In this episode of Behind the Print, we’re joined by Owners and Agents of McConnell Real Estate Partners, Josh and Jen McConnell. With extensive backgrounds in real estate and a passion for raising money for charity, Josh and Jen take us through how they use both print and their real estate business to generate money for a noble cause.

Below, you’ll find the transcript of our conversation, edited for clarity to ensure easy reading. If you want the full, authentic experience, make sure to check out the video attached below.

Connor: Welcome back to the Behind the Print Podcast, where we feature industry leaders and uncover the creative minds and their businesses within the world of professional printing. Our mission is to provide inspiring, actionable resources that elevate your business projects and accelerate your journey to excellence in profit and in print. Today’s episode is Real Estate for a Cause, and joining me are the owners of McConnell Real Estate Partners, Josh and Jen McConnell. Welcome to the podcast.

Jen: Thank you. We’re excited to be here.

Connor: If you’re ready, let’s dive in. What can you tell me about the people who buy property from McConnell Real Estate Partners?

Jen: They love the outdoors. We’re in Charleston, South Carolina, right on the coast, so there is a lot of outdoor living here. Golf, surfing, tennis, pickleball, boating, you name it. Most people who live in Charleston want that resort lifestyle all year.

Josh: The climate helps. It’s warm, with four seasons, and a lot of people relocate for that. It’s mild most of the year.

Connor: What are the biggest challenges in selling a property there?

Jen: We’re on a barrier island right outside of Charleston, so there are many second homes. It’s not a barrier to purchase as much as it is understanding who your buyers are. You have to live here and really know that some people are not moving here forever. Many are investing, which is a different situation than someone buying a primary home.

Josh: It’s a diverse market. Some people arrive thinking South Carolina will be inexpensive. There are parts of the state that are, but not on the coast. The coast is popular and pricing reflects that.

“We’re on a barrier island right outside of Charleston, so there are many second homes. It’s not a barrier to purchase as much as it is understanding who your buyers are. You have to live here and really know that some people are not moving here forever. Many are investing, which is a different situation than someone buying a primary home.”

Connor: That makes sense. I imagine there are plenty of snowbirds too.

Jen: Absolutely. People come for vacation, fall in love, and decide to stay. Some do not even go back. They’ll have someone pack up their place and send everything down because they love it so much. It is a unique and beautiful place to live.

Connor: What has been your most influential marketing strategy for buying and selling properties?

Josh: We work hard to put ourselves in places others aren’t. You see a lot of real estate ads competing in the same spaces, and we try to avoid getting lost there. We get creative with print. Print plays a big role for us. We do bifolds with newsletters. We mail magazines to individuals so we can be one of one in their mailbox instead of one of many. Staying different across platforms is the core idea.

Connor: I understand you run the McConnell Foundation Charity Auction. Can you tell me about that?

Jen: We founded the McConnell Foundation in 2021. Our son had cancer when he was five months old and was cured by ten months. After that, we started donating a portion of every brokerage transaction to the hospital where he was treated, specifically to the pediatric cancer research lab there. Our clients knew our story, and they became very involved. We did check presentations of 25,000 or 50,000 dollars from our brokerage. Then clients wanted to give too. They asked how they could help. We realized there was so much more we could do together, and we had promised in the hospital that if our son made it, we would help other kids.

Jen: So we officially formed the McConnell Foundation in 2021 to raise funds for pediatric cancer research at the Medical University of South Carolina. Each year we throw a black tie gala on Isle of Palms at Wild Dunes Resort, and one hundred percent of the proceeds go to our son’s oncologist’s lab. We host it every year.

Connor: Is it just clients who participate, or is it open to everyone?

“So we officially formed the McConnell Foundation in 2021 to raise funds for pediatric cancer research at the Medical University of South Carolina. Each year we throw a black tie gala on Isle of Palms at Wild Dunes Resort, and one hundred percent of the proceeds go to our son’s oncologist’s lab. We host it every year.”

Jen: It’s open to everyone. Most attendees are from the islands or the Charleston area, and many make it a weekend because it’s a beautiful oceanfront resort. We have tremendous support from our clients, but it’s a public event.

Josh: It’s getting bigger every year.

Jen: This year we broke the one hundred thousand dollar mark for our donation. We raised one hundred thousand dollars, which was huge.

Connor: Congratulations, that’s impressive. What sort of items are up for auction?

Jen: Everything from international trips to local staycations, diamond jewelry, six months of pickleball lessons, and a wine membership.

Josh: Concerts at our local spot too.

Jen: We even had an unlimited year pass for every concert at the Windjammer, which is a beach bar here on Isle of Palms. It’s a little bit of everything.

Connor: So just about everything. And congratulations again on the one hundred thousand dollar donation.

