Do you have a historical commercial building? Here are three ways to sell your space to tenants and compete with more modern skyscrapers.
Georgia is steeped in history, and it shows by the hundreds of historic buildings scattered across the state, particularly in Atlanta. In its capital are at least six districts that showcase the remnants of the past. These include Castleberry Hill, Sweet Auburn, and Underground Atlanta.
In other words, there’s a good chance that you own or run one of these historic buildings. Perhaps you’ve already restored and retrofitted them to be commercial spaces. After all, a combination of elegant and timeless aesthetics and modern function is a must-have.
But Atlanta is also becoming more cosmopolitan, and potential tenants are highly diverse. Not everyone may find value in running businesses in something iconic or historical. They may not even know your building exists as many may be looking for commercial properties online.
How do you leverage your building’s history to attract business owners and use online marketing to your advantage? Here are a few tricks to try:
1. Mix the Old and New in Its Design
While the building’s grand design may be a come-on, tenants will still look for the versatility of the space. Too much history, therefore, can be challenging to fit into the theme they want for their business.
A good option is to combine the old with the new. Allow the beautiful façade of the building to stand out by pairing it with well-manicured lawns and lush plants. Look for companies that offer commercial landscaping services for installation and maintenance.
For the interiors, mix and match industrial fixtures with something more natural like wood or concrete. Add different kinds of lighting systems and offer CCTVs for free or a minimal fee.
2. Use the Latest Tech to Showcase the Building
These days, having a website may not be enough. Many Internet users are looking for more interactive pages.
When selling your commercial spaces in historical buildings online, take advantage of the latest tech. Take a hint from the Frida Kahlo Museum and create a virtual tour or a 360-degree view of the space. This way, tenants can already have an excellent idea of the area even before they inspect it.
If you can, take it a notch further by offering your potential clients a virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality experience like what Walmart did. If you’re looking for more inspiration, there’s Ikea, which made an app that features AR so customers can better imagine how to design empty spaces.
3. Use Your Building’s Story
No matter how technological and modern the Internet gets, at the end of the day, emotions remain appealing to most target markets. In fact, many marketing experts believe it’s the emotions that drive consumer behavior-they’re the ones that motivate someone to buy or rent something.
In his article in Psychology Today, Peter Noel Murray, Ph.D., shared that in a functional magnetic resonance imaging test, consumers use their feelings and experiences instead of information like features and attributes to evaluate a brand.
Moreover, a person’s emotional response to an ad is more influential than the ad’s content in determining whether the individual will eventually buy. For television, for instance, the difference can be 3:1.
But the Internet feels deprived of emotions. How can you then sell your commercial building while using feelings and experiences to your advantage? There are several choices:
While historical buildings are beautiful, they are up against newer and more eclectically designed skyscrapers. As a commercial landlord, you may need to share more than the structure’s design to convince your target market to rent, particularly for those who use the Internet to look for properties. Hopefully, these online marketing tips will help you sell your spaces fast.