This post by Placester’s Molly Moriarity was originally published on Placester.
Bio is your brand
As the real estate market shifts toward online growth and mobile-friendly technology, your professional biography becomes a more prominent tool for generating clients. Sixty-two percent of agents spend at least an hour a day on marketing or advertising to promote their company. Advertising is great for attracting business, but the place to make a personal connection to your customers is in your biography.
Yes, your bio is a piece of marketing, but we like to think of it as an integral part of the personal brand you build for yourself. A client will be looking for your wisdom, eloquence and personality; your bio can help illustrate all those elements.
Shane Inman discusses his commitment to excellence in customer service as well as his depth of experience in the real estate industry. Inman’s occupational pride is evident, as is his devotion to Inman Company’s design expertise. This bio speaks to customers and business associates alike.
Show off your skills
Want the reader to believe in your ability to support his needs? Share some of the best points of your professional experience. Reveal some of your real estate knowledge, but don’t lay all your cards on the table. This is just the first introduction, and too many facts can be overwhelming. This also isn’t a resume posting, so share digestible information and welcoming language — or risk losing your audience quickly. And if you have a lower level of experience, explain why you got into real estate and how much you cherish the work you do.
Rise Realty’s Keith Darby gets right to the point. His contact information shares space with his photo, drawing your eye and attention there first. He then shares his accomplishments for the last 10 years of service in the business. He touches on his role in the specific market, the variety of deals he’s been privy to and the networking/volunteering he’s a part of. The level of professionalism in his bio makes it clear he won’t leave room for error with your purchase or sale.
Use a sophisticated photo
This can seem obvious at first, but choosing the right image of yourself to share is an art form in itself. Save yourself the headaches of worrying about lighting, clothing and makeup, and hire a professional photographer. Your face is your calling card and will become associated with your brand. People will also build a visual connection to you during their online search. Make sure the photo is one you like, one that looks like you in person, and one that sends a positive impression.
Phil Gutowski does a great job listing his business strengths and also where his free time is thoughtfully used. This shows his commitment to a local community and leaves the buyer with a positive picture of Gutowski’s personality. Gutowski’s photo is welcoming and comfortable, and makes you feel he’s ready to show you your new home and talk you through the process.
Stop selling
The most important advice we could give: Do not use your bio space to sell your services. A biography is a written account of a life, not an advertisement. Selling in your profile will cast you in a phony light and make you appear as though you’re focused only on your business goals, not the client’s interests. This space is where a client can find out what kind of person will be assisting him with one of the larger purchases in his lifetime. Gain clients’ trust and excite them for the process. Be authentic.
Tom Daves is a great example of an agent who wants to give a fully rounded picture of his character. He shares his real estate background, as well as his personal life. And his challenging ski treks show us that he’s not afraid of an obstacle or two.
We love how Terronald Logan’s profile is filled with life and energy. He shares his passion with us through a story about his lifelong ability to sell — he started at the tender age of 11 with his parents’ home! If you are short on space and still want to entice great customers for leads, we think you should check out Logan’s page.
Be truthful
Honesty is the best biography. As a Realtor, you are there to guide your clients towards the best possible home for them. Why should they trust you? Talk about things that show you’re a hard worker, a straight shooter and that this is the job you love doing.
Greg Noonan’s bio has great sincerity. He tells you what he believes and the language is clear. He summarizes the key points of his background and expertise with bullet points. For the speedy reader, these points highlight the most substantial information quickly.
“Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.” –Steve Jobs CLICK TO TWEET
Keep it clean and quick
The length of a great bio should be between 200 and 300 words, and around two to three paragraphs. Any longer and your reader will start to lose interest. Use short, clean phrases that are easy to understand. Use appropriate professional fonts and standard font sizes to avoid exhausting readers’ eyes. Speak as an expert in your field, but use language anyone can understand.
We love the brevity and clean space of Jonathan Wilson’s bio. He brings you through the history of his real estate background and prestigious education — and right back to why he’s an agent — in a brief paragraph. There are no gimmicks or taglines associated with his business.
