Marketing You

As real estate professionals, we?put?enormous?effort into?property?marketing. We pay careful attention to the?home?styling, the?floor plans, the site plans, the videos?and make sure?everything looks amazing. But when it comes?to?marketing?ourselves,?many of us are far less diligent. Our headshot might be ten years old and?far from?the same standard as?our?property marketing.

Jordan Roach, a corporate and commercial photographer?who works with brands and individuals to help them stand out from the competition,?says that in today’s digital age, ‘visual content is king’.

‘I find the psychology behind photography fascinating,’ says Jordan.?‘When it comes to a campaign for a house, everything's got to be spot on. There are stylists coming in, furniture is rearranged, photography and videography are shot professionally and?everything?has?to?be bang on.?However, when it comes to their personal brand, it is?lacking as a whole.?I'm not saying everyone is like that. But when I look?online, I often see?photos that are badly formatted,?outdated?and?stretched out of shape,?or I see?black-and-white?images and?photos missing.?It makes me?wonder what an owner would think if their agent put out a campaign on their house?like?that. It’s not a good look.’

Real estate is not a beauty competition;?it's a trust competition. People are looking to agents as their trusted person to look after their biggest asset,?and what better way than to have a great set of images showing that dependability where they can look upon these people and go, wow, they've really got their stuff together, they look trustworthy.’

For too many agents, marketing themselves is considered an afterthought. Jordan regularly travels the country to photograph some of the industry’s most well-known and best-performing agents, predominantly on referral.?They prioritise their personal brand photography because they know the benefits?of?doing so. He says, ‘They've got clarity around who they are and the image they want to convey to their audience,?and they're very confident in their own personal brand and what they want. They’re very clear about what they want to look like, how they want to show up, what they're wearing and?how the team looks.?They take it [photography] very seriously and understand its value.?Real estate is not a beauty competition;?it's a trust competition. People are looking to agents as their trusted person to look after their biggest asset,?and what better way than to have a great set of images showing that dependability where they can look upon these people and go, wow, they've really got their stuff together, they look trustworthy.’

What signals are you sending?

When it comes to marketing yourself from a visual perspective, ask yourself what you are trying to get across to the community via your photography.?What signals do you want to send??No doubt you will want your photograph to portray you not only as trustworthy but also as someone who cares about?how?they present themselves. Because that suggests you will pay the same level of attention to every property you are entrusted to sell. Furthermore, a buyer is unlikely to trust an agent who doesn’t know who they are.

?‘Many people come to their photo shoot complaining that they?dislike having their photo taken and are negative about the way they look.?To me, it’s?more about having self-respect and?telling yourself,?“I'm going to look my best regardless of how I'm presenting. I'm going to get some new clothes,?and I'm going to turn up and show people that I have confidence."’

One thing all the top agents have in common is their energy. In real estate, the fees we charge correspond with our energy. High energy generates high fees. Flat energy?generates low fees. Any agent who can’t negotiate a good fee is incapable of negotiating a good sale price. Jordan says, ‘Many people come to their photo shoot complaining that they?dislike having their photo taken and are negative about the way they look.?To me, it’s?more about having self-respect and?telling yourself,?“I'm going to look my best regardless of how I'm presenting.?If I'm?carrying a bit more weight than I did 10 years ago,?I’ll?make an effort?to look the absolute best I can as I am now. I'm going to get some new clothes,?and I'm going to turn up and show people that I have confidence."’

If you can relate, ask yourself how your negative self-talk is serving you. Imagine?telling?your owners that you dislike negotiations because you lack?self-confidence. How well do you think that would go down? It’s no different to your self-image and how you’re marketing yourself. Let go of the baggage, invest in some clothes, shoes and a haircut that make you feel great, and give yourself permission to shine in front of the camera.?Because if?your confidence is lacking, it will be evident in your photographs. The energy will be flat.?

Recently, Robyn and I were on the hunt for a large van to house our mobile recording studio.?We visited several car yards and were left feeling underwhelmed when approached by salespeople who had?clearly?paid little attention to their appearance. Their energy was lacking,?making?us?think?that they were unprofessional. We ended up purchasing from a brilliant young saleswoman who was a pleasure to deal with from the moment we entered the car yard. She was professionally dressed, her product knowledge was excellent, and she exuded?so much?confidence and energy?that it was clear she loved what she did and was proud of the brand she represented. I have already referred her name to others.

Marketing you and warming up the data

Compare two agents. One cold?calls?an owner and asks if?they want to sell?their home.?The owner has no idea who they are and, upon searching their name online, finds a clearly out-of-date, grainy black-and-white photograph of them as their profile picture.?The other has taken the time and effort to present a professional image to the market. They have their professionally shot?photograph on billboards within the community, on their website and on social media channels. They have used the same images on flyers they have dropped off in?mailboxes?and have taken the time to warm up the data?and authentically claim more doors than anyone else in the area.?Which agent do you think will be front of mind when an owner is ready to move?

Make personal marketing a team-wide event

If you’re a leader reading this article, consider the moral boost of inviting a professional photographer to photograph the entire team, individually and as a group. Jordan says, ‘A professional photo shoot?is?a real team building?event?and an energy lift?and morale boost?for the team.’

Conclusion

Like it or not, as real estate professionals, we are in the business of marketing ourselves. If you disagree or aren’t comfortable with that idea, perhaps you should ask yourself if you’re in the right profession.?Take your personal brand as seriously as you do any property you sell, and you will go forward in leaps and bounds.

Jordan will be?one of the presenters amongst an extraordinary line-up?at?The?Complete?Leader Conference?at Novotel Brighton Le Sands, Sydney?on?October 24 and 25. To view samples of his work, head to?www.jordanroach.com.au?

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