Copies are king in real estate marketing. You use copies in writing emails, social media posts, Facebook and YouTube Ads, and even in putting up property listings. Expert salespeople would spend a lot of time coming up with an effective copy to make Ads and emails a sales converting machine. It is more than just putting words on a blank page. Writing effective copies is both an art and a science and in this blog, you’ll learn the exact formula that a lot of great marketers use when writing copies.
This formula is called AIDA. It stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action. We’ll get to the details of each step below.
So, what is AIDA?
The AIDA structure describes the journey of a certain prospect or customer before he/she makes a decision to purchase something. It basically tackles the consecutive phases of a prospect as they go through your marketing funnel.
The AIDA model then goes on to define the number of activities needed to push a client from awareness to the action that results in conversion.
In 1898, Elias St. Elmo Lewis, who would later be recognized in the Advertising Hall of Fame, published an anonymous piece outlining three advertising ideas that he found valuable throughout his career.
That column, which was published in The Inland Printer, one of the most prominent American journals of the nineteenth century, said that all effective advertising should follow a specific model. That idea was formulated into a formula now known as AIDA.
Attention
This is the very first stage of the funnel or real estate ads copy you are creating. When you first start a Real Estate Business, or you’re listing your very first property on the market, the firsts step you need to do is to let people know about it.
This stage focuses more on raising awareness and catching the attention of your target market to make them want to know more about your business or what you have to offer. If you can develop content that attracts attention and engages the target market you’ll pique their interest, leading them to learn more about your listing.
The secret to nailing this stage is to dig deeper into the most pressing issues and concerns your target market has. What property are they looking and what things would most likely catch their attention?
Interest
It takes skills to catch people’s attention but it takes even greater skill to be able to hold it. People’s attention spans nowadays are shorter than that of a goldfish and so keeping their attention is extra challenging. You must provide a reason for your marketing and advertising message in keeping your audience interested.
You can do this by tapping into their innermost problems and providing them a glimpse of the outcome if they seek out a certain solution. This can be accomplished by showing them examples, telling a narrative, or a testimonial story.
You can also do this by providing attractive and quality real estate photos, home video tours, aerial views, and showcasing the kind of lifestyle they can experience inside a particular property.
Desire
In the Desire stage, you demonstrate to your prospects how your solutions may address their issues.
This is where you’ll describe the qualities of your product or service, as well as all of the associated advantages. Then you should show how the advantages will meet the demands of your prospects.
In real estate, your product is the property. If the common problem of your potential homebuyers is the lack of storage space, showcase why this particular property can solve their problem. What are its features? What are the amenities near the area? What benefit will it bring them if they purchase this property compared to any other similar type of property?
Before and after images, for example, are common strategies for inducing Desire. Your target market must be able to see how your property may improve their life, whether it’s in terms of comfort, affordability, location, accessibility, and other pressing requirements. If you do this right, there is a high possibility that your client will proceed to the last stage which is Action.
Action
Once you’ve succeeded in the previous stages, the next thing is to encourage them to take action. It could either be to inquire, learn more, contact, or make a purchase. In marketing funnels, this is the final stage or the very bottom of the funnel. Salespeople might create a sense of urgency by giving a limited-time promotion or offering a particular benefit to those who respond quickly.
This stage should be simple and straightforward for your potential prospects to understand. Include a call to action (CTA) below your listing, or at the bottom of your real estate ads copy whether it be email, ads, or social media post.
Why is good copy so important?
Simple. Good copy sells. It does not only tells the audience about a property that’s up for listing. Or it does not simply states an offer or service. A great copy tells a story. It engages and entertains the reader. It can be fun to read or humorous and motivates them to react. A good real estate ads copy above all, justifies your listing and will allow you to reach a wide audience. When writing copies, keep in mind that it should be conversational, digestible, and entertaining to read. People love to read something that they can relate to. Write with your own voice and don’t forget to add a bit of personality.