As we move headlong into 2020, it’s set to be an interesting year for real estate.
There are many aspects of the industry under pressure to change, and it is sometimes confusing to know which way to jump.
As an agent, what can you do this year to make the biggest impact in your business and deliver your new listings in an increasingly competitive and congested market?
The largest battleground for agents this year will be social media. This is where listings will be won and lost.
If done well, social media could be the secret to a successful year for the canny agent.
What we have seen with branding over the past couple of years is a distinct shift away from company or franchise branding to individual agents making their mark.
Social media, in particular Facebook, has made this easier than ever.
It is vital in the modern real estate environment to stand out online, as potential sellers are looking for the agent they want to work with on their biggest asset, instead of the company.
They have an opportunity to get to know the agents personally through their social media channels and they are gravitating to those agents they resonate with.
With every agent jumping on board the social media bandwagon, how do you make this work for you?
How do you stand out in a sea of sameness?
The answer is both deceptively simple and terrifying at the same time – just be you.
Forget tired old clichés like being professional or wanting to appeal to everyone.
Instead, find your tribe.
You are better off appealing to the 20 per cent who are most likely to deal with you and getting the lion’s share of that business, than trying to appeal to the whole market and finding yourself standing for nothing.
Strong personalities win, and whoever you are, there is an audience for what you have to say.
The secret is to be authentic in your approach, to be clear about your values and what competitive advantage you bring to the table, and then, portray that succinctly on your channels.
The next step is to do it consistently and make sure you stay on brand and reinforce that approach all year.
Stay away from clichés such as being the best at customer service or getting the highest prices, because consumers don’t see it as being authentic.
Find your passion, find what makes you unique and push that for all it’s worth.
Maybe you have kids and are heavily involved in their sporting clubs, you might be an avid dog person, or you might be the local swing dancing champ.
Whoever you are, there are people out there who share your interests and you will attract them.
Forget your fear of people not liking you, that comes with the turf, and instead embrace who you are and let the world see it.
In my market, I am my own person and well aware that some agents like me and others find me tiresome, but I embrace this and use it to my advantage.
I have built a business in two years that covers large sections of Australia, New Zealand and the US, just by being myself.
I’m brash, opinionated, anti-establishment, rebellious – and I don’t apologise for who I am, and as a result, many people gravitate to me and my business.
I have done this my way and not how experts would traditionally recommend by using several strategies.
While I have business pages, I have used Facebook groups and my personal profile as a business builder to create my audience.
On my personal profile, I mix stories about my life with updates on our business, and it has proven effective in creating a snapshot of me, as a person.
I also run many groups.
Each has its purpose, but they all deliver a message I want to convey to that audience.
You can do the same thing, albeit on a hyper-local level.
Social media is powerful for building your audience and the last tip I have for you is this:
Don’t wait for perfect. Don’t agonise over getting started and don’t follow the crowd.
Shake the shackles off what everyone else is doing and shine in your own light, because if you do this and do it well, you’ll reap massive rewards.
Take the chance and stand out, embrace who you are and make 2020 the year you build your personal real estate brand.
