When it comes to commercial or retail real estate sales and leasing, you are frequently preparing marketing proposals for clients to consider in the promotion of their property. The marketing proposal is perhaps the most important document to win the business; get it wrong and you lose the game. Creativity is required given the prevailing market conditions. A great marketing proposal is essential.
Here is a potential structure to create a great marketing proposal that can apply in the promotion of most commercial and retail real estate.
The executive summary should always appear at the front of the document. This is one or two pages of key issues that relate to the promotion of the property. They are the most important issues that will have an impact in resolving the client's property targets. It should also outline what kind of business you are running, and what types of products you will be selling, for example, scarves, linen products, kilts, or shoes, etc.
The property brief outlines the relative property and the challenge that the client requires to be solved. This simple description process lets the client see that you as the agent totally understand their property need.
The property description completely describes the property and its current status. This removes any confusion that may potentially exist between the agent and the client.
An overview of the current market should be provided. This allows the client to understand the challenges and the opportunities that exist at this current point in time. This should include recent sales, recent leases, and comparable properties which will have an impact in the current marketing campaign.
A description of the target market should be provided. This allows the client to see where most of the advertising focus will be directed, and give your reasons why. A clear and precise target market allows the advertising campaign to be well structured.
It is now time to provide a detailed and comprehensive recommended marketing campaign given all of the previous points and most particularly the target market. The marketing campaign should include all required promotional and advertising channels. They will be the Internet, e-mail marketing, flyers, brochures, information memorandum, direct marketing telephone calls, direct mail, editorial, articles, newspaper advertising, radio, and TV Advertising if appropriate, signboard, database strategies, and website promotional solutions.
A clear description and recommendation should be provided to the client with two or three alternative choices within the recommended marketing campaign. Some clients like to have choices for the purposes of budget or strategy.
You should provide a timeline for the client to see how the campaign will be commenced and staged. The best way to do this is through a simple Gantt chart.
A list of the key staff involved in the marketing campaign should be provided together with a description of their involvement and communication back to the client. Relative experience with the subject property should also be explained.
In the appendix at the rear of the document, you should have a selection of sample promotional material. You can also have prepared draft advertisements and property descriptions for the client to choose from and set their preferences.
A great marketing proposal will be achieved from the above components and structures. This allows the client to be fully informed before they make the final promotional decision in marketing their property.
Notice that this list is mainly about the property and the client's requirements; it is not overly about the agent or salesperson. When your document focuses on the client and the property, you have a much better chance of gaining the client's agreement to proceed. They can see that you really understand their property issues and you have a real solution for handling them in today's economic climate. In simple terms they need you.
