How a Dinosaur is Marketing a House in Pittsburgh

Charming. Quaint. Move-in ready. Dinosaur not included.

... wait. What?

As a real estate agent, you're keen on getting your listings as much attention as possible. Whatever it takes, right? That's why, after getting a listing in Stanton Heights, agent Nicole Chirdon decided to make like Barney from How I Met Your Mother and suit up.

...except she also took inspiration from a different Barney.

Chirdon was looking for a unique way to market her listing. She described it has having "loads of updates and you can feel the positive energy when you walk through the door, so my goal was to get agents and buyers in the door... and why not get creative with it?"

She brainstormed some fun, creative ways to help the listing get more attention and traffic. That's when she remembered seeing viral videos of people in inflatable dinosaur suits strolling through supermarkets, taking ballet classes, and doing other daily activities. This inspired her to pitch an idea to the owners of the home: why not have the dino-suit pop up in listing photos?

"This was a match made in Dino- heaven," Chirdon said. "I approached them with the idea, and without hesitation they were excited and totally on board!  We brainstormed a bit before the shoot of what poses and locations we wanted for the T-rex and it all came together easily!  We had such a good time with it and I'm sure it will be an experience none of us will ever forget!"

Chirdon had photos taken of herself in the dino suit mowing the lawn, popping out of the shower, and prancing through a few rooms of the house. The dino is not in every listing photo, nor is it mentioned in the property description. There's just one agent remark in the MLS: "DINOSAUR NOT INCLUDED."

(Photo Credit: Nicole Chirdon, Zillow)  (Photo Credit: Nicole Chirdon, Zillow) 

What can be learned from a dinosaur?

You're probably wondering how you can capture a bit of this genius for your own listings. To be clear: I am absolutely not recommending that you run out and buy a dinosaur suit. Not only has that concept been pretty much trademarked by Chirdon, but it would be like trying to capture lightning in a bottle - twice.

What I do want to leave you with is an outline of what made this quirky marketing idea a roaring success.

Provide value, surprise and delight.

We're always talking about making your marketing valuable. We're talking about the value provided to your clients, readers, users, etc. Whether it's a Facebook post, a blog or a Google Ad, get in the habit of asking, "What's in it for them? What do they get in return for their attention, click, and brain cells?"

Nicole provided humor as the pay-off. She saw a type of humor that was universal, inoffensive, and silly. She essentially thanked the users who viewed her listing by leaving them with an unexpected chuckle. And that's what made it memorable.

Of course, humor isn't always appropriate. If your goal is to establish yourself as an expert, your marketing can provide value through usefulness and insight. Or, provide your readers/viewers with a feeling: comfort, security, interest. Either way, you have to leave your users with some kind of value as reward for their time - and to encourage them to come back again.

Support on social.

It probably goes without saying that a lot of this idea's success came from social media. Chirdon explained, "I post consistently on social media, mainly Facebook and Instagram and have had a huge response from this listing.  We held an Open House when it first listed and had a nice turnout! After word started to spread about the Dinosaur pics, clicks and showings started picking up."

(Photo Credit: Nicole Chirdon, Facebook) The dino-pics were even the topic of a thread on Reddit, a social network with a board for Pittsburgh. All of the comments on the thread have been pleasant and supportive - a huge feat for a social network famous for surliness and impatience with marketing.

But what's really impressive is that this all happened organically. Nicole didn't spend a single cent to boost these listings. Did she get lucky? Perhaps, but she also had an idea that had its own legs. While we usually recommend running Facebook ads to get more exposure, sometimes organic is still the way to go - but you have to earn it with uniqueness, creativity, and value.

Don't neglect traditional media.

Local news stations have begun picking up on the offbeat marketing idea. Pittsburgh networks including KDKA and TribLive gave the listing a shoutout. This has undoubtedly boosted the listing's exposure.

Television is considered traditional media, along with newspapers, magazines, and radio. Traditional media reaches a different demographic than social media. Chirdon's listing could as easily appeal to a millennial as to a boomer. But if her listing had been more appropriate for one over the other, it would have been important for her to know where to find the right audience for the property.

Know your audience and find the right mix for your properties. Don't rely solely on social media or traditional media. Be strategic, do your research, and place your listing where your potential buyers are most likely to be.

Take a risk.

It can be tempting to let what has worked in the past dictate what you do in the present. Why rock the boat? Well, we live in an era where the water under the boat is always changing. So if you don't rock the boat, you may capsize.

Chirdon definitely took a huge risk with this concept. Again, we're not recommending that you try something off-the-wall for every new listing you get. But what we are recommending is that you go outside of your comfort zone with your marketing.

Not on social? Get on social. Don't go Live on Instagram? Give it a try at your next open house. Hate sending people to your website? Get a new website that works better for you. Whatever risk you need to take, there's no time like the present. Not to sound like a trite Instagram post but... "growth happens when you step outside of your comfort zone."

Bottom Line

Chirdon went all-in with a clever marketing idea to give her listing some teeth (...and claws, and scales). When asked if the dino suit will reappear, she said, "I think that the T-Rex was a one time gig... but who knows who/what might be making a special appearance in the future?  Only time will tell."