Wilson Merch
2 December 2020
Written by Acme Mag
Wilson Property of Traralgon, Victoria, have found themselves in the creative spotlight for all the good reasons. For those who know Wilson Property this will be of no surprise as Director Ben Willson goes by the mantra “Set the trend, don’t follow it”. Thinking completely outside the square with merchandise, Wilson Property has disregarded the norm, and instead, produced branded dog leads which are proving to be a popular asset.
Creating a point of difference to set your agency apart in your area is crucial, particularly when there tends to be new agencies popping up left, right and centre. Sheree Wilson, in charge of Social Media and Marketing at Wilson Property says “It’s clear that we set the benchmark in our area, and the other agencies follow. We are proactive not reactive. We do not come under a franchise and enjoy taking calculated risks.”
Upon reflecting on the unusual circumstances the world has faced this year; COVID-19, Wilson Property noticed a rise in the trend of many families welcoming dogs into their homes. “We’ve done the environmentally friendly bags, pens, stubby holders, candles, gift boxes, cheese boards, glassware and hand sanitiser – dog leads just make sense!” explains Sheree. The inspiration also came from the observation that over half of the properties their team attends to appraise, sell or rent, typically have dogs. Wilson Property realised that their dogs are like family to the owners and thought “…if we can show that we care for their dog, it sets another level of respect.”. Collectively, Wilson Property realised that homes and dogs go hand in hand.
The company drew further inspiration from their social media data which identified strong results on posts relating to agents, real people and animals. Wilson Property made the connection and knew the dog leads would help produce appropriate marketing content that matches their audience’s interests. Whilst it’s a practical asset for Wilson’s potential customers, it also ties in nicely with their marketing strategy. It’s a win-win for both parties.
Wilson Property has added an additional layer of innovation to their merchandise strategy. When handing out the branded leads at appraisals as well as in public, they have requested a gold coin donation that goes to a worthy cause “…All of the donated funds will be forwarded to Interchange Gippsland supporting children and adults with disabilities to achieve their goals in life and provide respite to their carers and families.” says Wilson.
With this approach Wilson Property has successfully shown fantastic Corporate Social Responsibility by considering the needs of the community around them, “….we are conscious of the rest of the community. These leads are a good way to raise money and awareness for some of the more vulnerable in our community. We don’t want to dwell on COVID-19, but it certainly has taken a toll on many.” explains Wilson.
In addition to being an asset to Corporate Social Responsibility, the leads are proving to be a great communication tool by creating conversations amongst the community. Continuing to think outside the square, Wilson Property have been clever in linking the dog leads back to their marketing with the hashtag ‘#wilsonwags’. Wilson explains “We’ve also linked the leads back to our marketing #wilsonwags. We have little business cards made up asking people to tag us in their adventures on Instagram.”
Wilson Property is finding that the leads have been a great topic of conversation, but also a way of showing care and compassion. Wilson says “When you show interest in a client’s dog, we feel it shows that you care and are compassionate. Most of our team are animal lovers and these leads have shown to be a bit of fun as they are not what your typical agency would spend money on.”
Whilst it’s still early days since introducing the dog leads, Wilson says the feedback has been positive and it’s definitely something they will reproduce. Wilson explains “In the coming weeks we will be taking them to the local markets and local community dog park. This will be the real test of traction.”
