Dyed in the wool estate agent John Durrant throughout his career developed a reputation for doing things differently; for example he was the first agent in Surrey (maybe the country) to video properties for marketing purposes. These were the days when video cameras were about the same size as army rocket launchers, and were linked by cable to a recorder strapped to the videographer's side.
Throughout his 37 years in the profession John operated according to his conviction that estate agency is in essence a very simple business. It's essentially, he believes, about the agent getting attention for the properties he/she is selling. Video certainly helped John achieve that and additionally attracted the attention of numerous vendors who instructed him because of it. Photography also played a huge part in John's estate agency career, but whether he was using Polaroid cameras or the latest digital technology, central to John's focus was making the house the star – so great images were a prerequisite.
John was also the founder of LEADERS together with another local estate agent. They used word-processors, (because personal computers hadn't been invented at that time) to network together 47 independent estate agencies with offices throughout Surrey, Hampshire and into London. To John, LEADERS was simply another way to make sure that his properties would attract the attention of more potential purchasers; which it did. This was another initiative that also helped to attract many more instructions to his estate agency.
In the several years before hanging up his tape-measure John realised that brand development was becoming as important as property marketing to the health and success of any estate agency. Before then brand development 'just happened' for many of them and this is still the case for numerous firms. However a small number of independent estate agencies took the lead from the corporates and started to focus budget and effort on this area of their business. For John, corporate marketing became a huge interest and today he strongly believes that for estate agencies of the future to be successful, they must focus equally on their corporate marketing and their property marketing.
In 2005 John decided to concentrate on the 'creative' side of estate agency. Photography naturally continues to play a large part in his life, as does property marketing - new property marketing is another area of focus and through his many contacts and together with Hayden Allen-Vercoe he is able to offer a wide range of services all of which assist developers and agents with their new property marketing. Coordinated campaigns, producing printed materials, dedicated web sites, development branding, CGI's market-research and land acquisition are all areas of expertise that are readily available under one roof.
For John corporate marketing and new property marketing has become a passion. Because of his industry-reputation he has been invited these past two years to be a judge for the Estate Agency of the Year Awards. For last year's Award he was lead judge for the UK Marketing Award. John therefore brings a rare blend of estate agency experience and enthusiasm for corporate marketing. Nobody has a better understanding of the way the industry works, its challenges and the many ways to enhance estate agency businesses through an excellence in marketing, both property and corporate.
