‘What, me?’ you say. ‘A snob? Nah. You got the wrong man there! My property marketing’s all about lifestyle. List it, and they will come!’
But hold on a minute. Isn’t that just a bit robotic? A bit too AI perhaps? To succeed in the new-look SEO world, don’t you have to be a little more – how shall we say? – a little more ‘organic’?
It’s time to get ahead of the game… a bit more ‘post-2026’ maybe? Taking the old-school literal route, it’s highly unlikely that AI-generated copy will include the many nuances that the property market demands. Even worse, it may bomb when it comes to SEO!
At the heart of this new animal is the latent snobbery that exists within the average Brit’s attitude to where we live. ‘Ridiculous!’ you cry. ‘We’re selling lifestyle, convenience and affordability. Snob value doesn’t come into it. If you’re a snob, you must have a personality defect!’
As an analysis – snobbery vs AI – that’s way too simplistic. Property ownership is the physical embodiment of our aspirations. It’s longings made real; ambition writ large. Whether that’s ‘snobbery’ or not is arguable.
Which begs the question: as an estate agent, builder or developer briefing a marketing agency or property copywriter, to which emotions should your marketing efforts be pitched to reach would-be buyers? Or should the question be: how far can you go in exploiting the psychological opportunities (or vulnerabilities, perhaps?) that are present in any and every property transaction?
Marketing Dreams
Behind the mundane appeal of practical considerations such as house size, number of bedrooms and so on, there will always be the more ‘romantic’ factors tied up in everyone’s elusive quest for their ‘dream home’. It’s probably safe to say that with every property and every individual buyer, there will always be a potential emotional component that goes way beyond everyday concerns.
With every box that a property ticks with a potential buyer, there will always be a ‘supplementary’ box or an opportunity left unfulfilled in the purchaser’s mind. This is where marketing skills are tested to the hilt. Far from the phrase ‘snob factor’ being more akin to a dirty word, the possibilities for inspired salesmanship are endless.
A factor as straightforward as ‘location’ can be developed by researching local amenities such as excellent schools, award-winning restaurants, easily-reached areas of ‘outstanding natural beauty’, airports, motorways and other criteria that build a positive picture in buyers’ minds. Likewise with the reputation of a specific area as being ‘excellent for families’, night-life and so on. In addition, there is the not-insignificant appeal of a location that will be a good long-term financial investment.
For all property marketing professionals, it’s worth remembering that – in most cases – enough selling points can be unearthed to transform a mere ‘house move’ into a dream purchase that more than meets the expectations of the most confirmed snob!