CREview Ep. 19 | What to Do When the Commercial Real Estate Market Is Down

Josh and Dylan grapple with how CRE marketing teams should message their brand during a down economic cycle, landing on elevating content quality and honest storytelling.

Key Takeaways

Commercial real estate is deeply tied to the broader economy, meaning marketing narratives have to adapt honestly during downturns.

Simply ignoring negative market conditions or leaning entirely into pessimism are both weak marketing strategies during a downturn.

The recommended approach is elevating overall content quality, better photography, video, and storytelling, rather than relying on old content.

Economic cycles are recurring, not one-time events, meaning marketing teams need a repeatable strategy for both good and bad periods.

Honest marketing that still highlights genuine property strengths tends to perform better than ignoring problems or misrepresenting the market.

Frequently Asked Questions

How should commercial real estate companies market during a recession?

Rather than ignoring negative conditions or leaning fully into pessimism, companies should focus on elevating content quality and telling honest, compelling stories about their properties.

Does commercial real estate marketing need to change during a down economic cycle?

Yes, the same generic content that worked during a booming market tends to be less effective in a tougher market, requiring a higher standard of storytelling.

Should a company hide negative economic news from its marketing messaging?

Not entirely; honest positioning that acknowledges market conditions while still highlighting genuine property strengths tends to build more trust.

Are economic downturns a recurring challenge for real estate marketers?

Yes, economic cycles repeat over time, meaning marketing teams benefit from developing a repeatable approach for navigating both strong and weak markets.

Are economic downturns a one-time event for real estate marketers to worry about?

No, economic cycles repeat over time, meaning marketing teams benefit from developing a repeatable strategy for both strong and weak markets.

What kind of content works best during a down market?

Elevated content quality, better photography, video, and honest storytelling tend to perform better than the same generic content that worked during a boom.

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