Marketing Tips: How to Create Ads That Fill Your Vacancies

Think back to the last property you looked at when surfing for a good deal.

Do you remember what it was about the advertisement that caught your eye?

What to look for

As the emotional side of our brain – accounting for more than 80% of our mental activity –  is inspired visually, chances are good that the images of the property captured your attention initially and that the description your logical brain read encouraged you to take a closer look.

Both the visual and the written text worked together to create interest in the property.

If you’re self managing your investment properties you’ll need to put together amazing ads that appeal to both sides of the human brain and which target your ideal tenant.

Even if you’ve hired a competent property manager, it never hurts to have a look at the ads being placed to fill your vacancies.

Here’s how to craft amazing ads that get responses:

Let’s begin by breaking down the various parts of a property ad.

A key component of an advertisement is the headline.

Headline

Ideally, your headline should:

• Be catchy with an element of curiosity (a/k/a “clickable”)
• Be descriptive of features your ideal tenant wants
• Use emotional words such as ‘clean’, or ‘amazing location’, etc.

A good formula is: Adjective(s) + Property Type + Best Feature + Neighbourhood

Example: Spacious Unit With Modern Kitchen & Bath only 5 Minutes from CBD

Photos

Clear, bright photos are one of the most important parts of your advertisement. You want your prospective tenant to choose your property over everyone else’s so put your best foot forward with the best images possible.

Include both inside and outside pics, from every conceivable angle, making sure they make the most of the details and features your property has.

For example, if your property has a large back yard and that is the feature you’re advertising, make sure the image of this feature is displayed prominently.

Tip: Be consistent in your message throughout the ad.

For example, if you’re advertising a lifestyle property, a shot of the beach would obviously be your key image with your headline and the body of the ad following suit by highlighting the feature you’re advertising (i.e. lifestyle location).

Body

If your headline and images highlight the location of your property, be sure to include vivid descriptions of your property’s locale to continue the theme.

Let’s take the example we used previously of a property within 5 minutes of the CBD. Your target audience will appreciate the property’s location, but to really sink home the reality that your property is the right one for them, use descriptive words that reveal the benefits they will enjoy from living there.

As examples:

“Spend less time travelling to and from work and more time enjoying your life.”

“A fully equipped, stylish kitchen makes food preparation a breeze, while the open floor plan invites warm conversation between friends and family.”

The idea is for the advertisement to appeal to the emotions of your ideal tenant, helping them to imagine living in your property.

Hire a grammar nazi

Finally, before placing your ads, have someone with a keen eye for detail review your advertisement, looking for errors and ways to improve its emotional appeal.

Few things scream “amateur” like a poorly written advertisement. Take the necessary time to craft your message so that it appeals to your ideal tenant and fills your vacancies.

More personal tips on how to manage your portfolio? Book a free consultation with one of our expert Investment Coaches!