales and marketing alignment right

One of the biggest mistakes is not getting C-suite buy-in and executive sponsorship. The sales leader and the marketing leader could be thinking, ‘yes, let’s do this, let’s walk arm in arm and go.’ But if you don’t have buy-in across the C suite, it’s not going to take off.

 

In times of economic uncertainty, the CFO (chief financial officer) or the CRO (chief relationship officer) are often the key people in this equation. They’re funding the sales and marketing budget. They’re also looking at the business holistically. If there’s a perception in the organisation that marketing performs one way and sales performance another way, then it’s harder to convince the CFO that you’re anything but siloed. 

 

5. Driving value in greater alignment

From an agency perspective, here are things to do before engaging with a client to help support their media, marketing strategy and campaigns. Take a deeper look at their sales and marketing alignment.

 

In essence, effective alignment is all about continued communication and collaboration. It’s about bringing all of your sales and marketing talent and resources together, in one place. Then create a playbook. This means sales and marketing can work together, driving demand, closing business, looking at the full customer lifecycle, and tackling retention, renewal, cross-sell and upsell – all as one robust ecosystem. 

 

 

At Property Republic, we recommend conducting a workshop to help your sales and marketing teams get on the same page. During this workshop, the project team and other influencers can put forward their ideas in a safe environment. Ideally, this workshop is facilitated by an external party (like us!), who has some knowledge of your industry. A workshop agenda example:

  • Determine the project mission

  • Agree the strategic objectives

  • Brainstorm the critical success factors

  • Evaluate the critical success factors to determine the actions required to achieve success

  • Determine who will be responsible

  • Identify how you will monitor and measure each success factor

 

Use group brainstorming techniques to keep the session invigorating and attention focused. You’ll leave with a clear understanding of the project’s destiny that will assist with marketing planning and budgeting.

 

By making sure your sales and marketing departments are on the same page, you’ll be able to maximise your content strategy and ensure that the full customer lifecycle remains seamless.

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Strategy

Case Study: Discover Downsizing’s Content and Social Media Strategy

By on

3 November, 2021

- Strategy

At Property Republic, we’re passionate about helping our clients reach their goals and objectives, and our work with Discover Downsizing perfectly highlights this.

 

Discover Downsizing approached our content marketing extension, Content Republic, to deliver a range of content-related services, including blog, email and social media content creation, social media scheduling and management, as well as Facebook ads and re-targeting.

 

Here’s a breakdown of how our content marketing strategy development and services helped Discover Downsizing achieve their objectives:

 

Context

 

Discover Downsizing came into fruition when the Residential Land Lease Alliance (RLLA) formed a joint venture with the Caravan Industry Association of Australia (CIAA) to target the latter’s database of over 175,000 over 50s caravanners in Australia.

 

A survey that had been sent out to the CIAA database found that a significant percentage of recipients wanted to learn more about downsizing communities and their benefits.

 

The joint venture team engaged Content Republic team, Property Republic’s content marketing extension, to deliver content and social media marketing services with the aim of growing the Discover Downsizing database and educating its target audience about the benefits of downsizing to a Land Lease Community.

 

It was agreed that Content Republic would create social media, email marketing and blog content, manage their social media platforms, and run retargeting ad campaigns on Facebook.

 

Challenges

The primary objective of the initiative is to create content that will help Discover Downsizing build and grow its database. However, to maximise the benefits of consistent and valuable content, there needed to be a solid strategy in place. Otherwise, content is just stuff.

 

Primary Goal

 

The primary goal involves building and growing an interested audience for Discover Downsizing and educating them on the benefits of downsizing into a Land Lease Community. The intention is that Discover Downsizing will become a hub of information for over 50s who wish to learn more about downsizing options, how Land Lease Communities differ from retirement villages and their many advantages.

 

Other Goals

The client also set a goal of reaching 5,000 likes on Discover Downsizing’s Facebook page by the end of August 2021.

 

Process

 

The process began with two workshops – a Value Proposition and Scope of Works workshop, as well as a 90-Minute Content Strategy workshop. This was where the goals and objectives of the content marketing activities were identified.

 

Content Republic approached the initiative in two phases.

 

Phase One

Phase one involves utilising the existing database and creating valuable and educational content with strong Calls to Action (CTAs) to visit Discover Downsizing’s website.

