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When it comes to marketing the sales side of a real estate agency, it’s no holds barred. But what about your property management department? Is that getting the attention it deserves?

Sales might be the star of the real estate show, but property management is a crucial element of the business. When sales are down, it can be what keeps an agency afloat. It’s worth dedicating some attention to.

We recently met with the property management department of a successful real estate agency who basically told us that they get all their business through A, the sales department, and B, sheer luck. Not an ideal strategy – but we suspect they’re not the only ones.

A landlord wants a property manager who’s reliable, honest, and has the know-how to ensure that they get the most out of their investment. So when you’re trying convince investors to choose your agency to manage their portfolio, here are some things to think about.

1. Rethink your rental listings. It’s a given that sales listings get stellar photos, but too often rentals make do with dimly lit iPhone snaps. A quality listing has a better chance of attracting a quality tenant – exactly what the landlord wants.

2. Property investors are all about getting the most out of their portfolio; if they’re unhappy with their current property manager, they’ll take their business elsewhere. The most obvious time for an investor to rethink their portfolio is at the end of the financial year, so that’s the ideal time to promote your property management services. December and January can also be key; even level-headed investors make new year’s resolutions. If they’re unhappy with their current property manager they won’t wait until June to make a change.

3. All landlords want great tenants who pay rent on time and treat the property like it’s their own – so they need to know you have access to those tenants. Make sure your property managers are always positioned as knowledgeable local experts who understand the trends and demographics at play in the area. And it should be clear that while the property manager can find great tenants and keep them happy, they’ll always put the landlord first.

4. Testimonials from your other satisfied landlords are always effective. And they always work better with photos, so use those where you can. 

5. Put a face on your property management team by introducing them via staff profiles in the information you hand a potential landlord. Property is a long term investment, so aim to begin building a productive and rewarding partnership between the landlord and property manager. An investment property is something that could need management for decades to come; plan for that from the start.

6. The landlord wants their investment to be the star of the show, and they need to know that their property manager can devote the necessary level of time and attention. They also want to know that the property manager is experienced. It’s vital to balance the two elements – your property managers might manage a huge number of properties very competently, but don’t risk giving a landlord the impression that their investment is getting lost in the crowd because a Property Manager is stretched too thin.

7. Be honest and transparent about your processes right from the start. How exactly will you maximise the landlord’s return on investment? If a tenant paid rent late, how would that be dealt with? And how will you help them manage the risks of property investment?

What strategies and ideas do you use when marketing your property management services?