The current buzzword in the content sphere? “Authenticity.” This morning two articles dropped in my inbox with the word in the headline. Here’s the thing about authenticity and real estate personal brands: while real estate is an image-based business, you’re not selling an image of yourself. Authenticity is you just being you, a professional real estate agent with your particular core values and beliefs.

Let’s be honest: at the core, almost all real estate agents do the same thing: provide advice and guidance through a real estate transaction. What differentiates you from the 100+ other real estate professionals in your market is your beliefs, values, work ethic, and personality. Being authentic helps your clients connect with you better. People will choose to work with people sharing their traits and beliefs.

What can you do to convey your genuine self through your lead generating marketing program?

1. Stay true to your voice.

There’s a temptation for every real estate professional to try and create this humorous, quirky voice. Not everyone is a comedian. Never force something that isn’t natural to you.  

I’ve worked with real estate professionals with diverse personalities. One that comes to mind is a woman whose family focus came through early in our relationship. Her family-first values, care for others and focus on working hard to set a good example for her children are all traits people relate to.

The result? Her writing voice conveyed warmth, empathy, and love. That’s okay because it’s true to herself. Some people will connect well with her.

2. Invite people into your world

Not everyone understands what a real estate professional does every day. Use social media to tease what you are doing. Many daily tasks are things people can learn from or connect to. Example:

• Who hasn’t had a contractor stand them up before? Talk about how you adapted.
• Lots of people are sprucing up their garden in the spring. Take photos of some plants you picked up for your house to add pops of color.
• Preparing flyers for an open house? Take a picture standing over the copy machine.
• Working at a coffee house? Promote your neighborhood and that you’re a hard-working professional at the same time.

3. Ideas for top performing posts

You’re not really selling real estate, but a lifestyle. Remember that as you post to social media. Time and time again, the top-performing posts I’ve seen real estate agents and brokers publish have to do with places around town. I’m talking about the pretty sunsets, the view from the boat, a park festival, the town mural, eating at a popular restaurant downtown. The wind blowing through the trees. Fall flowers. This stuff resonates with people and it balances out your listing promotion posts. Make these “about town” posts as you go about your work.

Another category I’ve seen work well is when you post with clients. Obviously, you need their permission to share their likeness on social media. I’ve seen real estate professionals share pictures of stopping to get ice cream between home showings and happy pictures celebrating a closing.

Quirky stories resonate with your clientele. One person talked about the alligator stuck in a pool before a showing. Someone else had a crazy triple “love triangle” style buy/sell situation. And the stories don’t always have to be strictly real estate. Remember: selling a lifestyle. Share something that shows the neighborhood’s personality. I remember driving down a south Florida street and seeing an Amish person bicycling with a ladder on their shoulders down the main road.

4. Match content to your style

Some people aren’t writers or readers, and that’s okay.  If you’d rather create a series of 30-second videos to post on your social media, go for it. Some real estate professionals have built careers as influencers by focusing on becoming an expert at podcasting, video posting, Twitter, or Instagram. I personally am not good on camera, but love the written word. It’s all about what works for you. You should never feel like you are forcing social media.

That’s authenticity in a nutshell: you, being you. Don’t overthink it and don’t try to be someone you’re not. Find a marketing style that matches what you like to do and captures your honest voice.