We’ve all heard the statistic that that up to 80-95% percent of purchases are based on emotion.

“It’s all about tapping into RIGHT brain,” the gurus say — referring to the part of us that prefers fiction, enjoys storytelling, is drawn to creativity and imagination, is occasionally absentminded.

Fine, fine. The question is…how do we actually USE emotional appeal to our benefit, functionally, as Realtors?

I think we start by admitting that traditional real estate marketing has an information overwhelm problem. 

That instead of leaning into emotional appeal, many agents are taught to stay in the trenches of the more logic-based, old-school marketing model. ❌

This model is “me” focused and it translates to agent marketing messaging that is:

transactional,

over-prescriptive,

solution-jumping,

quantity-based,

focused on WHAT you are doing in real estate, rather than WHY you are doing it.

Let’s say I’m an agent stuck in the “me”-focused, old-school marketing model. In marketing on social media and to my email list, I’m doing things like:

• Sharing client testimonials as “filler content” without any storytelling around the client journey with you (I.e., in a way that invites readers to place themselves into my narrative and desire the same change as my client);
   
• Promoting my volume of transactions for the month/quarter on repeat as a credibility or status metric (rather than contextualizing my “quantity” with more quality-based messaging anchors, like stories that help me earn trust and engagement);
   
• Talking more about how I solve problems for people + what those problems are (rather than actually tapping into desire and casting a vision for possibilities).

This approach is woven in dense energy. 😵‍💫Because it’s purely logical-functional, speaking to problems that buyers and sellers already know about their situation. It attracts disempowered customers, the kind who will take much, MUCH longer to beat status quo + actually convert in your pipeline.

We’re all weary of that.

There’s a better way.

Because of information overwhelm, you need to make a shift to a more modern sales model.

I’m talking about DESIRE marketing that is rooted in emotional appeal. More natural, human-centric, and expansive.

This modern model leads with personal branding and actually has a point of view.

As the customer-focused model, it is:

value-building,

curious and creative,

patient,

quality-centric,

infused with a “WHY” sense of purpose behind the “what” you are doing in real estate.

Let’s get functional about helping you apply this model in real estate.

One of the fastest, smartest pathways to pivoting to a more customer-focused framework is through value linking.

Value linking is a messaging tool you can use to help your customers achieve that sense of gain, while relieving their pain – i.e., a tool for CONVERSION.

You value-link by tying your real estate service offer into MULTIPLE emotional reasons why people should buy / utilize your service. 

Most agents focus on just ONE reason why people should buy or sell with them, and it’s usually based on transactional outcomes. Like, saving people money (a profit goal). Or saving people time (a transition goal).

But in an ideal world, and because the real estate world involves complex sales, you should linking to 7-10 value points in your marketing pitches. Not just one.

And you should be tapping into customer emotions that are based on more personal goals— not just financial / transactional goals — while you’re doing it.

This means you’re linking to the personal values of your customers. You’re highlighting outcomes that relate to things like their reputation. Self-worth and social status. Unique individual aspirations.

THIS is value linking done well. So if I’m a Realtor marketing within this modern model, then I’m not just talking about how I help people save time or money.

I’m writing marketing emails, crafting social media captions, and creating targeted mailer campaigns around how I help people:

• Avoid effort
• Escape some kind of mental or physical pain
• Achieve more comfort
• Gain praise
• Feel more loved
• Increase their social status
• Make things happen faster
• Learn new skills
• Have more leisure time
• Enjoy their work

See that shift?

Away from logic, toward emotion.

Away from purely financial-functional, toward the personal.

Depending on your brand personality or services niche in real estate, the personal/emotional values YOU link to in your marketing will look very different than the next agent. It’s important to make this an individual exercise for yourself.

As you map out your customer journey, ask yourself these questions to help you identify the right customer priorities to anchor your messaging to, faster:

• What is something my buyers/sellers DON’T have to do anymore once they work with me (helping them avoid effort)? What does that mean for their life?
   
• How does my real estate offer eliminate pain and worry?
   
• What are 3 ways my service helps people feel more comfortable?
   
• What are 3 ways my service helps people achieve their ideal identity or feel more loved?
   
• How will buying into my real estate offer make them feel more popular, or increase their social status?
   

The answers to these questions = POWERFUL motivators. 

It equates to customers who are now suddenly motivated by DESIRE, rather than old-school problem-solution marketing. Desire IS the fastest path to conversion.

If you need a little convincing, then do the “hand cover” exercise on your real estate brand.

It’s a fab litmus test. 

Remove the visual branding from your real estate messaging materials — the brand name, logo, colors, all of it.

Does your messaging still land?

Does the core heartbeat of your service still resound?

Could your Realtor competitors use your same messaging?

If so, then you’re not there yet. 

It’s time to refine and shake things up.

Start with leaning into emotional appeal and using value-linking to motivate your audience of buyers and sellers.

If you can convince someone to change because THEIR personal priorities + emotions demand it — not just their logic or their bank account — then you’ve got a winning pitch and a bottom line that grows, no matter how shaky the market season.

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P.S – What’s BLUEPRINT, again? 

We’re a gaggle of designers, writers, and creatives on a mission to change the branding narrative in real estate.

We offer a signature branding service and the industry’s most elegant and high-converting digital products to help modern, stylish Realtors do three things:

➝ Communicate their worth;

➝ Become the obvious choice;

➝ Tell the right stories to stand out + SELL more.

We love new friends, so hop on our email list for more value content, take our wildly popular real estate personality quiz, or follow us on The ‘Gram to join the family.