Hi Everyone,

There are 2 major ways of marketing to Russians – passive (relying on partners in Russia to send you Russian buyers) and active (marketing directly to Russian buyers).

Choosing passive marketing you minimize your initial expenses and later pay commissions on sales. In this case you have no influence on your Russian business partners marketing decisions (well, unless you pay them for specifically marketing your properties); and nothing they do or do not do is under your control. They are actually international buyer's agents over there in Russia and only offer your properties to their buyers to serve buyers' needs to buy, not yours to sell.

To make your passive marketing successful, first you have to have a good presentation of your international properties, services and terms of co-operation (preferably in Russian) to attract Russian business partners to co-operate with you (keep in mind that your presentation will compete for Russian realtors' attention with many other properties and sellers from all over the world). Then apply to as many prospects-realtors in Russia as you can. Russian realtors are not exclusive and they are located in different areas and cities, so the more partners you can find in Russia, the higher your chances are to get buyers from them.

Actively marketing to Russian buyers on your own you spend more upfront, but do not pay any commissions later, and it makes this type of marketing cheaper by the end of the sale.

Another advantage is that you are in the driver's seat and control all marketing actions.

Whatever marketing channel(s) you choose – Russian internet, Russian print media, participating in real estate shows in Russia – your task is the same: to provide the most detailed, full and trustable information on your properties, area, your country's regulations on buying and managing real estate by a foreigner, and all other things that are important for a potential Russian buyer (visa requirements, transportation options, local real estate markets and your place in there, etc.). Make it a real one-stop shop in other words – do not let readers / visitors to escape from your resource in search for any additional information as they might never return.

Your task is two-fold: to bring as many potential buyers as possible to see your information and then to turn into real buyers as many of them as possible. Keep in mind that using active or direct marketing to Russian buyers you never waste your efforts as some inquirers may return to your resource later and then turn into actual buyers and also with time your website will go up in searches and will bring you more and more visitors.

And never forget about the real estate agents' bread-and-butter – referrals that would come to you absolutely free after the first round of shots so speaking (when you have several happy buyers they will recommend you to their Russian friends and that will be completely free of charge for you!)

Both passive and active ways of marketing to Russians can be done at the same time as they do not argue with each other: you have your Russian presentation and promote it on your own to the general Russian public and at the same time to Russian real estate agents as well (if you are not against commission sharing!), and thus you cover all possibilities of finding buyers from Russia for your international properties.

The last, but not the least: both passive and active ways of marketing to Russians strongly require establishing TRUST in you and your services. Russian agents must be aware that you pay them their commission on sales, and Russian buyers must be aware that you provide full and truthful information on your properties.

To your best business success,

Sincerely,