How the Platform Marketing “Fuzzy ROI” Strategy Works
At Platform, we often discuss “fuzzy ROI” and its impact on real estate businesses. So… what is fuzzy ROI anyway?
We’re so glad you asked — and Stacey Springer is the perfect case study to explain this strategy.
Stacey is a realtor in the Columbia, Tennessee, area. She has been a client of ours for over two years and, despite the down market, has watched her business grow exponentially. In 2024 alone, she made several multi-million-dollar deals.
Her secret? Fuzzy ROI.
In the summer of 2024, Stacey helped with the sale of a private fitness spa — her biggest deal to date. When she asked the seller how they heard about her, their response was typical for Platform realtors: “A friend of mine saw your videos on Facebook and referred me!” (Score!)
That’s fuzzy ROI: the indirect effect of your marketing efforts. And it makes all the difference (especially when the economy is struggling).
We call it “fuzzy” because it’s hard to measure. Had Stacey not asked her client how they heard about her, she never would have known. But when she followed the trail back to the start, she saw the extensive impact of her social media content.
As a realtor, this is a competitive advantage. Fuzzy ROI can’t be replicated by another agent who steals and reposts your content (so not cool, by the way). It takes time, effort, and consistency to create a brand that generates organic leads.
But back to Stacey.
In 2024, she formed a relationship with a local builder, Summertown Metals, known for constructing beautiful barndominiums. Using Platform’s “God Made a Small Business Owner” ad script, she created a video that highlighted the builder.
This was a pretty special moment for Stacey. Over the last 15 years, she’s watched Summertown Metals grow from a one-room shop to multiple offices across the south. She loves their mission and their passion, so featuring them in her video was a no-brainer. The ad flowed so naturally that she began to wonder…
Could she somehow work with Summertown Metals? Was there an arrangement that would be mutually beneficial?
These questions led to a meeting with Matt Stoll, the owner of the company. He loved Stacey’s video and the values represented: God, country, family, and hard work. It was perfectly aligned with his own marketing efforts. So, they struck a deal.
Many barndominium buyers are empty nesters who are 1) ready to downsize and 2) excited to live in a single-level home. Knowing this, Summertown Metals began paying Stacey to run ads that showcase these features, as well as aspects of the company’s mission.
But what Stacey sold to Matt wasn’t just ads. She told him about her vast retargeting audience — the viewers who engage with her content because they’re genuinely interested in buying real estate. She explained the ripple effect of the Platform Marketing strategy and how it works for her.
Ultimately, she sold him on — you guessed it — her fuzzy ROI.
Plus, because the ads she creates for Summertown Metals are posted on Stacey’s social media pages, they also serve to keep her name and face in front of the Columbia community. It’s a win-win-win.
Better yet, because she’s so great to work with, Matt keeps asking Stacey to help him sell his fix-and-flip properties. Since they started working together, they’ve listed and sold over $1 million in real estate. (Yeah. We’re impressed, too.)
At one point, a couple researched the best barndominium builder in the Columbia area and found both Summertown Metals and Stacey. Driving into town, they recognized her face on a for sale sign and asked her to show them a barndominium, which she did. The couple made an offer that same day.
Talk about fuzzy ROI.
You can listen to Stacey’s story here. And if you’re ready to experience the power of fuzzy ROI for yourself, you can see if your market is available here.