Countrywide has declined to comment on whether or not it has pulled local newspaper advertising for its mainstream mid-market brands.
Whilst EAT has received reports from both agents and other sources that Countrywide ads vanished some weeks ago, a move apparently not affecting the chain’s upmarket brands, a Countrywide spokeswoman gave a guarded answer.
She said: “Countrywide invests in advertising through a multitude of different online and offline mediums, of which newspapers are one. We are currently investing in areas that will drive maximum interest to clients’ properties, including further investment in digital marketing channels.
“With 90% of property searches starting online, we are continuing to make significant investments in both our website Countrywide’s dedicated consumer property website and our mobile presence which is optimised for all major mobile platforms, including iPhone, Blackberry and Android.
“In addition, we are proud to the first UK-based estate agent to provide a fantastic free mobile App that is compatible with Windows Phone 7 devices.
“Key to our online offering is providing customers with the ability to search for a property quickly and contact the relevant branch at the touch of a button, regardless of which device they are using.”
However, within last week’s report to Countrywide shareholders on the group’s performance in Q3 this year was a series of slide presentations. One of these slides showed Countrywide’s growing reliance on internet marketing, citing that 35% of its leads came from its own website, 35% from Zoopla and 30% from Rightmove.
Reference was made to cost savings, but no reference was made to print advertising.
Contrary to some comments on EAT’s story on Friday, none of this was the subject of any press release, but was picked up from the report to shareholders.
But are other agents canning or cutting down on their print advertising? We asked around and found quite a talking point. See next story.
Comments
Andrew --- anyone that is as cheap to "advertise" on a blog deserves to fail, the tin pot org called the INEA does that low stunt often.
@Andrew
I joined the Guild and get these 'posh' magazines regularly with all sorts of info including recipes. No extra cost for me and money well spent because it is an instruction puller and not an advertising media which the local press is and I agree the returns for local advertising are rubbish.
Who ever heard of T.O.M.A though?
Answers here please and a prize for the winning answer!
Please forgive the blatant self promotion, but here is a fantastic alternative to the papers: http: //icebergmailer.co.uk/t/1I58-10ARX-9D7Y7F9ABC/cr.aspx?b=32
Most commercial organisations would pay MILLIONS for this level of brand association. you can find out more about us here:http: //www.iceberg-digital.co.uk/
TCF??
Those are the only adverts that they are placing. Although I have heard of these adverts being advertised in newspapers outside of the area that they are relevant to!
If true, How do they satisfy the Lenders SLAs to advertise in the paper and issue best price notices???
Do people still read local newspapers? How quaint.
Countrywide have definitely pulled all their local newspaper advertising from all their brand names except the upmarket ones.
@Ray Evans, you are so right, agents should be promoting their brand, their team, their service and their expertise in their local newspaper advertising.
I am fed up of seeing the "same old, same old" miniscule photos of properties and even smaller illegible text covering the whole page of a broadsheet newspaper! Who reads those!? Nobody I know!
Newspapers still have a role to play - but it has changed.
Many agents have not changed with it and still mainly advertise postage sized pictures of properties 'for sale'.
It is not now necessary to do this all the time.
Local newpapers can be used to promote the firm itself with picures of the premises (if good eneough), what the firm can do, and a push to their own website - RM, Zoopla should appear but secondary within the ad.
Not all will agree with this but it has considerable merit?
They have definately pulled out of all press (incl Metro) until the New Year.
Have heard that Agents are caning them on valuations.
I just wish all agents would be brave enough to collectively pull out of local press advertising altogether - permanently.
If we're honest all it does is placate vendors and generate the odd 'nosey neighbour' enquiry.
We stopped advertising in the local press 7 years ago, it was clear that whilst the papers generated a lot if interest, almost no business was converted. There are better ways to spend the marketing budget and it should all go on getting new instructions, the Internet subscriptions will do the rest.
Wew all know the local papers are a waste of time anyway well done Countrywide for leading the field im sure many others will follow suit.