Touchpoints: Build Trust in Your Community
Customers are becoming more and more cynical. They just don’t know who to trust.

With the media and government often highlighting only the negative aspects of business, service professions have taken some knocks lately. In a recent Harris Interactive poll, real estate agents fared very poorly when consumers were asked which professions would give them the most honest advice to their questions.

To invest so much of one’s hard-earned income in real estate is a leap of faith. A buyer or seller must trust that the advice given from a real estate professional is best for his or her personal circumstances. Since it appears that real estate clients are increasingly entering into the marketplace with at least some skepticism, it is vital to instill confidence at every “trust point,” or interaction with the client.

From the very first interaction—which is often through your Custom House newspaper—each contact offers an opportunity to elicit trust, and reinforce the benefits of working with a real estate agent. One of the most popular benefits of a Custom House publication is the customizable pages. Below are a few ways to use these pages to build trust:

• Provide sound advice. Feature renovation tips (What will get readers the most money? Whom do readers call for sound advice?), highlight a local, trusted professional (Write a short feature story or advertisement) or provide safety ideas (How can they protect against burglary? Have a local police officer write the tips.).
• Keep them aware of local news. Many clients use these pages to give updates on zoning issues or city council minutes. It gets a great response and indicates that the agent is a responsible neighbor.
• Highlight your charitable efforts. Do you participate in any local charity events? Hold fund-raisers? If you do, get some info out about your favorite cause!
• Add more community. List community events, add school calendars or highlight a local hero.
• Keep your message consistent. Make sure your message matches throughout all mediums. Inconsistency is a killer for any marketing campaign.  

Your account executive and graphic designer are experts in getting the most out of your publication. If you’re interested in increasing your impact, speak to one of them directly.