The Power of Storytelling in Real Estate Marketing

April 26, 2017

You have a great listing, you have great photos, but you still feel like you’re selling the property short? What you may be missing is a compelling story. It is always advisable for listing agents to dedicate time to creating a vivid and detailed story for a property they wish to sell quickly and close to asking price. If you’re unsure of how to begin crafting a story for you listing, continue reading as the content writers at our South Florida advertising agency provide a few tips on effective storytelling and how it has the power to inspire a home purchase.

Emotional Attachment Adds Value

A good story elicits an emotional response in readers and prompts them to adopt the ideas within it. When a property is marketed with a compelling story — through real estate listings, advertisements, social media, or other marketing materials — it is more likely to resonate with buyers and leave a lasting impression. A good property story plants a vision of living in the home for the prospective buyer viewing the listing.

That dream is what leads to purchase offers. There is a biological explanation for this response involving dopamine, neural coupling, and context activity, but the most important thing real estate marketing professionals should take from this is that when a buyer feels emotionally attached to a property, his/her willingness to pay may increase. All due to the power of storytelling!

Incorporating Narrative Elements

Content marketing has always borrowed from narrative elements when creating marketing materials. Storytelling, which can be seen as advanced content marketing, relies on the following elements to ensure real estate marketing goes straight to a potential buyer’s heart.

• Visualization — “Show, not tell” is the core idea of this narrative element. When marketing a property, avoid writing lists of its features. Instead, provide detailed descriptions of the property and paint a picture of how future homeowners would experience the home’s unique features. For instance, instead of just listing “covered loggia,” describe hosting outdoor parties under its shade and using the built-in stainless-steel barbecue to cook burgers for guests.

• Conflict — The concept of “good versus evil” is at the heart of most compelling stories. It can be integrated into real estate marketing by framing a particular thing as the enemy, while presenting the property as the hero. The “enemy” must be something your target market views as negative, a problem a home purchase can solve. For example, a peaceful rural home with expansive outdoor space can save buyers from the enemy of a noisy fast-paced city life.

• Emotion — An effective story is able to evoke the emotions of its readers. Whether it drives a buyer’s curiosity with suspense, develops their affinity to the property, or speaks to their aspirations and desired lifestyles, a well-written story prompts buyers to foster an emotional attachment to the property. It plants the idea in their minds that the home not only has a place in their lives, but can also improve them, thus driving them to action.

Writing stories not your strong suit? Don’t worry! At Keenability, real estate marketing is one of our specialties. Our creative team of content marketing experts can boost your listings and other marketing materials with the power of storytelling.

If you are a real estate professional or agency, call our full-service South Florida advertising agency today to learn how we can elevate your brand.