Edit over and over
Read what you write, and then read it again. You’ve created a bio that makes you sound accomplished, so don’t misrepresent your professionalism with a few noticeable spelling mistakes. Show the same dedication to perfection here that the client can expect from your agency work. Flaws point to carelessness, and no client would want this during such an important process.
Where are you? How do I reach you?
Use your geographic location in your description. When you explain where you work, search engines guide searches to you according to that, which can result in more online search success. Also, include how long you have lived or worked in your area. Use details to show you’re knowledgeable about the area and say why you love it.
Your bio is an optimal place to provide contact details for prospective clients. This includes address, phone number and email. Also, here offer memorable calls to action: Phrases like, “Do you have a question about a location I can answer?” or “Do you want to get started on your search today?” prompt a response for clients to engage with you.
Tracy Campion’s elegant website design promotes wealth and success, and her contact information is located clearly next to a sharp photo. Campion first states she’s “Boston’s No. 1 selling residential real estate broker,” tying her immediately to her home base. A great feature is the ability to download Campion’s contact information directly from her page to save to your contacts. These details offer a glimpse of the kind of experience you can expect when working with her because she’s already begun to make this process easier for you.
Group mentality
When writing for a group, make sure to include team-building ideas (“We are here for you, we work as a team”). The potential customer won’t worry that he will be shuffled in between agents. Rather, he can feel confident in the scores of knowledgeable staff at his disposal. Ensure that the customer can trust this bio the same way he would an individual agent’s bio.
The Re/Max New England profile supports the team mentality. Each staff member has an individual profile within the “Meet Our Team” page, but the details are still engaging.
Another take on a group bio comes from Garrett Hess’ Hess & Associates. They use the terms “OUR PLEDGE TO YOU” in the title. Right away, “our” unifies the team and a service guarantee assures their quality. This allows the customer to feel an immediate sense of trust and readiness to move forward.
What if longer works for you?
When space allows for you to go into greater detail, keep it within reason. After three paragraphs, you may lose your readership. Use informative and powerful first sentences at the beginning of each paragraph to draw your audience in. When creating longer paragraphs, use personal touches and refer to your awards or achievements in the industry. Use media you are featured in. Video interviews and audio dialogue can help promote your value as a real estate professional.
A slightly longer bio that we love is Shay Hata’s. She uses her passion for her city to fill her bio with relevant information, and draws the reader into wanting to know more about her special relationship to this location. Her paragraph titles call attention to each section’s goal: about her (Meet Shay), why to work with her specifically (Why I’m Different), her charitable side (I Believe in Giving Back) and her personal background (In My Free Time).
“We know what we are, but not what we may be.” –William Shakespeare CLICK TO TWEET
Share the love
Given the vast amount of real estate agents and the fierce competition, what will make you stand out is your passion. Tell your potential clients why you love what you do and why you can’t imagine doing anything else. What drives you? Family? Friends? Hobbies? Share that. A bit of intimacy is OK here, so feel free to share a piece of yourself.
Travis Greene does a great job displaying his dedication to his work and his personal life. His family photo drives the idea that he is a family man at his core. Green makes a point to say that while he’s a successful agent, he’s not “number one, YOU are!” Greene presents himself as someone you can trust to put you and your needs first.
Travis Greene of CountryWide Properties
Make it a video
Video is an amazing tool for connecting directly to your prospective clients. According to Quick Sprout, videos increase people’s understanding of brand products by 74 percent. In a business where brand and personality go hand in hand, real estate professionals can truly benefit from video bios.
Lisa Archer of Live Love Realty has fully integrated her biography as a video on her site. The video clearly explains all the services LLR has to offer and supplies information on where to contact them. This video helps reiterate Lisa’s creativity and business abilities.
Live Love Realty of Keller Williams
Keeping it fresh
Many things can change in your business climate in as little as a six-month period. Writing and rewriting your bio should be a semiannual or annual goal. Above all else, someone who knows nothing about your business should feel encouraged to work with you from reading your biography.
What other tips do you have for putting together a top-notch bio? Share them with us below in the comments!
