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Luxury properties are hotter than ever in booming cities across the United States, and as billions of dollars in commercial developments begin to pop up, they attract high-end restaurants, modern attractions and other luxury conveniences.
These amenities and cultural booms lure in potential buyers and eager millennials, which increases the demand for upscale housing.
A surge in the luxury market means that your old marketing habits won’t work anymore. You won’t be the only one working toward attracting luxury-minded buyers — so it’s time to upgrade your presentation skills.
In the era of all things digital, there are always new, savvy ways to connect with buyers in every corner of the virtual world. Here are four tips for showcasing your luxury property to help reach potential clients online.
1. Photograph your property like a bride
According to Contactually, 83 percent of homebuyers expect to see high-quality images of a property online, so you should seize this opportunity to wow them. Smartphone photos can suffice for some listings, but if you want your luxury property to stand out, you need to hire a professional photographer.
Your potential buyers are going to judge your property by its metaphorical cover, so quality photos have never been more important. Treat your property similarly to how a bride would approach her wedding photos: dress up the rooms, find the best angles, and take photos with good lighting. Consider taking some artistic shots and using flattering filters to make the colors pop.
No luxury buyer is going to contact you about a property that doesn’t intrigue them online first, and photos are a great way to entice a potential buyer.
2. Put some VR in your PR
Virtual reality (VR) isn’t just for video game enthusiasts — this technology is quickly becoming one of the most innovative ways to show off a luxury property online.
Many listings have videos, but interactive, 360-degree virtual tours take the video experience to the next level. It’s the difference between watching a movie and actively navigating your own experience.
With virtual reality, buyers can navigate their way through a home at their own pace — it’s almost as good as being there in person. Specialized companies are helping to create eye-catching VR that put potential buyers into every nook and cranny of a property.
In the future (and as the VR industry grows), potential buyers may be able to put on a VR headset for an even more immersive experience.
Get ahead of the curve now by exploring and utilizing VR technology to help showcase your luxury property.
3. Captivate your target buyers with storytelling
High-quality photos and innovative videos are a good start, but at some point, all potential buyers will ask themselves one important question about a property: “Can I trust the agent?” To sell your luxury properties, you need to sell yourself.
One way to become a trusted name in the luxury real estate market is to build an online reputation as an expert on high-end property transactions. Buyers in the luxury market need assurances that they are dealing with someone who has a good reputation.
Start a blog, and post memorable, timeless thought leadership content that helps build your online status.
In addition to highlighting your listings on your blog, use it to write about industry trends, what buyers must know about luxury living and how your business is growing. Once you have a blog full of rich, informational content, you’ll be ready to focus your efforts on your target demographic with online ads and social posts.
An active blog with relevant content also helps your overall search ranking. And because content on page 1 gets 95 percent of traffic according to Skoshe, earning a top spot for search terms like “luxury real estate in Las Vegas” can help increase your organic inquiries.
4. Tap into 21st century communication
Directing people to your website is valuable, but you should also be proactively reaching out to people using online spaces and services.
The days of setting and forgetting a website are long gone — now you must be actively engaged online and with social media to see results. Thanks to live streaming and niche social media tools, you can be more proactive in reaching potential luxury buyers.
Here are a few tools to get familiar with:
- Facebook Live: Go live on Facebook to personalize yourself online. Showcase a neighborhood, take buyers behind the scenes of an open house, or give viewers a sneak peek of a coveted property that’s about to hit the market. Let people know you understand the lifestyle that comes with a luxury property. Facebook Live videos are a powerful way to speak directly to your target market.
- Facebook groups: Community Facebook groups can be as generic or as niche as you like. For luxury real estate, you can join location-specific groups or even luxury lifestyle hobby groups related to golf, interior design or other things that might be of interest to your target buyer. The key to meaningful participation is to keep from spamming the participants — contribute meaningful, helpful advice and blogs rather than posting a link to your blog homepage. These Facebook groups are also great for networking and can help with relationship building and soft selling.
- Instagram Stories: Instagram Stories have rivaled Snapchat’s similar feature since they were unveiled, and the luxury real estate buyer demographic is more likely to be active on Instagram than Snapchat. The Stories feature can be used to walk your followers through an open house or to share your day on the road or at an open house. Use captions and hashtags to sell your properties and the surrounding neighborhoods. You can also add links to stories and give followers easy access to a listing.
Selling luxury real estate and high-end properties is all about finding your target market, gaining its trust and connecting these potential buyers with properties that speak to their ideal lifestyle.
With the help of digital tools and technologies, it’s never been a better time to be on the luxury property beat.
Randy Char is a broker with Sky Las Vegas Condominiums in Las Vegas. Follow him on Facebook or LinkedIn.
