Platforms like Facebook and Instagram operate pretty differently. Instagram is great for posting those aesthetically pleasing pics from your weekend trip. Facebook keeps everyone involved and chatting. One thing these sites have in common, though, is their preference for user-generated content. Entertainment and connecting are the primary goals of social media. The best way to play into the meta of social media is by getting personal – even on your business page. So what are some simple ways to achieve this? Keep reading to find out more! 

IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU!

The most important aspect of a social media profile is the fact that it highlights you – the user! This is why the platforms favor unique, personalized content above anything else. Even from your business page, it’s important to put out content that includes you. In your pictures, videos, and even in the captions, find ways to include yourself. After all, you’re the reason people like or follow your page! Less helpful content would include anything that seems generic or impersonal. Posts that highlight articles, include generic, stock-photo images, or simple text posts are usually less effective than personalized ones. Try to think outside of the box and find ways to post about yourself instead! 

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!

Especially on Facebook, video is quickly becoming one of the most favored forms of content online. Using only your phone, you, the user, can easily create your own videos with limited effort required! Record a video directly from your phone to post, or utilize the features the platforms have to offer. For example, Instagram Stories are a wonderful place to put quick and to the point videos. Plus, videos are a wonderful way to personalize your page! Try making videos where you talk about or show off something that’s important to you. This could mean a short discussion on an article you read, a video of you at the beach, or a fun band you saw downtown! Regardless of what the subject matter is, give video a try and have fun with it! 

LESS ABOUT BUSINESS!

This might sound strange, but posting too much about business can actually be a bad thing. Even if you do all of the personalization in the world, too much content about real estate can turn into what we can, ‘white noise.’ People, and the AI for the social media platform, will start to ignore your posts! This might result in less engagement, the loss of followers, and fewer people seeing your content. To avoid this, we recommend following the ‘80-20 Rule.’ This means 80% of your content is about you, and 20% is about your business. Even on your business page, this is an extremely important concept to strive towards! Try posting less about business and more about you and see how the response changes! 

When it comes down to it, social media success is directly tied to what you post. Hopefully, you’re posting about yourself! That’s the number one way to increase your engagement and widen your reach on social media. Just be yourself and have fun! 

A great way to establish your business is by keeping your brand uniform. Companies work toward brand consistency in order to become associated with certain sounds and visuals. In your own business, establishing your brand will help you stick out in the real estate world! Want to know some easy ways to accomplish brand consistency? Keep reading! 

COLOR PALETTES 

One of the most important components of brand consistency is color. Just like Target is known for the red and khaki uniforms, you want to have specific colors that people will associate you with! Try to find a few colors to adopt into your branding. The goal is to use these on your social media pages, your websites, and any other form of content your audience will see. This way, people will think of you or remember your business when they see those same colors out in the real world. 

FONT SETS 

Another great way to keep your brand the same is by using the same font sets. Whether you’re creating content for print or the internet, try to keep the style of your text the same! Even though it may seem trivial, the aesthetic of unvarying content actually makes a huge difference. It shows professionalism, care, and organization. Look into some fonts and find something that you feel best represents you! If possible, though, avoid the more ‘playful’ fonts and go with something that shows a little class. Visual appeal goes a long way! 

IMAGERY

Try using photos with the same color themes for your website and social media posts! Following the same idea from before, color association is an awesome tool for branding. Plus, coordinating the colors and themes of your pictures gives your brand an aesthetic boost. Take Instagram, for example. Everything on that platform is about sharing ‘artistic’ content in a way that’s unique to you. By keeping the colors and themes of your images consistent, you automatically have the upper hand. Look for images that match your branding and use those for your pages! Also, try taking more pictures and videos that coincide with your brand. 

Most of branding comes down to the visual, or aesthetic, appeal. Play around with different colors, themes, and fonts to see what works best for the brand you want to create! At the end of the day, your brand should represent you. Keep it consistent and have fun! 

Pictures from ajlamoonlight.com

Buying a house can be stressful, confusing, and sometimes scary – especially when it’s your first time. Thankfully, the process doesn’t have to be this way! Millennials and first-time buyers have countless resources and options available to them. Summer Baker, one of RE/MAX Metro’s top agents, told us some of the best ways to ensure these buyers have a smooth first experience with real estate. Keep reading discover her tips! 

PICK YOUR TEAM EARLY ON

Before even starting the move, buyers should meet with and select their agent and lender. It’s important to come up with a game plan before the hunting begins! This way, everyone involved is clear on the timeline, the financial situation, and can cultivate a strategy accordingly. Plus, pulling credit beforehand helps relieve stress later on. Buying a house is a process that should not be rushed! Buyers should take their time looking for the right fit in both a real estate agent and a lender. The wrong partner could derail or put a strain on the whole operation.

