Do people know why anyone should hire you to sell their real estate? Do they know why they need your help in purchasing a home?
Not even just you. Do people know why anyone should hire ANY real estate agent?
That question comes from an interesting conversation I had last week…
Last December I broke my hip, so a couple of weeks ago the surgeon decided I should do physical therapy. Last week I met with the therapist. And boy can that guy talk!
One of the things he talked about was that his mother owns a house in a college town. The house has separate living quarters in the basement, so it has value as both a home to live in and a rental. He knows one day he’ll need to sell it, and he’s decided that since it’s a desirable house, and he would have to have an appraisal for probate, he doesn’t need an agent. An attorney can do the paperwork.
He asked “Why should I spend $60,000 to $100,000 on an agent when I can sell it myself? For that kind of money, I can take a few weeks off work to go there and show it myself.” (Just as an aside – I don’t know prices in that city, but I would be shocked if the house he described would sell for a million or more.)
Are you conveying the value of your service?
I might have tried to convey your value to the physical therapist, had he not been off and running on some other topic before I had the opportunity to answer him. As I said – the man could talk!
As we all know, consumers are asking AI assistants for all sorts of advice. I’ve written you before about becoming “the answer” when prospects ask AI to recommend an agent who serves their niche. But that’s not all they ask.
Chat GPT tells me that prospects also ask questions that boil down to: “Why do I even need an agent?”
Here’s a sample of questions potential sellers ask:
- “Why can’t I just sell my house myself?”
- “Is a Realtor worth the commission?”
- “What does an agent do that I can’t do myself?”
And from potential buyers:
- “What does a buyer’s agent actually do?”
- “Can I get a better deal if I contact the listing agent directly?”
- “What’s the advantage of having my own agent?”
My take on this: Don’t wait for AI to tell home buyers and sellers why they need your services.
Begin today to add copy to your website that clearly demonstrates why the service you provide has value.
Add it to your agent bio. Talk about it in your blog posts. Explain it in your buyer and seller information pages.
Start with your bio…
As ChatGPT told me: Many bios spend hundreds of words proving the agent is experienced, dedicated, award-winning, or passionate. Very few answer the question a consumer is actually asking: “Why am I better off hiring you than handling this myself—or hiring someone else?”
Your agent bio should reveal why your service is valuable to your clients.
Your agent bio should clearly demonstrate your value to your clients. And NOT by simply listing your experience, skills, etc. as above. Instead, it
should show how those skills translate into benefits your clients.
Instead of: “John has been a full-time Realtor for 18 years and has earned multiple industry awards.”
Tell prospective clients that:
“John’s knowledge of the ever-changing local market helps sellers avoid the costly sin of overpricing – a tactic that most often results in weeks on the market and due to buyer perception that there’s something wrong with a house that’s been for sale too long, a final selling price below market value.”
Prospective clients are also interested in a track record that relates to real people.
So instead of saying: “Nancy has been a top-ten producer in this market for the last 20 years.”
Try: “As a result of Nancy’s years of dedication to her clients’ well-being and satisfaction, she is now helping her former clients’ children purchase their own first homes.”
In addition to including this kind of copy in your bio…
To ensure that all visitors are reminded of the value you bring to clients, include such statements and examples in your blog posts and advice articles. And of course, use those blog posts and articles in your social media posts.
Including examples of your value with regularity will serve three purposes:
- It will reinforce the idea that yes, home buyers and home sellers do need guidance and protection from a licensed real estate agent.
- It will help people who have found your website or social media pages realize that YOU are the one they need when buying or selling real estate in a particular neighborhood or niche.
- It will increase your chances of becoming “The Answer” when prospects ask AI which agent in their territory to choose.
Speaking of becoming “The Answer”….
A growing percentage of consumers are now asking AI assistants for advice on everything from the best way to grow strong tomato plants to which real estate agent to choose.
Why? Because when they do a search on Google they get dozens of links that may or may not lead to the answers they need. Wading through them is tedious and time-consuming.
When they ask an AI assistant, they get a specific answer or an assortment of 3 or 4 good choices. Better yet, the reasons why are included in the answer.
I believe that becoming the answer is the future of success in real estate – and in other service professions as well.
That’s why I joined forces with Florian Mopin to create our “Be the Answer” service.
I’m the writer, putting together the words that will attract both AI and your prospects, and Florian is the tech guy, doing the behind-the-scenes tech work that helps AI see you as the best choice.
To discover more about our service, click here. And if you have questions after reading those pages, just ask. You can reach us at: hello@pulse-estate.com or you can write me directly at marte@copybymarte.com.
Biography graphic courtesy of Stuart Miles @ freedigitalphotos.net
