Brand-Building

Push VS. Pull: The Art of Long-Term Marketing

Does your marketing PUSH or PULL?

A PUSH strategy employs "buy now or prices may go up" types of tactics, enticing impulsive decisions. While this approach might net some short-term gains, the benefits are fleeting.

Conversely, a PULL strategy resonates with your customers' core desires, cultivating a trust-based relationship rooted in enduring value. This method inspires customer loyalty and earns you referrals.

Don't just focus on the here and now. In marketing, it's essential to look beyond the immediate—sow seeds today for a bountiful harvest tomorrow.

Why Are You Creating Video? Cut through the noise, reset your purposes, and build your brand.

Every video you post either enhances or erodes your brand. No exceptions.

No doubt, you've been bombarded with the importance of leveraging video, and rightfully so. But ask yourself: Are you creating videos aimlessly, or are they a strategic means to achieve specific goals?

For example:

  1. Video cultivates an unparalleled sense of know, like, and trust, unmatched by any other communication channel.

  2. Video fosters an instant connection, forging affinity and building trust effortlessly with strangers who find you online or look you up on social.

  3. Video enjoys preferential treatment in algorithms and social media platforms due to its widespread popularity, granting it broader reach and increasing the likelihood of your content being seen by a larger audience.

In the face of overwhelming demands from platforms to produce more content and create a seemingly endless stream of videos, it's crucial to remember the purpose behind your efforts.

Avoid getting caught in the trap of mindlessly producing content without considering how each video contributes to your goals and objectives.

The Power of Video in Real Estate Marketing: 3 Types of Videos to Build Your Brand

Video is the undisputed champion of content for social media marketing. The reason is simple: business is all about relationships. Video can help you build trust, convey your personality, and showcase “who you are” to your audience.

I like to call it "Murphy's Law for Social Media Marketing" – if something can be in video format, it will be. Social media users crave more video content, but not everyone takes advantage of this opportunity to create what's been demanded. Social platforms, for instance, frequently ask users what they'd like to see more of, and time-and-again, they say:  “VIDEO!”

So there’s a strategic advantage to be gained… By prioritizing video content, you can simultaneously set yourself apart from the competition as well as foster stronger relationships with your audience.

Here are three types of videos that can help you build your brand and connect with your audience:

  1. TALKING🗣HEADS:  Share your expertise and insights with videos that report market news, give timely tips, or offer professional advice. These videos will help establish you as a thought leader and build trust with potential clients.

  2. LOCAL📍SPOTLIGHTS:  Show-off your town with business-owner interviews, visits to notable landmarks, and/or footage of local events. By highlighting what makes your community special, you can connect with locals and position yourself as a trusted advisor to those considering the area.

  3. PROPERTY🏡TOURS:  When it comes to property tours, it's not just about showcasing the homes themselves. It's also important for consumers to see you in action, doing what you do best - showing/selling real estate!

There’s simply no better marketing medium than video!—it’s an incredibly powerful marketing tool that allows you to connect with your audience on a deeper level. Use it to showcase your expertise, personality, and to establish yourself as the agent-of-choice!

How to Use Video Marketing to Influence Prospective Real Estate Clients

You know I’m a major proponent of video marketing. However, it's crucial not to let it distract you from your core business objectives:  i.e., listing and selling homes. That’s the work!

Nevertheless, as social media and other digital platforms continue to evolve rapidly, you may feel overwhelmed and pressured to keep up—and, as a result of that—possibly lose sight of the big picture and get stuck in the details.

At the end of the day, video is a tool in your marketing toolbox, not the whole shed — and, when used properly, it’s a real game-changer. Video is a powerful way to begin influencing prospective clients (before they’re even clients!), so that when you make a call or conduct an appointment, the hard work of "earning the business" is already done.

Real estate is a know, like, and trust type of business. And, IMO, video marketing is the ultimate medium to help elicit those types of feelings. It's like a Trojan horse that sneaks into the social feeds of your prospective customers and begins to build your brand and influence them so that when you’re face-to-face or over-the-phone, they’re already a “YES.” Simply put:  your video marketing is about getting you more yeses!

