Like many things worth undertaking, blogging has hard beginnings. One of the things that makes it hard from the outset is learning how to write about oneself. You have to be willing to expose your thoughts and feelings.
Some of you went through college and earned a bachelor's or master's degree, which requires writing several peer-reviewed papers. Having to do that takes a particular skill, putting you ahead of the curve for either business or technical writing. You may have written resumes with short bios and essays explaining your abilities and skills. But people seldom take the time to write about themselves —most have never done it.
One of the most critical ways to brand yourself within the real estate business requires taking the bull by the horns and learning to explain yourself and your business knowledge in a story worthy of listening to and reading. A tale must ring with your style and signature to interest the reader. Be it a blog, essay, or property description, it has to come from the heart because readers know the difference between what is sincere and what is not.
Writing is a creation that you control to engage the reader. As you become more adept at storytelling, you will begin to attract a following. As your stories become more engaging, your following will become more significant.
I’m not proposing writing the world’s next great novel. It would take too long, and chances are you’ll never be able to pull it off. The challenge here is finding the guts to expose the essence of who you are by writing your thoughts and expertise for all to see, understand, and appreciate. If you want people to trust you, first, you have to get them to understand you. That is why writing about yourself in a blog is so important. It is a large part of the marketing mix, and your mix will become stronger and broader once you find your voice and begin to understand who you are. Blogging will help tap into your sense of self, that gift of gab vital for communication. Once you become confident, you can blog about anything—intriguing real estate associates, customers, clients, businesses, and all other stakeholders with your newfound talent.
From experience, I’ve found most people haven’t written more than a paragraph or two about their lives if that. I learned that truth from years of tutoring starting in the early 80s when I worked helping Temple University football players write academic papers. I would ask them to write a short bio about themselves to find their English competency level and to figure out where to start helping them. Most of the submitted papers came back with as much style and verve as a fifth-grader gives to writing an essay about their summer vacation. Some had a vague understanding of the written word, making it challenging to help the willing from failing.
It took lots of work to keep them from failing. If a critical player had low academic skills, the university found ways to get around that. The marginal, less important players flunked out or found others to write their papers.
It amazed me that not one bio returned with a lick of self-assessment or any measure of genuine sincerity. I’m not ragging about football players; some are intelligent and can do academic work well, while others can’t or don’t want to.
When I began tutoring real estate agents around 2005, I used the same method: having them write a bio. I can count on my little finger the agents who came back with intelligent self-assessments—no noticeable improvement from the football players.
They say public speaking is the thing that scares the shit out of most people. Writing about yourself is just as scary. You may have written essays, term papers, or business plans, but that’s not baring your soul. Baring your soul discloses how you think and what makes you tick. People looking for someone to watch out for their best interest and protect them want to know something about the person making a solemn promise to watch their back and keep them out of harm's way. The essay below helps sum up the subject by emphasizing the importance of writing and speaking well. Everyone should follow some semblance of the Five Rules described below:
The 5 Rules Of Baring Your Soul (By Brianna Wiest) She lays it out perfectly.
I’ve more or less found a career in bearing my secrets publically. I always wanted to be a writer, so I knew that that would involve some form of personal exposure. But I want to discuss a few things about when you completely bare your soul to the public. I mean, when you reach into the dark and crusty recesses of your heart and pull out the things you never wanted to ever talk about again, especially not to hundreds of people, but low and behold, here you are, doing just that. But this isn’t just for the writers; it’s also for the people who want to be honest with themselves and others. These are a few truths that usually apply to universal-shameless-soul-baring.
1. Forget your pride. I can’t tell you how many things I’m secretly like, oh my God, why did I tell everybody that? And then I remember that everybody has their shit, and hopefully, someone can relate and find solace in what I’ve said. Even if it’s just that they know they’re not alone.
2. Do it for the right reasons. Don’t go around disclosing information about horrible things that have happened to you for the sake of getting attention. If you want to open up to someone, that’s beautiful, but make sure you intend to be connected and honest with someone and reach out and relate to help people.
3. Be ready for the backlash. Like in everyday life, not everyone will like and agree with what you say. Disagreement about your subject matter becomes exacerbated by trolls on the internet, where people become monsters behind computer screens. To put it best, leave the kitchen if you can’t take the heat. Criticism is part of the deal, unfortunately.
4. Keep things anonymous when other people’s privacy is at stake. I have never and will never disclose the names or personal details of the people I write about because I respect them. Regardless of their role in my life, they’ve affected me enough that I have something to write about. For that, I’m grateful.
