I came across a widely shared LinkedIn post from Martin Zarian that was a major part of the initial inspiration for creating the Filling Spaces newsletter. In the post, he joked about how ridiculous SaaS marketing can sound, with examples like:

• 87% of barefoot runners say Nike solves their problems.

• Nike offers an extra 3cm of sole in its shoes.

Would you feel inspired to buy those shoes? Probably not. Yet doesn’t this sound exactly like CRE marketing?

• Unmatched visibility for your business.

• 50,000 sq. ft. of Class A office space.

• Where innovation meets opportunity.

It’s vague, lifeless, and says nothing about why someone should care.

The Problem: Features Aren’t Enough

Nike doesn’t sell shoes by talking about rubber compounds or sole thickness. They sell the feeling of crossing the finish line, pushing your limits, and becoming your best self.

But CRE marketing? It falls into the same trap as SaaS:

• We market the rubber, not the run.

• The square footage, not the success.

• The feature, not the feeling.

SaaS marketers love buzzwords and vague promises like:

• Revolutionize your workflows.

• Seamlessly synergize your data.

• Transform your operations at scale.

Sound familiar? Swap in CRE terms, and it’s any property marketing brochure:

• Unmatched visibility for your business.

• Where innovation meets opportunity.

• The perfect space to grow.

All of this means precisely nothing. Wasted ink (or pixels on a screen).

The Solution: Think Like Your Customer

The best SaaS brands have ditched the jargon and focused on what their audience really cares about: benefits and outcomes. CRE marketers can (and should) do the same.

Here are three lessons CRE marketers can steal from SaaS:

1️⃣ Get Specific About Benefits

SaaS Example: Gong
Instead of:
"Optimize your sales pipeline."

Gong says:
"Win 10% more deals by coaching with real data."

CRE Translation
Instead of:
"Unmatched visibility."

Say:
"Get your brand in front of 32,000 cars per day with our prime retail location."

2️⃣ Speak Their Language

SaaS Example: Drift (before getting acquired 🫢)
Instead of:
"We streamline conversational AI workflows."

Drift said:
"Start real conversations with your website visitors and close deals faster."

CRE Translation
Instead of:
"Class A office space for lease."

Say:
"50,000 sq. ft. designed to attract top talent and impress clients the moment they walk in."

3️⃣ Focus on Outcomes, Not Inputs

SaaS Example: Slack (even after being acquired, hats off to Salesforce for not messing up their marketing post-acquisition).
Instead of:
"Instant messaging."

Slack sells:
"Teamwork without email."

CRE Translation
Instead of:
"Turnkey office solutions."

Say:
"Move in today and start running your business tomorrow—without the headache of setup."

Let’s Rewrite the Script

The best SaaS brands pair details (because specifics do matter) with a compelling vision of how their product makes life better. CRE marketers can—and must—do the same.

Next time you’re crafting a property description, skip the buzzwords. Get specific. Show your audience what’s in it for them.

This is exactly what Filling Spaces is all about: borrowing the best ideas from other industries to upgrade how we market CRE. I’m so glad you’re here for the ride.

Growth Update: Filling Spaces

I posted about Filling Spaces on LinkedIn, expecting some decent traction… and got way less than I hoped for. So far, we’re at 9 subscribers, including myself. Not exactly the rocket launch I imagined 🥲

But hey, it’s a start—and I’m hoping to look back on this in a few months (or a year) and smile, knowing it all began here.

My goal? 1,000 subscribers by the end of 2025. I’ll be using this section of the newsletter to build in public, share growth as it happens, and break down the marketing strategies I’m using along the way. Stay tuned!

Issue #2 Sneak Peak

In the next issue, I’ll be discussing the psychology of building lease-ups. Marketing isn’t just about tactics—it’s about the psychology and mindset of the marketer. Every lease-up starts with optimism but often hits the “Valley of Despair”, where results fall short, and doubt creeps in.

I’ll share how understanding this cycle—and your own emotional/psychological triggers—can help you stay calm, make smarter decisions, ultimately fill more spaces.

You in?

Catch you soon,
Eric Golman
Founder, Filling Spaces

Eric Golman is the CMO of WareSpace, leading marketing for one of the most innovative brands in CRE. Follow @egolman on X and connect on LinkedIn.

Eric is also the founder of ABCEO Books, a series of board books that helps parents share their careers with kids through fun, simple introductions to business concepts. The first book, Marketing for Babies, explains marketing fundamentals with vibrant illustrations and easy language. Commercial Real Estate for Babies will be available in the next few weeks—stay tuned for the launch!