I recently spoke at an event for property marketers where I joined two other experts to discuss what has changed for property marketing in a post-pandemic world. I thought I would share these insights with you today as the points around audience, community cohesion and the use of technology are relevant to any industry and provide some food for thought around where your communication strategy is now, and what you could do to improve it.
Let’s dive in!
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Transcript (unedited)
I recently spoke at an event for property marketers where I joined 2 other experts to discuss what’s changed for property marketing in a post-pandemic world. I thought I would share these insights with you today as the points around audience, community and Technology are relevant to any industry actually and provide some food for thought around where your communication plan is now, and what you could do to improve it.
Some of you may know who are listening alongside my years of experience with developing strategies I have a specialism in the built environment. I have been lucky enough to work with many great projects and people in particular on technology-led housing products and large-scale infrastructure projects, helping them with their communication strategy. I have also written a chapter for a business book on the subject.
Now my industry experience spans many industries and great communication is always at the heart of successful businesses and teams. Those getting it right have an edge, those that invest time and money getting it right, have an advantage and we see this all the time.
So here are some insight that I shared last week with more than 100 attendees at a webinar as an example of how things have changed in one industry to encourage yout o look inwards into yours for the same insights.
The first one is around customer needs and research
From what I have seen from client research into this topic is that perceptions have changed, maybe some of those are unsurprising, but our choices and hierarchy of needs as humans appear to have changed for sure post-pandemic.
The pandemic has shaken up society in so many ways and how we connect with our homes as well, I can personally reflect on that as I am sure we all can, in terms of my own life goals and what’s important to me and my immediate surroundings.
And it’s no different for house moves when purchasing property.
Price is still more important than ever, but the shopping list has changed, and the decision-making around location has changed for many – it’s something some developers can benefit from looking into and to tweak their thinking and inform the marketing. There is some really interesting research by Rightmove and Good move that reflects these changes and client research I have recently carried out has echoed some of this and provided bespoke insights into specific places.
In particular I am seeing drivers such as;
A move away from major cities
Interest in low maintenance houses – good new for new build
An additional bedroom has replaced a garage for example
Being close to major transports links is still important it is slightly lower down the shopping list
Along with connection to outdoor space and the ability to shop well, locall, which have become super important to us as we all understand how important it is now to connect with nature and have access to somewhere outside; Whether that’s a private balcony, terrace or shared communal garden or a private garden.
So it is important that we test the water before setting our marketing goals in place and refining our communication strategy post-pandemic. We forget that things were the the same for so long prior to March 2020. And we can learn a lot about how our audience is feeling just by looking inwards into our own situation and talking to people around us as well.
But listening to customer needs is something that will need to be at the front end of all new campaigns and strategies I think until a new normal is here and we are more confident that there are some new patterns we can step and repeat, like before.
The second one is Community cohesion and a sense of belonging
Feeling part of our or a community can be a really powerful element of our decision making. This is especially true in terms of property if we are moving somewhere completely new we want to know if the neighbours are friendly and there is a sense of community. In particular, with young professionals looking to buy for the first time and/or relocate from rented or owned property. I am are seeing that feeling connected is more important post-pandemic, in particular. Whether it would draw someone to a new place is debatable compared to the core elements of transport, for example.
But the connection to where we live is now more important than it was previously for sure. We can all relate to this on a personal level, right? I met more of my neighbours in lockdown one here in the UK especially. We had a front garden party where everyone joined informfrom their own gardens and the sense of community around shopping favours and deliveries was on another level compared to previously.
This shift is important for communicators and marketers to be able to connect with an audience and relate to what they are thinking and feeling. And what’s important to them. Being human and reaching out. Sometimes, bringing these elements into the foreground can be beneficial as selling points too.
Some examples I have seen including the personal one I gave just now include;
Community orchards and living streets, lake in Ebbsfleet Garden City here in the UK where the ‘no walls’ community gardens are really popular and have helped to bring the community together without it being forced.
The third one is Technology
I think this is where we have seen the most seismic shift in terms of tools available to us and startups that have boomed in this time. For property this means modern methods of construction such as modular homes having an edge on regular new build homes as those now looking for low-maintenance and easy to live in homes, for example, and also for a generation that Isfi also environmentally conscious society.
We can be stuck in our ways with perceptions, in particular in the property industry, but other industries too as that’s always how it’s been ‘mentality.’
We think that people still want Victoriana ideals but they perhaps no longer want the maintenance and energy trade-offs that older houses have. I live in a seventies house and I’ve never been more aware of how long it takes to heat and how much escapes through the roof, for example! Plus its an ongoing renovation it never ends. I’d like to spend my downtime doing things I enjoy for example.
Time has also become more precious for us all post-pandemic and whereas previously, the DIYers were happy to spend a weekend on a ‘doer upper’ We want to spend our time more wisely and have quality down time. I know I do! Life it too short as they say.
I think that the digital layer of comms is now a prerequisite rather than an aspiration and those that were behind have had to quickly catch on on that front. For example, The digital buyer journey in home buying has become imperative to get right in lockdown.
We already know that a buyer journey starts online. By the time potential customers all through into the sales suite, they are primed to buy or close to the point of buying its’ all about the product fit and feel at that point – the Sunday drivers driving around looking for property and show homes didn’t happen in lockdown. It was all online. Those that had a good offer were ahead of the curve on that front.
We’ve seen some great new digital companies start-up like Built-ID and others which enable online engagement and research to be an easy two-way street, not clunky pdfs on a website.
Planning committees were all streamed online – developers had to give evidence online and big decisions were made without human contact and site visits as well, for example.
In summary
The customer experience has really come on in property marketing which is a good thing, but this will be the same across many industries. But more, and ongoing customer insight work is needed as our perceptions, buyers needs and the types of buyers have shifted post-pandemic, in some cases beyond recognition.
I hope you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to get in touch if you have any questions about customer insights, I’d love to hear from you too if.