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If you’re a new agent working on your social media strategy, it can be tempting to put forth a persona that is larger than life. Keeping up with the Joneses has only been punctuated by social media and we all know that people remove any imperfections before posting an image.
This altered perception of reality may look good for those scrolling their feeds, but if you want to make them stop and take notice, you need to be authentically you. Developing your personal brand plays a big role in how clients select their representatives.
The real estate buying and selling process is an extremely emotional process, so clients want to align with their agent personally. Showcase your true self and share with the world exactly who you are. The social media audience is savvy and can see right through any veneers; you want to attract clients who share the same values and ethics and connect with you on a personal level.
Below are four tips on being your authentic self on social media.
Make it informative
Real estate affects everyone — buying, selling, renting, sub-leasing, 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 find yourself in a social setting and people find out you are a real estate agent they’ll begin asking questions. Soon enough, people have gathered around, eager to hear your take on the market.
Social media is a platform that will help you connect and interact with so many more people than you ever could at a social event. Be sure to share your insights and tips on social media.
You can do this by sharing a video of you discussing a topic, creating a graphic to showcase some statistics (you don’t need to be a graphic designer to use great programs like Canva), or posting an image that correlates to the fact that you want to illustrate.
Don’t repeat or copy what others are saying or writing. 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 is important to share content related to your profession, it is equally important to share personal items to show potential clients who you are away from the office.
Real estate is an extremely personal business. 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. Whatever it may be, keep it true to who you really are. In my experience, connections are often made due to a shared common interest or bond.
Interact with others
Social media is meant for connecting and inspiring dialogue. Make sure you join in the conversation to engage your audience and showcase your authentic voice. A simple way to do this is to respond to comments that are left on your posts and reply to any direct messages (DMs) you may receive.
Be sure to follow people that you know both personally and professionally and like and comment on posts that resonate with you. Also, be sure to follow accounts that are focused on the real estate industry that will help keep you in the know with 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
Real estate agents have incredibly tough jobs and there are a lot of interesting and sometimes (perhaps in retrospect) humorous situations that arise while in the field. A few that come to mind — the most awkwardly located lockboxes, a not quite camera-ready home, the rush that ensues when a photographer is arriving in a few minutes, and all the necessary tidying before an open house.
Giving your audience a sneak peek into some of those kinds of situations brings a tone of authenticity to your social media feed. If it were all multimillion sales and glamorous events, everyone would be doing it.
Life isn’t picture perfect and the more you can showcase your authentic self on social media, the more like-minded people you will resonate with and potentially work with. By keeping your content informative, sharing personal interests, interacting with others and showcasing some of the reality of the job, you will be sure to show the authentic you on social media.
Laura Stace is vice president of luxury marketing for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.
