13 Commercial Real Estate Marketing Strategies

In some ways, commercial real estate is able to market itself. A good location in a high traffic area creates an environment that will attract investors. Not every piece of commercial real estate has these advantages, however, and so marketing work must be completed in order to bring in a new leaseholder or purchaser. That’s where the following ideas could make a big difference for you if you represent a piece of commercial real estate right now.

It all begins with your effort to get the property noticed. Look to online directories as a source of networking that may have been overlooked in the past. Web traffic generates organically from local visitors who are looking for opportunities to do business in the area, so focus on local directories first. Be listed in Yahoo!, Google, and even Yelp to garner attention.

Commercial Real Estate Marketing Strategies

1. Let the Media Know
There are a number of local publications that may run an announcement for you within their content. Talk to local newspapers and magazines about your commercial real estate and draft a press release regarding the benefits that using your property could bring. Talk to unions and businesses about running an announcement in their regular newsletters.

2. Use Email Wisely
If you draft a press release for your commercial real estate opportunity, then use email to distribute that press release far and wide. Use your email contact list wisely and do as many personalized messages as possible instead of a form letter with your press release. If you don’t have an email contact list, you can quickly jump-start one by talking to local editors and public relations personnel at local companies.

3. Be Smart About Affiliations
Commercial real estate has become a niche market, which means joining a random organization does not hold much value. Your local Chamber of Commerce should always be at the top of your list, however, because they’ll have a number of networking resources that work to your advantage. Some may see a partnership with the Better Business Bureau as a means of establishing your reputation.

4. Sponsor Local Web Pages
There are undoubtedly thousands of bloggers in your community right now that don’t have any local advertising. Consider paying a few of them a small sum in return for a guest post on their blog about your commercial real estate opportunity, especially if there is provable amounts of local traffic that visit it. Post sponsorships are another low-cost way to promote through local online channels.

5. Stay Away From Swag
People don’t really like things such as stickers, calendars, or cheesy notepads as promotional items. Many of these items are immediately disposed of, forgotten about, or they break while being used and that means you’ve wasted your money! On the other hand, coffee mugs, t-shirts, or even iPhone cases may have a premium price tag up front, but in return you’ll give something away that has an average lifespan of 3 years.

6. Be Charitable
Find a local event that a charity is trying to organize and be their title sponsor. You’ll get lots of eyes directed at you and your branding will be included in every aspect of the event. Even if it is just a basic fundraiser, it may solve your commercial real estate marketing needs.

7. Target the Niche
PPC advertising can help a low-ranking website find better success, but it comes with a price. It takes time to manage a campaign, so do your homework and know the specific demographic that would be interested in your commercial real estate. Blast that demographic with an above-average bid rate and you’ll be able to clone your leads.

8. How Good Is Blogging?
The reason why most blogs fail is because they don’t produce a large amount of quality content on a regular basis. Writing a paragraph here and there a couple times per week just isn’t good enough. It’s got to be long-form, quality content that people will find interesting enough to share in order for it to be successful.

9. Keep Your Focus Strong
Stick with just one target market at a time. It might seem like a commercial real estate opportunity is better than the one before you, but life never works that way. Your marketing will be more influential when you’re a big fish in a small pond, not when you’re a big fish in the Pacific Ocean.

10. Leave the Ego at Home
The primary cause of failure in any good commercial real estate marketing campaign is that there is a desire to become famous at a core level. Focus instead on selling the product. Your name will go along with that ability and eventually you won’t need these ideas any more because you’ll have established a strong local reputation that will drive buyers, sellers, and renters to your door.

11. Strategic Signboards
Being at the top of the mind means having a consistent presence in someone’s life. In order to be influential, you must know the habits of your target demographic so that you can accomplish this. Many focus on radio or television advertising, but a strategic signboard in a location where your target demographic will regularly see it will be just as effective and a fraction of the cost in many instances.

12. Multiply Your Contacts
Personal contact will always be your most influential commercial real estate marketing tool. If you can’t meet with someone in person, then utilize your telephone to stay within reach. Why does this work so well? Because every contact you make works to deepen the relationship you have with that contact and build a level of brand loyalty to you for their needs.

13. Get Your Email Signature Right
Your emails go out every day to people and it is likely underutilized. You can place links with a v-card or take people to your website, but why not include a brief summary and link of your commercial real estate marketing opportunity too? You’ll be able to show with every communication the value of that real estate.