When DIY Becomes Your Biggest Competitor: OREB's Fight for Relevance

The Threat: "I Can Do This Myself"

The Ottawa Real Estate Board (OREB) represents 4,000 registered real estate professionals in the Ottawa area. They run the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) System—the platform that keeps property listings accurate, maintains professional standards, and helps REALTORS® collaborate to serve buyers and sellers.

But they had a problem. Sell-it-yourself websites were gaining traction, promising homeowners they could skip the REALTOR® and pocket the commission savings. The pitch was seductive: "Why pay thousands when you can do it yourself?"

OREB needed to remind Ottawa buyers and sellers why professional expertise matters—and they needed to do it in a way that actually generated leads for their 4,000 members.

The Challenge: Prove Professional Value

The goals were clear:

• Drive traffic to a dedicated landing page at oreb.com/confidence

• Educate buyers and sellers on why working with a REALTOR® is worth it

• Provide genuinely useful information through a downloadable guide

• Generate qualified leads that connected with OREB members through the REALTOR® search tool

This wasn't just brand awareness. This was lead generation with a side of reputation defence.

The Strategy: Education + Activation

RicochetB2B built a multi-channel campaign designed to intercept people at the moment they were considering going the DIY route:

1. A Landing Page That Actually Converted

Not just a pretty page—a conversion-focused destination with clear messaging and simple calls-to-action. Custom-designed to fit OREB's brand while guiding visitors toward downloading the guide and using the REALTOR® search tool.

2. An E-Guide That Delivered Real Value

Not a sales brochure. An actual resource explaining the tangible benefits of working with a REALTOR®—expert negotiation, market knowledge, legal protection, professional networks. The kind of information that makes people think twice about going it alone.

3. Targeted Digital Advertising

A 5-week campaign across Google Ads and Facebook targeting Ottawa residents actively searching for real estate information—people considering buying, selling, or investing. Eye-catching ads designed to drive clicks and guide downloads.

4. Traditional Media Reinforcement

Digital doesn't exist in a vacuum. Traditional media supported the campaign, reaching audiences who might not see the online ads and reinforcing the message across multiple touchpoints.

The Results: Awareness + Leads

The campaign delivered on both fronts:

7,749 visits to the confidence landing page

1,887 downloads of the e-guide—people actively seeking information about working with REALTORS®

6,681 new visitors to the OREB website overall

409 qualified leads generated through the REALTOR® search tool, directly connecting potential clients with local professionals

That's 409 people who came into the campaign considering DIY and left it connected with a professional REALTOR®.

The Bottom Line

Professional associations face an existential challenge: proving their members' value in a world that thinks expertise is optional.

OREB needed to counter the "I can do this myself" narrative with evidence, education, and easy access to professionals. RicochetB2B delivered:

✓ A conversion-focused landing page and educational resource

✓ Targeted advertising reaching people at decision-making moments

✓ Multi-channel reinforcement across digital and traditional media

✓ A lead generation system that connected prospects with REALTORS®

The result? Nearly 2,000 people educated on professional value and over 400 qualified leads for OREB members.