Everyone says Estate & Letting Agency is a people business. Yet, looking at most agent’s social media and marketing, nothing could be further from the truth
It can not be argued that People connect with people, not with brands (unless you are Apple, Tesla, or Virgin ..and there is an argument that they are there in some (not all) ways because of their famous founders).
That is why I a suggesting everyone reading this should invest in their personal brand (and I am not suggesting that should be at the expense of you investing in your company brand).
The internet and social media intensifies and magnifies an outstanding personal brand many many times
So, having no personal brand and no social media/internet presence puts you in oblivion much faster than before.
If you don’t jump on board with the ethos of a personal brand you will get left behind, because building a personal brand is the single most prevailing marketing strategy you can have for your agency
The simple fact is the portals have made all agents look and sound the same, yet Nobody beats you at being you at being an agent, and as long as you bring your distinctive voice, your unique personal qualities, and abilities into the mix, you have got something that is impossible to copy.
There’s always room for cheaper agents, better agents, or different agents.
Yet, nobody can duplicate you. You are a one-woman / one-man walking monopoly.
You are the only person in the world who does what you do.
Building your personal brand as an agent has never made it easier to learn.
Even before the internet, to make yourself valuable, it kinda boils down to the following two choices:
You either make yourself really helpful and useful or you make yourself scarce – your choice
The second is amazing, yet if you haven’t started the long-drawn-out process of building your personal brand, you need to start on the first.
To build your personal brand you need to make yourself really helpful and really useful … to the recipients of the content you push out on social media.
Your content should be the creation of your opinions, thoughts, principles, and ideas. With all the social media tools presently accessible, it has never been easy to share your work with thousands of people in your town for free.
Social media allows amazing ideas to be shared at no cost. When you are tucked up in bed, your social media posts are working their magic on your town’s landlords and homeowners.
It’s time to exploit that potential.
It's all about the content though … any content that is trying to sell somebody something, (your estate agency services or a property you are trying to sell/let) isn’t valuable content.
It is valuable to you – but it isn’t to the general public)
When was the last time you saw me try and sell you anything .. most of you reading this don’t even know how I earn my money (most people think I am an estate agency trainer or coach – nothing could be further from the truth).
Great content should provoke feelings and think within your potential client's minds. If a piece of agency content provokes one reader’s thoughts, it will for the masses.
I see my ‘job’ is to create great video interviews that are of interest to the estate and letting agency industry. I don’t charge anything for anyone sitting on my sofa and each person costs me £300 in editing and studio hire.. yet my content becomes the product I make (PS the interviews are not how I earn my money either) …
to Yet by putting out this video content, I set out to provide shed loads of free value on social with enormous distribution, the content gets eyeballs on me, and from that, the moment I want to harvest and to take off, I have got a ruthless and unfair head start (as could you)
As an agent, your personal brand allows you to monetise your audience one day in the future, to convert them into 12% fully managed landlords and 2% full-fat sale fee properties.
You are not doing this for nefarious or wicked purposes either.
As long as your intentions are to give great advice, solve a problem, educate or entertain local landlords or homeowners FOR THEM, then they will repay you not only with esteem and respect … they will repay you by giving you their properties to sell and let. It’s called business and you are doing it,
Building an audience for yourself takes a huge amount of effort and time though.
I have been doing it for 4 years and I have only scratched the surface .. it depends if you believe playing the long game with hard (smart) work and patience is the route to success.
Most of those reading this want a shortcut..sorry you know in your heart there is no shortcut to building trust in this world – it has to be earned .. because that is what personal branding is … personal reputation is all about building trust in you as a person.
In fact, am not a huge fan of the phrase ‘personal brand’ – I prefer the word reputation
Growing your reputation (aka personal brand) from engagement to a community/tribe takes many many years, yet it is so worth the trouble.
Because what other choice do you have?
A Hand to mouth existence until you retire when you are 67? Or playing the long game, building reputation and winning the agency game because people pick you
For those agents that are willing to put in the hard (smart) work, play the long long game and put themselves out there with a well-thought-out plan will be the winners.
The best time to start is today, because by creating your online social media presence, your followers and audience will be the listings of the future, and doing this right will set you up for a thrilling and prosperous future as an agent.
How do you do that?
Easy – I have created over 50 videos on the topic and I wish to give them to you for free. I don’t sell courses in building a personal brand (maybe I should???), yet what I can do is guide and show you what I have done and give you examples of agents I am mentoring to build their personal brand (ie reputation).
I am happy for any agent to ring me on 07950147572 between 730am and 815am weekday mornings. Send me a text to book a slot. Like I say, I have nothing to sell you – I just want to help. Thousands of agents reading this will ignore this, yet one of you might just ring. The offer of help is genuine, yet you have to make the first move.
Kind regards
Christopher
PS Please don’t look back in 10 years' time, your heart full of regret that another agent in your town took up the challenge of growing their own personal brand, the market leader with 30% of the town, charging 2% fees whilst you fight for the scraps