Updated from the seller’s archive. Originally posted in 2007.
This post was one of the first ones to be on the blog, back in 2007. It was an adapted version of an existing article from our company’s marketing material for sellers. The content is still quite relevant. I hope you find it useful too.
If you’re thinking of selling your home, you need a marketing plan. Just like any other product people buy or sell, a home’s value must be communicated to the proper audience to ensure the seller gets the best possible price.
Marketing your home means more than putting up a lawn sign and sticking an ad in your local newspaper. You need to have a complete marketing plan that takes into account your home’s unique qualities, your objectives and details the specific resources available to you.
Your planning should begin as soon as you choose a Realtor, and often even before that. Part of your marketing plan will involve pricing your property, deciding when to list it and what features need to be cleaned or repaired. At this stage it is essential that you are completely honest with your Realtor about the condition of your home, your financial needs and any time constraints.
Once you have the basic information established, you need to get to the “guts” of the marketing plan, or determine how best to let people know that your home is for sale and get them excited about it. You need to keep in mind when you are planning that there are two key target audiences: home buyers and other real estate brokers. You will need different marketing vehicles to effectively reach each audience.
There are a multitude marketing products and activities that can be utilized to help sell your home and your Real Estate Broker with the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), newspaper advertising, brochures, open houses, neighbourhood mailings, etc. In addition to the standard tools, Real Estate Brokers have access to the industry’s leading marketing tools and resources, including:
- Montreal Real Estate Blog.com Your home will be featured on this blog which receives an average of more than 250,000 unique user sessions each month;
- Virtual Reality Tours and Slide Shows: Available for many homes on the web site, giving prospective buyers a private tour of your home;
- Online Feature Sheets: Providing pictures and greater detail for your home when people want to know a little more than the basics;
- Referral Network: Your property’s information will be available to nearly 18,000 Real Estate Brokers coast-to-coast and 700 of the top real estate companies in the world through an exclusive affiliation;
- Customized Just Listed Cards: Distributed to potential buyers with details of your home on it.
Your Real Estate Broker can help you determine which tools will be most beneficial in your particular situation and market. Whatever the plan you decide on, make certain that you are an active part of it. Reviewing the plan’s success on a regular basis should be a built-in part of any successful marketing plan. This article just gives a sampling of the many ways there are to market your home, to ensure the best price possible.
To get more information on how I can help you put one together, contact me directly!
Posted by: Deya Bautista - Real Estate Broker working as part of the McGill Immobilier team. Specializing in high end condos in downtown and Old Montreal. For buying or selling contact Deya at: 514.917.7889 
Great post! Interesting points too. People only think about selling their homes and don't really think too much about marketing them!
Yeah, and without a Marketing plan there will be no visitors and potential buyers. Its a catch 22.
Awesome article i am totally agree that marketing plan is the basic way to get seller or buyers.
I agree. It really is a catch 22…especially these days with the market still down!