Last week, I talked about How to Add Life to Your MLS Description. š„±
Potential buyers are flipping through many listings, and just like most everyone else in our fast-paced world, they have short attention spans.
To catch their attention, Step #1 is to have exceptional images. Step #2 is getting straight to the point and describing the propertyās best features, preferably in the first sentence of your MLS description.
This philosophy is remarkably similar to how you should present yourself on your website. Ask yourself this simple question:
Does your website clearly articulate WHO you are, WHAT you stand for, and WHY your potential client should hire you?
If not, perhaps you should reconsider the design of your website. š¤
Hereās another simple question:
What is the most important part of your website?
Itās the part at the top of your home page that is immediately visible when the user first lands there.
This is where you should have two things:
- A current awesome image of yourself š and;
- Your Personal Brand Statement.
Your Personal Brand Statement should briefly answer all the key who, what, and why questions I listed above. Hereās mine from when I was a full-time agent:
āHi, Iām Ted. Over the past 14 years, Iāve completed over 1,000 successful Real Estate transactions, one at a time, with care and concern to create the best possible result for each individual client. Thatās why Iām proud to say that almost all my business comes from repeats and referrals.ā
Itās only 50 words, but it says a lot, right? Hereās another one I did for Suzy Seller. Sheās the brilliant made-up agent I use throughout the Agent Skills Masterās Program:
āHi, Iām Suzy. For over ten years, Iāve continually improved my knowledge and skills, providing the best possible expert advice and service to each of my clients. As a result, Iām proud and honored that the majority of my business comes from my past clients referring their friends and family. If youāre looking for straightforward, honest Real Estate advice, please contact me.ā
Thatās 62 words, still within the size range (50-75 words) that I recommend. Then, your site should have a āLearn Moreā button immediately below that links to your About Us page, where the reader can learn more details about you and your team.
Iāve made Personal Brand Statements for other agents. Each one is unique because it has to honestly reflect your personality and contain the subtle but powerful message you want to get across. Most importantly, it must answer those key āwho, what, and whyā questions.
The #1 Mistake Agents Make on Their Website
The biggest mistake I see most agents make on their website is wasting that prime space at the top of the home page on one of these two things:
- A stock image of a happy couple/cool kitchen/fancy exterior. It looks nice, but who cares? This is like paying for a TV commercial and wasting the first 15 seconds showing pretty pictures of things that have nothing to do with the product you are selling (you).
- A search tool. OK, if youāre going to spend piles of money on generating terrible Internet leads, go ahead. But thatās the antithesis of what I teach. Honestly, why are you even reading this? š¤Ŗ
Your website should be the place that people go to find out about you.
If your current website isnāt performing this primary function, watch for Agent Skills Websites, coming soon, including your own Personal Brand Statement carefully hand-crafted to your satisfaction by yours truly!
Weāre still in development, and it will still be a few weeks before weāre ready to launch. But if youāre interested, simply reply to this email, and Iāll keep you informed.
Having a powerful website that describes who you are, what you stand for, and why clients should hire you is one important way to build a business that thrives on a never-ending stream of incoming referralsā the foundational doctrine of the Agent Skills Masterās Program.
This article was inspired by module #13 – Marketing Yourself – part of the Agent Skills Masterās Program.
In āMarketing Yourself,ā I explain step-by-step how to create a simple but highly effective website, write a powerful personal brand statement, get and leverage testimonials, and create a powerful strategy to maximize the benefits of both organic and paid social media.
Hereās another article inspired by the same module: The HUB of Your Marketing