This year, I’ve been in transition. It started in spring, became fast and furious in summer, and now, as things are coming to a head, fingers are crossed that everything snaps into place and life settles down.
You’ve probably had times like this too. A birth or death… a new job… a move.
Transitions tend to be short, condensed periods when everything normal is uprooted and gets turned on its head. They’re exciting, nerve-wracking and overwhelming all at the same time. And because you’re so off-balance, you’re able to see things you might not otherwise have seen.
Our transition has been extensive. Two new jobs, one a career change; a move; and the marriage of our daughter—all in one summer.
As you might guess, there have been a lot of insights along the way. But a few in particular stand out. Especially the seven marketing lessons learned while house hunting.
Don’t get me wrong. I know they’re standard practice for realtors. But this is the first time in a long time that I’ve been the buyer. I saw these tactics from a different perspective—and was amazed at how powerful they are to convince and convert your ideal prospects.
Interested? Take a look at my reaction to different houses and the marketing lesson learned…
First impressions matter.
When house hunting, you want to be wowed as soon as the door swings open. One house opened to a glass door overlooking a concrete porch. It was the ugliest entry I’ve ever seen. And, yes, I hated that house.
Another opened up to sculpted ceilings, a beautiful chandelier and the sun streaming into the front room. Never mind that the bedrooms were too small and the layout kind of funky. It took us a while to mark that house off the list.
Why? Because the first impression was so favorable.
What’s the first impression people have of your website? Even before they read about your product or see the features and benefits, they make a judgment based on the first page they see. Is it attractive and intuitive?
First impressions matter. Invest in your website and product pages.
It has to have “good bones.”
One house in particular makes this point. It was large and beautiful and should have been our dream house. But there were major problems in the master bedroom. Water was coming in from the garden, and low-budget fixes weren’t working.
Obviously, this house didn’t have good bones. Structurally, it was weak—and no amount of money would fix that.
It’s the same with your business. Your website may look great, and you may have lovely product images and strong landing pages. But can people trust you enough to do business with you?
Yes, first impressions matter, but your business needs to have good bones too.
Buying is a sensory experience.
At one house, we were greeted by the smell of freshly baked cookies. How’s that for smart marketing? It was just a smell. But it helped us imagine ourselves living there.
If you can make people imagine themselves using or enjoying your product, you’ll have them drooling over it before they reach the Buy Now button.
Even online, buying can be sensory. In your product description, use sensory language. Help people see, hear and smell it. And help them see how having the product will change their lives.
The imagination is a powerful thing. Put it to work in all your marketing.
Quality matters.
Whenever I saw poor quality in one part of a house, I immediately started looking for signs of poor quality everywhere else. Why? Because taking shortcuts is a habit. When one thing isn’t up to code, other things are likely sub-par too.
Buyers these days are skeptical. If you cut costs where it shows, they’re going to assume you cut costs everywhere. And they’re going to wonder what you aren’t telling them.
Realize that quality matters. Your products, overall business and website need to be as professional as you can afford to make them.
People are inclined to buy from people they like.
There was one house that we nicknamed “the perfect house.” It was beautiful, every detail exactly right. But it wasn’t big enough.
The retired couple who lived there were the ones who showed us through the house. They were charming, and before we left, I could tell they liked us too. They told us we’d need to move fast because someone else was about to make an offer.
Despite it being too small, we still debated. On some unconscious level, we didn’t want to disappoint our “new friends.”
This is true in all of life: If people like you, they’ll want to do things that maintain relationship. So it pays to be likeable.
Engage with your audience. Become active in social media. Treat people right. It does matter.
Price is just one selling point.
In looking for the right house, you’re looking at whether it’s in the right neighborhood, is a step forward or backward, has a good resale value, and more.
All these matter as much as the price, and sometimes more.
Your customers are thinking about more than price too. Does your product do what they need it to do? Will they be able to learn how to use it quickly and easily? Do you offer a money-back guarantee if it doesn’t work?
Price is important, but so are these other issues.
They’re looking for the cracks in your walls.
As a buyer, every time I walked into a house, it was with this attitude: I dare you to make me like you. Good first impressions helped. A house being clean and freshly painted helped. But even when those things were in place, I was looking for evidence that it wasn’t worth buying.
Even if you’re doing everything else right, people are still suspicious. They don’t want to be taken advantage of. They don’t want to buy a lemon.
Remember that. You have to overcome objections. You have to be transparent and honest, so people feel like they know what they’re getting into. Do it well, and they’ll be happy to buy.
Adopt a buyer perspective
To be a great marketer, you have to do more than simply sell. You have to get inside your prospect’s mind and figure out what makes him or her tick. You have to get the details right and overcome objections.
As a recent home buyer, I found this especially true. The sellers that made their house available for viewing—but nothing more—didn’t impress nearly as much as those that went the extra mile.
Be a great marketer. Get the details right. Give your prospects a good experience. And you’ll likely see the difference in your bottom line.
Thoughts? The bug in my comments has now been fixed. Leave one now so I’m sure they work. lol
Image credit: Images_of_Money
