Real estate investment has proven to be one of the most profitable businesses in Africa due to the region’s fast-growing population and high demand for accommodation. Consequently, many investors have turned to real estate business and they are making fortunes. The increased investment in real estate has led to stiff competition in the market and every investor is striving to reach their potential clients and persuade them to give their brand a preference. It is not just about reaching the potential clients who are the buyers, real estate business owners have to build strong connections with potential clients if at all, they want to have a great impact.
To build a long-lasting connection with potential buyers and consumers and to remain relevant in the market, especially, after the post-pandemic season, real estate investors need to rethink their strategies in approaching their target audience. This can only be achieved through not just communication, but strategic communication. The ancient times are all gone and we are in a season where clients’ and potential clients’ expectations are high and varied. Therefore, before, during and after a transaction, there’s nothing more critical than strategic communication.
Strategic communication involves strong, deliberate and purposeful messaging both internally and externally. It is a clear and effective mode of communication that enables businesses to inspire and empower their workforce and reach the target audiences they must persuade. This type of communication does not just occur. It has to be carefully planned, skillfully executed and tracked with reliable, actionable results. Shayna Englin, a public relations and corporate communication trainer in Georgetown puts it perfectly, “Strategic communication means communicating the best message, through the right channels, measured against well-considered organizational and communications-specific goals. It’s the difference between doing communications stuff, and doing the right communications stuff.”
Strategic communication comprises a range of communication-related fields, such as public relations, brand communication, internal communication and corporate communication. Strategic communications focuses on developing targeted messages with high levels of planning and research of audience behaviors and perceptions to achieve the businesses desired outcome.
The form of communication adopted by every real estate professional has a great impact on the success of the business. Remember, the attitude of the workforce, communication skills and the way information is delivered to the target market can make the buying and selling experience be a good or a forgettable one for everybody. Research reveals that 97% of employees surveyed believe that poor communication as a result of inadequate business language skills can create misunderstanding. While 83% of employees reported that poor business language skills have negatively impacted sales, profitability and efficiency of operations in their organizations. This definitely shows that strategic communication is very crucial in real estate and that is why every real estate company is now focusing on improving their communications systems to not just communicate, but strategically communicate to their audience internally and externally.
With the advancement in technology and changing customer demands, real estate companies have been left with no option but to be strategic in their communication and marketing approaches. For instance, face-to-face interaction has always been the main form of communication in real estate. However, consumers are now relying majorly on technology and digital platforms to connect with real estate brands. As a result, real estate companies have turned to the following effective strategies to enhance their communication and make it more targeted and purposeful:
- Real estate businesses have gone digital and they are now focusing their communication and marketing strategies on digital presentations, webinars, online press events and virtual site tours
- Use of engaging and captivating content that befits every type of audience and their needs
- Social media and influencer marketing, etc.
Conclusively, real estate agents, investors or developers need to understand that clear, effective and purposeful communication before, during and after a transaction when interacting with a client or potential client is very crucial to their businesses. Companies that continue to take a short-term approach to communicating with key stakeholders will find it increasingly difficult to compete. Therefore, developing an integrated, strategic approach to communications will be critical to the success of real estate businesses.
Developing an impactful communication strategy may pose to be a big challenge. However, the good thing is that Public Relations and Strategic Communications Consultancy Firms such as Commken Afrique can relieve real estate companies of this stress and help them craft the best strategy that will put their businesses at the frontline every time a potential client thinks of a real estate company that will meet their needs and match their preference.