Countryside Homes, First Home Feb Campaign

Working with Countryside East to approach the challenge of supporting first-time buyers on their journey to purchase.

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The brief

Countryside Homes came to us to approach the challenge of supporting first time buyers on their journey to purchase. This took place at two of Countryside East’s London developments that were offering apartments tailored to the FTB demographic.

During a period of uncertainty in the market, our solution was a month-long series of expert-led events throughout February, with the overall aim of educating and guiding first-time buyers through the property-buying process to support them on their journey to home ownership.

Financial guidance included help from an Independent Financial Adviser and market insight from the editor of First Time Buyer magazine, through to private show home tours with advice from Countryside’s experts, and a reservation weekend guiding buyers through the process of reserving their dream home. Our strategy delivered a supportive walkthrough experience, mirroring the stages of the buying journey.

What was achieved

The ‘First Home Feb’ campaign showcases a comprehensive initiative designed to empower and educate first time buyers during uncertainty in the property market. In collaboration with Countryside, we addressed the challenges faced by two struggling London developments, both offering apartments tailored to first time buyers.

Understanding the apprehensions surrounding market volatility, including concerns about price fluctuations and interest rates, we recognised the need for proactive engagement with first time buyers to combat stagnation. We designed and executed a month-long series of expert-led events throughout February aimed at educating and guiding first-time buyers through the property-buying process to get them on their way to home ownership.

The events were designed to mirror the stages of the buying journey, starting with “Get Your Financial Guidance”, where attendees discovered their affordability through personalised advice from an Independent Financial Adviser to ease concerns about financial feasibility.

This was followed by a “Market Insights Weekend”, featuring the editor of First Time Buyer Magazine. Attendees received industry-leading tips and guidance on navigating the complexities of purchasing their first home, dispelling their doubts and instilling confidence in the market.

In the middle of February, the “Home Showcase Weekend” took place offering prospective buyers an exclusive opportunity to tour the show homes across London. The dedicated team provided private tours, allowing attendees to experience a wide range of fantastic new homes first-hand, with personalised advice from the experts.

Finally, the “Reservation Weekend” marked the culmination of the campaign, guiding buyers through the process of reserving their dream home with confidence. The event offered prospective buyers an immersive experience to explore available plots first-hand. This event fostered a sense of community and allowed attendees to envision themselves as homeowners within the development.

The creative design used throughout the campaign used a font, which acted as a visual metaphor to align with the event’s theme of a ‘roadmap to homeownership’ and the various steps and experiences involved. As an extension of this theme, the promotional assets used throughout the campaign followed a roadmap design, with the reservation weekend acting as the end of the map.

Our multi-faceted approach utilised various media channels, including Meta advertising, email promotion, and digital banners to promote the events.

From January to March 2024, Countryside experienced a surge in both web traffic and overall leads. Over this period, we saw a total of 1,535 leads. The number of leads increased from 397 in January to 606 in February, marking a 52% rise. The majority of leads in March (532) were generated within the initial two weeks, which can be largely attributed to the momentum from the campaign in February.

Website traffic saw a substantial increase, escalating from 5,124 sessions in January to 13,310 in February, representing a 160% surge. This upward trend continued into March, with sessions rising to 17,475.

In summary, the campaign aimed to engage first time buyers in response to market dynamics. By empowering first-time buyers with knowledge and support, we facilitated their entry into the property market.