Generating traffic to an open house means that you must be aware of what audience it will attract, and in my opinion a correlation generally exists between the type of property and the homebuyer.
The public remarks used in a listing must therefore be designed for the target buyer, and the National Association of Realtors (NAR) research findings confirm that the “Gen X & Y” demographic will account for over 75% of home buying.
I am finding that remarks describing a lifestyle (with action) seem to get more of a reaction from this segment than the customary features, advantages and benefits formula used for “Baby Boomers” and “Traditionalists”. Besides, the online visuals (a picture is worth a 1,000 words) will often show the granite counters and stainless appliances.
One of the most important answers I want from attendees at an open house is how they found out about it. As well as the conventional Realtor.ca (formerly MLS.ca) website, more often my listings and open houses are being found through other online media marketing resources that I use, and only about one in every five attending open houses is (guestimated) a “Boomer”.
What is really interesting is that by the second half of 2008, rarely were there any open house visitors or inquiries stemming from newspaper advertising efforts.
At the start of 2009, one of the two free local newspapers in my community went back to being twice weekly. I suspect that readership is down, as is the advertising revenues which are probably migrating to the Internet.
The “Gen X & Y” get almost everything they want online, as I do, and I believe this is becoming even more common with Boomers.
There is no doubt that online media marketing is becoming even more predominant, and after reading this “The Newspaper Ad is Dead“, and this “Century 21 bids adieu to TV ads“, I’m convinced, real estate is evolving.
i completely agree with this statement that social media will reach gen x/y buyers a lot more prominently. using web 2.0 vehicles such as video posting, blogging (or even microblogging) will help entice young buyers who visually want to confirm the “lifestyle” that you are selling in the home
john, i went to one of your open houses today and i was impressed by the net marketing you leveraged to showcase the condo selling points, including the streaming video and this blog
Hi Joey, I can’t tell you how important it is for me to have this type of validation. Thanks. Marketing has changed dramatically since I did my business admin. For the purpose of marketing my own real estate services everyone I have relied upon has been under thirty. As a ‘boomer’ it was a bit of a leap but the whole experience has been enlightening and given me a deep respect for your generation. The adage, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks is completely bogus. It just takes a little time because I have to unlearn the old tricks that don’t work any longer. Thanks for stopping by the open house and you know I’d enjoy helping you.
Take care, John.
This also helps to make the online case: European internet consumption to overtake TV in 14 months.
LONDON – The internet will overtake broadcast TV as Europe’s most consumed form of media for the first time in June 2010 if current growth trends continue, according to Microsoft research.
more here: http://www.cookee.biz/blogfolio/?p=135