Aisha Rabo

As a real estate developer, you may have had thoughts on how to make your real estate business grow wider. Publicity is key to gain recognition of one’s products and services, this is the reason having products advertised to the wider public is massive. One of the benefits of publicity is that it creates public awareness of a brand or business through media coverage and other forms of communication.

It’s part of a marketing campaign, it has a goal of increasing positive publicity, improving sales of business and minimizing or eliminating negative coverage.

 However, these adverts alone may not be enough, having a good understanding of the rudiments of the market is important to carry out businesses across borders. How does a developer ensure that his listings or products are widely seen and patronized? how does one get prospective buyers?

Assuming one wants to get a property in Asaba, Delta state and is not familiar with the surroundings there, getting or contacting a friend who resides within that environment comes to mind and that person may be in a better position to tell you the best locations on where and how to get such property. A referral sometimes, by that friend becomes important.

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When one may not be acquainted with an area where he/she wishes to get a property, that property may not really mean much at first, doubts may set in. Instead, one may beckon on those they trust including friends, families, relatives who may have recently got a property there or someone they know had got one there already to inquire more on the persons or real estate developers they worked with or that influenced property deals across states of the nation.

Sending someone your adverts or listings sometimes, does not guarantee the desired results. There are hundreds or thousands of adverts of newly developed homes/houses that people see every day or mails of adverts they receive and don’t act on them.

Rather, a developer should inform a prospective buyer on the reasons of getting not just a property but, how ideal that city or location of the property is. It will even be the best if one will be made to understand the details like investment opportunities, details of high or low concentration of basic amenities in that location.

Remember, when you share intelligence, you are simultaneously sharing business. Adverts or listings are not market intelligence; it comes down to making commitments to building relationships. By the time you understand that it is key to build relationships with your environment and those not even seen physically, added with the impacts it will make on your business, you will work hard to create contacts. Social media becomes key in this regard, spending more time on social media with your business, creates a following for you and your business on more social media handles.

Slowly, you will see yourself start making friends who already know what you are into, with some referrals coming your way too. These referrals if properly handled, even become friends with you outside the business angle. On a day, you may visit these turned friends at their locations and maybe, they will ask you to meet their clients who you can do business with by either helping to sell or buy a property for them.

Visit real estate developers, professionals across the country and if possible, outside the country to gain ideas and exchange business thoughts. Though, it may be time consuming or stressful but, the dividends will sure pay off in the future.

Businesses are thriving, transactions and monies flow every day. It may not be possible to know millionaires but, it would be great if you make efforts to see that you interact with the professionals who work or liaise with them because, they are the relationships that will bring you businesses daily, whether big or small.