by Rosie McLean 
Every property has a story to tell and by weaving this storytelling element into our property listings we can boost prospective buyer or renter engagement by capturing their imagination to find out more, as well as creating a more memorable listing that will generate more potential leads. Crafting a compelling narrative is an art that relies on drawing your readers or listeners in. So get comfy and read on to find out more.
Finding the hook and key characters
First, we try to identify the story’s hook – the star character that provides the initial connection with the reader or listener. We look for the most compelling fact we can portray, whether that’s the location, a feature of the property or something related to its history, for example. It’s finding the uniqueness that helps the story come to life, and evokes position moods and emotions in the reader.
Setting the scene
Now comes the scene setting, painting an evocative picture that a prospective buyer can relate to or aspire to. Southampton, for example, is one of the most dynamic cities in the south of England with a vibrant and varied nightlife, while Portsmouth is a popular waterfront destination with a mix of history and heritage. Meanwhile, a location such as Bitterne is close to the countryside and so can provide the escape from city life that many seek. Tapping into the deeper story of these locations allows us to harness the emotions and images they evoke – such as the potential buyer or renter unwinding on a long country walk.
A good plot twist
Any good story is likely to have some sort of challenge the main character has to overcome. The same can be true of your property narrative. To do this, it’s important to think of the challenges the property helps to solve and to explain how it does so. For example, if its countryside location offers the long-sought dream of a quieter pace of life, we can describe the benefits of this in detail. By contrast, a city centre location will have everything on the doorstep, meaning no lengthy commutes to contend with each day.
Sharing the story
Stories are created to be shared and the same is true with the enticing narrative of a property listing. Blogs, videos and social media can all be used in your storytelling to spread the narrative more widely – increasing your property’s reach and the likelihood of a happy ending for your tale.
At Chimneypots we know the importance of first impressions and great marketing and will work hard to find the story behind your property and to tell it in the best way possible. We’ve many a story to share, as well as in-depth knowledge of the Southampton and Portsmouth areas that can be woven in, so do get in touch to find out more.
