It takes a tremendous amount of courage to be true to yourself, to listen to your heart and follow your vision. This onion juice episode is inspired by a conversation I had with a good friend of mine, Caleb Jahr. Caleb is a talented young man and a fellow realtor at Realty Executives here in Madison. Caleb understands the power of being a media company that happens to sell real estate, but like many of us got sidetracked on his vision after some discouraging advice was offered. I had a feeling Caleb may not be alone, some of you may have also experienced this, so episode 115 is focused on courage, specifically the courage it takes to follow your vision.
If you are a media company who happens to sell real estate, there's a good chance not everyone will understand your approach. In the real estate business, there are many agents who follow a very traditional approach. Be professional, network a lot, polish everything...this is how you generate business. While this approach works for many realtors, the opposite is also true. People relate better to imperfect people, or videos that are unpolished. I have received the most views on my videos that are spontaneous or something unexpected happens. The key to being successful here is understanding that not everyone will understand why you present content this way, but it is important to retain your own voice and style.
Caleb Jahr is not a man who lacks vision. Through his daily Vlog, he has not only built a following around Madison but has earned the trust and the business of several individuals. He is authentic and real and fun to listen to. When a mentor tried to encourage him by telling him that the Vlog would ultimately hurt his reputation because it was “unprofessional,” Caleb adopted a different vision, ruining the first one. For a while, he stopped Vlogging and started using a traditional approach. Andrew Wommack, a teaching pastor I listen to often said: “if you want to ruin a man’s vision, give him two.” Caleb had two ideas of how he should build a client list and generate business, both very much in conflict with each other. The mentor was not intentionally trying to undermine him, he just didn’t understand Caleb’s vision.
I know that many of you juicers enjoy the process as much as the end results. It’s so important that you are having fun while you are attracting business. I could jump on Zillow and generate leads to build my team and probably see an increase in business, but I would not enjoy it, it would not fulfill me. I am launching the “I Love Madison” show because I love the climb. I believe at the end of the day this nontraditional strategy will work because I love what I do and people see that.
If you are at a roadblock, being a media company that happens to sell real estate and you are struggling, call me, I want to talk you through it and help you keep going! If you are afraid to start, call me. It’s hard to start, but once you get going, it won’t be long before you are comfortable, then you will be celebrating the one year mark, then two and it keeps growing from there. Mathweg Money Trivia and the Onion Juice are examples of this. Even today, I am reliving these principles as I launch the “I Love Madison” show. I feel like I have built this giant jet plane and I am not even sure if it will fly, but it is something that I believe in, and believe it will have an incredible impact on my community.
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Chelsea Peitz is a content creator, author, and Snapchat pro! She has just launched her new book, “Talking in pictures - how Snapchat changed cameras, communication, and communities,” and joins us today on the onion juice to share how real estate agents can use camera-first platforms like Snapchat to build a brand and build trust through authentic relationships. Chelsea spent nine months documenting her own process of using camera-first social platforms to grow a business and establish a strong brand. The OJ nation knows we want to be companies that attract business, not chase it. Chelsea’s book and the tips she shares on this episode can help you do just that!
At some point in the evolution of social media, the major platforms like Facebook and Instagram lost the personal connection. Perfection was the standard, even if it was content from a smaller company or an individual. If not for Snapchat, this trend may have continued. Chelsea said that the Snapchat platform has encouraged people to be authentic and relatable, even unscripted. In doing so, they have revitalized how people are connecting and sharing ideas and content. Events are being shared in real-time, groups are being formed around shared interests and networking feels more intentional. If you are unsure how Snapchat or other camera-first platforms can help you establish or grow your brand, you need to listen what Chelsea shares in is this episode!
For real estate agents and media companies, Snapchat offers an unpolished approach to networking and sharing content. This may seem counterintuitive to some, but Chelsea makes the point that people can't relate to perfection. They can, however, relate to real people and real stories. If you are authentic online, clients will feel like they already know you when you meet face to face. This is a powerful way to build trust and create a great experience every single time.
Chelsea shows the same personality and interest in people on Snapchat as she does in person. She has not tried to make her brand look or feel more corporate, but instead shares life stories and advice and interacts with each of her followers. She feels that realtors and small business owners have an advantage over large brands because they can market a personality, not just a company. “Likeability is the most underutilized marketing tool we have,” Chelsea said.
So many people don’t understand the power of being vulnerable. People see the word and they run from it because they don’t understand it. As media companies who happen to sell real estate, we need to understand that being vulnerable makes it easier for people relate to us. I can say from personal experience, the social posts that have the most engagement are the ones where I am the most real or vulnerable. The reverse effect is also true. If people cannot relate to you or your story, they are less likely to support your cause or business. Chelsea mentioned that It takes time to get comfortable in front of a camera, but eventually you will get to a point where you feel you can open up to your audience on a more personal level. As you master these skills, you will attract more business and build deep, meaningful relationships, and THAT is a reason to smile today!
