For the 100th time, I read a real estate write up that fell well short of the space limit, but was filled with acronyms and abbreviations that you’d need a Berlitz book to decode. I think it fair to say, after more than 4 months on market and no buyer, that this would be called a marketing fail. The amount of effort it takes to write out the entire phrase “Sliding Glass Doors” instead of the current “SGD” is negligible. Buyers don’t stick around to decode. There is too much inventory to move on to.
And of course, the sellers, who could easily see this marketing fail if they simply Googled their address once in 4+ months, are oblivious to it, because no seller would be OK with that.
We’ve all been in situations where industry jargon has confused or annoyed us. When a physician speaks to us like a colleague instead of a lay person needing explanation, it is disconcerting because confusion doesn’t mix well with health matters. It is the same when we speak with an electrician, a cop, and 100 other professions where the stakes are such that clarity goes hand in hand with peace of mind.
WBF or WB Fireplace instead of simply “Fireplace” or “Woodburning Fireplace” is another fail.
EIK instead of “Eat in Kitchen” occurs so often I no longer question it, but to a consumer out for the first time it can cause fits.
The same goes for MBR instead of “Master Bedroom.”
I could go on an on. Sometimes I’ll see abbreviations and acronyms in write ups where they simply don’t have the room-sometimes. But once in a write up where it doesn’t absolutely have to occur is too many. Moreover, I can tell you that there are other ways to get the same or better message with fewer words. But that is another blog.
Thou shalt not confuse thy prospective buyer.
Thou shalt always give thy client thy best.
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Real Estate Jargon is Terrible Marketing
For the 100th time, I read a real estate write up that fell well short of the space limit, but was filled with acronyms and abbreviations that you’d need a Berlitz book to decode. I think it fair to say, after more than 4 months on market and no buyer, that this would be called a marketing fail. The amount of effort it takes to write out the entire phrase “Sliding Glass Doors” instead of the current “SGD” is negligible. Buyers don’t stick around to decode. There is too much inventory to move on to.
And of course, the sellers, who could easily see this marketing fail if they simply Googled their address once in 4+ months, are oblivious to it, because no seller would be OK with that.
We’ve all been in situations where industry jargon has confused or annoyed us. When a physician speaks to us like a colleague instead of a lay person needing explanation, it is disconcerting because confusion doesn’t mix well with health matters. It is the same when we speak with an electrician, a cop, and 100 other professions where the stakes are such that clarity goes hand in hand with peace of mind.
WBF or WB Fireplace instead of simply “Fireplace” or “Woodburning Fireplace” is another fail.
EIK instead of “Eat in Kitchen” occurs so often I no longer question it, but to a consumer out for the first time it can cause fits.
The same goes for MBR instead of “Master Bedroom.”
I could go on an on. Sometimes I’ll see abbreviations and acronyms in write ups where they simply don’t have the room-sometimes. But once in a write up where it doesn’t absolutely have to occur is too many. Moreover, I can tell you that there are other ways to get the same or better message with fewer words. But that is another blog.
Thou shalt not confuse thy prospective buyer.
Thou shalt always give thy client thy best.