5. Draw your lines. On a similar note, there are a few things I will never disclose, no matter how many pageviews this information may get me. You must draw lines: decide what’s okay to share with the world, even if you’re shy, and what is inappropriate. The key to deciphering these things is usually just not writing about what you won’t want to see pop up again in 20 years. (I could not have said this any better—Ms. Wiest, thank you.)
If you're an old hand at writing, you can stop reading this portion, but my instincts tell me that most of you aren’t. If I’m wrong, skip this part of the guide. But, if you’re still reading, I’ll assume you are a beginner, and you’ll probably be taking some sharp slaps to your ego and pride going through these exercises.
No matter how disturbing and painful it may be, writing about oneself in blogs and essays is one of the most integral parts of learning to write relevant content. Writing about yourself helps to grow the power of your branding. Remember: (You are the brand. It’s not the properties you are trying to sell, nor the brokerage you will work for; it is you.) And there is nothing that will brand you more thoroughly than a well-written blog that reveals your knowledge and expertise to the reader. Most people are naive when reading information. Don’t ever misinform or mislead them. Writing is a big responsibility because some people will take your writing as gospel, so be honest. That way, if someone decides to do a fact check on you, they uncover lies and half-truths.
Most successful sales transactions revolve around an open and honest relationship developed between you and your client or a group of individuals working to bring a sale through to closing. Knowledge and trust are the things that bind those relationships together.
People are looking up to you for guidance. The last thing you want to do is let them down. If you lose the trust, you fail the client. What you must bring to the table is a respectable and honest knowledge base that gives you the tools to avoid losing that client's trust.
When things go wrong at the 11th hour, as they often do, it is time for you to don your super-human crusader cape and recover the deal. You must do whatever it takes to salvage the contract and agreement to protect the client and your reputation.
It might serve you well to take a couple of creative writing classes to start. Or you can come to me if you need any instruction or advice about writing. You can fill out a contact form on my website, www.wordwizard.biz, or find me at my email, rob@wordwizrd.biz. Advice is free. I do rewrites cheaply. Let me know if you want to take one of my writing courses. If you choose to use blogging to expand your brand, I’ll do whatever it takes to turn you into a prolific blogger. There is no reason to fail if you are willing to learn and practice.
(THIS HAS BEEN A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT)
Send me writing samples if you have them so we can determine what level you need to begin on. I have taught hundreds of agents how to blog, and I am confident I can teach you.
Remember, before you begin blogging, you must create that knowledge base I keep gnawing into your head. I’m not suggesting you return to school and get a Harvard education. But you can form your knowledge base through this Tutorial, CE Classes, Tutors, Mentors, Seminars your brokerage offers, YouTube videos, and above all, Books.
“I read every book and magazine I could. Three bucks for a magazine, twenty bucks for a book…one good idea that led to a customer or solution, and it paid for itself many times over.”
Mark Cuban
Here are some books I would suggest reading:
Real Estate Agent Success For Beginners
Eight Ways to Dominate Any Real Estate Market
YouTube For Real Estate Agents
Six Steps To Seven Figures
Your First 365 Days In Real Estate
The Millionaire Real Estate Agent
Success In Your Sphere
Smarter Faster Better
Predictably Irrational
Heart And Sold - How To Survive In Real Estate
The Wealthy Gardener
The Seven Levels Of Communication
The Compound Effect
Fanatical Prospecting
Ninja Selling - Subtle Skills, Big Results
I could keep going, but this will give you a good start. Several of these books are in audio. Ninja Selling has developed into a 36-hour course that provides new agents with tools and tactics to get them up to speed in their first year of real estate. I took it twice because the Ninja seminars are so dense with material and content that I felt one time around wouldn’t be enough, and I was right. If you’re a newbie starting at a new brokerage where they offer it, I would encourage you to take it. It’s well worth the time and money, but beware, it isn’t cheap. It takes 36 hours to complete the Ninja course, spread out over three days of consecutive classroom instruction.
Get on Amazon and find some of the books on the list. They will help you on your quest for success as a full-time realtor. Abes Books and Thriftbooks are also excellent online sources for reading material. The library has books for your reading list; you’ll just have to dig around. If you can’t bear reading, audiobooks are available. Again, watch YouTube videos. So much information is available on YouTube; it is rich with real estate instruction covering the rudimentary to the advanced.
Listen to vlogs, read other people’s blogs, go to your mentor for advice, and take full advantage of all instructional aides that may cross your path. If you see a free seminar on Facebook with stuff that interests you, put it on your calendar and watch it. If someone is giving out a free tutorial on how to make short sales or learning about foreclosures, by all means, sign up and take advantage of it. You never know what you’ll find to open your eyes to new opportunities.
