Industrial estates are not traditionally known for their emotional appeal, but every off-the-plan development needs a story to help sell units in the block.
That was the key lesson from our work on Limestone Industrial Estate, a new commercial development in an expanding area in Sydney’s northwest.
Initially, I was contacted by one of the commercial sales teams (representing the developer) with concerns that their marketing efforts had stalled. Despite the involvement of one of the big 5 global commercial real estate agencies, there had been very little enquiry from prospective buyers wanting to purchase units off-the-plan. The commercial listing had been sitting on the commercial real estate portals for months, and the developer was getting nervous that he would not achieve the pre-sales he needed to keep the project build on track.
This is a common scenario we see with off-the-plan developments. Listing a commercial asset on the property portals alone is not enough to generate a sale — especially when the asset is yet to be built. When there is no existing structure to visit in person or display suite to showcase what the proposed building will look like, prospective buyers will sit on their hands.
Selling an off-the-plan industrial estate requires strong brand positioning, visual storytelling, and targeted marketing to convey the opportunity to investors and business owners alike.
The missing elements: Branding, storytelling, and legitimacy
When we reviewed the existing marketing materials, the problem was obvious: the development lacked a compelling brand story. Sure, it had a name — Limestone Industrial Estate — and some renders (visuals of the buildings), but these images were functional at best. The sales team had been using the initial renders, created primarily for council approvals, to market the estate. They were not compelling enough for prospective investors or business owners to put their hands in their pockets and purchase a unit.
Without a clear brand identity, this commercial project struggled to stand out amongst other nearby off-the-plan industrial estates. Competing developments were capturing attention with high-quality visuals that showcased their estates as vibrant business hubs, places where people would enjoy going to work or running their businesses. They provided much more information about their new industrial estates and were better at selling the key benefits of buying into the block. They had plenty of visuals that included images of people in them – bringing their estates to life.
We advised our client that it was time to create a brand identity for Limestone Industrial Estate, alongside far more superior marketing collateral and a strong digital presence, to position the estate as an attractive investment opportunity.
Creating a compelling brand identity
Our first step was to build a brand for the industrial estate. Since the developer had already chosen the name Limestone Industrial Estate, Frank from my expert branding team set forth to design a distinct look and feel for the asset, helping it have a more modern and inspirational appeal.
Developing the brand concept
Taking the building’s proposed colour scheme (as shown in the mocked-up renders), we choose to work with yellow and orange tones. Playing with the name and developing a concept that centred around this industrial estate being “a block”, our brand team developed a bold, contemporary logo that reflected the industrial nature of the estate.
Frank also crafted a number of graphic elements to build out the estate’s identity using modular block elements to represent both the estate’s architectural design and its role as a “building block” for businesses in the area.
For the messaging, we landed on a versatile concept: “A block of opportunity awaits” – a phrase that conveyed both the physical and strategic value of owning a space within the estate. This phrase and the core message were weaved through the marketing materials in a number of different ways.
Crafting targeted personas for effective marketing
A critical component of our marketing strategy was defining a number of different personas (people who would buy or rent the units) to ensure our marketing messages and visuals resonated with the right audiences.
We identified five primary groups of potential business owners or tenants to whom the complex was well-suited:
- Trades and mechanics – Businesses requiring workshop space, such as auto repair shops and equipment servicing.
- Creative and media professionals – Photographers, videographers, and music studios seeking industrial-style workspaces.
- Fitness and wellness businesses – Gym operators, dance schools, and training facilities in need of open-plan spaces.
- Retail warehousing and distribution – Ecommerce brands and wholesalers requiring storage and dispatch facilities.
- Microbreweries and distilleries – Craft brewers and distillers looking for production spaces with room for growth and customer-facing areas for tastings or events.
Each persona was born from in-depth industry research, local business data, and real-world demand for commercial units. Once the personas were agreed upon, we curated tailored imagery and messaging to appeal to each group. Tradespeople were shown dynamic workshop environments, fitness professionals’ sleek gym spaces, and creative businesses’ stylish, modern industrial studios.
By crafting messages that resonated with each industry’s unique needs and aspirations, we brought Limestone Industrial Estate to life, helping potential buyers and tenants envision their businesses thriving in the development.
