You really should take a few minutes to read your own real estate agent bio today. And then you should do it again every few months.
Research shows that the “about” page is one of the 3 most visited pages on a real estate agent’s website.
The top 3 are the home page, the property search, and the about page.
In other words, your agent bio is important. It contains the information prospective clients want to know so they can decide if you’re the right agent for them.
And yet, far too many agent bios are both boring and uninformative. They’re treated like an after-thought. Some reveal nothing more than the agent’s name and license number. Some are written from canned content. In fact, once when I was researching a client’s competitors, I came across a website with 2 bios in a row that were exactly the same except for the agent’s name.
Why you should read your own real estate agent bio today:
- It might be boring and uninformative!
- It might be outdated.
- It might not reveal your niche.
- It might not reveal the unique skills and aptitudes with which you serve your clients.
- It might not reveal your personality.
- It might not offer any kind of “hook” that allows readers to connect with you. For instance – your hobbies, volunteer activities, or earlier professions.
- It might just be poorly written, and in need of proofreading and editing.
Let’s look a little more closely at those reasons:
Your current real estate agent bio might be boring and uninformative!
If it’s filled with the same tired old platitudes that your prospects have read over and over, it won’t catch anyone’s attention. In fact, it might make them disregard you completely.
You’ve seen those boring bios, I’m sure. Some tell the reader that real estate buyers need an expert guide. Some say the agent is an expert at EVERYTHING. They also include a territory so large that no one could possibly serve all of it well.
In our area, some of them brag about knowing the three northern counties “inside out.” Sure they do. With more than 4,000 square miles, numerous lakes and rivers, and several cities and towns both large and small, they know it all.
The worst of them proclaim the agent to be “honest and ethical.” I don’t know about you, but when someone says that to me, I immediately doubt their honesty!
It might be outdated.
If you’ve been an agent for 15 years and your bio still says 10 years, it’s time for an update. (Hint: When I write bios for clients, I say since whatever year rather than how many years so far.)
I’ve even seen bios that still say why the agent loves working at a brokerage they left a year or more previously.
If you’ve changed brokerages, won awards, been recognized for community service, added a new niche, or expanded your territory, it should be in your bio.
Your real estate agent bio might not reveal your niche.
If you have a niche or two, it should be clear in your bio. No, that doesn’t mean you have to exclude anyone, just that you should point out that you specialize in helping clients with specific needs or types of property.
When someone needs to sell property when they are involved in a divorce or probate proceeding, they want an agent who knows the ropes and can guide them competently. They don’t need someone who knows nothing about it. The same holds true for those who are buying or selling waterfront property, a condominium, a multi-family property, etc.
Don’t you think a first-time buyer would appreciate working with an agent who knows all about the programs available to assist with down payments, etc.? And doesn’t a high-end home seller want an agent who understands the value of the amenities in his or her home?
When you have specialized knowledge, let the world know.
If yours is a geographic niche, let the buyers and sellers know that as well. After all, you’ve studied the market and know the values. You also probably know about new developments coming that will affect values, and you’re sure to know about the services available in the neighborhoods. Let them know that you know!
It might not reveal the unique skills and aptitudes with which you serve your clients.
Your individual skills and aptitudes are what set you apart from other agents and make you the most desirable in the eyes of the right prospects.
You may be an exceptional listener, with the patience to understand your clients’ needs and fears and to answer their questions clearly. You may be a whiz at research, and able to ferret out exactly the right homes for your buyers. Math could be one of your strong skills, so you can help buyers understand the terms and cost of their home loans and help sellers see how different offers will affect their bottom line.
You may have staging skills that you share with clients, or may have a background and skills in construction that you can use to help buyers choose an exceptional builder.
Your real estate bio might not reveal your personality.
We all enjoy people with different types of personalities. Let yours shine through so that you attract those people who will most appreciate you – and whose company you’ll enjoy.
It might not offer any kind of “hook” that allows readers to connect with you. For instance – your hobbies, pets, volunteer activities, or earlier professions.
We are all drawn to people with whom we have something in common. Perhaps it’s because we have something to talk about, or perhaps it’s just because we sense that they are somehow like us.
Perhaps you both come from a certain part of the country, went to school at the same place, started your working life doing the same thing, or share a hobby such as golf – or knitting! Perhaps you both ride horses, or love dogs, or volunteer to teach literacy. Whatever it is, it will create a connection and encourage people to trust you even before you meet in person.
It might just be poorly written, and in need of proofreading and editing.
You may have written it in a hurry, or someone wrote it for you, and it wasn’t properly proofread.
Spelling, word usage, and grammar do matter to prospective clients, so it pays to read your bio carefully and make sure all is well.
If you need a new bio or a bio update, get in touch!
I enjoy learning about what makes agents special – and bringing that information to the world. Visit my real estate bio page at: https://www.copybymarte.com/real-estate-agent-bio/
Niche graphic courtesy of Stuart Miles @free digital images.net