Youngblood in real estate

Together with the rapid expansion of the Philippine property sector and the growth of social media, the pace of change in real estate sales and marketing landscape has accelerated exponentially in the last decade.

The success of professionals in this industry is highly reliant on their ability to adapt to these changes and to learn to use the tools that technology offers to their advantage.

Marketers are constantly in search of new ways to gain exposure on campaigns and to make them stand out amid the noise of a fast moving world.

With the emergence of a younger generation of real estate professionals attuned with the trends, there is much to gain from the new skill sets they bring to the table.

Value proposition

In today’s market, there is a multitude of real estate options. If the buyer’s decision weighs heavily on location, the market offers several different projects in that same location.

The marketing trend that has been most successful in recent years is to add aspirational value to the product.

For example, a real estate broker is no longer just selling a piece of real estate with concrete walls. Instead, he is selling the experience of adding a highly regarded international development in the buyers’ investment portfolio.

A real estate broker is no longer just selling a piece of real estate with perfectly paved streets. Instead, he is selling the experience of living in a pristine family-oriented community. Real estate marketing has certainly expanded from selling units or lots to offering the opportunity to live a well-defined lifestyle.

Who else better understands this concept than your young real estate professional? Young real estate professionals are able to successfully deliver the brand message and improve business image simply by aligning themselves with the lifestyle they are selling.

Info influx, connectivity

An estimated 33.3 million Filipinos are believed to be current users of smartphones, and this number is expected to rise. This means that information and communication are not just a click away—it is literally in the palm of buyers’ hands.

This has greatly elevated the expectations of the buyer, and also raises expectations on brokers to have thorough and in-depth knowledge on all the aspects that comprise a sale. The speed of response is expected to be real-time.

Your young real estate professional thrives in this environment of information influx and hyper-connectivity.

Having multiple social media platforms on his mobile phone feeding him news 24/7, keeping up to date is a way of life. And if there is that bit of information that he still doesn’t know, your young professional is well-trained to search the right keywords to find you the answers.

Digital world

Surveys revealed that in real estate, 80 percent of homebuyers search for their homes online. Buyers are actively searching for properties on the internet and are engaging with agents through different social media platforms or websites.

As such, more real estate professionals are turning to the internet to reach a wider audience for their listings.

Several factors come into play when it comes to attracting traffic to the website or social media account. Your young real estate professional is well abreast with the internet, and is comfortable in navigating their way online.

Filipinos are at the top of the list of social media users, and your young real estate broker has developed his or her own techniques in growing his network online.

Content marketing has played a big role in consumer engagement. The new generation of marketers possess skills to produce multimedia content, and are able to formulate innovative stories to attract more prospect buyers online.

Selling is a team sport

Veteran real estate brokers will always say that in sales, there is a buyer’s momentum.

A strong value proposition will attract buyers. You move a second too late, you lose the sale.

In the midst of the digital landscape that brings information influx and hyperactivity, real estate marketers and brokers are faced with the even bigger challenge to move quicker than ever before.

It is an ever changing marketplace that requires constant innovation in strategy. Just like in team sport, the winner of the game is the team who best worked together in maximizing each player’s core strength.

Young real estate professionals bring modern techniques to the team. When mentored by seasoned veterans, the outcome for the sales team has the potential for a winning streak.

The author is the head of marketing promotions and training at Royale Homes Marketing Corp., a marketing arm of Sta. Lucia Land Inc.