What if making fun of the real estate industry could actually become one of your best sources of business?
On this episode of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered, James Dwiggins and Keith Robinson sit down with Bob Tompkins, owner and chief marketing officer at Living in South Carolina, to unpack how he turned satirical real estate videos into a serious marketing strategy.
Tompkins started experimenting with video in 2019, and after parody videos began taking off, he noticed something even more valuable than views: Agents were sending him business. At one point, roughly half of his business was coming from agent-to-agent referrals.
Tompkins explains why he hired a full-time videographer, how he and his creative partner spend five to six hours every week developing ideas, and why creativity is a muscle built through repetition. They also get into the riskier side of satire, including videos criticizing industry practices, negative comments, content he’s been asked to remove and what he’s learned about pushing the boundaries without chasing controversy just for attention.
Most importantly, Tompkins makes the case that successful video marketing doesn’t require copying his style. It requires finding something you’re genuinely enthusiastic about, consistently creating around it and giving people a reason to remember you.
Highlights
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- How satire became a real estate referral strategy
- Why Tompkins invested in a full-time videographer
- How spending five to six hours writing each week fuels consistent content
- Why creativity is a muscle built through repetition
- How agents can start creating video without trying to go viral
Tompkins has now created more than 250 comedy sketches, but even after years of experience, he says some of his best ideas flop while seemingly ordinary videos go nuclear. The lesson? Consistency matters more than trying to predict what the algorithm will love.
For agents considering video marketing for real estate, Tompkins recommends starting with something you genuinely enjoy. His passion is comedy. Yours might be neighborhoods, restaurants, architecture or local businesses.
And if you’re wondering where to start, Tompkins believes YouTube remains one of the biggest opportunities for agents to create hyperlocal content, build trust, and get discovered by consumers before they ever make the first call.
Connect with Bob Tompkins on LinkedIn or Instagram.
Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered is now exclusively on Inman. Tune in for agent- and team-focused content on Mondays and leadership interviews on Wednesdays each week. Listen on Apple or Spotify.
James Dwiggins is the president of NextHome, Inc. and co-host of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered.
Keith Robinson is the president of strategy at NextHome, Inc. and co-host of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered.
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The views and opinions expressed on Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered are those of the hosts and guests in their personal capacities and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of AGNT, Inc., eXp Realty, LLC, NextHome, Inc., or any of their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, officers, or directors.
