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5 Copywriting Formulas for Better Real Estate Marketing

Whether you are writing postcards or blog posts, your ability to capture the attention of yourreader is essential to your real estate marketing success.

Do you struggle to create what you consider to be great marketing materials for your business? Do you spendcountless hours designing postcards, writing email campaigns, crafting social media posts all in hopes of generatingmore leads for your business?

Do you then get the feeling that nobody is reading what you create?

Now, imagine if your real estate marketing pieces could grab the reader by the eyeballs, drawing them in andpresenting a compelling case for doing business with you. The phone would ring more, it would be easier to convertprospects to clients and your business would reap the rewards.

No, you don’t have to hire a high-profile ad agency to do your work. You simply need to understand the basics of goodcopywriting.

Good copywriting does exactly what I described above – it grabs your reader’s attention, helping them to see what isin it for them, and creates a strong call-to-action. Professional copywriters have tested formulas for writing great copythat draw readers in. These formulas work beautifully in blog posts, emails, postcards or anywhere else you need to .. .

Here are 5 of the best copywriting formulas I’ve seen. Try them out in your business and see if they make a differencein your marketing.

1. Before – After – Bridge

Before – Here’s your world as it is now.

After – Here’s how your world would be if some particular problem was solved.

Bridge – Here’s how to get there.

This is the technique I used at the beginning of this article; describe a problem, describe how much better life wouldbe if the problem didn’t exist, and then explain to the reader how to get “across the bridge” by solving their problem.

You can apply this in your real estate marketing materials in a variety of ways. You may write a letter or blog posttargeting homeowners who’s listing has expired unsold. You paint a picture of the homeowners world as it currentlyis; frustration, disappointment and anxiety. You then describe how their world could be; satisfaction, relief, calm. Last,you describe how you are able to to get them from “Point A” to “Point B”. To make your copy even more believable,use your track record of results with homeowners in a similar situation and provide testimonials.

2. Problem – Agitate – Solve

Identify the problem the target reader is facing

Agitate the problem

Solve the problem

This is one of the most effective copywriting techniques available and is an extension of the Before-After-Bridgeconcept. Instead of showing how the reader’s world would be if the problem were solved, this technique makes theproblem worse – demonstrating to the reader what could potentially happen if they do not take the right course ofaction.

To continue with the example of expired listings, you can use this technique effectively by communicating to the

reader the problem they are facing – an unsold home. You then agitate the problem by revealing what more couldpotentially go wrong, such as attracting low-ball offers, delayed moves, and continued carrying costs. You thenpresent your solution by explaining how you can help the homeowner avoid these unnecessary problems by hiringyou to market and sell their home.

3. Attention – Interest – Desire – Action (AIDA)

Attention – attract the reader’s attention

Interest – Present a unique approach or results that appeals to the reader

Desire – Benefits of your service and proof that it works

Action – Ask the reader to take action

The key to using the AIDA formula successfully is writing a great headline that gets the reader’s attention. You couldapply this to expired listings by writing, “You Can Avoid The Two Main Reasons Sales Fall Apart” as your headline.Then, explain that most sales fall apart because of a low lender’s appraisal or inspection related items. Your uniqueapproach is that you provide a pre-listing appraisal to identify the current market value and price the homeaccordingly as well as a pre-listing inspection to reveal any potential deal-killers and have them repaired before abuyer’s inspector can find them. You would then explain how this prepares the seller and then provide testimonials asproof. You close by asking the reader to take a specific action – whether it is to call you, download a guide, orwhatever is appropriate.

4. The 4 U’s

Useful – The content must be useful to the reader

Urgent – Provide a sense of urgency

Unique – Communicate that the solution is only available from you

Ultra-Specific – Be ultra-specific in describing the items above

This copywriting formula works well when you are offering information, whether a report, a webinar or your personalattention. For example, you could create an e-book on “Preparing for a Successful Sale” that helps homeownersunderstand how they can sell their home faster and for more money. This would clearly satisfy the first requirement ofbeing useful to the reader. Next, you could mention that the reports are only available for a limited time, creating thesense of urgency. Last, you would explain that the reports are only available through you and provide clienttestimonials to substantiate the value of the information. By explaining in crystal-clear detail what the report includes,how the homeowner benefits, that it is limited in its availability and only offered by you, you have fulfilled therequirement to be ultra-specific.

5. Star – Story – Solution

Star – The person your story is about

Story – What your story is about

Solution – An explanation of how the star prevails in the end

This copywriting formula follows closely with the approach I have recommended for years for getting well-writtentestimonials. To apply this in your real estate marketing, you would first identify your “star”, in most cases thehomeowner. You can write about the situation the homeowner faced – their goals or concerns. Perhaps they had notsold a home in 20 years and were unsure where to begin.

Your story unfolds to reveal how you helped the homeowner understand how buyers would evaluate their home andwhat areas of improvement to focus on. Last, the story concludes with a successful sale and a satisfied seller whostates specifically how you helped them achieve their goals. You can then present a call-to-action by encouragingreaders to contact you or to download a guide or e-book you may offer on a related subject.

Conclusion

Persuasive copywriting is a skill anyone can learn yet many agents overlook. The next time you are writing amarketing email, a social media post or designing a postcard, give these copywriting formulas a try. Your marketingmessage will be more powerful and productive.