Don't Be a Half-Marketer: Why building a strong brand is crucial for generating and converting leads

I've always believed that the purpose of marketing boils down to two key objectives: building brand awareness and generating leads.

The former is all about getting your brand in front of as many eyeballs as possible, whether that means attracting attention, generating consideration, or any number of similar outcomes. The latter is about turning that attention into concrete actions:  form-fills, inquiries, sign-ups, and so on.

The question is, is there any set order to it?—that is, are you supposed to build a brand that attracts leads OR run campaigns to lead generate and then brand to nurture?

The obvious answer is:  YES! Now, I’m being a slightly tongue-in-cheek… But the point is, It’s not the order of objectives that matters; it’s the fulfillment of both. Too many businesses are only “half marketing," leaving opportunity on the table. Don't let your business fall into that trap.

Building a brand without a plan to generate leads and drive actions is like growing grapes only to let them wither away on the vine. Don't let your hard work go to waste. Conversely, focusing solely on lead generation without investing in building a strong brand can be like plucking grapes off the vine before they've ripened. To those leads, you're just another unknown entity vying for their attention. It’s far more difficult to convert unripened leads, if you catch my meaning.

What I’m getting at is… brand-building and lead-generation are like interlocking gears … one spins the other and so on. Are you effectively doing both or are you only “half marketing?”

(Photos by the extraordinarily talented Idris Erba during the 2023 Tom Ferry Elite+ Retreat.)

From Expertise to Exposure: How Video Amplifies Your Real Estate Brand

Have you ever wondered why buyers and sellers choose to hire you? Ultimately, it boils down to the trust they have in you -- but WHY do they trust you? It’s a simple answer, really—It’s because your COMPETENCE cultivates CONFIDENCE.

End of day, your expertise is the reason people elect to hire you. So, from a marketing standpoint, where and how do you go about demonstrating your expertise?—i.e., your “worthiness” for hire. Ummm… VIDEO—it’s the microphone of your message, so to speak.

In the relationship-based business of real estate, the know, like, and trust trifecta is paramount. So when it comes to establishing and promoting your agent-brand, video stands head and shoulders above all other marketing mediums in its ability to convey the essential elements of know, like, and trust.

What’s more, your content is your contribution—it’s what sets you apart from your competitors!

You know better than anyone how competitive the industry can be. With so many agents vying for the attention and business of buyers and sellers, it can be challenging to stand out from the crowd. That's where video comes in. By showcasing your expertise and personality in video over-and-again, you’ll work to distinguish yourself as the “agent-of-choice.”

Don't Get Distracted by Vanity Metrics: How to Build a Strong Agent-Brand in Real Estate

When it comes to social media, it's easy to get caught up in numbers:

  • How many followers do you have?

  • How many views on your latest video? 

But don't let a lack of followers or video-views discourage your social-media video efforts. Building a reputable agent-brand and making an impact with your clients matters way, way more!

After all, the chances are strong that your database contacts—i.e., your past clients and sphere-of-influence—are likely the folks following you anyway. So even if your follower count isn't as high as you'd like, you're still reaching the people who matter most to your business.

Now, I’m not saying that metrics like reach and engagement don’t matter. They do… they signal whether your content is or isn’t performing optimally. But they’re by no means the “be all, end all.”

Here are a few reasons why:

  • Building your brand: By consistently posting high-quality content that aligns with your brand, you'll attract clients who are a good fit for you. They'll be more likely to work with you and refer you to others.

  • Making an impact with your clients: By providing valuable information and insights, you'll be able to build trust with your clients. They'll see you as an expert in your field and be more likely to work with you.

  • It's a know-you, like-you, trust-you type of business: In real estate, relationships are key. By building your brand and making an impact with your clients, you'll be able to deepen those valuable relationships.

Social media is a phenomenal medium to spread your brand’s message. Especially by way of video because it allows you to showcase your personality and expertise in a way that image or text formats simply can't. So long as your content marketing efforts align with your brand, you're on the right track.

For all intents and purposes, your brand is:

  • Your voice 🗣️

  • Your mind 🧠

  • Your heart ❤️

  • Your face 😇

Nobody does you better than you -- and no marketing medium in existence showcases YOU quite like video!

