A wise man once told me “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Taken a step further, people like to work with those they know, relate to and trust. Now that the next generation of homebuyers and sellers are coming to the forefront, how do you establish and build relationships with them?
More importantly, how do you bridge the gap between the mythical belief they have of who a “sales person” is and what you actually do? Simple: Show everyone the real you.
As a millennial in the real estate industry, the ability to leverage what I already know about my generation and how we go about conducting business is vital for my agency. Simply put, millennials research, assess and decide.
Depending on what we find in our initial investigations, will determine whether we’ll put forth additional efforts to learn more about a particular person or business. In layman’s terms: first impressions are everything — and in the case of millennials, it starts with your online presence now that we are in a digital age.
I have come across with a variety of agents, brokers and agencies on their websites, blogs and social channels. One of the biggest mistakes I see is the same monotonous content about the housing market and new listings throughout their entire feeds. Yes, it’s a great outlet to promote this information, but it’s an even better place to showcase yourself.
How do you do that?
Ask yourself:
- Who are you?
- What fascinating things are going on in your life?
- When are popular events taking place in your city?
- Where are some of the best eateries?
- Why are your causes near and dear to your heart?
The more you can get away from the traditional mindset of what real estate agents should post, write or share, the better you can differentiate yourself.
All these questions should conjure up feelings and make you think about past experiences as well as ponder your responses.
Then share these things — they represent the real you. Your emotions make you human, your experiences make you relatable, and your responses make you authentic.
Anthony West is a real estate agent, the founder of The Luxury Life KC at Moffitt Realty, and an entrepreneur in Kansas City.