 

The process started with the creation of content pillars after the Content Strategy workshop, which enables a deeper coverage across a range of core topic areas while creating an efficient information architecture in the process.

 

The Content Republic team identified and developed several pillars for the client’s consideration as well as a range of content topics, ideas and thought starters.

 

Phase One also involved finalising the strategy around the social media campaigns, including the imagery, budget, and social media management. 

 

Phase Two

 

This phase is all about attracting a new audience for Discover Downsizing and activating the community.

 

This is achieved through creating relevant and valuable content around the pros and cons of downsizing into a Land Lease Community. It also includes education pieces around freeing up capital, lifestyle benefits, moving into brand-new homes with fantastic amenities, and understanding what a Land Lease Community is all about. The content covers blog posts, social media posts and eDMs. Social media ads were also created.

 

The Content Republic team create, schedule and boost the social posts as well as build and run social media campaigns. The latter included a Page Likes campaign that aimed to generate 5,000 page likes for the client.

 

The social posts and eDMs link back to the website to ensure a steady stream of traffic.

 

Every week, a report is sent out to the Discover Downsizing team to keep them up to date with the results of the campaigns and the performance of the social posts. A regular monthly meeting with the Content Republic team also takes place to ensure that the goals and strategies are on track.

 

Final Report

 

Content Republic has developed a streamlined strategy that encompasses the main goals of Discover Downsizing – growing and educating its online community about downsizing and its many benefits through creating timely, relevant content for different platforms (blogs, eDMs, social media) and running social campaigns.

 

In August 2021, the goal of reaching 5,000 page likes on Facebook was achieved. Social media boosting campaigns also helped to increase audience engagement, creating conversations around downsizing.

 

Feedback

 

Stuart Lamont, Chief Executive Officer at Caravan Industry Association of Australia, has this to say about our work for them:

 

 

Content Republic constantly creates high-quality digital content that is designed to resonate strongly with our target audience. Starting our relationship with a strategic workshop has set us up for long term success, and importantly established a consistent brand voice across all channels. Their systems and reporting mechanisms are efficient, and our regular briefings ensure that we maintain a great working dynamic focussed on results. Thank you, Content Republic, for helping us shine online!

 

 

Need help with your social media and content marketing strategy? Our content marketing extension, Content Republic, offers cost-effective services to suit your need. Get in touch today!

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Project Marketing, Strategy

Unpacking the 2022 Trend Hunter Report: Product Innovation

By on

24 August, 2021

- Project Marketing, Strategy

The Property Republic team recently read and unpacked the 2022 Trend Hunter Report to see how property brands can stay ahead of the curve and respond to changing expectations and behaviours. Here are the report’s top 5 product innovation trends, insights and key takeaways your property business needs to be aware of:

 

Integrating Furnishing

Pet-friendly features are integrated into home furnishings.

 

Trend: Home design brands are adapting to the needs of pet owners with furnishings that are made for human use, but that have pet-friendly features that allow for animal use too. These include everything from seating solutions to entertainment units.

Insight: The pet care industry continues to grow, and people are putting more care into their pets’ lifestyles as they try to accommodate for things like spatial shortcomings. With more people in urban areas and living in smaller homes and apartments, integrated pet-friendly home features are particularly useful.

 
Takeaway: How is your brand (and its products and services) adjusting to customers’ lifestyles?

 

Adjustable Office

Brands offer home office systems that cater to changes in work culture.

 

Trend: Home office systems offered by furniture brands are becoming increasingly flexible and diverse in their uses. These systems offer important features like portability, privacy and space-saving.

Insight: Now that work-from-home culture is likely to remain the norm in the long term, people require at-home workstations that cater to their lifestyles at home. Features like privacy and modularity are important for people working from home–particularly for those with families, roommates, and/or small living spaces.

 

Takeaway: How is your brand catering to changed lifestyles and work cultures?

 

Dating Coach

Digital coaching for people who use dating apps is on the rise.

 

Trend: Dating apps can be difficult for people to navigate, and coaches in this space (both human and digital) are helping people through the process with either one-on-one coaching, or with advice columns connected to these apps.

