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We often think of marketing in a narrow form — as a beautiful postcard you send in the mail or your weekly email newsletter, an event sponsorship or a guest appearance on a podcast. But the truth is, as an agent, a lot of what you do is marketing — even when you don’t realize it.
How you present yourself in every aspect of your business is what informs people about your service, expertise and whether they want you to be their agent. Yes, that means how you communicate on the phone, the open house experience you curate and even that conversation you strike up while grocery shopping.
The key to making all these instances stand in your favor is to be intentional and consistent. Know yourself, what you stand for, and the value you bring to the table. Because once you know those things, the confidence will follow — and that confidence is magnetic.
So, how do you get there? How do you embody this confidence and consistently present yourself in a strategic and effective manner? Well, the first step is finding your voice. It’s already waiting within you, but you need clarity on what it looks and sounds like.
We take a very hands-on approach with our agents, handled by our team of marketing account managers. They work collaboratively with our in-house team of designers and copywriters to craft an agent’s voice and help them apply it to their content across the board. But it’s something you can do for yourself, too. Here are four questions that will help you discover your unique voice:
What is the singular message you stand for?
This is your purpose — the non-negotiable of your business. Why you do what you do and the unique way you do it. It’s the foundation that supports the entirety of your service efforts.
If your brand was a person, how would they be described?
Personifying your brand is a helpful exercise — because you are your brand personified! You represent it in all things you do, so it’s important to do some introspection, gather self-awareness and put it down on paper.
Who is your audience, and what service are you offering them?
Who are you serving currently, and who do you want to serve? And, more importantly, how do you want to serve them? Having clarity on your audience allows you to strategically tailor your message and marketing efforts.
For example, if you’re working mostly with retirees in Palm Desert who are downsizing, your message is going to be very different compared to an audience of young, first-time homebuyers in New York City.
What are the key differentiators that you seek to represent?
Your power lies in what makes you different than the rest — that’s why clients will gravitate toward you rather than one of the many other agents out there. What is it that makes you stand out? What qualities, experience or skills do you have that clients won’t be able to find in another agent?
In a very uncertain world and throughout the very uncertain process of buying or selling a home, people crave a solid, confident presence that will guide them, advocate for them and ultimately lead them to the best possible outcome. You can’t lead them to trust and believe in you until you can trust and believe in yourself.
That process often looks like taking the time to invest in yourself, be strategic in your approach and have confidence in your value proposition. You need to unveil your value and choose yourself — then your customers will do the same.
Rainy Hake Austin is president of The Agency in Los Angeles. Connect with her on Instagram.
