It is the marketing plan that counts in selling your home

Well marketed show houses can attract up to 15 visitors in a day and several can achieve immediate offers to purchase. This is what the Wakefields Bumper Showdays achieve, with over 400 properties on show and every one of the company’s agents at their post on the day.

It is these extraordinary marketing efforts combined with the day-to-day sales successes that add up to great results, says Myles Wakefield CEO of Wakefields Real Estate. By its marketing efforts the company is experiencing increased buyer activity that translates into increased sales performance and turnover. For the Wakefields financial year to date (March to October 2013) the value of transactions has risen by 15,6%.
 
This is an indication of rising prices and low stock availability in a continually improving property market. The period 2011 to 2013 saw sales volumes rise by 21,6% and on a cumulative basis from 2009 to date sales volumes are up 41%. Comparing December 2008, in the midst of the recession, with October 2013 sales volumes are up 117%.

There are many factors which make real estate agents and their company successful. A crucial factor lies in the marketing plan. It is internationally recognised that the marketing plan, the processes of a real estate company and its agents’ ability to listen and interact with sellers is vital for getting property sold quickly at the best price, says Wakefield.

Ultimately sellers should want to see market knowledge from agents. Do they really know the market and do they know the process of selling real estate?

The Bumper Showday is one of the elements of the Wakefields marketing plan for sole mandate properties that goes the extra mile. Other elements include promotion on East Coast Radio during the Wakefields Sunday Property Showcase, extensive print and internet advertising and the Wakefields social media platform.

Estate agent training is another vital component to getting good sales results. The accredited Wakefields Academy runs a training programme that is based on the SETA qualification requirements with additional material, in an activities based environment that it believes estate agents need.

 “We have found our new agents are more knowledgeable than in the past and their confidence levels build exponentially over the year of training. “There is proof that training does lead to agents being more successful. More sales and greater earnings mean people stay in the business. In an industry with high staff turnover, Wakefields Real Estate retained 75 of their new trainees in the past year,” says Lindsay Gartrell director and head of the company’s training academy.

International real estate trainer David Knox says: “Every seller wants to get a better price. Every buyer wants to get a better deal but the number one mistake that sellers make in every country is that they select an agent based upon what asking price the agent offers. The problem is, agents who need listings can very often be induced to say that high price just to get the listing, and the seller wants to believe it because they think their home is worth more anyway.''

His advises sellers who are going to interview more than one agent not to them give you a price. Don't ask for an appraisal. Instead ask them to come out and describe their marketing plan and their process.