The importance of creating great commercial real estate marketing collateral is typically underappreciated. Follow these guidelines to ensure CRE success.
Commercial real estate firms offer an array of brochures, email templates, and other printed material when they are promoting their property. One of these papers is an “Offering Memorandum” (OM) that is a legal document that describes the objectives, risks, and terms of an investment that has to do with a “private placement.” This means a capital raising event involving the sale of securities to a small number of select investors. These sales are private, not a public sale on the open market. The documents are used to explain the property, and they include photos and other data about the real estate in question.
Offering memorandum (OM) projects range from simple and straightforward publications to impressive booklets and brochures that radiate a professional vibe, depending on the price of the real estate. In most cases, real estate agents are focused on making the property look and feel like an expensive and worthwhile investment. They depend on their memorandum to illustrate the beauty, worth, and desirability of the site. This booklet can be the “springboard to closing the deal.” Any real estate firm worth its salt will do everything in its power to ensure that the OM conveys the major selling points of the real estate opportunity by both its content and its excellent visuals.
Experienced real estate professionals know the OM must have the following characteristics:
Flowing Readability
- Not only do the words that are used in the brochure need to be clear, but the words also need to be concise, descriptive, and intelligible. Choosing the correct font with the best style, color, and size is another way to ensure the finished product can be quickly read. The spacing and layout of the text need to be open and neat.
- All informational writing should be structured in a way that makes for effortless reading. Headings, subheadings, paragraphs, and text should be carefully inserted. Significant
- Words or sentences need to be highlighted or bolded.
- Quick scanning is useful and can be accomplished through bullet points.
Well-Written
Before beginning your OM, consider what you wish to convey in the brochure. Stick to the major concepts and make your writing informative, understandable, and to the point.
- Some often reiterated writing advice includes:
- Getting rid of words that are inserted just for “fluff.”
- Eliminating weak adjectives.
- Adding thoughtful, well-written, and intelligent headings and supporting subheadings.
- Double checking spelling, punctuation, grammar, and formatting. You might consider finding a professional copywriter or editor to review your work before it is printed.
- Edit, edit, and edit again. Typos and other small but offensive errors look unprofessional. Some say proofreading is more accurate if the text is read starting at the end of the piece.
Have a Balanced Layout
Keep the content design simple. If all the components are attractive and well-designed, the finished product will be both engaging and user-friendly.
- Check your margins and spacing to ensure the content “breathes.”
- Use the correct amount of white space to draw the eye to the most relevant elements.
- Design your cover page with visuals that are striking, so the reader’s first impression is strong.
- Intersperse maps, tables, and photos to break up paragraphs and text.
Include Clear Financial Data
Make sure your financials are seamless, coherent, and match the overall design of the document. These types of detail-oriented measures will make a difference to interested parties and could provide that extra push that results in a closed deal.
Provide High-Quality Imagery
It will be the visuals that get the most attention when clients read the OM. Professional photography has a way of evoking emotions and adding the “wow” factor. You will need a few high-resolution shots of the exterior and interior of the property. If the real estate is not overly attractive, consider using aerial photography. Doing so will also allow you to capture surrounding neighborhoods.
Drone & Ground Photography
Drones are able to gather aerial photographs due to the skills of trained pilots who get the job done the first time and on time, as well. Not all projects and properties are alike, but drone pilots know how to adjust, understand your goals, and think outside the photography box.
In the past, commercial aerial photography could only be accomplished by using a helicopter. Great photographs were made using this technique, but the cost of using such a method was prohibitive to most. Drones, however, can significantly reduce the cost of aerial photography projects. Now, impressive aerial photography can be obtained by all. Here are some additional things to consider when undertaking a commercial real estate photography project.
Display Illustrated Maps
A visual map or an aerial of the property can include an illustrated map that no
t only connects well with the rest of the OM’s design. Naturally, illustrated maps also look more professional.
Optimized PDF File Size
The web-based version of your OM needs to be much lighter to increase the speed of downloads. No one like a slow-loading file. The copies you share on email or online can be darker.
All photo file managers can configure your exported file to ensure it is web-optimized.
Call-to-Action Included
Your offering memorandum is a part of your selling toolbox with the prime purpose of moving your potential buyers closer to the next stage of the sale cycle. After reading your OM, what do you want your prospects to do? This is where a clear and engaging call-to-action is necessary. The call-to-action should go over what you want them to do next. Make the CTA nudge them a bit more.
It is essential to determine the right photographer for the job before you begin writing text. The types and locations of the photos you request will have everything to do with the layout of your booklet. It is at this intersection where realtors and professional drone services meet.
Please let us know if you are interested in dronegenuity commercial real estate photography services. Learn more about all of our drone services here, or simply follow dronegenuity on our social media channels: YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and subscribe to our mailing list for regular updates.
We also welcome skilled aerial photographers to apply to our drone pilot job.
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