Insight: The digital habits of the modern age have resulted in a slew of businesses turning up to adapt to consumers’ emerging needs. These new practices come with their own set of challenges and setbacks, and brands have an opportunity to offer solutions to them.

 

Takeaway: How is your brand offering solutions to emerging consumer concerns?

 

Audio Only

Audio-only apps offer new forms of social media and content interactions.

 

Trend: What was recently considered “old fashioned” is being made new again–audio-based communication and engagement with content are being revamped with audio-only options that take the pressure off virtual communication, or allow people to multitask while engaging with content that typically includes videos.

Insight: When it comes to social and content platforms, people are accustomed to soundbites, constant scrolling and communicating with text. With the increased engagement that these platforms are seeing, features that allow for audio-only communication or listening are able to stand out to those consumers who want something new.

 

Takeaway: How can your brand offer consumers alternatives to their entrenched habits?

 

Japandi Expansion

Hybridisation of Scandinavian & Japanese motifs is becoming prominent in design.

 

Trend: Furniture brands and interior designers are combining stylistic influences from Japan and Scandinavian countries to inform a style hybrid called “Japandi.” Spaces with this aesthetic direction combine natural materials and a pared-back colour palette, creating interiors that are minimal and warm.

Insight: Contemporary consumers in faced-paced urban centres are looking to balance the demands of their daily lifestyle with a comfortable home environment. In this space, many are prioritising minimalist designs and simple solutions that can optimise and elevate their living situation, without compromising on aesthetic appeal. When these needs are met, consumers feel more relaxed and can comfortably recharge for the next day.

 

Takeaway: How can your brand optimise the ‘Japandi’ aesthetic?
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Strategy

Unpacking the 2022 Trend Hunter Report: Sustainability

By on

24 August, 2021

- Strategy

The Property Republic team recently read and unpacked the 2022 Trend Hunter Report to see how property brands can stay ahead of the curve and respond to changing expectations and behaviours. Here are the report’s top 5 sustainability trends, insights and key takeaways your property business needs to be aware of:

 

1. Waste Reduction

B2B waste-reduction platforms, initiatives and collaborations are on the rise.

 

Trend: As brands look to become more environmentally friendly, they’re increasingly turning to businesses that specialise in waste-reduction. Everything from food waste to textile waste is now being addressed and repurposed by emerging B2B businesses.

Insight: As consumers become more eco-friendly, they’re putting more pressure on brands to do the same, and to help them adapt their lifestyles to reduce their personal impact. Brands that make these adjustments in authentic ways appeal to the growing demographic of eco-conscious consumers.

 

Takeaway: How can you better prioritise eco-friendly operations?

 

2. Eco Retailer

Brands offer eco-friendly in-store designs and solutions.

 

Trend: To show their commitment to environmental issues, some brands are implementing eco-friendly designs and solutions in their stores. These include everything from plastic bans to using solar-powered energy.

Insight: As consumers’ concern for climate change and its consequences grows, they’re turning their expectations onto brands rather than just themselves in making a positive change. Understanding that ecological issues are caused more by institutional factors than they are individual actions, consumers are increasingly expecting that brands make changes to lessen their impact on the environment.

 

Takeaway: How is your brand lessening its environmental impact?

 

3. Solar energy Powered Retail

Solar energy is increasingly utilised by the retail and restaurant industries.

 

Trend: Retail and dining establishments are moving brick-and-mortar spaces that are fully powered by solar energy. In doing so, companies are successful in minimising harmful energy use, while simultaneously catering to the concerns of the eco consumer.

Insight: Many consumers—especially Millennials and Gen Z—are conscious about the state of the environment, and the threat of pollution and climate change. As such, individuals are continuously emphasising the importance of sustainable decisions and are taking it upon themselves to hold brands accountable. Through this activism, consumers are experiencing peace of mind for taking care of the environment, and as a result, are drawn to brands that reflect similar values.

 

Takeaway: How can your brand better cater to the eco consumer?

 

4. Repurposed Species

Brands use invasive species to create products and help the environment.

 

Trend: Invasive species in bodies of water can severely impact biodiversity, and some brands are aiming to do something about it with products that use these species in their ingredients or materials. Everything from pet food to tiling is now incorporating invasive species to reduce their environmental impact.

