What a singing estate agent can teach you about marketing
A Facebook group for people working in marketing isn’t where I’d usually expect to see an ad for a house. But this Rightmove listing had something very unusual… and a few marketing lessons to boot.
In-between pictures of a £700k 5-bed detached house there’s a video tour unlike anything I’ve ever seen. It’s divided opinions. On the FB group where I first saw the video, lots of people cringed and criticised.
I for one bloody loved it, and I want to tell you why I did, what you can learn from The Never-Ending Property marketing, and how you can apply these lessons to your marketing.
But first, let’s hear from Claire, the singing estate agent and former professional singer behind the video. I connected with Claire because I had to tell her how much I loved this
I also wanted to ask her why she did it! “I love people who don’t know me asking me WHY I did it. If you knew me, it’s actually a normal thing for me to do!” Claire told me. Which is exactly what I’m always banging on about: just be you in your marketing and do what feels good!
Claire continues: “But in essence, it’s about creating more exposure for the property. By singing, it attracts the attention. After the initial giggle, you will start to view the house. So it attracts to an audience not necessarily looking to move, but may be interested by accident.”
Indeed, this video has already been viewed over half a million times on YouTube!
Marketing that’s memorable
Two years ago we were in the market for a new house and I was constantly on the Rightmove app. I don’t remember a single video tour - not even the one of the house we ended up buying.
They all pretty much follow the same standard pattern, and this is the same for marketing in a lot of industries.
You might look at what others do and then try to put your own spin on exactly the same thing. That approach is vanilla and instantly forgettable.
Marketing lesson
What would your marketing look like if you had never seen others in your industry do marketing? What is the exact opposite of what others in your industry are doing with their marketing?
In the words of the great Michelle Obama: “If they go low, we go high.”
Do the opposite of the others. If they go vanilla, what could super spicy look like? If they go for serious and corporate, what could fun and friendly look like?
Start playing where the others aren’t.
Marketing that’s human
Claire says it took her 10 hours to put the video together on CapCut. Make no mistake, I don’t have the skills nor the patience to do that, but despite her efforts this video is far from super slick.
And for me that makes it even better.
Claire agrees, saying: “By keeping them raw and not polished it keeps me on the viewer’s level. Down to earth!”
If it were very slick and professional - like something one of the big estate agency chains might produce - the video wouldn’t have connected with viewers (and potential buyers) in quite the same way.
Sometimes (usually) pretending to be something you think people want to see from you in your marketing has the opposite effect: it may well push away the very people you wanted to attract. The ones who will love you because of who you really are, not in spite of who you are!
(All of this will likely take some de-conditioning and bravery, but remember you can take baby steps and still make progress!)
Marketing exercise
Before you put your next piece of marketing out into the world, ask yourself how you can make it more real, more human, more you. Get uncomfortable, and then get courageous!
Marketing that’s fun
I think as small business owners we look at our business and regard it, often, as The. Most. Serious. Thing. Ever.
I get it, it’s your livelihood. Your ambition. You want to make money and have impact.
But is it as serious for the people who you aim your marketing at? Even if you’re selling a house.
Yes, buying a house is a massively emotional, complicated and serious investment for people. Still, that doesn’t mean the marketing needs to feel emotional, complicated or serious.
In fact, I’m increasingly of the opinion that people want joy and lightness in a lot of the marketing they see (certainly at the earlier stages of their relationship with you aka top of funnel).
So 10/10 for Just Knock having fun with their marketing (and you can see on their YouTube channel there’s more - including The Old Barn - The Musical and Great Northern The Musical).
Marketing exercise
What do you do just for fun, in your business or life? How can you bring elements of that into your business? Maybe you’re a life coach who loves baking - maybe you can bake a cake and decorate it with an affirmation. Do you love making elaborate window displays for your shop? Go even more elaborate than ever before, and share it with everyone!
Never-ending marketing
I get it, marketing can feel like a never-ending slog. But what if it doesn’t have to?
What if it can feel as fun as doing your favourite things, hanging out with your favourite people, and just generally having a nice time?
For me the secret to this is working out your own way of doing marketing. A way that feels good to you. A way that you can do sustainably over a period of time, and in a way that lights you up rather than drags you down. And of course in a way that serves your business!
And the great news is that as small business owners/solopreneurs, we have far more scope to do our own thing.
As one of the commenters on the aforementioned FB group said: “Who signed that off?!” The answer in our case is: “NOBODY!” Because when we run our own marketing shows, we don’t need permission or to jump through lots of hoops to get someone else to sign off on our ideas.
We get to have brilliant, creative, whacky ideas, experiment with them and send them out into the world. I want to see yours!