Everyone putting a property on the market either knows or can easily learn the basics of staging the investment property. Manicured entrances, fresh flowers and other amenities dress up an investment property in a special way. However, the first impression a property makes upon arrival is not necessarily the first impression the potential buyer gets of the investment property.
Many buyers begin their evaluation by looking at the property online, and a bad impression here can linger or end interest immediately. This means presenting the investment property properly online with good website content is a key marketing strategy not only when attracting guests and garnering reservations. A robust online presence can pay dividends when selling a property as well.
Add Visuals of the Investment Property
The web is increasingly valuing images over text. Please note that this does not diminish text as a way of maximizing search engine results, but potential buyers are already looking specifically for your property. In this instance, the old adage is perfectly true. One picture is worth a thousand words, and online, one video is worth a thousand pictures.
Invest in quality. Drone operators are becoming increasing commonplace and finding one online near you is easier than you might expect. An aerial view of some the properties key features presented in a short video format can make a very powerful first impression on potential buyers. Keep in mind that videos take time to load, so break a sweeping overview down into smaller segments if possible and post them around your website.
Utilize Content Related to the Investment Property
The common rule of internet content is to make it evergreen. This means that it does not need to be updated very often, if at all. This rule is changing because of search engine optimization (SEO) rules, but it also has a direct application when staging your investment property online. A website with currently relevant content is the virtual equivalent of fresh flowers in the foyer.
For example, if your property is a North-woods style resort, posting pictures of current catches is a great way to keep your website fresh. Just remember to take them down before they get stale. If there is a popular community event you can talk about the current plans for the coming year as you post pictures of guests enjoying themselves at the previous festival.
Personalize Interactions with Potential Buyers
This would be a great place to add an interactive box offering to keep anyone interested updated on the event. Soliciting email addresses on the website shows a potential buyer that you are always working on building a strong mailing list. It is also much more effective than a generic pop-up on the main page.
Personalizing a guest’s visit is always an effective touch, and showing potential buyers that you understand this makes a great impression. Adding a page that addresses reasons clients stay at your property, (honeymoons, vacations, area visits, or peace and quiet) is one way to do this. Be sure to add a comment at the bottom of the page encouraging anyone making a reservation to let you know why they are coming to your property.
If asked about the effectiveness of any of these techniques, be honest and answer that you have only started using it. By the time the question is asked, the content has already done its job and successfully encouraged the potential buyer to make contact with you. It also tells you that the buyer noticed them and walked away with a favorable first impression.
