Life isn’t always perfect, and the best agents know that showing the imperfections creates the bonds that make business stronger. As Laura Stace, vice president of luxury marketing for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices points out, the goal is to connect with like-minded people you’ll resonate with, and being authentic is the starting point.
Looking for more advice? Discover Inman New Essential Agents.
If you’re a new agent working on your social media strategy, it can be tempting to push a larger-than-life character. Following the Joneses has only been punctuated by social media and we all know people brush off any imperfections before posting an image.
This altered perception of reality may sound good to those scrolling through their feeds, but if you want them to stop and take notice, you have to be authentically you. The development of your personal brand plays an important role in how customers select their representatives.
The process of buying and selling real estate is an extremely emotional process, so clients want to align themselves personally with their agent. Show your true self and share with the world exactly who you are. Social media audiences are savvy and can see through all the veneers; you want to attract customers who share the same values and ethics and establish a personal connection with you.
Below are four tips for being authentic on social media.
Make it informative
Real estate is for everyone – buying, selling, renting, subletting, investing, building – the list is endless. People always want to know what is happening in the real estate market.
More often than not, if you’re in a social setting and people find out you’re a real estate agent, they’ll start asking you questions. Soon people were flocking together, eager to hear your views on the market.
Social media is a platform that will help you connect and interact with many more people than you ever could at a social event. Be sure to share your ideas and tips on social media.
You can do this by sharing a video of you discussing a topic, creating a chart to showcase some stats (you don’t have to be a graphic designer to use great programs like Canva), or posting a image that corresponds to the fact you want to illustrate.
Don’t repeat or copy what others say or write. Be sure to share your own voice and opinion. After all, you are the expert and people will gather to hear what you have to say.
Share your interests
While it’s important to share content related to your profession, it’s equally important to share personal items to show potential clients who you are outside of the office.
Real estate is an extremely personal matter. During the process, people want to feel connected and aligned with the person guiding them through one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives.
However, when I say, share personal items, I don’t mean your deepest darkest secrets. I mean, share posts about your interests or hobbies and how you like to spend your time outside of the office. Either way, stay true to who you really are. In my experience, connections are often made because of a shared interest or common bond.
Interact with others
Social media is meant to build connections and inspire dialogue. Be sure to join the conversation to engage your audience and showcase your authentic voice. An easy way to do this is to reply to comments left on your posts and respond to any direct messages (DMs) you may receive.
Be sure to follow people you know personally and professionally and like and comment on posts that resonate with you. Also be sure to follow accounts focused on the real estate industry which will help you stay on top of topics and trends. And again, be sure to interact with these accounts and keep your comments in your tone of voice.
Take your audience behind the scenes
Estate agents have incredibly difficult jobs and there are many interesting and sometimes (perhaps in retrospect) humorous situations that arise in the field. A few that come to mind – the most poorly located safes, a house not quite ready to photograph, the ensuing rush when a photographer arrives in a few minutes and all the tidying up before an open day.
Giving your audience insight into some of these types of situations brings a tone of authenticity to your social media feed. If it was all about multi-million sales and glamorous events, everyone would be doing it.
Life isn’t perfect and the more you can show off your authentic identity on social media, the more like-minded people you’ll meet and potentially work with. By keeping your content informative, sharing personal interests, interacting with others, and showcasing some of the real work, you’ll be sure to show off your authentic identity on social media.
Laura Stace is vice president of luxury marketing for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.