The Importance of Building Credibility with Video on Social Media: Don't Just Chase Followers

Are you a real estate agent who’s considering giving up on social media video marketing because you're not seeing the followers or views you desire? If so, you may be mis-measuring whether or not what you’re doing is working.

It's important to remember that social media success isn't just about gaining followers or becoming “social-media famous.” To the contrary, it's more about building a reputable brand and making an impact with your clients. Granted, it’s reasonable to expect hearts, likes, comments, views, and so on—after all, those are algorithmic signals that your content is resonating with users.

Notwithstanding, if you've ever had a client mention one of your published videos during an appointment, for instance, then your video marketing efforts are already working.

Real estate is a know-you, like-you, trust-you form of business. If your videos are consistent with your brand and help to establish you as a credible and reliable source of information, then you are on the right track.

So don't be discouraged if you're not seeing the vanity metrics. They matter to a certain degree, of course—but only because the algorithms care.

Instead, focus on creating high-quality, informative videos that align with your brand and help to establish you as a trusted source in the real estate industry. Your efforts will pay off in the long run as you build a strong and reputable agent-brand.

Gen Z’s Top Social Media Platforms (and How It Impacts Brand/Business Marketing)

Per a Yahoo-conducted survey, Gen Z’s most-used social platforms include:

  • YouTube:  88%

  • Instagram:  76%

  • TikTok:  68%

  • Snapchat:  67%

  • Facebook:  49%

  • Twitter:  47%

Though Gen-Zers aren’t necessarily in-market for buying/selling homes (yet), it’s essential to monitor the trends in terms of which platforms are gaining the most adoption so you can allocate your efforts/energy accordingly.

Candidly, different polls and surveys over the past several years have produced different findings. For instance, some polls have shown YouTube as the top-utilized Gen-Z platform for years. However, per Yahoo’s recent findings, two platforms, in particular, have seen rapid adoption within the Gen-Z demographic over the past year or so:  YouTube and TikTok.

No matter the report, survey, or poll you take into account, a few trends appear to be universal:

A. TikTok’s growth is explosive!

B. YouTube definitely hasn’t peaked.

C. Instagram’s still growing—but in a less-exciting way.

That being said, here are my practical takeaways:

  1. A brand without VIDEO is INVISIBLE. On search engines and social networks alike, video is the cash of currency.

  2. Platforms with robust search 🔎 tools are growing. Evidently, users wanna discover the content most relevant to their interests. Go figure🙄

  3. Platforms with the best content are the most desirable. It’s less about attributes or features of a platform and more about its community of creators. The point being, if the best content creators, in your opinion, are on TikTok or YouTube, for instance, then follow ‘em.

The Silver-Lining of Leads that AREN’T Ready to Transact When Generated

What’s your plan to EARN a prospective customer’s business?

Per Market Sherpa, 73% of leads (across all industries) AREN’T ready when generated. That’s no surprise—in fact, it’s somewhat of a relief. Especially in real estate… because, if your leads were ready as soon as you got ‘em, then—based on the data—your rate of conversion would absolutely tank. Lemme explain…

According to research from the National Association of REALTORS® the vast majority of home buyers and sellers opt to hire a real estate agent with whom they’ve worked in the past or by virtue of a referral. Here are those percentages over the past several years:

HOME SELLERS:

  • 2017:  64%

  • 2018:  63%

  • 2019:  66%

  • 2020:  67%

  • 2021:  68%

  • 2022:  63%

HOME BUYERS:

  • 2017:  54%

  • 2018:  53%

  • 2019:  53%

  • 2020:  53%

  • 2021:  60%

  • 2022:  50%

(Sidebar:  due to a severe lack of housing inventory in the first half of 2022, many buyers, likely frustrated with losing in multiple offer situations, resorted to contacting listing agents directly and/or inquiring about homes via yard-signs. What’s more, first-time-homebuyers—due to affordability issues, mostly—accounted for far fewer sales than in prior years. As the marketplace adjusts and “normalizes,” I’d wager REPEAT/REFERRAL percentages will reclaim lost standing.)

If you Google “Best Realtors in {CITY},” for instance, you’ll get a wide array of results:  Yelp, Google Reviews, agent-referral sites like MyAgentFinder, Zillow, and more. The tricky part, however, is that those sites hardly ever list any of the same real estate  agents, which begs the question:  can they be trusted?

