Most syndicators make a huge mistake when it comes to attracting investors.
They try to appeal to everyone.
Their marketing sounds like: “Great opportunity for investors looking for passive income and tax benefits with solid returns in a growing market.”
It’s generic. It’s boring. And it doesn’t speak to anyone specifically.
As Seth Godin says, “When you speak to everyone, you speak to no one.”
Here’s what successful syndicators do differently: they get crystal clear on exactly who they want to work with.
Think of your “avatar” as your ideal investor. You basically create a profile for them.
You give them a name, a career, a set of challenges, goals, and even a Starbucks order (if that helps you get inside their head). You’re not just guessing who might want to invest with you — you’re being intentional about who you want to attract.
Here are some examples of how syndicators can get specific with their ideal investor:
“Busy doctors who have high incomes but no time to research investments and want someone they trust to handle the details.”
“Tech company founders and executives who understand scaling businesses and want real estate investments that can grow with their success.”
“High-net-worth individuals who are already investing in real estate but want access to larger commercial deals they can’t buy individually.”
“Dual-income professional couples in their 50s who are behind on retirement savings and need tax-advantaged investments with strong returns.”
Each of these creates a completely different marketing approach, but they’re all specific enough to create compelling, targeted messages.
Let’s address an objection I hear often:
“But I would take anyone! I don’t care who they are, as long as they have money. I don’t want to get so specific because then it will turn off people that don’t fit in that category.”
That’s like saying: “I don’t care what kind of fish I catch so I don’t want to use any bait. Not every fish would like this specific kind of bait and I don’t want to turn any away. So I’m just going to put my empty hook in the water – because I want all kinds!”
(Sounds kind of crazy to say it this way, right?)
NOTHING WILL BITE AN EMPTY HOOK!
When you figure out what you want to catch, you can use bait that will attract the right fish.
When you’re using generic language that could apply to any investor – that’s a hook with no bait.
Here’s the difference specificity makes:
Imagine you’re a busy professional in your 40s. You’re maxed out on your 401(k) contributions and you’re looking for some kind of tax-advantaged investment that won’t take your time.
You’re scrolling through Facebook and you see these two ad headlines. Which would be more likely to catch your attention?
“Looking for Passive Income? Discover Real Estate Investing Opportunities”
“Maxed Out Your 401(k)? Here’s What’s Next for High-Income Professionals”
I can tell you with certainty, the more specific one will get more clicks (the second one)!
You know who they are and what they care about. You can speak to their specific needs. They see what you’re offering and they know within seconds, “This is for me! This is what I’m looking for! I need this!”
Here’s a simple framework to identify your ideal investor:
Who they are: Age range, profession, income level, family situation
What keeps them up at night: Their biggest stresses and uncertainties
What they want: Freedom, security, impact, growth – be specific
How investing with you helps them get that: The bridge between their problem and your solution
Plus, you open up completely different marketing opportunities:
Most syndicators try to get on multifamily podcasts where they’re competing with hundreds of other people talking about the same thing.
But let’s say you focus on dentists and get on a podcast for dentists. How many people are talking about passive multifamily investing there? You’re the only one.
Now that you’re not targeting such a broad audience, you might start thinking about other ways to get in front of them:
- Speak at dental conferences or continuing education events
- Partner with dental CPAs or financial advisors
- Write articles in magazines like Dentistry Today
- Create a lead magnet titled “5 Ways Dentists Can Reduce Taxes and Earn Truly Passive Income”
Once you get specific on who you’re talking to, you have new ways to get in front of people. And you can talk specifically about things they care about, which is going to get their attention.
Important note: This isn’t to say you can only ever have one type of avatar. You can have as many as you want. But start with ONE and get good at converting them. Find the messaging that works. And then once you’ve got that down and you’re getting good conversions, you can add another avatar and another.
When you understand your ideal investor, everything becomes easier:
Your marketing basically writes itself because you’re talking to a specific person about specific problems.
Your conversations are more natural because you understand their world.
Your deals become easier to explain because you know what matters to them.
Your advertising becomes much more targeted too. Instead of broad “real estate investor” audiences, you can target people with specific professional interests, income levels, or life situations.
Your homework: Create your investor avatar.
Give them a name, a profession, specific challenges, and clear goals. Be as detailed as possible – the more specific you get, the more powerful your marketing becomes.
Think about what keeps them up at night, what they want most, and exactly how investing with you helps them get that.
Start with one avatar and really dial in your messaging to them before adding others.