Reasons to Blog

There are four key ways that blogging can have a huge impact on your success as a real estate professional. 

You become an instant authority – When a potential client visits your website they see information about you. They see your face, your pretty design and your well-written sales copy. In 2009, this doesn’t go a long way to convince clients to pick up the phone. However, when a potential client sees your blog they can then trust you as an authority on your local real estate market. They see that you take the time, every week, to write about the market they live in. This solidifies you as a trustworthy professional in their mind. 

Blogs Speed Up Relationships – I have previously likened social networks (things like Twitter, Facebook, ActiveRain) to free billboards around your city. A blog is the same concept but on a much more effective scale. With a blog you’re able to provide value to your readers. Instead of a basic Facebook friend request (which does little for either party), a blog gives users value and when they need to sell their home, they’ll remember the value you’ve given them.

Knowledge – When you begin blogging, that perceived “authority” is not just imaginary, it’s very real. For a committed blogger, their blog is at the top of their mind at all times. They’re constantly scanning for new blog topics and new ways to provide value to their readers. This goes a long way to truly make you an authority on your market. You’ll find that blogging expands your horizons, it opens you up to new, creative perspectives that you may not have otherwise seen. This is often a pleasant, unexpected change that can go a long way to improve your knowledge and your confidence level of the market you work in. 

Convinced yet? Good. Now let’s go over how to be effective with your blog. 

Getting out and writing about anything, anywhere, and in any way is great. That’s the first step, but here’s a few pointers that may help you be as successful as possible with your blogging efforts.

Where to Blog – There are a variety of blogging platforms but, for real estate professionals, you’re looking at one of the best. Using your pre-built ActiveRain blog is an option worth considering. It has your photo and contact information, it’s easy to use and it’s customizable. Another option, if you’re looking for something in addition to ActiveRain, is wordpress.com. They offer free blogs that are a breeze to setup and give you a blog at yourblog.wordpress.com.

What to Blog About – I believe real estate blogs should contain at least 50% local information. Since local leads are the ones you need, it makes sense to blog about your regional market. Updates on market conditions, featured homes in your neighborhood, even local events and activities are all great topics to cover. 

How to Get the Word Out – There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to blog marketing and that’s the subject of another entry. But the first step of good marketing is good content. If you’re writing valuable, insightful blog posts several times a week: people will find it and they will love it. Also, once your blog is launched, you want everyone you know to be aware of it. Update your business cards with the blog url (it’ll be the first place clients visit), add it to your email signature, email your contact list about your new blog, add it to Facebook profile, Twitter about it, etc. etc. – everything you can do to make people aware will be valuable in the long run. 

Five years ago the center of an online marketing strategy would have, of course, been a website. However, I firmly believe that moving forward in this era, a blog must be at the center of a marketing strategy. A website about a real estate business is generally just a static advertisement. Clients will visit, look around and leave. However a blog is interactive, it’s fresh and it’s (hopefully) valuable to the audience. Blogs  are marketing tools that can help build relationships, create authority and separate you from the crowd in the 21st century.

Question: Do you have a blog? If so, how have you seen it impact your business? If not, what are you waiting for?

Truly, Deeply Care

We all know the surest way to get lost in the noise is to not care about the client; to do the bare minimum and move on. When you go beyond the call of duty to do the little things that might not “matter” to your commission but you know will matter to your clients, it leaves a strong impression. 

Try this: when you’re meeting with a potential client, take copious notes on everything they say (Yes, even how they have 3 dogs now, but want to get a few more and can’t decide between Chihuahuas or Boxers…and every other vital story they feel like sharing). Then, periodically repeat your notes back to them to show that you’ve been paying attention. There’s a good chance their ramblings have never been taken seriously and this will make a lasting (sticky) impression. 

Engage Your Clients Regularly

Don’t let your customers forget about you. Online: use newsletters, frequently updated webpages and articles, etc. Offline: Send mailers, make phone calls, invite your past clients out to coffee, whatever. When you’re active in maintaining relationships, you’re much more likely to stick in the minds of your past, present and potential clients.

Try this: Too often, our customers are “talked at” rather than talked with. Give your client a call and ask their opinion of the new home they’re in. Send a newsletter survey to get their ideas on a topic. Setup a system where you call each client on their birthday. Do everything you can stay in regular contact throughout your entire relationship.

DON’T Be Different – Be You

Every marketing guide stresses one point: you have to be different. But here’s the problem, since everyone is trying to be different, everyone ends up being the same! Thinking about how you can be different is a recipe for disaster. Thinking about how you can be true to whoever you are will ensure that you’re happier and you’re authentic. Authentic people stick in the minds of their customers for much longer than “different” people.

Try this: Are you passionate about the Red Sox? It would be a mistake to hide this from your clients. It might not make any logical sense to incorporate baseball with your real estate business, but it would be much more deadly to ignore your personality. Sliding in comments about Red Sox baseball–if that’s your personality–is a great strategy to make you unique and memorable in your clients’ minds. Talking about your brilliant marketing strategy (that they’ve heard from 4 other agents today already) probably isn’t going to make your memorable or likable. 

I believe one of the most important areas in any business is to leave a lasting, positive message with your customers. From there, it’s so much easier to get valuable referrals and repeat clients. Spend some time thinking about what you can do to make your business memorable with your clients. 

Question: What about in your life, not just in real estate, what memorable experiences have you had as a customer?