Consequently, many consumers simply opt to work with a real estate agent they’ve used in the past or place their confidence in the recommendation of a trusted confidant. And herein lies your opportunity to move your leads from “friend-zone to end-zone,” professionally speaking.

With time, the intent of your leads will mature. That’s your window of opportunity to “win ‘em over”—to become the know-you, like-you, trust-you AGENT-OF-CHOICE.

Top Marketing Channels to Build Your Agent-Brand in 2023 (for Realtors)

If you wanna insulate your real estate business from peaks 🏔and valleys 🏜… then invest in your agent-brand.

As the real estate market continues to adjust, consumers will (naturally) become more scrutinizing of agents. They’ll wonder:  “Why should I listen to you?”

Notwithstanding, every time you share a video, publish a quality review, or, for instance, send an email that showcases your expertise and trustworthiness – it’s building your agent-brand.

I promise… your leads or any other would-be customer is gonna look you up online—Google, Instagram, and/or elsewhere. The question is, does your brand back-you-up OR hang you out to dry?

Here’s what I advice:  become the “I see you everywhere,” agent-authority in your local marketplace.... Or don’t… but don’t expect buyers and sellers to come running either.

Here’s a list of marketing channels you maybe oughta consider:

  • Over-index on vertical ↕️ videos (Reels, TikToks, and YouTube Shorts).

  • Every week or so, run a FB/IG ad-campaign that promotes your existing posts (those videos up there ⬆️) in your local marketplace as well as to your database contacts. (Tutorial)

  • Knocks, drops, pickups, & pop-bys go a long, long way! Get yourself into hustle mode.

  • Email Marketing is the G.O.A.T. 🐐—make sure to check out our #MarketingPRO course, Inbox Hero 📥

  • Don’t miss out on YouTube In-Stream Ads – i.e., the commercials that play before, during, or after YouTube videos. (Tutorial)

  • Google Display Network ads are, frankly, cheap & easy! Make ‘em part of your marketing mix. (Tutorial)

  • Invest in EVENTS:  open houses, community get-togethers, buyer/seller seminars, investor meetups, client parties, happy-hours, and more. 

  • Mailers, signage, publications, and other physical-marketing mediums—though on the pricier side—have distinct advantages. Don’t brush them off w/o serious consideration.

I could go on-and-on (and on-and-on… 🤣) — but that’s not my point. The point is to build your AGENT-BRAND.

BRAND Your Ground & Don’t Back Down 👊

As the real estate market continues to decelerate – my thoughts:  CHANGES CREATE CHANCES.

Fear and uncertainty has led many agents to slash marketing budgets and cost-cut their way into “feeling safe.” For example:

  • The overall cost-per-lead on pay-per-click platforms like Google and Facebook has recently declined. I smell 👃an opportunity!

  • Once claimed territories and zip codes offered by third-party home search portals have become suddenly available.

  • Listing agents are stepping-down property marketing efforts (bad timing, if you ask me!) because they’re concerned it’ll take too long to recoup their costs.

Loads of agents are giving up their seats. So, my thinking is, you oughta go and sit down.

Fast markets, slow markets; up markets, down markets; strong markets, weak markets—no matter the circumstances, remember:  NEVER STOP MARKETING! 👊

In a Shifting Real Estate Market, Agents Must Be (or Become) Local-Market Experts

It’s time to BRAND your ground, friends! Every time you share a video, post on social, or send an email that confers value—it’s building your agent-brand.

Fact is, the market has shifted and will continue doing so. On top of that, recent headlines, to borrow a line from @keepingcurrentmatters, tend to “do more to terrify than to clarify”—speculating ad nauseam of corrections, collapses, and crashes.

Consequently, many consumers have or are contemplating a withdrawal from the market.

And, because of all that, it appears buyers/sellers won’t so readily listen to, heed the advice of, or opt to work with just “any” agent—things being how they are now. To the contrary, they’ll look to the Knowledge Broker.

So, my advice: be (or become) the agent-authority! Or don’t—but don’t expect buyers/sellers to come running either.