Insight: As consumers become more aware of the many ways in which environmental damage is occurring around the world, they increasingly appreciate brands that promise to alleviate some of those issues. Moving forward, more consumers will prioritise sustainability in their lifestyles and purchase decisions.

 

Takeaway: How is your brand prioritising sustainability?

 

5. Printed Climate-Proof

3D-printed housing prioritises protection from the elements.

 

Trend: As climate change becomes an important factor in how new homes around the world are built, 3D-printed housing is making the process of designing natural disaster-proof housing easier. These homes offer sustainable and protective construction that avoids structural issues in the case of extreme weather.

Insight: As consumers become increasingly concerned about how current and impending weather changes will impact their lives, more are turning to longer term investments and choices that guarantee them some level of protection when it comes to the consequences of climate change. These changes can exist in everything from housing to where people choose to live.

 

Takeaway: How is your brand prioritising long-term sustainability and protection for customers?
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Customer Experience, Strategy

Unpacking the 2022 Trend Hunter Report: Consumer Priorities

By on

24 August, 2021

- Customer Experience, Strategy

The Property Republic team recently read and unpacked the 2022 Trend Hunter Report to see how property brands can stay ahead of the curve and respond to changing expectations and behaviours. Here are the report’s top 4 consumer priorities trends, insights and key takeaways your property business needs to be aware of:

 

1. WFH Prosumer

Consumers who are working from home are opting-in for more powerful tech products.

 

Trend: Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, specialised tech appealed to prosumers and professionals in the tech sector. Now, these products are becoming more accessible to everyday consumers who find themselves working from home for extended periods of time.

Insight: As many consumers continue to work from home due to the ongoing health pandemic, they are looking for ways to enhance their experience. This is connected to a desire to be comfortable in one’s productivity, while also minimising the risk of common issues pertaining to connectivity and presentation. Succeeding in this allows consumers to feel more confident in their day-to-day and to stay motivated during a difficult time.

 

Takeaway: How can your property brand assist consumers working from home?

 

2. Boomer Tech

Apps that are typically used by younger demographics see a boost among seniors.

 

Trend: With COVID-19 being risky for senior citizens in particular, stay-at-home orders are especially important to keep this demographic safe. Thus, they’re having to adapt just as much as everyone else when it comes to staying healthy and connected with others. As a result, brands that offer online services like virtual exercise and conferencing are seeing a boost in senior engagement.

Insight: In many ways, senior citizens have been hit harder than other demographics when it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic. On top of being more likely to face serious consequences as a result of contracting the virus, they’ve also been more psychologically harmed by the isolation that’s been imposed on people around the world, particularly those who live in care homes. Thus, those who have the capacity to engage in the platforms that are keeping people entertained and connected are going to be a priority for this older generation as well.

 

Takeaway: How is your property business engaging Baby Boomers, and what more can you do?

 

3. Next Gen Care

Oral hygiene brands are appealing to Gen Z via design and marketing.

 

Trend: Emerging oral hygiene brands are working harder to appeal to Gen Z demographics, with marketing and branding that features youthful aesthetics similar to those of the skincare and beauty space.

Insight: Gen Z has now emerged as the next generation to take charge of pop culture and design trends, and this generation has more diverse preferences and needs that need to be met before they’re loyal to a brand. Everything from inclusion to social media influences this generation’s purchase decisions, and brands are having to adapt to this shift.

 

Takeaway: How is your brand working to appeal to Gen Z?

 

4. Comfort Commercial

Ad campaigns take on more positive and soothing themes.

 

Trend: As the world gradually lifts pandemic-related restrictions, brands are increasingly prioritising “wellness” to help ease people’s lingering anxieties. This includes ad campaigns that focus on comforting and relaxing themes that offer a more positive outlook on the future than what has been seen in the last year.

Insight: Consumer stress has been at an all time high in recent months, with everything from social restrictions to financial upheavals having an impact. As people slowly grow accustomed to life going back to “normal,” they seek out brands that help that process along – whether it’s emotionally, financially, or recreationally.

 

Takeaway: Property brands generally do this well. What post pandemic priorities are you focusing on?
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Project Marketing, Strategy

The Genius Model: a new methodology to set your project up for success

By on

21 June, 2021

- Project Marketing, Strategy

It all starts with the customer.