Jen: Yes. This year we raised one hundred thousand dollars, and our total is right around 275,000 dollars for the pediatric oncology lab at MUSC.

Connor: Congratulations.

Jen: Thank you.

Connor: And the brokerage has contributed on top of that, correct?

Jen: Yes. We started by donating proceeds from our transactions through the brokerage.

Josh: We’ve contributed about 140,000 dollars through the brokerage. Now the brokerage giving goes through the foundation, but it has become its own thing, which is great.

Connor: How do you stand out from other real estate agencies?

Jen: We are particular about how we present ourselves and our brand. We are a boutique brokerage and we want that to show in our marketing, both in print and online. For print, I asked PrintingCenterUSA to send samples before we printed anything so I could vet the quality. I have a marketing background and clear ideas about what we want, and the quality has matched our expectations. We have used PrintingCenterUSA for years.

Josh: Eleven years, exclusively.

Jen: The print materials have been excellent. One item that has elevated our brand is our magazine. We started about seven years ago with a beautiful perfect bound format. We updated it to a matte finish so it looks like a true coffee table magazine. These are next level. It is a buyers and sellers guide with information about our foundation and our moving trucks. It aligns with our brand. No one’s doing this at our level. We bring this to listing presentations, along with our bound books for each listing. Many people do not invest in materials like this. They might bring printouts from a regular printer, which is fine, but if you want to present as a luxury agent, arriving with a magazine of this caliber makes a statement. Our listing marketing is also far above the typical approach.

Connor: We appreciate you printing with us. That leads to my next question, which you already touched on. How has print helped elevate your business?

Josh: A big piece of our business is past clients and referrals, probably eighty percent. For the twenty percent who do not know us, many are vacationing here or they see our magazines at a listing or at the grocery store, or they notice our moving truck parked centrally on the island. When they call, they might know nothing about us. Showing up with our printed materials validates us immediately. There are a lot of different versions of real estate agents because the barrier to entry is not high. When we present our materials, especially our print, it puts people at ease. They can see we are professionals who know what we are doing. We are hyperlocal, and much of our content is island specific. That instant validation matters when people meet us for the first time.

Connor: One more step above digital, and more permanent. What major milestones or projects have defined McConnell Real Estate Partners?

“Showing up with our printed materials validates us immediately. There are a lot of different versions of real estate agents because the barrier to entry is not high. When we present our materials, especially our print, it puts people at ease. They can see we are professionals who know what we are doing.”

Josh: The big milestone was moving from being a full-time team to launching our own brokerage. That was a jump, but it was part of the plan. After that, it was establishing ourselves in the high-end market. Charleston is competitive, so differentiating on the marketing side gave us opportunities to showcase our service. That built the business to run on its database. Today, more than eighty percent of our business is repeat and past clients. We would not get that without first differentiating our marketing for the other twenty percent.

Connor: What challenges are holding you back right now?

Josh: The market has been more challenging than in the past. Going from two and a half percent interest rates to seven percent was unprecedented. Getting back in balance took time. Now we are in a balanced market for the first time in six years, which almost feels strange because of how wild it was. The reset has been a challenge, but we’re through the hardest part.

Connor: That is a big jump.

Josh: It is hard for someone at a rate in the twos to move to seven and three quarters. Now we are back in the fives, and people can make decisions again.

Connor: Switching gears. If you had a day completely free, how would you spend it?

Jen: We live at the beach, so we would watch the sunrise with the kids, let them run around, get them to school, then work the morning. Lunch at the beach, then tennis for me. The kids and Josh do jiu-jitsu, so they would want that in there too.

Josh: I would not leave the island unless I had to.

Jen: You can park your car on Isle of Palms and go everywhere by golf cart. It is nearly impossible to get Josh off the island unless it is required. We would hit local spots.

Josh: We have a concert venue on the island where you look at the ocean while the band plays. It is great. We love everything about Isle of Palms. It would be a full island day.

Jen: The island is a couple miles long. There are roughly five thousand permanent residents, and it grows in the summer.

Josh: The split is about a third permanent residents, a third second homes, and a third vacation rentals.

Connor: Sounds like a tight-knit community.

Jen: It is.

Josh: It is a small town that gets big from Memorial Day to Labor Day, then small again.

Connor: Last question. How can listeners get in touch to buy property, learn more, or collaborate?

Jen: Visit www.chsestates.com  or find us on social media at @CharlestonEstates.

Connor: That is a wrap on another episode of Behind the Print. Thank you for joining us as we explore the artistry and innovation of the printing world. Remember, with a strong vision, the right strategy, and tools like print to amplify your message, your brand can stand out. If you enjoyed today’s episode, get your sample pack from printingcenterusa.com and share it with your fellow business enthusiasts. Until next time, keep those creative sparks flying. There is always more to discover behind the print.

Please share, follow and like us: