We already know that a commercial real estate offering memorandum (OM) is typically published as a PDF and then shared with prospective investors. It covers a substantial amount of legal and marketing material, including an executive summary, deal structure details, risks and disclosures sections, and an investor suitability form. A securities or real estate attorney most often assembles your commercial real estate OM for you while sourcing transaction-related content from you.

For a deep dive into what needs to go into an OM, check out our blog on 10 Essentials of an Offering Memorandum here.

However, a recurring question we have been getting from prospective clients is “how do you make your OM’s stand out/ make sure they are engaging?” This has sparked really interesting conversation among our internal team and through that this comprehensive list of OM Do’s and Don’t’s was born. Let’s take a look:

DO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX

The most apparent design element within your content strategy is the design of the content itself, as well as your website experience. Whatever content format you select, design needs to be a large consideration. Poor design kills the user experience and tanks your content.

Whether it’s a video or an article or an ebook, every type of content requires some design elements. The most significant element is the visual content you incorporate, such as photos, infographics, memes, illustrations and videos.

However, you also need to consider other design elements such as page layout, font selections, color combinations, heading dimensions, delivery and your use of logos.

Your design strategy should be a part of your overall content strategy. After all, this strategy will help you create and document design principles and standards for people to use when creating and publishing content.

What are some winning designs for us?

• If you are inclined to remain classic: go for bold. It is easy to keep a classic aesthetic but include small pops of boldness. This can be an accent color, an accent font, or even infographic style graphics.
• If you have more leniency in the design realm: update your template entirely. We have seen national clients and small businesses alike try new, “outrageous” designs and see their engagement skyrocket. If you have the wiggle room to be modern, there is nothing wrong with trying eccentric and unique layouts and colors.
• If your current template works, but you want a facelift: lets update the content. Custom maps are truly our bread and butter. We have worked on over 200 maps in 2022 alone, so by now we know what works and what does not. We have subscriptions to multiple platforms that can generate location maps and from there, the world is our oyster. We have done conservative Google Maps, to outlandish and colorful big city maps. Updating the different sections whether that includes financials or market information (or all of it) is a great way to keep your marketing collateral fresh.

DON’T STAY COMPLACENT OR STAGNANT

A business is a living and breathing thing. Plateauing in sales is frowned upon, so why let that happen to your marketing design or strategy. You have a unique business platform and a target audience that's different from anyone else's. However, that doesn't mean that you don't have competition, both in your local area and on a larger scale. Take a look at who your competition is. What do they have to offer? What makes you different from them?

Knowing how you're different--what sets your brand, your target market, and your products apart--can help you design advertising materials that are more likely to bring in your ideal customer. Keeping an eye on your competition can also give you a better idea of what they're doing, including opportunities they might be taking advantage of that you could be missing out on.

Some campaigns are focused primarily on raising brand awareness: letting people in your area know more about who you are. Others will increase overall brand recognition, which can help consumers choose you. Keep an eye on the long-term progress of your advertising campaigns and the short-term results to better understand the overall return on your marketing investment.

Staying up to date on the latest best practices is an ongoing process. You need to follow the latest trends as well as the fundamental applications that continue to inform many of your advertising efforts. By working with a media partner, you can get access to the newest information about marketing, trends, and consumer needs, as well as data-backed details on the most effective tools and strategies for your industry, your community, and your ideal target audience.

Knowing where to start can be overwhelming, and that is where outsourcing your CRE marketing needs comes in handy. With experts with decades of experience and prices that fit your budget, let’s connect to make sure your designs are up to date!