Refrain from starting your discourse with a corny, unbalanced sales pitch. Leave that to the guys on the used parking lots; they’ve got it covered. To make individuals become clients for life, you must deliver relevant narratives on the material you have studied and fully understand.
An excellent way to have your voice heard while farming for leads is by putting a chatline on your website. A chat line will cause interested parties to spread ideas through questions and answers. Begin writing about simple things like how to patch drywall and tips on painting, landscaping, and gardening.
Millions of people spend their spare time landscaping and improving their gardens, which gives you a built-in audience.
Your goal is to get a community going through any means at your disposal. Chatlines, blogs, and social media are tools you will need to create a community.
One of the best ways to start is by writing simple blogs that touch the reader's heart.
Use all the things you are learning to get the community going. Try to get their emails and phone numbers to stay in touch tastefully. Use local market reports and property updates. Fire off some of your better blogs in an email. Keep letting them know you are always available as the go-to- guy for information and guidance.
REMINDER: You should determinedly blog about your area of expertise. Pick the niche you are willing to learn about from the inside out. What type of homes interest you? Remember that residential real estate is a local market. You want to narrow things down and find a niche within your local market. Some top agents expand nationally and globally, especially in commercial real estate. Maybe someday you’ll get there. But for now, try concentrating on the areas you know well, and keep learning so you can share your knowledge with your clients and customers.
When blogging about those neighborhoods you know so well, move beyond the house and onto the lifestyle. People move for all types of different reasons. The one thing everyone has in common is a fantasy about their new lifestyle. Write about walking trails, biking trails, golf and tennis courts, parks, local events, businesses, restaurants, supermarkets, libraries, summer camps, and community pools.
Drive around the neighborhoods you are marketing and take notes on the unique features they have to offer. Las Vegas is an exciting city with events going on all the time in residential neighborhoods that lie well beyond the confines of Las Vegas Boulevard. We are a city of 2.5 million that’s always in action.
Look at your surroundings when driving along, pulling over, and taking notes. If the streets are attractive and treelined, put it in the blog. If a neighborhood has a community center with activities for kids and adults, write about that. Speak of unusual homes in the area. Are there luxury homes, median-priced properties, or less expensive homes and apartments in the neighborhood? Is the building ongoing, or will they build in a particular area shortly? Or has the construction stopped due to a lack of land?
Take pictures of everything you can add to your blog and other parts of your marketing mix.
When working with a buyer, list the properties that meet their price range. Create another list of recent houses sold. Include hard facts like property taxes and HOAs. What about the HOAs? Are they affordable or exorbitant? Some of them are high and can wind up killing a deal.
Learn about the people you are working with. Do they have kids? If they do, you have to become familiar with nearby schools. Maybe a couple are just starting and don’t have kids yet. They’re going to have other interests. Retired couples are going to be looking for different houses and amenities. One size does not fit all. That’s why there are so many styles, shapes, and styles of homes. You’re the expert in determining which house fits a particular client. You’ll eventually figure it out. There are only so many different types of people. After a time, you’ll see a pattern developing, letting you know which house fits which client.
Write a blog about everything enticing a buyer to move to the neighborhood you describe.
Write about the age of the homes. Have many of them been renovated? Are there some incredible views? What are the average setbacks from the house to the street? How large is the average backyard? Are there several houses with pools? If a home doesn’t have a pool, will the lot's size accommodate one?
These ideas are just examples. The sky is the limit; the more you write, the more descriptive your writing will become. You will gain confidence and become more creative once you see your blogs getting noticed. KEEP EXPANDING YOU KNOWLEDGE BASE
Again, Don’t forget to get out of the office when you can and drive around neighborhoods that you are interested in marketing. Pick the communities you want to target and go through them, walk through them. Talk to the neighbors.
Take pictures of houses, streets, flowers, bushes, and trees. Smell the air. Take more pictures, and shoot some videos along with your still photographs. If you have a later Phone, it will be good enough to capture images for your marketing purposes. You don’t have to run out and buy an expensive digital camera right away. Seeing what visual ideas you can create to entice the shopper will be a fun learning experience. Keep practicing. As your photography and videos improve, you can begin telling stories through imagery, creating a leisurely visual tour for your clients. Keep enhancing your imagery, and more people will start to follow you.
Learn how to fly a drone so you can take overhead shots. They work well in custom homes and luxury neighborhoods, allowing you to zoom in on all the details. It is an excellent way to help justify why a house sells for over a million. If they want luxury, sell it to them in living colors.
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