There is a big difference between reaching someone who might be interested in a new home and reaching someone who has specifically asked to hear about one.
That distinction is at the heart of the Move iQ New Build Bulletin.
When we asked consumers what they wanted more of from Move iQ, one of the clear requests was to hear about new-build launches, developments, events and incentives.
So we created a way for them to do exactly that.
Consumers can actively subscribe to receive the New Build Bulletin directly into their inbox. And although the Bulletin is still relatively new, the audience is already building, with more than 300 people opting in specifically for new-build information.
For developers, that makes it a particularly interesting audience.
They have already raised their hand
Social media gives property brands enormous opportunities to reach consumers, and it plays an important role in how we grow the Bulletin.
But an email subscription represents a different type of engagement. The Data & Marketing Association’s research consistently highlights the importance of relevance and consumer preference in successful email marketing, while recent industry research describes an opt-in as an important signal that someone is willing to engage.
That distinction is particularly relevant to the New Build Bulletin.
Someone scrolling past a development on Instagram may or may not be considering a new-build home. Someone who has provided their email address specifically because they want to hear about new-build launches and opportunities has taken a deliberate action and told us something about their interests.
They have, effectively, raised their hand.
That doesn’t mean every subscriber is ready to reserve a property tomorrow. But it does give us a highly relevant, permission-based audience with a declared interest in new-build property.
Becoming more targeted as we grow
The next stage is making that audience even more useful.
We’re now starting to ask subscribers which regions they are particularly interested in.
As the list grows and we build a clearer picture of where subscribers are looking, our ambition is to make the Bulletin increasingly relevant to both sides.
Consumers receive information about developments and opportunities that better match where they want to buy, while developers gain access to an audience with a more clearly defined geographical interest.
It takes time to build that level of first-party audience insight, but the early traction is encouraging.
Direct access to the inbox
There is another important distinction between the Bulletin and many other forms of property marketing.
It arrives directly.
Developers understandably invest heavily in portals, paid media, social campaigns and their own databases. The New Build Bulletin isn’t intended to replace any of those channels.
It provides an additional route to the consumer.
Each monthly edition gives selected developments their own space, imagery and direct call to action, rather than relying on a buyer discovering them within a much larger set of search results.
And because subscribers have specifically asked to receive the Bulletin, the development is appearing within content they have chosen to receive.
That’s an important context.
Creating another route to discovery
One of the challenges with marketing new homes is reaching potential buyers at the right moment.
A consumer may be considering a move long before they start searching individual developments in earnest.
They might be researching areas, considering whether new build is right for them, looking at incentives or simply waiting for the right development to launch.
The Bulletin gives developers another opportunity to enter that consideration process.
A show home opening, new phase, buyer incentive or development launch can be taken directly to an audience interested in discovering those opportunities.
And because Move iQ and Lexie Carducci continue to promote Bulletin sign-ups through their wider audiences, the subscriber base is designed to keep growing.
A small, highly targeted audience can be valuable
In marketing, bigger numbers can be seductive.
But scale without relevance isn’t necessarily more valuable.
We would rather be transparent about where the New Build Bulletin is today: it’s a growing product with a developing subscriber base, rather than presenting it as a huge established database.
What makes it interesting is the intent behind that audience.
More than 300 consumers have already actively asked us to tell them about new-build opportunities. As that number grows – and as we learn more about where those consumers want to buy – the proposition becomes increasingly targeted.
For developers, that’s the opportunity.
Not simply another place to advertise a development, but a direct route to consumers who have specifically asked to discover what is coming next.
Put your development in front of an opted-in new-build audience
The Move iQ New Build Bulletin features selected launches, developments, events and buyer incentives each month.
If you have a development or new-build opportunity you would like us to put in front of our growing subscriber audience, contact us to find out about upcoming editions and listing opportunities.