If your project is in the infancy of its brand development, there is an ideal opportunity to design and finesse the customer journey from the get-go.

 

Refining the customer journey will inform key decision making for the overall project and marketing strategy. This will help to reduce the cost of sale in the long-term and increase certainty in sales.

 

Property Republic has developed a model and methodology that, with input from the internal project team and external partners, will enhance the customer experience, engage prospects, purchasers and residents, and create a vibrant community – leaving a positive legacy for the developer’s brand.

 

 At Property Republic, we take a holistic view of project marketing that creates consistent results, increased control and better conversion. Our approach dives deep into the strategy, standards and structure required to achieve sell out success.

 

We use nine ‘accelerators’ to develop the road map to this success. These accelerators have been developed by our Founder Judi Carr, a property sales and marketing sage with over 25 years’ experience.

 

We are certain that our measured approach will deliver more qualified leads to the sales team at a cheaper cost per conversion and anticipate that our methodology will upskill your project team every step of the way.

 

Our Nine Accelerators for Success

1. Value proposition
Understanding your value proposition allows your project team to align future decision making and initiatives with the core purpose of your project. This is where we conduct a workshop with your project team to define the Value Proposition.

 

In this workshop, we will identify the pains and gains of three customer segments you want to focus on. From here we will align them with what’s on offer at your project to truly identify the project’s value proposition.

 

2. Project lifecycle framework
Nurturing your leads through the project lifecycle helps attract a more qualified lead, at a cheaper cost per acquisition and conversion. Once your value proposition is defined per segment, the lifecycle plan is the most important approach to continual and steady success of the project. Our work in this area includes:

 

– Developing the customer experience map per segment
– Developing the content nurturing strategy per segment
– Developing the range of presentations required such as builder, sales centre, Zoom, email, telephone, shopping centre
– Identifying areas of digital execution and automation
– Developing the sales follow-up plan


3. Lead generation
The Lead Generation Blueprint will provide your project with a range of tools for use throughout the life of the project. These include the following strategies:

– Signage hierarchy (what signs with what messages are used where)
– Builder engagement
– Customer referral
– Media buying
– Events

4. Community contribution
A strategic approach to community development aligns community needs and project resources to produce tangible, sustainable benefits.

 

From a new development point of view, community development can be defined as the soft and hard infrastructure that creates a sustainable community. The Community Development Plan will explore the following elements:

 

– Community brokerage
– Build capacity
– Linkages and networks
– Partnerships
– Physical form


5. Product and pricing
Larger residential communities sometimes present the opportunity to create precincts that allow for different product price points and aesthetics. The Precinct Strategy explores:

 

– Strategic locations
– Hard and soft landscaping treatments
– Lot mix
– Housing product design guidelines
– Price point differentials
– Sustainability initiatives
– Access points
-Relationship to nearby facilities
-Timing

 

6. Celebrated launch
Planning a project launch involves the project team working towards a common goal and is not only the responsibility of the sales agency, but also the infrastructure providers, creative agency, landscape team – the entire project team. It’s essential to document expectations in a Launch Strategy and Plan.


7. Market leading strategy
After identifying the:

 

– Value Proposition
– Project Lifecycle Framework
– Lead Generation Blueprint
– Community Development Plan
– Precinct Strategy
– Launch Strategy and Plan

 

we document the marketing and sales strategy or, as we like to call it, the Game Plan. The Game Plan will bring all the information together and become the reference point for the project team.

 

8. Consumer consciousness
Having access to data and being able to interpret and analyse it for the ‘so what’s’ is an imperative part of making great marketing decisions.

 

Our experience tells us that every week within a project team, someone asks for an additional piece of data, which results in lengthy reports being created for one person’s pleasure, which eats up time and resources.

 

Agreeing upfront what needs to be reported, how often and for what purpose can save time and money and allow decision makers to make great sales and marketing decisions.

 

9. Keeping on track
It’s important to keep on track and continue the momentum gained by a successful sales launch. And within each development business, it’s vital to build capacity so that there is continuity in strategy and messaging. The Property Republic team checks in on a monthly basis for the first six months.

 

Want to discuss how we can use our Genius Model to propel your project towards success? Get in touch!

