Behind every great business there’s a great story. Stories are all around us and we use them to connect with each other and make sense of the world around us. But stories also have business benefits: Research from Hubspot found the most shared ads of 2015 relied heavily on emotional content — something vital to stories.
Why sharing your agent story with your real estate leads matters
Our brains are wired for storytelling, and we respond well to the basic cause and effect structure of a story. When you share with your prospects the characteristics that make you unique, yet still relatable, people will trust you more readily, and be more inclined to choose you to represent them in their home search. You may not think of your own personal real estate story as inspiring or particularly enthralling, but it’s vital to think about the details of why you chose to begin a career in the real estate business, what you love about it, and what keeps you engaged.
When anyone — from strangers to former clients — visits your IDX website, you want them to understand your value and what your agency stands for quickly. If done correctly, you can gain the trust of your prospects through your brand story. Give your audience a reason to care, rather than assuming that their interest is a given.
Whether you’re new to marketing yourself as an agent, or are just interested in improving your real estate agent branding strategy, read on to learn how you can create your brand story to build trust with your prospects.
Be relatable
The best stories are those other people can understand and connect with. As a real estate agent, your goal should be to communicate how relatable you are. Leads want to know an agent understands what they’re looking for in a home, from the stresses that go along with relocating to the specific amenities every homebuyer and seller wants in their neighborhood and community. Evaluate what you hope to provide to your potential clients and what’s personal and important to you, and promote those front and center.
A great example of a team that exudes authenticity on their website is Team Diva of Coldwell Banker Bain in Seattle. They infuse their extensive market knowledge with playful descriptions to give their site visitors an enjoyable housing search experience.
Delight with content
Particularly when you’re introducing yourself to your prospects, you want to engage them in an entertaining way. A humorous brand video, a series of brief but informative blog posts about your community, or an infographic are all good places to start.
Crescent City Living in New Orleans offers prospects various community specific blog posts on their homepage, along with a colorful slideshow of images of the city to engage and inform people interested in living in NOLA.
Even if you don’t enjoy writing, or have a slim amount of content to include in email sends, it’s important to prioritize creating a few great pieces that really speak to your brand and provide value for your audience. The content you share with your site visitors and prospects needs to strike a balance between being useful and engaging, so forgo overtly salesy speech and generic language. Keep them interested by using conversational language that’s inviting.
Consider the larger picture: How does your Realtor business influence people’s lives?
A brand isn’t a brand unless it leaves a lasting impression.
Mega brands like Apple and IKEA didn’t gain cult-level followings by accident. They’re passionate about their products and they openly communicate how those products add immense value to their customers’ lives. Above all, they leave a great lasting impression. There’s a lot of power in that kind of branding, and you can leverage those same tactics for your own business.
You’re one of many real estate agents in your area, and as such you have to think beyond the benefits your agency offers, like expertise in certain neighborhoods. Consider the larger picture: How does your Realtor business influence people’s lives?
Each agent in The Enrichment Group of Keller Williams Heritage based in San Antonio, specializes in a specific niche in buying, selling, and investing that helps their clients find the homes they’ve been dreaming of.
Do you enjoy helping people on a budget find their dream homes? Or do you help luxury buyers meet their lifestyle needs? Whatever you focus on most, make sure that information is obvious to anyone visiting your website, receiving promotional materials in the mail, or seeing for sale signage in their neighborhoods.
Pinpoint what you want to achieve with your brand.
Every agent will have a different approach to what they’re hoping to achieve and how it will get accomplished. No matter what that is, every aspect of your website should communicate it clearly. So if you primarily work with clients looking to downsize their homes, your logo, pieces of content, and even your contact information should make that aspect of your business apparent. In other words, know who you are and what you have to offer.
The two person team that makes up Hillside Realty in Colorado Springs prioritizes empathy, creative problem solving, and enthusiasm when representing their clients. They even offer complimentary consultations to their buyer clients on home improvement projects after they’ve moved in.
Translating your story into client conversions on your IDX website.
Stories alone don’t get you very far when it comes to seeing healthy prospect to client conversion rates on your website. What does, however, is communicating what you’re an expert in. The more you can narrow your sphere of reference, the better.
Here are some channels you can use to explain to your audience you’re a pro:
- Testimonials: Be sure to ask former clients to write up a review of their home buying experience with you, and promote those messages clearly on your homepage. If it makes sense, get their testimonials on film and link to those videos on your site.
- Selling statistics: If you’re a top agent and do a lot of business annually, gather stats from the previous year and draw up a report to include in an email drip. Your real estate leads will appreciate the data, and it will ultimately make you more reputable as a local agent.
- Social media shares: It makes sense to use social media platforms to your advantage to nurture relationships with your leads and give your followers a behind-the-scenes look at your day-to-day responsibilities and what’s important to you.
When you’re able to truly define who you are as an agent, and what you offer potential home buyers and sellers that no other agent can, you’ll be on the road to successfully communicating what your brand represents and why you’re the best choice for your real estate leads. Most importantly, remember to be consistent, and incorporate your story into every aspect of your website. (Also, check out our branding infographic with 26 essential tips.)
Ready to revamp your branding strategy for your real estate business? Download Placester’s exclusive ebook for ton of tips and tricks!
How do you tell your agent story to your followers and site visitors? Share with us in the comments below!
