As an estate agent, marketing is in your DNA.

You are good at understanding what makes people buy, sell, rent and let property. In fact, if you’re still in business, having survived the recent recession, you must be spectacularly good. But whilst I’m handing out the plaudits, let me suggest something which is probably not your strong point. It is a skill which takes creativity, contacts and commitment to get consistently right. It is public relations – getting you and your properties into the editorial content of newspapers, magazines, websites, TV and radio – something we have been doing for the past 15 years.

Mainly laid to lawn? Why estate agents talk in a way unlike anyone else on the planet eludes me.

Although the two are closely related, PR is not marketing. And the problem for estate agents is that the things which encourage someone to buy or let a property are not the same things which encourage a journalist to write about it.

In other words, when it comes to PR, you have to stop thinking like an estate agent and start thinking like a journalist. Buyers might be tempted by “a stunning property with a  flexible layout and over 4,500 square feet of accommodation,” but such qualities give journalists little to get their teeth into. In fact, it’s frequently not the most luxurious or expensive feature which catches their attention. It is as easy to secure editorial on a £240,000 cottage as it is on a £5 million mansion, as long as it is pitched correctly.

So you have to come up with a ‘peg’ to hang the story on – which can take a creative mind to shape successfully. Then you have to pitch the idea to a carefully collated and frequently updated list of freelancers, journalists and editors. Finally, you have to track any resulting coverage in the dozens of potential outlets in which it could appear.

It can be a long, tortuous and frequently frustrating process. However, when a single page of advertising in The Sunday Times has a rate card fee of £60,690, a PR agent’s monthly retainer fades by comparison.

But for those of you who do not use the service of a PR firm, here is a straight-talking, no-nonsense rundown of the ten key PR principles you need to understand.

You need journalists far more than they need you

Journalists ditch far more press releases than they use. So make sure yours offers something genuinely unique, unusual or interesting for it not to end up in the bin.

Don’t confuse editorial with advertising

‘Advertising you pay for; PR you pray for’. So don’t expect copy approval, don’t expect the journalist to tell you when the story might be featured, and don’t expect a cutting in the post.

Take a risk

Most estate agents remain far too risk averse. Journalists may get their facts wrong, approach the story from an unfavourable angle, or even write something totally negative. But it is a chance worth taking.

Understand exclusivity

Exclusivity is all important – particularly for the large national weekend titles who live in fear that they will be pipped to the post by their weekday counterparts. If your story is not exclusive, the likelihood is that neither will be interested.

Topicality

Be aware of events and anniversaries which are coming up, and scour your listings accordingly. Think several months in advance (many magazines have a three-month lead-in), and be creative.

Photographs matter

This means real photos (JPEGs) rather than Computer Generated Images (CGIs). The JPEGs need to be of a high enough resolution to print successfully (usually around 1-2MB), and ideally without cars, wheelie bins or the ‘For Sale’ sign in shot.

Deadlines drive everything

There used to be a saying in newspapers ‘Don’t get it right, get it written’. So expect journalists to want everything at very short notice – even if it’s 6.30pm on a Friday evening.

Mind your language

Quite why estate agents think it’s a good idea to talk in a way unlike anyone else on the planet has always eluded me. No one else describes gardens as being “mainly laid to lawn”, a house “benefiting from” gas central heating, or a room having “double aspect windows.” So don’t do it.

The human touch

For journalists, flesh and blood is just as important as bricks and mortar. The story may often be the tale of those selling or buying.

Think beyond the sale

Editorial might help sell an individual property. But it also gets your name out there, often with your telephone number or website. This greater brand awareness can increase future instructions.

These principles present some of the best possible ways to attract the media’s attention and keep them coming back for more. But then, if you’re appearing in the papers every week, you’re probably with us already.

Eric Dixon is the Founding Director of Property Publicity and a former BBC Radio 5-Live presenter. He now also trains clients in the art of media interviews and presenting.

www.propertypublicity.co.uk