Data-driven targeting: Building the right audience
Instead of waiting for prospective sales leads to stumble across the estate, we aimed to get it in front of them and plant its value firmly in their minds. Our list-building team conducted extensive data research to create a targeted contact list. In order to achieve this, we:
- Used local business directories and LinkedIn to identify suitable businesses that could be interested in relocating to the estate
- Segmented those business owners into categories based on the personas
- Pinpointed both small and large-scale property investors that the precinct would appeal to
- Verified contact details and uploaded this data to the marketing platforms, then ran targeted email and advertising campaigns
Bringing the estate to life through marketing
With the brand identity and audiences in place, we needed to bring Limestone Industrial Estate to life for potential buyers. Since there was no physical building yet, we used a combination of digital tools, creative storytelling, and targeted outreach to create a compelling presence.
1. A high-impact digital presence
We built a dedicated real estate website for the development, which served as a central hub for all marketing efforts. The website included:
- A visually compelling homepage featuring building renders and high-quality stock images
- A clear breakdown of unit sizes, features, and investment benefits
- A map showcasing the estate’s prime location and transport links
- Demographics highlighting the growth predictions for the region
- Profiles of the developer, architect, and construction team to build credibility
- A downloadable investment brochure (information memorandum) to capture leads
Beyond the website, we created several social media profiles for Limestone Industrial Estate. Digital media is an excellent way to bring an off-the-plan property into existence before the first brick is ever laid. These profiles were searchable; they helped the industrial estate to feel real and legitimised the commercial project.
We set up a Google Business listing to ensure the estate was easily discoverable via a map search and Facebook and Instagram pages where we could drip feed updates about the project over the course of the build and then after it was occupied and became a thriving business community. By establishing a strong digital footprint, we helped give commercial buyers confidence in purchasing units in the block.
2. Targeted advertising and lead generation
We knew a generic marketing campaign wasn’t going to get the sales needed, so we segmented the messaging and spoke on an individual basis with each of the different types of commercial property owners. Our research identified three primary buyer types:
- Owner-occupiers looking to run their businesses from a building they owned
- Mum and Dad investors interested in commercial property as a long-term asset
- Fund managers and institutional investors seeking high-growth commercial opportunities
For each segment, we developed custom email campaigns and digital ads tailored to their unique investment motivations. The language and messaging varied accordingly—business owners were encouraged to “secure their business future,” while investors were presented with “high-yield commercial opportunities” and the promise of “lots of prospective tenants.”
By tailoring our marketing approach to each audience, we could personalise the message for each investor type or persona, ensuring the right message reached the right people through a multitude of channels.
3. High-quality marketing collateral
Another key component of our strategy was creating premium marketing materials that would help the sales team convert leads into buyers.
We developed a comprehensive information memorandum, which was crafted as a multi-page brochure. This document spelled out why Limestone Industrial Estate was a one-of-a-kind investment opportunity and included:
- Architectural plans and unit specifications
- Expanded details of each unit and what features they included
- A location overview showcasing government investment in infrastructure and projected growth
Additionally, we produced eye-catching onsite signage to reinforce the estate’s presence, ensuring passers-by and potential buyers saw the brand in the real world.
Real estate decisions that shape business success
For many small and medium-sized business owners, choosing a commercial space from which to run their business is just as significant as selecting a home to live in. Business premises are more than just a workspace—they represent a milestone, a long-term investment, and a place employees enjoy spending their days and customers want to visit.
By crafting a real estate brand story for this industrial estate and a more detailed and targeted marketing approach, we helped prospective business owners and tenants envision their future at Limestone Industrial Estate — turning an overlooked development into a thriving business opportunity.
Marketing is never a set-and-forget exercise, no matter what you’re selling. It takes consistent effort to stay front of mind for potential property buyers or investors. You have to build a strong brand and then keep showing up through digital and physical channels – that’s how you stay on a prospective buyer’s radar.
Ready to get professional marketing help?
If you’re a real estate professional (residential or commercial) who needs help marketing an off-the-plan development, book a free 1-hour consultation with me, Melanie Hoole. I’ll provide on-the-spot recommendations tailored to your project and show you how digital marketing can position your client and project as a fantastic opportunity. I look forward to helping you increase your development’s visibility!
Written by Melanie Hoole
My team and I specialise in helping real estate and property professionals perfect their personal brand, build a first-class digital profile and implement inbound marketing activities to attract leads. If you are unsure which direction to take with your digital marketing contact me for help.
