Recently, I was invited to conduct a live training on FB ad copywriting for a group of real estate agents.
One of the core objectives of that training was to help them idealise and write out a Facebook ad they can immediately run to generate leads.
Naturally, the biggest challenge was the gap in copywriting principles and understanding… I had no idea what their current level of understanding or knowledge was…
Should I cover the basics or dive into advance writing techniques?
A simple way would be to choose a proven copywriting formula and get them to follow that…
But I’m not a big fan of using formulas, especially during training workshops as it limits the “creativity”. Now, some copywriters might disagree with me here and insist that any sales message follows a set of rules and processes… essentially a formula.
I don’t disagree with that, however, when it comes to first-timers using a formula they have a tendency to fall into this trap I label as…
Blind Copying!
But I digress, when it comes to real estate agents, they are sales professionals which would make this easier except…
The Big Challenge of New Launch Ad Writing
They’re usually promoting the exact same property.
The material and content is provided by the developer which is usually a good thing… but in the case of agents, it means they’re ALL working with the same materials.
If everyone of them followed the same formula, the most likely outcome would be 10 or 20 of the same ad circulating around Facebook.
As you can imagine, that would just mean ad fatigue hitting the industry that much faster.
No doubt, they could try a different headline variation but there’s a limit to that if the general theme or idea remains the same.
It all boils back down to the market’s level of awareness. A concept first taught by legendary copywriter, Eugene Schwartz.
In the case of the property new launch market, the market is mostly at the Most Aware stage. They already know what a new launch is and why they want it.
Listing out the key benefits from the developer is the simplest and most direct way to advertise.
But what makes that ad different from the hundreds of ads their prospects are bombarded with everyday?
Niche Down – The Secret to Writing to an Aware Market
Given that every agent is going to list the materials they get from the developer, we had to be different.
And the simplest way to do that is to niche down.
This means focusing more directly on a specific group of audience.
For example, if your main group of prospects are women buying a condo unit for their young children the message is going to be different from prospecting to single men.
Since every other ad focuses on a surface level, we had to go deeper.
At this point, you’re probably thinking…
“Wouldn’t that limit our audience pool or size?”
Yes, it would but that’s precisely the point.
Think about it this way…
When you’re sick and need a doctor, would you go to the general practitioner (GP) or a specialist?
That would depend on the illness wouldn’t it?
But suppose that the illness has been persistent and ongoing for a while… that’s when regardless of the fees involved, a specialist is needed.
Going back to the real estate niche, most agents are functioning at a level of a “general practitioner”.
However, the market now needs someone with more experience as they have ample choices to choose from.
A Quick & Dirty Formula for Agents
Naturally, in a short blog post like this, I can’t dive too deep into the various technique on selecting a niche and showcasing expertise…
That’s why I created a dedicated Facebook copywriting workshop where we spend 3-4 hours exploring the key copywriting principles and techniques.
Because once you’ve gotten the “finer details” nailed down, that’s where a formula can truly shine.
And for the property agents who need inspiration, I’ve even prepared a simple ad formula you can quickly use.
Take a look:
[Target Audience] Here's Why You Must Consider [Project Name] 1. [Feature #1] - [Benefit #1] 2. [Feature #2] - [Benefit #2] 3. [Feature #3] - [Benefit #3] Plus, we've discovered a unique way to help you maximise your capital growth. Book an appointment to find out more.
One of my concerns with sharing a formula is that every agent will start copying and using it wholesale. But I think you have a better idea now don’t you?