WORK WITH THE LOCALS

When it comes to lenders, Summer recommends selecting the ones close to home. In her experience, sellers and listing agents tend to avoid the buyers that use big-name banks. Companies like Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and others seem notorious for having problems throughout the transaction. Also, buyers might want someone that can understand and focus on their needs. Lenders local to your home state have a better chance of ensuring that for you. Local companies are often more easily accessible and have fewer issues than chain banks. Do some research to find out who will best suit your needs!

PLAN YOUR FINANCES

It’s also a good idea to get your finances in order in preparation for the big purchase! Summer likes to sit down with her clients and help them strategize their spending. Keeping a spreadsheet is a great way to start! Look at the areas where you can cut back on spending and try to find alternative solutions. For example, try making coffee at home instead of buying it on your way to work. Summer also suggests having your cocktails at home before going out to dinner. These minor changes will make a huge difference in your wallet! Buying a house is no small thing. In the end, any step towards saving is a step in the right direction.

Summer Baker, Top RE/MAX Metro Agent

Communicating with your clients is an extremely important aspect of real estate. Emails are a classic tool for sending information and updates, but the times are changing. Now, many clients are looking for an agent that can be contacted in other ways. Want to learn more about some good ones?

FACEBOOK MESSENGER

According to Facebook, more than 20 billion messages are exchanged between businesses and potential clients on Facebook Messenger every month. For real estate agents, Facebook Messenger is an incredible tool to get leads, stay in touch, and increase your online reach. Users with a business page can run ads to generate messages, which populate within Messenger. Curious parties can also message you from your page, business or personal, to chat about a listing. If you have a Facebook account already, you’re automatically set up for this messaging platform. If not, we recommend you get cracking! Facebook Messanger is a quick and easy way to stay in touch with your clients and reach out to new ones. Using it is a great way to increase your chances of growing your business!

INSTAGRAM DM’s

Similar to Facebook Messanger, Instagram DM’s, or Direct Messages, are a fantastic way to contact your clients. Within the Instagram app, DM’s are accessible through Stories, when a post is shared, or from the DM section itself. Instagram Stories, one of our favorite features from Instagram, are a great tool to get more direct messages. To do this, try posting a picture, video, or including some interactive stickers on your Story. Your followers can then respond to the Story, which then populates the response permanently in the DM’s – even after the Story has expired! Instagram DM’s open the door to leads, transactions, and a more established presence on social media. 

TEXT MESSAGING

Another classic way to talk to your clients is through text messaging. Although it may seem obvious, this feature should not be forgotten! Text messaging is quick, easy, and direct. Busy clients might not have time to jump on a phone call or write out an email. Through texting, responses can be brief and to the point, saving both you and the client a lot of hassle. Remember to check your messages and respond in a timely manner to show your clients of their importance. Neglecting their questions or comments could put you on a fast track to a lost listing! 

In the modern business world, many clients are looking for someone to meet them on their level. Look for opportunities to get on different platforms to make their lives a bit easier! Even if their preferred method of communication is different than yours, it’s a good thing to show your flexibility. Jump on these three platforms to open more doors and, hopefully, get more sales!

Are you looking for some literature to enlarge your success in the business world? There are countless self-help and real estate-focused books out there for you to learn from! Keep reading to find the motivation and encouragement you need to challenge yourself! 

HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE

Although published in 1936, Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People is still relevant to this day. Carnegie described the book as an “action-book,” but is more commonly known as the father of the “self-help” genre. Topics covered include making friends, winning people over to your way of thinking and acquiring new clients or customers. How to Win Friends and Influence People can also help improve personal relationships and set up the framework for an improved business life! Whether reading for the real estate industry or not, Carnegie’s book is sure to invoke new thoughts and challenges.

THE 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE 

Written by Stephen Covey in 1989, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is a mix of business and self-help. In his book, Covey lists some of the best practices for people to take on in order to obtain goals. He claims true productivity and success are dependent on aligning oneself with “true north.” This concept is presented as a universal and timeless method to follow. Covey hopes to guide the reader in a progression from dependence to independence, and on to interdependence. Since the publication’s original release, over 25 million copies have been sold, making it his most popular piece of writing.  Give The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People a read to discover the most effective ways to become an effective person! 

