Homes.com has been keeping an eye on consumer trends that may affect what your clients and prospects look for in a home. We’ve already discussed how status seekers are looking for guilt-free products that reduce their impact on the environment, and this time around, we want to shed some light on another trend called “YOUniverse.”
The key thing to remember about society’s YOUniverse trend is that everything’s about them! These types of consumers expect a high level of customization, involvement, personalization, and instant gratification, more than any other type of consumer.
The desire to customize a space to match individual preferences and tastes is something that every homeowner has in common, but those who fall under the YOUniverse category take this desire to a whole new level. “YOUniversers” want to customize every aspect of their home to not only meet their needs, but to also represent their character. Keep this in mind when showing properties to these clients and prospects, because they will want a home that permits this.
In order to best reach YOUniversers, you must increase their level of involvement. They like to see that their input is valued, and luckily for you, social media is a perfect way to do this. Crowdsourcing your content and allowing them to contribute is a great way to stay top of mind. If clients and prospects see that you value what they have to say, there’s a lot better chance that they will remember you when it comes time to buy or sell their next home.
Personalization is important to YOUniversers because it makes them feel appreciated. Creating a marketing plan or listing presentation that is unique to their home will illustrate that you value their business. If they see that you’ve taken the time to create a plan to cater to their own needs, they’ll feel more confident in your ability to sell their home.
Instant gratification is the most defining factor of the YOUniverse trend, and new technologies have been the driving force behind it. Mobile innovations have made accessing information on demand mandatory, so patience is no longer a virtue. This is why having a responsive design website is vital to the success of your business, as fifty-seven percent of mobile consumers would not recommend a business with a bad mobile site (digby).
Furthermore, they want to find all the information they are looking for in a single location and not spend time jumping from website to website. With that said, Homes.com offers a library of widgets that can be added to your website to provide clients and prospects with everything they need during the homebuying process.
In short, connecting with “YOUniversers” will require real estate professionals to show that your business revolves around each individual client. By positioning yourself as a one-stop shop, clients and prospects will have access to everything they need to make the homebuying process easier and more convenient for them.