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Strategy

4 Ways Your Property Business Can Stand out on Social Media

By on

24 May, 2021

- Strategy

Social media is an integral part of your digital marketing strategy. Utilising it effectively can help to propel your marketing goals into action and garner great results.

 

2020 saw more and more brands adopt a solid presence on social media in an effort to be where their customers are – on their phones!

 

So, what will 2021 have in store for property brands in the social media world? Our sister brand, Content Republic, suggests you focus on these four trends:

 

1. Have a strong online personality

 After experiencing restricted human contact in 2020, customers want to interact with brands who can communicate their personalities digitally. In fact, it’s never been more imperative to have a clear, consistent and compelling brand personality.

 

As the world continues to open up throughout 2021, content and property marketers will need to ensure they don’t lose the brand humanisation they created on their social and digital platforms in 2020. Now that customers have engaged with and enjoyed authentic and personality-filled content from brands, they’ll expect their feeds to continue to show it.

 

2. Utilise live and short videos

The rising popularity of applications and features like Instagram Reels, Snapchat and TikTok indicate that audiences, especially the younger generations, will continue to respond well to short, impactful videos. The best part about these videos is they require little to no budget, as there’s no need for green screens or expensive productions. Simply use a smart phone and film against an informal backdrop that’s relevant and highlights your real work environment.

 

Some ideas you can implement today include:

 

  • A live construction update that communicates progress

  • 15-second promotional video on Facebook, promoting an upcoming release

  • Testimonials and interviews with satisfied buyers

  • Walk-through of a new development or display

  • Walk-through of your display office, introducing key sales staff

  • A short video showcasing your project’s different community groups and initiatives

 

3. Have a raw and unfiltered brand presence

Your property brand is more than your product, so ensure that you are communicating what goes on behind the scenes to add an authentic personality. The ideal way to engage on social media is to stay true to your brand and its value proposition. Being authentic can help you form a personal and more meaningful connection with your target market. They want to know the human element behind the brand, so producing relatable and relevant social posts will remain the best way to go in 2021.

 

Remember that the content you produce doesn’t have to be perfect and glossy – raw, relatable and real content that lets your brand’s personality shine through performs well.

 

4. Educate first, sell second

It sells to educate first. The customer journey can be a complex process and your audience wants to know that you’ll support them through every step – especially after the uncertainties experienced in 2020.

 

You need to provide your audience with the information they need to make a confident purchase decision. Identify your target market’s pain points and inform them of how your brand can help solve them.

So, before you start posting sales messages, make sure that you’ve educated your customers first. It’s the best way to provide them with the best customer experience and keep them coming back for more.

 

How will you respond to 2021’s emerging trends?

If your property business needs support re-invigorating and optimising its sales, customer experience and content marketing initiatives to respond to new shifts, expectations and behaviours, the Property Republic and Content Republic teams are here to help.

 

Read more in our PRX Magazine: The 2021 Trends Edition.

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Strategy

5 Crucial Content Marketing Trends for Property Businesses

By on

17 May, 2021

- Strategy

The best way to create meaningful connections with your customer at every stage of their journey is to deliver consistent and valuable content. And with face-to-face contact limited throughout 2020, many businesses turned to creating content to engage their audience.

 

So, with more and more property brands using content to drive their customer relationships, our sister brand, Content Republic, has listed four important trends you need to be aware of to stay ahead of the competition.

 

1. Have a strong content strategy that involves digital
If there was one thing businesses needed to learn quickly in 2020, it was how to reach their audience in new, innovative ways that didn’t involve face-to-face contact. As a result, we saw a surge in social media and content marketing activities as brands found new ways to be where their customers are (at home, on their devices!).

 

In 2021, we can expect that this focus on social and digital content will keep growing, as brands continue to realise that having a strong content marketing strategy and social media presence is no longer optional – it’s fundamental!

 

More than this, content marketers in 2021 will need to continue to demonstrate and build upon the skills they were forced to adopt – flexibility, nimbleness and an ability to seamlessly adapt to new realities.

 

“Studies on content marketing show that one of the key differences between the most successful and least successful businesses is the use of documented content marketing strategies.”
Neal Schaffer, Chief Marketing Officer – Fractional

 

2. Get behind the camera
It’s safe to say, whether acting as a brand or consumer, we all saw and experienced an increase in live videos on our feeds in 2020. After all, if your customers can’t come to you, then you’ll need to go to them!