MINDSET, METHODS & METRICS: WINNING AS A MODERN REAL ESTATE AGENT  

Authors Brandon Doyle, Nicholas Dreher and Marshall Saunders combined their shared knowledge and experience to create Mindset, Methods & Metrics: Winning as a Modern Reall Estate Agent. With over 45 years of experience in the industry, Doyle, Dreher and Saunders discuss concepts to improvement in business. Although originally written for real estate agents, topics in the book can benefit any person looking to better their businesses. The practical, relevant practices in Mindset, Methods & Metrics: Winning as a Modern Reall Estate Agent are sure to introduce new thinking and invoke further success in business. 

Facebook is an incredible tool for growth in your business online! Using Facebook, you have the opportunity to increase the size of your audience, get your name out on social media, and run ads to sell more! Want to know how it works? Keep reading to find out! 

THE 80 – 20 RULE

First and foremost, Facebook is a platform intended for entertainment. Look for ways to meet this standard by posting personalized content! Even on your business page, find opportunities to post about yourself and what you’re up to. This could mean posting about where you went for lunch, your favorite local shop, or the fun beach day you just had! Still confused about how much you should be posting? Gary Vaynerchuk, entrepreneur, investor, and CEO has come up with the solution. Try to follow the 80 – 20 Rule on your social media! 80% of your content should be personalized and about you, while the other 20% can be about your business. Think of it as a “punch, punch, right-hook” kind of method. By following the 80 – 20 rule, you’ll be less likely to become white noise to your followers and keep them excited about you! 

HAVE A PERSONAL AND BUSINESS PAGE

A great way to stay accessible and increase your reach on Facebook is by running both a personal and a business page! When clients are searching for you online, they’ll have a higher chance of getting connected with one of these accounts. Plus, you can use your personal page as a litmus test for your business! Try different kinds of posts and forms of media on your personal page and find out what works best. Then, create similar content for your business page! This will help you find out what posts may be worth boosting as ads, which are only available on business pages. Facebook has other features that are only accessible with business accounts, like Facebook events and ad campaigns. Consider making both accounts to double your possibility of success with social media!

RUN ADS ON YOUR BUSINESS PAGE

Facebook ads are a wonderful tool to grow your presence on social media. Ads can generate page likes, encouraging direct messaging, show off listings, and more! Because Facebook ads can only be run from a business page, it’s important to have one set up and ready to run. One of the things we tell our agents here at RE/MAX Metro is to run an ad to get page likes in order to increase your audience. Then, you can create ad campaigns and boost posts according to the result you want to reach. The process can be lengthy and confusing, but it’s worth taking the time to understand! Plus, your in-house RE/MAX Metro Tech Team is always here to lend a hand. Take advantage of the tools you have and grow your business!

The real estate market rarely stays the same for too long. For the agent, it’s necessary to stay updated on what’s going on in the market in order to keep sales and activity up! Tina Herrell, one of RE/MAX Metro’s top agents, shared some of her tips on how she stays ahead of the shifting real estate market!

SEARCH THE MLS BY ZIPCODES

Success in real estate is dependant on how well you know and understand your clients’ needs! As a result, agents should have some kind of idea about what their clients are looking for in a real estate purchase. Knowing this, Tina likes to stay up to date on what’s moving in there area. Every day, she enters the zipcodes she normally works into the MLS and spends some time reviewing the homes being purchased. She takes note of what’s being sold, what’s pending, and what’s new on the market. She also observes the square footage price of the area and any price drops. This helps her stay up to speed on with everything going on in the local area! 

KEEP AN EYE ON THE MARKET 

Similarly to Tina’s previous tip, agents have to keep an eye on where the market is moving! Look at the communities you’re working and see what’s going on within them. If a home isn’t selling, you may have to find a new way to market it! This would mean doing research on where the direction of the community is heading to see what buyers may be looking for in that area. Since the market is constantly changing, make sure you stay up to date on it so that you stay on top! 

LOOK INTO RENTALS 

Because not everyone will be able to move in immediately, make sure you can help buyers figure out alternative options for their newly purchased home! Rentals are a wonderful way to bring in some extra income if the owner is unable to move in for a while. School yourself on what Airbnb and rentals need to be successful! Find out the city’s rental restrictions and make some connections with people who can help set up Airbnb homes. These ways, clients who can’t move in or who have multiple homes can make a little money on the side. Your knowledge in these areas will not only help you to stay ahead, but will make you a valuable source of information!

Tina Herrell, Top RE/MAX Metro Agent

Are you looking for something to inspire, motivate, and challenge your real estate business? Podcasts are a great way to listen and learn about whatever you want from wherever you are! There are a lot of great podcasts out there, each with different focuses and hosts. Keep reading to learn about some of our favorites!

