The debate as to whether print products such as flyers and magazines can survive with the advance of digital technology will continue until nothing is being printed anymore.

Until that day comes, if it ever does, then printed material will continue to have many advantages over digital content. So for estate agents, it is a question of making sure that your printed material is as good as it can be and that it complements your online presence.

Andrew Tomlinson, Creative Director, Crucial Projects, says, “Offline marketing has become less prominent, but the worlds of digital and print can co-exist and complement one another in a marketing strategy.”

Agents still invest in printed brochures, Prospect estate agency’s Premier Homes of Distinction marketing campaign was created by Crucial Projects building an entire brand around a print package of a glossy magazine, sales brochures, invitation cards and boards. They say that the bespoke nature of the brand would not have translated through online.

Andrew Hirst at Word Perfect Print agrees, “The quality of your printed matter doesn’t just represent the instruction you are trying to sell, it represents you to prospective buyers and clients, your next instruction may rely on this.” And it needn’t cost the earth; “If the agent produces in house they rarely look as good, or feel as good, it takes time and printer supplies so it can be more cost effective to have them printed professionally.” says Andrew. His company offers agents choices: 1. Flexible online templates, supplied in PDF or Word Document, with a high quality finished print; 2. Set by them with high quality finished print; or 3. Luxury Designer, which can have everything from Spot UV to foiling. “We have something for every market from two page details to an oversized brochure with all the luxury extras to enhance the property – you need quality printed products for quality sales!”

Andrew Tomlinson says, “As technology moves forward and we discover even more ingenious and immediate methods to engage with our customers, the tactile nature of print will always provide an unmistakable insight to a business’s heart and soul and will always retain its power as a crucial marketing
medium.”

MAGAZINES

Corporate magazines have grown in significance, particularly by middle to upper market agencies that use them to establish their standing in the market through their association with an aspirational lifestyle. Andrew says, “These lifestyle magazines are a way of placing properties for sale in a more sophisticated media form; they create the opportunity to introduce other services aimed at meeting customers’ needs – conveyancing, mortgages and property management.”

Lifestyle mags give the chance to offer other services.” Andrew Tomlinson Crucial Projects

As the lifestyle magazines work better on a defined geographical basis and rely on affluence, it is not surprising that London and Home Counties based agents such as Foxtons, Winkworth and Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward (KFH) have made great inroads into this form of marketing.

KFH’s Completely London Magazine, published by August Media, is one of the most successful examples, recently picking up another gong at the British Society of Magazine Editor Awards to add to the five others it has in the bag. Paul Masters, Marketing and Operations Director at KFH says, “We strive to publish an informative and fun magazine that gives a fresh outlook on real life in London, exploring interesting stories and people from a different angle.”

KFH’s 82 page glossy is published three times a year and distributed to 70,000 people through mail outs, in-branch and at corporate venues such as Morgan Stanley. The printed magazine is reinforced by the Completely London Blog which provides regular updates.

For many companies, the printed mag may be a touch too expensive, or may not be suited to their brand. Flamefish Media is one of the companies providing online solutions. The digital publisher shares production costs meaning the content is extensive and high quality and the product is simple to use and maintain, meaning independent estate agents can compete with the larger chains.

A property e-zine is delivered via email, keeping the agent in contact with their database. As with anything else costs will vary but Flamefish can produce a branded e-zine for £150 per month per branch. And the direct approach does work; Carla Cross, author of The Real Estate Agent’s Business Planning Guide, says, “A study by the Personal Marketing Company showed if agents mailed a regular newsletter to previous clients, they would increase their chances of a relist by 45 per cent.”

It gives a fresh outlook on real life in London.” Paul Masters Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward

FLYERS

The traditional mainstay of introducing your company’s message is the flyer – whether it is a part of your client pack; door to door leafleting or to take away from your office – it is the chance to make that all important first impression to potential customers.

As a recent consumer of these promotional tools, which formed part of my research into whittling 30 local agents down to the one which would sell my house and also as a producer of many consumer leafl ets and guides, here are my tips as to how to ensure your flyers do not become paper aeroplanes.

TOP TIPS

Who, what, where and why: The journalists’ mantra; you should be able to fit everything that anybody needs to know about you in one sentence.
● Show us your medals: let everybody know about your awards and plaudits.
● Brevity, brevity, brevity: Keep it short, readers get bored very quickly.
● Fit for purpose: A postcard is far more likely to be read if posted through the door than a leaflet, whereas in a marketing pack it may be the other way around.
● Stick to the point: Irrelevant information is annoying and may create the wrong impression
● Keep it simple: I worked with some architects who used the term vertical
transport system when referring to a lift – it is not, it is a lift.
● Get in touch: Make it easy to find your contact details – all of them.
● Hey good looking: Goes without saying, good design says a lot about your company.
● Look around you: See what everybody else is doing – not just estates agents but shops, the government, the post office etc, – both right and wrong and get tips.

KEY OPERATORS

woodblockprint.co.uk
PROPERTYdrum B2B Awards winner 2012. Has been established since 2004, offering a quality, reliable and environmentally conscious print service from short run digital business cards, flyers and operational print through to large volume brochures, magazines, large format posters and exhibition work. Clients include REMAX, Bairstow Eves and Haart.
printwell.co.uk
Based in Surrey, Printwell brings flexibility and innovative solutions for all print, mailing, fulfilment and creative requirements.
print-concern.co.uk
Dedicated print and marketing company servicing the property market since 1985. Has invested heavily in new printer technology including the £240K Xerox 8000 which with their six other printers gives them a capacity of 30,000 pages per hour.
wordperfectprint.com
Wordperfect specialise in bespoke property brochures. They offer speciality brochures, creative design, folders, flyers, leaflets and corporate literature.
Ravensworth.co.uk
Ravensworth provide a complete design service for property professionals from branding, logo and bespoke brochure design as well as marketing material such as vendor folders, flyers and canvassing materials through to a complete corporate identity.
crucialprojects.co.uk
Crucial Projects is an independent design and marketing studio with extensive experience of creating brand identities, interior environments and advertising campaigns.
flamefish.co.uk
Flamefish Media is a specialist company which produces individually branded
property market e-zines.