Our sponsors:
You can find my personal real estate coaching websitehere
And connect with me on ANY of the following social channels. I LOVE social!
And finally, if you would be so kind - leave a rating and review for the Onion Juice podcast on Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes)
Juicers, if you think Facebook is the only way to generate leads, you NEED to listen to this episode. Tyler Zey From Easy Agent Pro joins me to talk about 10 different ways you can market your real estate business, not including Facebook! We have spent a lot of time in the last few episodes talking about the real estate mastermind in Park City, and Facebook seemed to dominate the conversation, so today we decided to do something different. Check out these 10 real estate marketing Ideas!
Are print flyers still a relevant thing? According to Tyler, yes! With the overabundance of digital ads that people receive every day, it seems like a print flyer would be irrelevant. In reality, stats are showing that many people actually prefer something they can hold in their hands, especially millennials. An effective flyer is easy to create and canvassing costs are generally very low, making this a great option for realtors looking for more leads. Tyler and I talk about the best way to format a real estate flyer and how you can use them to point people towards your listing page.
Open houses are still a great way to build relationships and meet potential new clients. Even though open houses seem low-tech, Tyler recommends using a digital sign-in that automatically pushes your visitors towards a CRM, like LionsDesk. This system not only captures information real-time but allows you to automate a thank you email or show other listings your clients may be interested in. This is also a great opportunity for clients to meet you face to face, build trust and reinforce your brand.
There are lots of social media platforms to choose from. Tyler and I spend a few minutes talking about the major players, including YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram, and Pinterest. Each platform offers a distinct advantage, both in the way content is displayed and the ways you can interact with clients. If you need to add social media to your arsenal, Tyler shares several great strategies Realtors can implement quickly and easily.
The "top 25" came as a result of the "I love of Madison" Blog. I started connecting with 25 other business owners in my community twice a month to share ideas, refer business and build relationships. I have had great success using Instagram to find local businesses, then I reach out and ask how I can help provide value. If each business sends two real estate referrals a year, that significantly impacts my real estate business.
The “top 25” was #10 on MY list for this episode, but Tyler reminded me that podcasting is also an effective strategy for realtors. This podcast has already helped generate several leads, so I think he’s right about the effectiveness. Check out the episode to hear more detail on all ten real estate marketing ideas with Tyler Zey!
Our sponsors:
You can find my personal real estate coaching website here
And connect with me on ANY of the following social channels. I LOVE social!
And finally, if you would be so kind - leave a rating and review for the Onion Juice podcast on Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes)
Juicers! This episode is packed with amazing information from my friend and SEO expert, TJ Kelly! I let TJ “take over” the podcast this week so he could share how real estate agents can maximize their search engine optimization and increase exposure. TJ clarifies how SEO started and how it has evolved, a few best practices and several tips that realtors can implement today.
Somewhere in a top-secret bunker, Google is running an algorithm that controls how content is archived and displayed...or something like that...TJ explains that when people think of “Search Engine Optimization,’ they may think of Metatags or ranking number one on Google. He says that these factors are not as relevant to how SEO algorithms are programmed today. In reality, there are multiple factors to pay attention to.
SEO today is far more involved than it’s inception in the 90’s. TJ explains the eight different factors of SEO and how focused attention to each of them can dramatically improve a realtor’s visibility online. TJ talks about the importance of page factors and site factors, how collaboration can springboard your business online and why social media is a critical component. This fits into the Onion Juice idea that we are “media companies who happen to sell real estate.” Super cool stuff!
As a realtor, your website is one of the best places to display your brand, build client loyalty and of course, market your skills and services. There are several things you can do to maximize the visibility and SEO of your website. TJ talks about the importance of header text, backlinks and text content. Listen to this section with a pen in hand, as he provides a ton of value for real estate agents who need to improve their SEO.
To provide outstanding value to all of you juicers, I asked TJ to share three tips that you can use to start improving your SEO today! The first thing he recommended was to start writing a blog. The more content you can produce, especially text, the more material Google has to index as relevant to your subject. The second thing TJ suggests is to use a Q&A format on the blog. “Think about all the questions people ask you as a realtor, then write out answers to them,” he said. This not only allows people to look up those answers on your site, but it also helps establish your authority on a subject. The last tip he shared was to collaborate with other people and share content. Google views links from one site to another almost like a vote, so the more collaboration you can create, the more your content is being “voted” positively. There is so much great stuff in this episode, thanks to TJ Kelly!
Our sponsors:
You can find my personal real estate coaching website here
And connect with me on ANY of the following social channels. I LOVE social!
And finally, if you would be so kind - leave a rating and review for the Onion Juice podcast on Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes)