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The more people see your face, the more likely they are to relate to you and trust you — even if they’ve only “met” you online, Chelsea Peitz argued Wednesday at Inman Connect New York.
The social media coach told the audience of agents, brokers and other real estate professionals that this makes posting short online videos one of the most promising ways to convert an online audience into actual clients.
“Video accelerates trust. It magnifies relatability and is leverage for familiarity,” Peitz said.
But just because it can be effective doesn’t mean it’s always easy, she said.
Here is her three-step process for agents who want to tap into online videos in an effort to win clients.
1. Reach out to someone you know
In this first step, Peitz wants agents to forget their preconceptions about high-quality video — forget about scripts, teleprompters, studios — and find their own authentic voice on camera.
To do this, she said, agents should try sending a few short videos via direct message to people they know, like and trust.
The subject matter should resemble that of a Hallmark card, with simple topics like wishing them a happy birthday, congratulating them on a life event or wishing them well in general.
When an agent makes a video like this for someone they know, they are most likely to deliver the message as their true self, in their own authentic voice, she argued. Agents should review the videos afterward and take notes on how they come across when they’re most themselves on camera.
2. Earn trust by telling stories
Once agents begin to get a feel for their authentic voice on camera, they should start thinking about relatable stories from their lives that they can share with a wider audience.
The human brain engages differently with stories than with more informational content or direct sales pitches, she said. Pursuing a more personal storytelling approach can help break through the mental barriers people have.
“Your conversion rate is directly impacted by how often you show your face and how often you share relatable human content,” Peitz said.
3. Take advantage of short-form video
Most social media platforms enable short-form video now, and Peitz urged that agents shouldn’t pass up on this format when trying to capitalize on their online presence.
People are more likely to spend longer watching a video when it features the creator’s face and voice, she said.
And as viewers spend longer watching an agent’s videos, each website’s algorithm takes note and becomes more likely to recommend that agent’s future videos to the viewer.
Once that is established, it also becomes less important to post every day or even at regular times during the week, she said. It’s more important to make each video relatable, relevant and to form connections that will earn greater trust with viewers over the long run.
