form should not be underestimated,” she
says. “Industry veterans are starting to put
more value on soft skills—which hasn’t
always the case because it’s hard to put the
value of that on a line-item on a spread-
sheet.”
Honing and expanding communica-
tion skills has also become key, says
Benjamin van Loon, communications
director at the Association of Foreign
Investors in Real Estate.
That includes the messaging, the strategy, the empathy, and the interdisciplinaryinsight needed to meet the dynamic needsof the present while forecasting the possibilities and pitfalls of multiple potentialfutures.
“Overlapping crises in the form ofcontagious diseases, civil unrest,joblessness, racial inequity, and otherexistential issues have made it impossible(and foolish) to divorce business decision-making from social awareness,” he says.“Real estate affects everyone’s coreexistential needs, and so it is to the benefitof communicators and marketers withinthe industry to decode, demystify, andde-jargonize the world of real estate.”
STANDING OUT IN THE CROWD
At the same time you have to make sure
your message is able to stand apart amid a
cacophony of other voices. With the COVID
crisis, commercial real estate professionals
have less and less time to read emails, pub-
lications, social media and other marketing
vehicles, says David Ebeling, owner of
Ebeling Communications. “In order to
grab their attention, you need to provide
insight that will help them advise their cli-
ents,” he explains. “Knowledge is power
now more than ever.”
According to Ebeling, “showcasing your
knowledge in an article, marketing piece
or social media can turn a cold lead into a
warm lead or a warm lead into a hot lead.”
It can be hard, though, to showcase
your lead when the emergence of COVID-
19 that basically replaced what marketers
once counted on for in-person meetings
to connect with clients and prospects.
According to Janet Cook, VP of market-
ing at NB Private Capital, the business and
networking meetings, conferences and
client events have basically gone out the
window. “In this regard, it’s been impor-
tant to pivot and embrace alternatives and
that’s been the emergence of Zoom and
Webex video conferences for the indus-
try,” Cook says. “Based on the uncertainty
of what we don’t know about when the
pandemic will be ending, I think these
webinars currently make sense.”
As a company, NB Private Capital tries
to personalize communication with weekly
updates about the firm’s properties with
interesting narrative and photos. “The
investors really love this and our followers
on our social media accounts.”
Sometimes, standing out can be just
about being encouraging. “I’ve been send-
ing out quotes [on the social media plat-
forms] called ‘Motivation Monday’
because sometimes we just need encour-
agement with each other. Even a human
interest or ‘feel good’ story may be the
perfect opportunity to start a conversation
with someone,” she says. “My LinkedIn
account has certainly been a valuable tool
for also sharing job posts that individuals
will then consider as a good referral
source.”
ARE YOUR AMENITIES COVID-
FRIENDLY?
For CBRE, the coronavirus outbreak hasalso not only transformed marketing froma client and company perspective, but forhow you are marketing an actual commercial property too. During pre-coronavirustimes, the most in-demand office amenities included gyms, cafes, lounges andmeeting spaces and now, most buyers areconcerned about indoor air quality, touchless technologies, outdoor amenities andbuilding apps, according to a recent CBREreport.
“Before COVID- 19, most property marketing emphasized in-demand amenitieslike communal gathering spaces. Todaytenants want property features that support a healthy and safe building environment and a property owner that caresabout their tenant’s wellbeing,” the reportstated.
While virtual tours have been aroundfor a while, shutdowns and social distancing have made virtual tours a necessity andagents need to find ways to make their listings stand out in a competitive market.
CRE Marketing in the Time ofthe Pandemic
. . . continued on page 54
40 GLOBEST. REAL ESTATE FORUM NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020
“INDUSTRY VETERANSARE STARTING TOPUT MORE VALUE ONSOFT SKILLS—WHICHHASN’T ALWAYS THECASE BECAUSE IT’SHARD TO PUT THEVALUE OF THAT ONA LINE-ITEM ON ASPREADSHEET.”
ACQUELYN AWVE
MARKETING CONSULTANT AT JACKIEAWVE MARKETING