Moving into 2021, brands need to be aware that expensive, polished and highly produced videos aren’t necessarily the most engaging. More than anything, customers want to engage with content that is authentic, real, humanised and entertaining.

“The uncertainty of 2020 has taught us the importance of content as a tool for reaching our audience when many of our typical engagement points are closed, cancelled, or unavailable.”
Melanie Deziel, Chief Content Officer – StoryFuel

 

If you committed to delivering live or authentic pre-recorded videos in your social media and content marketing activities in 2020, keep doing it in 2021. Your audience will continue to want to get you know you, your products and services from the comforts of home, and video is the best way to do it.

 

“With 5.11 billion unique mobile users in the world, mobile usage is at an all-time high. And the most convenient content format for mobile is video. Creating live videos gives your users a great mobile experience and it’s convenient to consume.”
Neal Schaffer, Chief Marketing Officer – Franctional

 

3. Be empathic
 Now more than ever, businesses need to be sensitive and listen to what matters to their audience. As customers deal with uncertainty in their daily lives, it becomes necessary to focus on values like integrity and transparency. Also consider how you can respond to, and evoke emotions through the creation of content. By building content around values that matter to your audience, you’ll also create a content strategy that forms an emotional connection with customers.

 

“People want to feel heard and appreciated as an individual and they have the power to ask for that, because there is so much market saturation. Mass media marketing is dead. People want communication at a 1 to 1 level in a manner that’s relevant for them. Especially due to COVID-19, empathy plays a strong role in making sure that customers are satisfied with your marketing and communication strategy.”
Adriana Stein, Director – IDI Consultancy

 

4. Repurpose and recycle
In 2021, you’ll save time and money by having a repurposing strategy for your content. Consider how you can transform one type of content into another. For example, can a 5-minute video be cut down into 10 different 30-second videos to share across social media? Can your product brochures be divided into multiple blogs that sit on your website? Can your downloadable guides be cut up into bite-sized chunks and sent to your database in an email newsletter?

 

Giving your content not only a new life, but a longer shelf life by turning it into different forms, is a fantastic way to appeal to bigger audiences and generate more interest.

5. Prepare for the unknown through innovation
Expect the unexpected; that’s a lesson that 2020 taught the world. But how can marketers realistically prepare for the unknown and the uncertain?

 

The answer? Innovation.

 

Try new things. Break the rules. Fail. Try again. Be different. Be bold. Take risks. Be flexible. Be willing to embrace change even before it’s required. The future belongs to marketers who are willing to adapt long before they need to. In 2021 and beyond, make sure your content marketing activities stem from innovative strategies

 

How will you respond to 2021’s emerging trends?

If your property business needs support re-invigorating and optimising its sales, customer experience and content marketing initiatives to respond to new shifts, expectations and behaviours, the Property Republic and Content Republic teams are here to help.

 

Read more in our PRX Magazine: The 2021 Trends Edition.

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Customer Experience, Lead Nurture, Strategy

3 Customer Experience Must-dos in 2021

By on

10 May, 2021

- Customer Experience, Lead Nurture, Strategy

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, having an exceptional customer experience is the best way to stay ahead of the competition, not only during market downturns, but all year round.

 

With customer expectations constantly changing, evolving and increasing, property businesses must continue to place the customer experience at the heart of all strategies in order to experience consistent success.

“The only truth is that if we follow the needs of our consumers – in content creation and in research and development – we should still have a place in the market in 2021.”
Jessica Best, Vice President – Data-driven Marketing Barkley


Here are three customer experience trends and must-knows to think about in 2021:

 

1. Place your customers’ needs at the heart of your activities
One of our most favourite insights that we like to communicate to all our clients goes a little like this: If businesses continuously placed the customer (and their needs) at the centre of all strategies, it wouldn’t be so hard to make sales during market downturns.

 

This is because by having a comprehensive understanding of who your customer is, what their pain points are, what needs they have and how these needs can evolve and shift, you have the ability to create strategies and products that respond to them.

 

If 2020 was the year where brands had to adapt their services and marketing activities to respond to customer needs and behaviours in a COVID world, 2021 will be the year where businesses will need to have a clear plan in action to monitor and respond to their customers’ evolving needs and expectations in a world where anything seems possible.

