Why marketing entropy is killing your property sales momentum

Author | Paul Skuse, Oakfield Marketing

I’ll admit it—I’m a complete science geek.

The other night, I found myself deep in the latest Prof Brian Cox documentary about the Second Law of Thermodynamics (as you do). It’s all about entropy—the idea that, left alone, everything in the universe naturally drifts into disorder.

And somewhere between discussions of black holes and heat death, it hit me:

This is exactly what happens to most property marketing.

(Just me? No one else lying awake at night thinking about marketing entropy? Fair enough, but stick with me here.)

Because if there’s one universal truth in this industry, it’s that most developers start with a big marketing push—glossy CGI images, launch events, PR splashes, digital ads—only to let it all fizzle out after a few months. Leads slow, engagement drops, and what started as a high-energy campaign gradually loses momentum.

That’s marketing entropy in action.

But just like in physics, there’s a way to counteract entropy—and the best developers understand how to keep their marketing alive, adaptive, and continuously driving sales.

Entropy in Action: The Lifecycle of a Typical Property Marketing Campaign
Most property marketing follows a predictable boom-to-fizzle out cycle:

1. The Big Bang (Launch Phase)
• High-energy marketing: CGI renders, PPC ads, sales buzz, Country Life adverts.
• A sleek new website that ranks – for about five minutes.
• The CRM system is actually being used (for now).

2. The Peak (Maximum Energy Input)
• Enquiries flood in.
• The sales team is fully engaged.
• Everything looks great.

3. The Decay (Marketing Entropy Sets In)
• Ads start repeating, or stop.
• Google rankings plunge because the website is static due to lack of content creation.
• The CRM? Full of “cold leads” that no one follows up with.

4. The Event Horizon (Sales Slowdown Begins)
• Enquiries dry up.
• The marketing team blames the sales team. The sales team blames the market.
• The original excitement is gone—and no one quite knows how to restart it.

How to Overcome Marketing Entropy
Like any system in physics, marketing needs continuous input to avoid running out of steam. The solution? A self-sustaining flywheel that builds momentum over time.

1. The Email Flywheel: Keeping Leads Engaged Until They’re Ready to Buy
Most buyers aren’t ready when they first see you or even enquire. But that doesn’t mean they won’t be in three, six, or twelve months.

The mistake? Treating leads like a one-and-done opportunity instead of keeping them engaged with:
• Smart email sequences that deliver value, not just generic “Are you still interested?” follow-ups.
• Updates that keep prospects hooked: build progress, new incentives, virtual tours, market insights.
• CRM automation that nurtures every lead instead of dumping them into an ignored spreadsheet.

2. SEO and Content: The Renewable Energy Source of Marketing
Most developers put all their energy into the initial launch. But Google rewards consistency, not one-time effort.
• Every month, new buyers are searching. If your website isn’t updated regularly, your ranking plummets.
• Fresh blog content, location guides, buyer tips—these keep your SEO alive and bring in new leads daily.
• Google wants to see engagement and new activity—so keep the algorithm on your side.

3. CRM-Driven Marketing is the System That Never Runs Out of Energy
A well-run CRM is the antidote to entropy. Instead of leads going cold, automation keeps them engaged, sending the right content at the right time.
• Lead scoring ensures your hottest prospects get attention first.
• Behaviour tracking lets you know when someone is warming up again.
• Instead of the “last-ditch discount email”, you build relationships from day one.

The Second Law of Thermodynamics tells us that without fresh energy, everything naturally declines—and marketing is no different.

If you treat your marketing like a closed system, it will fade, stagnate, and ultimately fail. The developers who keep their campaigns alive—who refresh their messaging, re-engage their audience, and maintain a steady flow of marketing energy—are the ones who sell faster, at higher prices, with less discounting.

So, if your leads have slowed down, it’s not just the economy, the time of year, or buyer hesitation.

It’s entropy.

And just like in physics, the only way to fight it is to keep putting energy back into the system. Get in touch and we can chat physics… or marketing, or both!