THE GARYVEE AUDIO EXPERIENCE 

Gary Vaynerchuk, entrepreneur, CEO, investor, and vlogger is host to The GaryVee Audio Experience podcast. This show contains a combination of keynote speeches about marketing and business, interviews, #AskGaryVee’s, chats, and thoughts from Gary Vaynerchuk. Starting as a wine critic, Garyvee has years of experience in the business realm. Much of his work now has to do with digital marketing and social media, which he uses for his communications company VaynerX. This podcast will both challenge and provoke your thoughts on life and business! 

TOM FERRY PODCAST

With a mix of topics concerning real estate, business, and life, the Tom Ferry Podcast is perfect for agents! Known as the #1 ranked real estate coach in the business, Tom Ferry brings his expertise to each show. The podcast also brings in various guests, provides a new way to look at things, and challenges viewers with new ideas. Tom Ferry is also host to the Tom Ferry Show, a video experience similar to the podcast. Although the show focuses primarily on real estate, Tom Ferry wants to touch on elements that will impact all parts of life!

IMPACT THEORY 

The Impact Theory podcast is primarily concerned with creating entertaining and educational content for listeners. Host Tom Bilyeu invites celebrities and experts to come on the show and talk about various issues or topics. Impact Theory creates free content for their viewers in hopes that they can help people “… become the best version of themselves.” Show topics include “powerful beliefs,” “seek brutal honesty,” “get ahead fast,” and more. While the Impact Theory podcast is not about the real estate industry, the content they produce is both motivating and thought-provoking!

Clients are the backbone of your business in real estate. While it’s true that clients can provide you with a paycheck, they want to be treated as more! If you pour into your clients, they’ll pour back into you. Want to know the best ways to achieve this kind of relationship? Joseph Romanik, one of RE/MAX Metro’s top agents, shared some of his tips on how he builds and maintains client loyalty!

PROVIDE GREAT SERVICE

Give your clients the attention and care they deserve! Keep communications open and be accessible to suit their needs. Even after the transaction is complete, your willingness to talk with and support your clients will make a world of difference! Go above and beyond to satisfy their needs and maintain professionalism. At the end of the day, your efforts to provide the best customer service possible could be the deciding factor in getting a referral or more of their business. 

OFFER VALUE

Separate yourself from the pack; be a fresh, helpful source of information for your clients! Utilize tools and connections to share your knowledge with others. Joey recommends using social media to reach this goal! Record personalized videos, talk about interesting articles, or share your favorite books and podcasts to add value to your page. Look for other ways to convey good information with your clients to keep them coming back for more! 

BE A FRIEND

As obvious as it may seem, your clients want to be treated well! Try to make connections with your clients outside of the industry by finding out what they like to do. This will help create a genuine, trusting relationship! Not every client is going to feel like ‘BFF’ material, but they do want to feel comfortable with you! When making recommendations to friends or looking to make another real estate transaction, they’ll refer back to the agent that treated them with respect and authenticity. Make sure that person is you! 

Joseph Romanik, Top RE/MAX Metro Agent

Zillow is one of the most popular sites for real estate agents. Agents are able to show off their past experiences in the field and their successful transactions. Plus, they’re able to connect with clients both before and after a transaction takes place. This means that Zillow is a great tool for gaining more leads! Want some tips on how to get more? Keep reading!

BECOME AN EXPERT IN THE LOCAL AREA

Often times, clients will look for a real estate agent that understands more than just houses. They want someone who understands the community and can put them in a home that suits them best. The best way to convey your understanding of the local area is by posting about it! Take personalized videos or include information about the community on your profile. This way, clients are able to see your skill level and will feel well cared for and understood. Become a self-proclaimed expert! 

ASK FOR MORE ZILLOW REVIEWS

A good way to prove your success and experience is through the words of another person. Ask clients to leave reviews on your Zillow page! This will build a vault of information about yourself in a way that helps potential clients get to know you better. Plus, it legitimizes your business. Then, go further by responding to each review or comment – whether they’re good, bad, or neutral! This will show people that you value them and want to hear what they have to say. It’s also a great way to build long-lasting relationships with your clients!

POST PAST AND PRESENT LISTINGS

Another great way to build out your profile is by posting your listings. Success on Zillow is directly connected to this! First, upload all of your previously sold listings to your account. Your sale history will show your local experience to clients and encourage leads to reach out! Then, make sure to update your account with all of your current listings. By utilizing Zillow Group to share these listings, the volume of contacts you receive will continue to grow! Increasing exposure is the best way to get Zillow leads.