Real estate agents should be using video to market their businesses consistently, period, Kyle Draper writes. Here’s how to do it.

In these times, double down — on your skills, on your knowledge, on you. Join us Aug. 8-10 at Inman Connect Las Vegas to lean into the shift and learn from the best. Get your ticket now for the best price.

Creating video content is hard. It’s why most Realtors don’t do it. It’s why it continues to be the greatest advantage you can give yourself in your business. Yet, you are not leveraging it. Why? You have the most powerful tool on the planet in your hand.

This changes now. Here’s my five-step, fail-proof way to get consistent with video.

1. Download Marco Polo

Marco Polo is a free app that acts like a video walkie-talkie. Get a couple of friends or your spouse, and commit to using that app to communicate back and forth for a couple of weeks.

You’ll start practicing the rhythm of the video without most (if not all) of the fear. You get to see yourself, hear yourself, and get used to looking in an eye hole, but the worry of what others will think isn’t there. A couple of weeks in, you’ll be a different version of yourself in front of the camera.

You can also accomplish this by texting videos to your people. Get good at it. It’s incredibly powerful.

Consider using Marco Polo to communicate with your buyers and sellers. From a psychological point of view, they’ll be so entrenched with your voice, mannerisms, energy, etc., that your referral rate will go up!

MP also keeps every video you send so that nothing will get lost. You can go back to previous videos as many times as you need.

2. Create video in your stories

Using your stories is the next step as you get comfortable in front of the camera.

Stories are still one of the favorite features of Facebook and Instagram. So, your presence there is important. This video could be 5 seconds or just under a minute. Make it easy on yourself. Go behind the scenes, show people where you’re eating, do a quick video with your kids, and keep it simple.

Our stories go away in 24 hours, so we don’t have to overthink them.

Here are some ideas to consider when you’re using your stories:

  • Behind the scenes of your listings.
  • Trying new local restaurants.
  • On one of your kid’s field trips.
  • Promoting who you’re hanging out with.
  • Your morning/evening routine.
  • Pages from the book you’re reading.
  • Ask questions, both personally and professionally.
  • Date night.

Remember, stories help you deepen the relationships you already have. Your posts help new people find you. Don’t lean too heavily into one versus the other; you need both.

3. Add video to your processes

You’re doing videos in your stories now. Way to go! Now, it’s time to start creating videos that are a little more permanent. The greatest place to start is in your processes. When you look at how many touches you put on a buyer or seller through your process, you should have a video associated with each step.

Some of these videos can be “evergreen.” This means that you can record them once and use them over and over again. You won’t use names, dates, times or days of the week. They work for every client.

Then, you’ll add in a few videos that you shoot in the moment, specifically for the client, and you will be unforgettable through this process. This will increase your ability to be referred a lot.

Your “para-social relationships” will go through the roof.

Just kidding. I’ll tell you about para-social relationships right now. This phrase was created decades ago to explain the one-sided relationship between famous people from movies and TV shows and normal people (like us). This is why celebrities must act normal when fans act obsessed or excited to see them.

Well, now this type of relationship is available to you and me. Our brains don’t know the difference between seeing a movie star on the big screen versus me on a Reel on Instagram. You’re missing out on these opportunities if you’re not creating consistent video content.

Everywhere I travel to speak, people come up to me and say, “Can we take a picture?” It’s a para-social relationship. How much could you benefit from dozens of those in your city? Get in front of the camera!

4. Record your first Reel, TikTok or YouTube Short

Short vertical videos are the best way to be in front of people right now. This also happens to be the first time in social media history that all the main platforms value the same type of content.

If you commit to vertical video, you’ll put your best self out there on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts. It’s a no-brainer. And you don’t have to shake your booty or try extra hard to be funny. Be the educator that you are!

Remember: The right content won’t go viral. Quit worrying about getting the most views. Quit worrying about begging for shares or comments. Trust that the right people, your people, local people, will see your content.

Hopefully, this statement will change your mindset forever. Don’t create video content for who you have; create video content for who’s coming. People are out there talking about you right now; they are starting to look you up and make assumptions based on what they see.

If you’re only making content for the needs you have today, you’ll come off in a very selfish manner. But, if you’re creating content for your future audience, you’ll fill your social channels full of stories, tips and opportunities for them to connect to you as a human, not a salesperson.

5. Use live video

Do you want to rip off the bandaid over your insecurities? Go live! A live video keeps you from starting over every time you mess up. A live video keeps you from being a fake version of yourself. Live video gets real-time reactions from your people.

Don’t overthink it; go live. Your people will love it. Here’s an example of one of my recent ones. I do most of my live videos through StreamYard.

You should go live once a week. Give your people at least one opportunity a week to see you in an authentic environment. Do the video when you know one of your kids will come in, hope that your dog starts barking, and just be yourself.

Remember, your people already know you, so there’s a good chance that the current version of yourself you’re giving back to them isn’t the same version they already know. 

Love serving people more than you care about looking stupid. That’s my superpower. You can have it too.

Bonus tip: Change your Soundtracks

Finally, for this to work, you need to change your soundtrack. If you haven’t read Soundtracks by Jon Acuff, buy it on Amazon today!

It’s incredible. It talks about how each one of us plays soundtracks in our heads. The average adult has 60,000 thoughts a day, and 80 percent of those are negative.

See why it’s so hard to be consistent in front of the camera? You want to be out there, but your soundtracks are screaming at you that you’re not good enough, you are too fat, or you don’t know what you’re talking about. Then, you turn the camera on, look at yourself, buy into the lies, and then do nothing.

Try adding a couple of these Soundtracks to your daily life:

  • “My life is dope.” (from the book)
  • “My people value my opinions.”
  • “My people need my advice.”
  • “I am not selfish. I will create content that adds value to people. I will always come from contribution.”
  • “I love serving people more than I care about looking stupid.”

Your people, right now, are on the verge of saying yes to someone who cares about them far less than you do. How much longer will you allow them to be taken advantage of because you can’t get over yourself? This is your moment. Seize it.

Kyle Draper is the CEO of EMPWR Media in Fort Worth Texas. Connect with him on Facebook or LinkedIn.

Show Comments Hide Comments
Sign up for Inman’s Morning Headlines
What you need to know to start your day with all the latest industry developments
By submitting your email address, you agree to receive marketing emails from Inman.
Success!
Thank you for subscribing to Morning Headlines.
Back to top
Only 3 days left to register for Inman Connect Las Vegas before prices go up! Don't miss the premier event for real estate pros.Register Now ×
Limited Time Offer: Get 1 year of Inman Select for $199SUBSCRIBE×
Log in
If you created your account with Google or Facebook
Don't have an account?
Forgot your password?
No Problem

Simply enter the email address you used to create your account and click "Reset Password". You will receive additional instructions via email.

Forgot your username? If so please contact customer support at (510) 658-9252

Password Reset Confirmation

Password Reset Instructions have been sent to

Subscribe to The Weekender
Get the week's leading headlines delivered straight to your inbox.
Top headlines from around the real estate industry. Breaking news as it happens.
15 stories covering tech, special reports, video and opinion.
Unique features from hacker profiles to portal watch and video interviews.
Unique features from hacker profiles to portal watch and video interviews.
It looks like you’re already a Select Member!
To subscribe to exclusive newsletters, visit your email preferences in the account settings.
Up-to-the-minute news and interviews in your inbox, ticket discounts for Inman events and more
1-Step CheckoutPay with a credit card
By continuing, you agree to Inman’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

You will be charged . Your subscription will automatically renew for on . For more details on our payment terms and how to cancel, click here.

Interested in a group subscription?
Finish setting up your subscription
×