My family and I were lucky enough to be invited to the wonderful Henley Regatta recently, and I had some great takeaways from it I wanted to share with you. I always see marketing lessons wherever I go, and feel that something as uniquely English as the Henley Regatta has a lot to teach us about super-successful marketing and branding.
I’ve blogged on this each day this week, and here’s your first: The Brands.
Look around at the companies who have associated themselves with the Henley Regatta and it really is a “Who’s Who” of branding, as well as a “Who’s Going to be Who” selection. Think about sophisticated ‘river fashion’ mixed with quintessential English style and food, and you’ll come up with brands such as Joules, Boden and Crew. The cars were all Range Rovers, BMWs and Mercedes. The drinks on offer were Champagne and Pimms, and the food would not have been out of place in the tearooms of the Ritz.
But what’s the lesson when we’re trying to sell our house? Firstly, look at the kind of buyers you expect to find your home the most appealing. Are they Henley Regatta goers? If so, give them clues that your home is for them. Take a leaf out of the Henley Regatta Marketing Book for Beginners and sprinkle some appropriate lifestyle clues liberally around your house. A jug of Pimms and a fruit cake on the side in the kitchen, Cath Kidston wellies by the back door and a Mercedes in the driveway – even if you have to borrow one! These are all signs to a buyer that your home is right for them.
If your buyers are not Regatta types, then you need to identify what type they are. Are they doggy people? Then leave out a copy of Your Dog magazine, and a map of local dog walks, and perhaps borrow a muddy Volvo! Maybe they are the sophisticated urban type; then leave around West End tickets, an ultra modern laptop or iPad and a bottle of Champagne in the kitchen. You get the idea.
Get to know your buyers; read what they read and go where they go. The more you can convince them that they can lead the life they seek in your home, the more likely you are to persuade them to buy it. It takes a little research work and some staging effort, but it’s oh so worth it.
If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch.
