Most qualified vendor advocates in Melbourne

Vendor Marketing – Melbourne’s most qualifed vendor advocates is a unique vendors advocate service founded by Craig Knudsen, previously Real Estate Advertising Manager of Fairfax Media (The Age Domain, The Melbourne Weekly’s & Domain.com.au).

We position ourselves as a strategic Vendor Advocates because we offer a specialised service for home sellers. What’s unique about Vendor Marketing is its property marketing expertise and real estate agent knowledge in selling homes.

For many people selling your home is one of the most important financial moves you can make. And it’s a great opportunity – to capitalize on all the effort you put into owning it. You have to get the sale right….Vendor Marketing makes sure you do.

The sole aim of Vendor Marketing is to be the independent voice for home sellers within Melbourne by creating and implementing the best marketing strategies available, and selecting the best local Real Estate Agent for your home sale.

Vendor Marketing Vendor Advocates- our expertise adds real value to your marketing

Obviously it’s important to have the best Real Estate Agent to broker and negotiate the optimum sale price for the vendor however this cannot be achieved without effective property marketing. If qualified buyers aren’t walking through a vendor’s door or enquiring about the property it really doesn’t matter how good the Selling Agent is.

Property Marketing is one of the most important variables when selling these days. Marketing can be the greatest expense when selling a home. But it comes with no guarantees, therefore its vital the vendor has the best marketing strategy to work with, including utilising the social media channels available, which most agents are still yet to embrace. Vendor Marketing’s expertise in property marketing means we can assess any proposed advertising plans and improve them if necessary, to make the advertising as effective as possible.

Therefore we save our vendors’ time, money and maximise their sale prices by implementing our strategies.

Vendor Advocates: what to look for, and what to ‘look out’ for when appointing one!

Vendor Advocacy continues to grow in popularity because it offers huge benefits, when done correctly. Simply, with an exceptional Vendor Advocate you can gain better terms during your home sale process and a better sale price as well.

There are however a couple of ‘grey areas’ vendors may have regarding a Vendor Advocate’s remuneration and role in the selling process, and, evaluating exactly how a Vendor Advocate benefits home sellers.

There’s essential information you’ll need to be clear on if you are considering appointing a Vendor Advocate to act on your behalf when selling a property.

At Vendor Marketing we pride ourselves as Melbourne’s most qualified vendor advocates. Firstly, we are not selling agents. It’s important to know when appointing a Vendor Advocate that you’re not just engaging a failed or unsuccessful selling agent, acting now as a vendor advocate. And then for them to then recommend another selling agent to sell your home or property.

Vendor Marketing Vendor Advocates – our independence and non-alignment gives you the clarity you need

Critically, it’s our non-aligned independence that safeguards the value in our Vendor Advocacy service. Instead, we work alongside and without interfering with the selected Real Estate Agent, to ensure the vendor’s interest is protected 110% of the time. As your Vendor Advocate, Vendor Marketing provides qualified and strategic advice throughout the selling process until the property is sold successfully.

We’re independent experts in BOTH property marketing and Real Estate Agent selection. For starters, at Vendor Marketing we specialise in a more cost efficient sales process. Marketing a home these days can be the greatest expense when selling a property. Therefore we reduce, then optimise this expense which means we carefully examine any proposed advertising schedule and ensure the key messages are directed at the identified target market(s) – cost efficiently.

There is no such thing as ‘FREE’ vendor advocates

What home sellers should be beware of is a Vendors Advocate claiming in the media their service are free. Yes, that’s right – ‘FREE’. As we know there is no such thing as a free lunch!

Here’s how they are paid;

> A Vendor Advocate may be tempted to recommend the Real Estate Agent who pays them the highest split of the sales commission OR
> A Vendor Advocate may choose a Real Estate Agent with whom they have a good relationship, but who might not necessarily be the right selling agent for the job. That is, the one who will achieve the best sale price for the client.

In these arrangements, which apply to most if not all Vendor Advocacy firms, the Real Estate Agent’s sales commission is higher. Because they share up-to 50% of their sales commission with the Vendor Advocate upon sale.

Quite simply, because these Vendor Advocates advise the Real Estate Agent beforehand of their percentage split of the sales commission, each Real Estate Agent will come in at a far higher rate. Most of the times up to double what they would normally charge directly to a vendor.

If a Vendor Advocate receives a high split of the sales commission the Real Estate Agent’s motivation will surely be degraded, however some will accept this arrangement because the more desperate agents want a listing and get their board displayed.

But ultimately will the Real Estate Agent then give the sale 100% of their effort? Will the vendor get the best Real Estate Agent available? The answer is simply “NO”.

Vendor Advocates Fees – the way it should be with a fixed fee

Vendor Marketing is different. We charge a fixed – cost neutral fee – upon successful sale.

Most Vendor Advocates can offer you protection during the sale process. But not a lot else.

To earn our fee we offer way more. Besides ‘protection’ we offer the best and most qualified property marketing advice and we bring out the ‘hidden’ value-adds.

Other important key benefits Vendor Marketing provides its clients are:

> Recommending only the BEST Real Estate Agents in Melbourne to pitch on the business to start with plus
> Creating a detailed social media campaign for our client’s property.

And we’re there by the vendor’s side from start to finish. By initiating an independent, qualified tender process we ultimately save our clients stress, time and money.

Don’t just “pay” for a real estate agent’s branding

On another important marketing note, real estate is one of very few industries where vendors pay for agents’ branding, during the property advertising process. This is further exemplified with Real Estate Agents now owning and receiving shares in the media they recommend. Therefore we also scrutinise this independently.

We believe our type of Vendor Advocacy services avoids any conflict of interest. It ensures one acts totally independently and without bias. It also encourages the Real Estate Agent to put their best efforts into the sale for the benefit of all stakeholders concerned. Ultimately, if you have the BEST selling agent along with the BEST marketing strategy – this is how maximum sale prices are achieved!

One word of caution though

Beware of individuals acting as a Buyers Advocate who also act as a Vendors Advocate and vice-versa. From our point of view this is unacceptable and also highly unethical. It could easily lead to a conflict of interest. That is, where a Vendors Advocate represents vendors, but also introduce buyers to the process – therefore one advocate advising both sides in the same transaction. It’s also used as a means of increasing one’s revenue base. In our opinion, an advocate can only be one or the other. Not both! Vendor Marketing only represents home sellers. That is, we are a Vendor Advocate only!

The fact is the use of a Vendor Advocate is growing at a rapid rate. Vendors can gain huge benefits from this service by engaging a qualified independent property professional. And why not? Selling a home is something you do do often and should never take lightly. Remember, you only get one shot at it! And it’s worth getting right!

Vendor Marketing – Melbourne’s most qualified vendor advocates, offer expert strategic independent advice in both Property Marketing and Real Estate Agent selection. For more information regarding your property and circumstances just call 1300 435 435. A quick chat will give you a clear idea of the options – and the benefits!