The 4 Elements Every Creative Real Estate Ad Campaign Needs

When Lowell International Realty in Coral Gables developed its “We Sell” ad campaign, the marketing team focused on why their customers choose to do business with them.

“Many of our team members have lived in Miami for a long time,” explains Lani Kahn Drody (pictured), Lowell’s broker/president. They bring unique experiences to the table that help them connect people to a home and the community. So, the “We Sell” campaign was all about the concept of creating a home for every family member and the messaging was consistent throughout.

Building the campaign wasn’t cheap, says Drody, who used an ad agency for the creative elements. Expect to pay about $3,000 to $5,000 if you choose to go that route. However, says Drody, it was well worth it, especially when customers started contacting them.

The ads resonated with one customer who previously had a small transaction with Lowell. The customer (the CEO of a large company) reached out to Drody. He wanted top executives and their whole family to be supported in their relocation to Miami—and he knew Lowell was the perfect team to handle it.

“Seeing our ads reinforced what he already knew: Our team knows Miami incredibly well, and we take a very holistic approach to selling a home to every family member,” notes Drody.

Drody emphasizes the importance of branding through creative advertising.

Here are her top tips:

1. Be authentic. 

Tap into what makes you different than competitors. “Find your unique selling proposition and tell your own story,” she says. Dig deep to identify who you are—whether that’s someone to hold the hand of a first-time homebuyer or a slick, cutting-edge firm—and then convey that to the market.

2. Tap into emotions. 

Careful branding helps position you and your company as trusted advisers based on a relationship, says Drody. “We sell our customers a lifestyle and connect dots in their life,” she says. “Demonstrate the possibilities of what a kitchen or a reading nook can be and emphasize that. It’s a life, not just a transaction.”

3. Collaborate.

Brainstorm with your team to generate a solid concept. Then, bring the concept to a good graphic designer (whether it’s an in-house person, a freelancer or an ad agency) to develop your message visually.

4. Choose a theme.

“Consider how to convey this theme in different ways,” says Drody. “Done effectively, it becomes a campaign with a longer shelf life.” For instance, Lowell’s “We Sell” campaign focuses on one concept—creating a home for every family member—without hitting the exact same messaging in every ad.

It starts by talking with your team and identifying what makes you unique. “Our ad agency took our messaging and put it into something visually and emotionally stimulating,” says Drody. “It evoked a real sense of what we’re all about.”