 

2. Respond to new consumer behaviours, expectations and priorities
In a world where homebuyers have hundreds of options at their fingertips, property businesses need to deliver an experience (and a product!) that customers genuinely desire or risk missing out. Customers expect to receive a personalised experience that’s tailored to their needs and makes them feel listened to and valued.

 

“Customers ultimately wish to do business with companies that demonstrate care and respect for their needs: having a well-considered customer journey will help set your business apart by approaching your product and service delivery in a way that always puts the customer first.”
Anne Baker, Director – Two Crowns Marketing

 

Consumers have shorter attention spans, higher expectations and different priorities after experiencing a range of difficulties throughout 2020, and property businesses need to be ready to respond to these shifts by placing the customer and their changing needs at the core of every strategy.

 

 

3. Improve mobile and user experience
It’s no secret that the modern buyer explores a range of property websites on their phones and laptops for weeks (or months) before entering a sales office. This means that your brand’s digital experience needs to be optimised and prioritised. Make your value proposition clear, navigation easy and information readily available for those who want to learn more.

 

A great way to determine the effectiveness and identify potential downfalls of your digital experience is through mystery shopping, and the Property Republic team are experts at this. We conduct online, telephone and in-person enquiries, monitor all communication with sales representatives and visit the sales centre. We then audit any follow-up and provide a comprehensive report with recommendations. Our methodology lets you hear from our shoppers and feel the emotion soon after their shopping experience.

 

For more key insights, read our PRX Magazine: The 2021 Trends Edition.

 

 

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Strategy

Must-know Property Trends Part 2: How we purchase property in 2021

By on

19 April, 2021

- Strategy

The Property Republic team spoke with industry leaders to get their insight on what shifts will occur in property throughout 2021. Here’s what the experts had to say:

 

1. The online sales process in property will continue to be a focus
It’s fair to say that the online sales process is here to stay. The lack of face-to-face contact experienced during the 2020 lockdown periods and the increased emphasis of social distancing practices were the push many property businesses needed to transform and improve their online customer experience. Being able to deliver a completely digital customer journey, from initial enquiry all the way to sale and beyond is not only an expectation, it’s essential.

 

“I’m confident the sales process will remain online. Due to COVID we needed to change our sales process to a full online experience. Now that the restrictions have eased, we are still seeing that the majority of enquiry (90%) would still prefer to buy a property this way.”
 Matt Dean, Project Director – Woodlea

 

Home buyers – especially the younger generation of home buyers – will continue to opt for digital experiences over in-person ones and this means property businesses need to make this a priority. Delivering multiple online touchpoints, virtual meetings and walkthroughs, digital nurture sequences and a seamless experience is becoming the status quo, so now property businesses must ask themselves “what more can we do to stand out from the competition?”

 

“I think there will be greater expectations and market acceptance for a digital marketing and sales experience post COVID-19 lockdowns. Like with a lot of things, COVID-19 has fast tracked digitisation which has been slowly happening for years. The days of driving around to 10 different land sales offices to shop around are officially over!”
Ryan Beer, Senior Development Manager – Woodlea

 

2. Audiences will be more engaged and interested

It’s possible that developers will experience higher qualified leads this year, as people are only engaging with the property sector online and in-person when they are seriously considering a purchase. But with a more switched-on audience who have higher expectations, property businesses need to be prepared to differentiate themselves from competitors by prioritising the customer lifecycle and delivering an exceptional experience.

 

Traditionally, the majority of marketing attention and budget gets thrown at the awareness and lead generation stage of the customer journey, with little consideration for how these leads will then be nurtured. This approach needs to change. Property businesses need to place a greater emphasis on the later stages of the customer lifecycle: the interest-intent phase, the decision phase and the loyalty phase. This means refining and perfecting the follow-up call, posting regular and relevant blogs and social media content that serve to educate and inspire and creating an email nurture sequence that delivers real value.


“I believe leads will be more qualified, as I expect people aren’t engaging in the property sector unless they want to transact. And as a result, better conversion rates are expected.”
 Anne Jolic, Head of Development – Retirement Living Lendlease

 

For more key insights, read our PRX Magazine: The 2021 Trends Edition.

 

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