Curating youR online presence
I recently had the opportunity to speak at the Southwestern Real Estate Conference. I helped this team of realtors grow their knowledge on how to become both discoverable and desirable online. Here are my notes to go along with the slides of the class I taught. Even though it is geared towards a specific demographic, the information can be used for any business niche.
Emcee: We’d like to welcome Staci Bishop.
Staci is a web design and branding expert based in Nashville, TN. She is an avid traveler who believes restaurant hopping is the best part of any trip. As the owner of Harper Bluff Inc with 15+ years of experience, Staci helps small businesses launch in a strategic and polished way. Her red flag is over-researching but her biggest flex is consistently nailing the client's vision, often on the first try. You can learn more about her and what she does at harperbluffinc.com.
SLIDE 1: INTRODUCTION
Thank you for having me today. I want to jump right in to give as much information as I can during my time with you on how to be both discoverable and desirable online.
SLIDE 2: QUOTE
“Image is everything. You don’t spare any expense to create the right image. And word of mouth is critical. Once you get a good reputation, momentum will carry you.” ― Haruki Murakami
This is exactly how it works. New clients aren’t sure if they want to work with you so it’s imperative that you make a good first impression. Often in this business, we need to make that impression online. Once you have clientele and those successful transactions, referrals will become another part of your marketing plan but your online image will always be first.
But let’s start with this...
SLIDE 3: GOOGLE YOURSELF
This is the best way to see how you are showing up online to others.
Use an incognito or private window to filter out the Google algorithm that shows you what it thinks you want to see. We want to approach this from a neutral perspective.
Google your name or keywords that you think potential clients would use to find you.
Take note of where you are showing up in search results. Make a list and keep it updated. Also, think about the sites that you’d like to appear on and make a plan for those.
As an example, I Googled my own name in preparation for this presentation and realized that I had some out-of-date contact info on LinkedIn. This was a platform I had used in the past but didn’t keep it updated as my business changed. This conflicting information can be confusing for potential clients so that’s on my to-do list this week.
The most important pieces to keep updated are bio, photo, and contact information.
SLIDE 4: YOUR BIO
A bio is your virtual introduction to new people and you can curate what information they see. Think of it as your online elevator pitch. You have 60 seconds to capture their attention and convey your message.
Potential clients need to see something that makes them think they can connect with you or that you have something in common. You want to be relatable.
Write in third person. Meaning, imagine how a friend or colleague (or even your mom) would describe you.
Society today is very visual and they aren’t going to read a long bio. You want to give the most information as possible in as few words as necessary.
In my line of work with marketing and copywriting, a thesarus is one of my most used tools. You can elevate your bio with more robust and interesting words. See? I was looking for a word that mean “Strong” or “Powerful” but robust was much more interesting.
In the mix of corporate information be sure to list hobbies or fun facts that would help your audience to connect with you. For example, I like to travel and I’m a big foodie so I always include those pieces in my bio.
Be clear about what you do - what is your niche or superpower?
What sets you apart?
Lake homes, investment properties, flips, first-time homebuyers.
Smooth closing.
Maybe it’s a personality trait.
Maybe it’s your celebration gift.
Include your specialty so that clients know you are just the person for the job.
SLIDE 5: NEW Headshots
I recommend having new photos taken every year or every other year.
We’ve all seen the photo of the real estate agent whose headshot is from 1995. It doesn’t look like them at all and it feels dated, right?
Current photos keep you looking up-to-date and modern. We know that our fashions, hairstyles, makeup, and facial hair change from year to year so make sure you have photos that are recognizable.
Make the investment for a branding photographer. You will not regret it. This is different from your family photographer who does your Christmas card photo. If you are in the Nashville area, I have a contact for you but, otherwise, you are looking for a branding, headshot, or lifestyle photographer. They are skilled at capturing your personality in a still photo in a professional way. It’s a magical skillset that I don’t have but I love my branding photographer. When I see my photos they look like me and, most importantly, they feel like me.
Lifestyle videos are also helpful for clients to get a better feel of you and you, your voice, and your unique personality. Statistically, a short video will win over text any day of the week.
Now let’s talk about some specific online marketing opportunities.
SLIDE 6: Social Media
The best part - it’s free advertising and it’s an easy way to get referrals.
To start pick ONE platform - it doesn’t matter if it’s Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter - Master that one and then add another or repurpose content for multiple platforms.
Provide value and establish yourself as the go-to person for your niche so that others will tag you when they know someone in need of your specific skill set.
Value means giving away free information that helps you attract potential clients. If Susie is providing all of this information for free, imagine how much more she knows. John is clearly an expert in this area so I know that he will be knowledgeable when we are working together.
Lake homes - Info about working with the Corp of Engineers, highlight restaurants/marinas, perks of lake life.
Remodels - Have a go to list of subcontractors
Investment Properties - Breakdown the numbers, what could this investment look like for me.
First-Time Home Buyers - Walk them through the process.
Testimonials -Backs up your claims that you are the expert/authority in this area.
If you aren’t sure what to post, you can put modern technology to work. Use AI to generate content ideas. Your prompt could be like this one.
I am a real estate agent specializing in (insert niche here). I need 30 days of content ideas for (insert social media platform here).
Create a series of informational posts - Part 1, Part 2, etc. This keeps your audience coming back for more.
For platforms that have both stories and post options, you’ll use stories to show that you are human - behind the scenes, a day in the life, etc.
Posts & Videos are where you’ll provide your value.
SLIDE 7: Website
And because I’m a website designer of course I’m going to say, Yes, you need a website - even if it’s just a one-pager, and it does need to be optimized for mobile. Stats show that almost 60% of websites are first accessed via a mobile device.
Here’s why you need a website…
This is like a resume for your potential customers to learn about you at a glance and to be able to quickly navigate the information.
Social media is great for giving value but it can be hard to scroll back through and find the information you are looking for.
A website is like a curated art gallery. We are showing them the best of you in a particular order. Have you ever been to the First? Big room is like the home page with additional rooms to access other information but you are controlling the information they see and guiding them like an audio tour.
A website strategically guides them through meeting you, seeing what you do, and through testimonials seeing how others have benefitted from your services. Most importantly it shows them how to get in contact with you. A well-designed website is going to give them multiple access points to get in contact with you.
A website is also searchable on Google and can help your ranking for certain keywords that people would search for.
SLIDE 8: I can help!
I hope that I’ve given you some ideas today for how you can begin investing into your online presence but if this all feels a little overwhelming to you, I can help. We all have our strengths and areas of expertise, right? This is mine.
Here are 3 options that might be beneficial to you.
I offer consulting calls where we can talk through your current marketing strategy and brainstorm ideas and map out a plan for new options to implement.
I have a couple of different branding and website packages including a single landing page - which is a great starter option.
If you already have a website, an audit will give you real, honest feedback and tips or suggestions for areas you can make improvements.
Thank you again for having me!