Marketing arms remain crucial in real estate success

AGUILA

The role of a marketing arm in every property development company has become more crucial than ever.

More so now that the real estate industry is seeing an increasingly stiff competition due to an evolving market that is becoming more informed with the advent of technology.

“As a marketing company, we act as the bridge of the land owner or developer in reaching out and speedily delivering its products and services to its target market,” said James Aguila, EVP of SLLI Global Marketing Inc.

SLLI Global is the newest marketing group of Sta. Lucia Land Inc. and Sta. Lucia Realty Development Inc. And as a marketing company, it was paramount that they believe in the cause of a company—like in the case of Sta. Lucia, which is “to build better lives”—to effectively sell their products, Aguila said in an interview with Inquirer Property.

This was necessary, Aguila explained, because they serve as ambassadors who educate customers not only about the quality of the products that they sell, but also about the company that is putting up these developments.

Meticulous buyers

Aguila recalled that during the “golden age” of the real estate industry, buyers simply relied on the credibility of the developer.

According to him, the customers then were mostly investors who would buy parcels of lands or even an entire block. They consider it as a form of good investment and then flipping it for profit.

“Today, majority of buyers are end-users and a substantial number are coming from the OFW (overseas Filipino worker) sector,” Aguila said.

Nowadays, as the Internet speed in the Philippines improves, people have more access to information, thus, making buyers more meticulous in their selection process.

Aguila said they were well aware that buyers would not only compare the amenities, but would also examine the prices and discounts among all the options available to them.

And as the market now became more demanding, Aguila believes that patience is key, adding that marketing agents should always be on their toes about their competitors.

“We really have to exert extra effort, and adapt to the changing requirements of the market to excel. It is definitely service-oriented these days,” he added.

“You can’t sit on your laurels,” Aguila said, when asked about how they are able to keep up with the changing real estate landscape. For him, to be successful in a challenging industry, one has to carefully assess the market, competition and utilize all the available technology.

Latest trend

Given today’s fast-paced lifestyle, real estate developments are now geared towards creating a community wherein everything is within reach.

“Residential projects nowadays incorporate commercial establishments, leisure and recreation facilities and at times even office spaces,” Aguila explained, adding that it was important that they are able to provide a place where people can live and have fun at the same time.

One of the advantages of partnering with a trusted developer like Sta. Lucia Land is that the company has already established its presence across the country, through its various developments.

Aguila thus sees this as a “considerable advantage” because it allows a marketing company like SLLI Global to reach an even wider market, enabling it to help Sta. Lucia Land in creating better communities, and in “building better lives.”