With 43 years in the estate agency industry, Simon Bradbury has seen marketing strategies evolve time and time again.
Having grown the Thomas Morris brand to seven branches before moving to eXp, Simon has witnessed a rapid shift towards a digital-first approach in a very heavily saturated market.
However, his experience over the last 18 months has shown that physical outreach still plays a critical role in driving measurable results, challenging the assumption that digital alone is enough.
The Challenge:
The core challenge was cutting through the noise in highly competitive, desirable village locations and finding a proactive way to build brand awareness and win new instructions, rather than waiting for enquiries to come in.
As a self-described ‘’non-techy person’’, Simon has always relied on Spectre as a solution that combined great technology with effective marketing, but still retained a human touch so he could engage with prospects easily.
Drawing on decades of experience, Simon sees a common issue in modern agency, placing too much emphasis on fees and passive lead generation.
He felt the best way to demonstrate his agency’s value was through a campaign that highlighted real results, showing homeowners the difference in performance compared to other agents. As he notes, “Approximately 50% of houses ever sell UK-wide. I sell 81.88% of all the properties I take on,” giving clear, tangible proof of his success.
The Solution:
Simon’s strategy utilises Spectre Direct Mail to send off market campaigns that leverage statistical comparisons rather than generic "recently sold" messaging. This approach demonstrates performance against competitors with total transparency.
In one specific village, a single postcard sent to property owners didn't just lead to one sale, it sparked a chain reaction. The first sale generated massive interest, leading to a second instruction from a neighbour. This was followed by a third instruction from a recommendation, and eventually, the original buyers returned to Simon to relist the property for a fourth transaction. “What’s fascinating is that the original postcard landed at the prospect's secondary residence at first and the postman kindly redirected it to their main residence.”
Simon explains
“That single postcard led to the first instruction, which then snowballed. A neighbour saw the sold board and instructed me next, then another property came via recommendation from them, and finally the original buyers came back to relist.”
The Impact:
The impact of this single, well-timed campaign has resulted in over £17,000 in fees from one village alone as well as continued brand awareness and a stream of recommendations.
Beyond the direct mail success, Simon integrates Spectre Property Reports into his appraisals, finding that "the volume of comparables is better than anything else" and the depth of data, including broadband speeds and electric providers, enables him to stand out from the competition.
Reflecting on the platform’s performance, Simon concludes:
"The ROI is very good, and in this respect, it’s sensational."
Finding the system simple to navigate, Simon views it as an essential pillar of his business growth.
“What really makes the difference is the support. Phil and the team are always available, returning calls, organising time to talk things through, and giving advice when I need it. It’s that mix of great tech, effective marketing and a real human touch and it’s delivered my biggest ROI outside of the major portals.”
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