Launching Your Estate Agency: The Power of Effective Marketing

Whether you realise it or not, when you set up an estate agency, you are stepping into the world of marketing. Not only will you be promoting properties for sale, but you will also need to market your business and, crucially, position yourself as the trusted local expert in property sales. Without a strong marketing strategy, even the best estate agents can struggle to gain traction.

Launching any business requires an initial burst of energy, much like a space rocket lifting off from the ground. The first stages demand significant effort, time, and investment. However, once momentum builds, maintaining speed becomes easier. Estate agency marketing follows the same principle. In the beginning, your business will need maximum exposure to create impact in your local property market. This means engaging in multiple marketing activities as quickly as possible to start generating interest and, ultimately, inbound enquiries.

Marketing your estate agency business can be divided into two categories: ‘done for you’ marketing and ‘done by you’ marketing. The former refers to outsourced marketing efforts where you pay a third party to manage campaigns on your behalf. A good example of this is Google Ads, which requires expertise in pay-per-click optimisation. While you won’t need to invest your own time in managing the campaign, you will need to cover the costs.

In contrast, ‘done by you’ marketing requires your direct involvement but is often more budget-friendly. A classic example is leaflet distribution. While printing leaflets is inexpensive, the real challenge lies in delivering them across your local area. The task demands time, effort, and persistence. However, some marketing activities can fall into both categories. If, for instance, you initially distribute leaflets yourself but later hire a distribution company to handle this, you shift from ‘done by you’ to ‘done for you’ marketing. The key difference is that while outsourcing saves time, it increases financial expenditure.

For a well-rounded marketing strategy, a balance between these two approaches is essential. Businesses with a larger marketing budget might lean more towards ‘done for you’ strategies, ensuring a steady flow of professionally executed campaigns. On the other hand, newer estate agencies or those with tighter budgets may need to rely more heavily on ‘done by you’ efforts in the early stages before gradually outsourcing more tasks as the business grows.

Regardless of the specific strategies employed, one of the most critical components of estate agency marketing is setting and maintaining a regular marketing budget. A common industry benchmark suggests that for every £1 of revenue generated, 10 pence should be allocated to marketing. If your goal is to generate £100,000 in revenue over the year, a marketing budget of approximately £10,000 would be a reasonable target. Of course, this is an average figure—some businesses will invest more to accelerate growth, while others may find ways to achieve results with a lower spend by dedicating more personal effort.

To succeed in today’s property market, your estate agency must embrace a combination of online and offline marketing. A digital presence is no longer optional. While online marketing offers vast reach, it is also a competitive and often costly space, particularly when bidding for ad placements. Conversely, a business that solely relies on traditional offline methods will miss out on the immense opportunities available through digital channels. Most potential clients will research your business online before making contact, and an outdated or non-existent online presence can be detrimental.

With a clear understanding of why marketing is vital, the next step is deciding where to allocate your budget. There is no shortage of advertising opportunities—from local noticeboards and leaflet drops to social media campaigns and Google Ads. Virtually any space can be used for marketing, with advertising companies eager to place your brand anywhere for a price. However, rather than spreading your budget thinly across numerous platforms, focusing on the most effective strategies will yield the best results.

If launching an estate agency today, selecting the most impactful marketing routes would be crucial for securing initial listings. Not all marketing channels deliver the same return on investment, and careful selection of high-performing options will ensure that your budget is spent wisely. In the following sections, we will explore the most effective advertising methods available and how to implement them efficiently to drive growth for your estate agency.