3 Fundamental Ways to Generate Business in Real Estate

Tom Ferry said it best: “There’s not a wrong way to make an income”. In other words, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all, sales/marketing methodology for how to conduct your real estate business. On the contrary, it’s whatever YOU make of it.

That being said – broadly speaking – there are essentially THREE fundamental ways to go about generating business: marketing, networking, or prospecting. In my experience, I’ve found that most agents will naturally excel in a particular area, manage sufficiently in another, and they’ll deliberately avoid the one remaining.

Each approach has advantages and disadvantages—and, of course, developing self-confidence/competence in all three is a plus. After all, markets shift, circumstances change—and so, consequently, it pays to be diversified in your strategies and tactics.

But, keep in mind—there’s no wrong way to make an income! I say – whatever comes naturally – lean into it! Now, I’m certainly not suggesting you shouldn’t challenge yourself, expand your horizons, develop new skills, or push the boundaries.

I’m just saying to get objective about who you are, what you’re doing, and how to do it most optimally. Build and execute YOUR plan, not someone else’s.

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it’ll live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” (Einstein)

Show What You Know

Your expertise is dynamic and distinctive; it’s uniquely yours. My advice is to go public with it: blog it, film it, stream it, and/or post it EVERYWHERE. Be the knowledge-broker.

The fact is, real estate is a know-you, like-you, trust-you form of business -- that’s the winning combination with consumers.

What’s more – thanks to the web and social media – there’s never been a time like NOW whereby you can, to put it bluntly, “show what you know”—through videos, emails, blogs, social posts, and more.

Year-over-year, consumers conduct more research to inform their buying/hiring decisions ONLINE: search & social. That being the case, it’s mission-critical to position your agent-brand where the consumer is actively present. IMO: information is influence.

The Most Important Question About Your Real Estate Business

What do you sell?

That may sound like an overly simplified question, but it’s foundational to EVERYTHING you do: sales activities, marketing efforts, and the total operating scope of your business.

I can tell you this: you don’t sell homes (per se)—or, at least, that’s not what consumers, quote-unquote, “buy from you.” Fundamentally, you’re hired on the grounds of your expertise-- and the means by which you impart your expertise.

And, the thing is, expertise is dynamic and undefined—it’s merely a label used to describe competence. So perhaps you’re the economics guru, the lifestyle guru, or the investment guru in your local marketplace. Whatever and/or whoever you are, one thing I know for sure: nobody does you better than Y-O-U.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – your AGENT-BRAND is:

  • your Voice

  • your Mind

  • your Heart

  • your Face

What Realtors REALLY Sell (and It ISN'T Houses 🏡)

“If you’re called a great salesperson, you’ve lost.” (Phil Jones, Exactly What to Say)

I just love that quote – because it’s true! Your best sales experiences, no doubt, occurred when you didn’t realize you were being sold. It just felt natural and intuitive.

So if you’re coming off as salesy or pushy, candidly, it’s because you aren’t clear on what you’re selling.

I’d love your feedback to this question: 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂?

2 Types of Marketing: Brand-Building VS. Lead-Generation

Let’s talk #MarketingStrategy… Marketing has 2 main purposes: 🅰️ Brand-Building. 🅱️ Lead Generation.

But the question is, in what order?—meaning, are you supposed to build a brand that attract leads OR run campaigns to lead generate and then brand to nurture?

What’s your objective for marketing? Would love to hear in a comment below ⏬

Why You Can't Outsource Your Videos in 2022

Just a friendly reminder to be the knowledge broker! In a know-you, like-you, trust-you based of industry like #realestate, for instance—video marketing is pure magic. The way I see it:  there’s just no other marketing medium in existence that captures/conveys your AGENT-BRAND quite like video. 

So the question is:  are you appropriately prioritizing video creation?

Case in point… I had an opportunity recently to speak at a pretty sizable conference. After my presentation I posted a short VIDEO of me speaking at that conference—and, what struck me was that the video reached about 5-times as many people as the actual presentation. I’m certainly not intending to brag or imply any sort of negativity here—far from it. What I’m trying to say is that the reach and exposure you can gain off of video marketing is, for all intents and purposes, w/o equal.

So, if you’ll please forgive my bluntness—stop viewing video (and content creation) as someone else’s job and step in front of that 🎥.