Did you know that most REALTORS® despise the task of writing Ad Copy for their listings? They hate it so much that many delegate this task to their assistant or an outside “professional.”
Some are now using ChatGPT, which can produce better results, but the output still depends entirely on the quality of the input.
The problem with either strategy (above) is, whether human or AI, the writer has never seen the property! They’re going off a few scratched notes provided by the REALTOR® and “winging it.”
Most agents still write the ads themselves, despite possessing zero writing skills and not investing any time or effort to improve those skills.
This is why it’s so painful to read most of these ads!
By the way, if you ever notice a spelling mistake on an MLS description, know this:
There’s a spell-checker built into the input tool!
Honestly, this is not mere incompetence; it’s the absolute height of laziness, which should be reason enough never to hire that agent.
Don’t get me wrong. Aside from spelling mistakes, I understand why most agents are terrible writers. It’s just not a skill that comes naturally to most people who are attracted to the profession.
Let’s face it: None of us are fantastic at every detail of our jobs, and writing skills are far from the first thing you think about when contemplating a career in real estate! I’ve never met an English Major who decided to become A REALTOR®!
But, most sellers don’t put nearly as much importance into this critical skill during the interview process. After all, producing a compelling MLS presentation is one of the most important things we do, and the Ad Copy is a critical component of that presentation.
Sometimes, it seems to me like being a good bullshitter carries more weight than possessing real marketable skills.
This hasn’t happened to me for a long time, but I remember losing out on a listing to another agent and then being appalled at the terrible MLS presentation when I saw it. I thought, “This is bloody awful. How could I lose to this guy?”
Nowadays, I actually teach other agents how to write effective ad copy. Briefly, here are a few of the main concepts:
1. Get straight to the point. Talk about the best features of the property first. After all, it’s the most important features that potential buyers want to know, and they probably have short attention spans! So don’t expect people to read to the end.
2. Selling a home is a multi-stage process. The first step is getting buyers to physically view the property. Therefore, concentrate on creating excitement and curiosity instead of trying to describe every tiny inconsequential detail.
3. Understand that you’re writing a “product description,” not a novel. So if you can use ten words, rather than twenty words, to describe the exact same thing, do that.
There’s more, but you get the idea…
The bottom line is that powerfully written Ad Copy can and does make a real difference in generating more showings, thereby increasing the chances of selling quicker and for a higher price.
Being a good writer isn’t the only factor to consider when hiring a listing agent, but it’s far more critical than most people realize.
To learn more about other important strategies, click on this link to download my new ebook:
8 Top-Tier White-Glove REALTOR® Strategies
Ted