The Project is the Star: About the power of branding and reporting

Dennis Maruhn is the managing director of Development Services Berlin. Despite the highly competitive market in Berlin, Dennis Maruhn and his team have achieved enormous business success in the field of new development and have built a reputation as a competent sparring partner for developers. Each product marketed by the dedicated sales teams receives its own branding, thereby creating a strong visual identity and project awareness for the customers. Meanwhile systematic reporting techniques create transparency for the developers and allow hurdles to be dedicated and mitigated at an early stage. In his video and interview below, Dennis Maruhn speaks about the power of branding and reporting, to highlight just how important a personalised approach to project management is to achieve long-term success in new development.

Berlin has become a highly competitive market, especially with regard to project sales. In your opinion, what developments have particularly shaped this market in recent years?

The market has become more professional - and so have we: Our research team for instance prepares qualified market price assessments and target group analyses for our potential clients (project developers, construction companies) in the shortest possible time. This strengthens our external acquisition work with regard to our market competence and ideally leads to a contract closure in the end. During the sales process, our project-trained sales team is on hand to answer any kind of questions our customers may have. 

Digitalisation also plays a key role here. We provide our clients with a digital "sales reporting", for example. Via the portal "Power BI", they can dial in independently and call up a daily update on lead generation as well as reservation and notarisation status – a much appreciated tool. But digitalisation also brings new advantages for buyers: On the one hand, viewings are increasingly taking place online or via pre-recorded video. On the other hand, we assume that the sampling process will also be carried out digitally in the future. There are already tools that show floor and tile coverings as well as fittings in the 3D floor plan of the desired flat at the click of a mouse, making the choice much easier and faster.

You and your team at Project Sales Berlin work according to the motto "The project is the star". What does target group-oriented and emotional branding look like to you?

For us, target group-oriented branding begins with the early developer-consulting phase. We provide our expertise on the ideal flat mix in terms of number of rooms, living space spread and furnishing must-haves. We also incorporate our preferences regarding the construction quality. Our marketing department then develops an individual project branding, which is always reflected in digital brochures, sales floor plans, high-quality visualisations and websites featuring the same look & feel. The marketing editorial team always pays attention to a concrete and emotional appeal to the respective target group. In the end, successful lead generation takes place when this right approach is also played through the right channels.

Which project in Berlin is currently your "superstar"?

Most people are probably already familiar with it - it is the most spectacular new construction project in Berlin's trendy district Mitte: the new urban quarter "AM TACHELES". The master plan was developed by the Swiss star architects Herzog & de Meuron, as were the plans for the residential and commercial buildings VERT, FRAME and ORO. Brandelhuber+ and Muck Petzet created the residential jewel JOUX - Form³ is based on the creation of Berlin architects Grüntuch Ernst. A project that is truly without equal!

Your sales experts and permanent advisory teams are distinguished, among other things, by the fact that they can mirror detailed opinions of the customers unfiltered to the developers. What do you understand by good reporting and what significance does reporting have for you in project sales?

We are convinced that only transparent cooperation leads to success. If the achievements but also the hurdles are openly communicated during the sales process, solutions can be found more quickly together. The reporting we regularly prepare is divided into three parts:



1. Commercial project overview: we present the notarised, reserved and still available units in percentage figures. The client can pass on this overview to his financing bank, which regularly requests this status from him.
2. Status quo of the reserved units: After the good news about a reservation, the next steps are of great importance. Has the purchase contract already been sent out? What about the necessary proof of financing? Has a date already been set for the notary? In this second part of the reporting, our business partner will find an overview of exactly these questions. In addition, we see how close the date of commission settlement has already come.
3. In the third and last part, we give our client a concrete overview of the lead sources, reasons for rejection and sales activities that our project consultants book in the CRM and can thus easily be retrieved. In the event of a drop in enquiries, we can take action with new marketing measures. Reasons for rejection often contain important information that we discuss with the developer and which may lead to structural adjustments.

As Managing Director of Engel & Völkers Development Services Berlin, you have a very special insight into how your team works and how you cooperate with property developers. How do your services for developers differ from those of your competitors?



Our big plus is that we belong to a brand that doesn't need to be explained. Engel & Völkers stands for the sale of high-quality real estate like no other competitor. Due to our autonomous team structure, we can adapt very well to most of the needs of our business partners. In addition, we always work with 2-headed "dedicated sales teams". During the sales process, our project consultants are the direct contact partners for all customer issues, even for the seller. In combination with our transparent reporting, which provides unfiltered insights into the processes, we repeatedly experience a high appreciation of our work on the part of our clients.