Trust is the thing. It’s the bomb. It’s the key to success as a real estate agent. You won’t even get the opportunity to serve people unless they feel they can trust you. So work out the logic on that – you should learn how to help people trust you – even before they meet you. Right?
This episode is about that. I’ve been reading the book, “How To Build A Storybrand,” by Donald Miller. It’s an amazing look into the fact that everyone is living out their own story – and those of us who make our living offering services to others need to learn how to understand their stories. When we do, we’ll be able to offer them exactly what they want and need, to their delight.
What’s that got to do with building trust with those who haven’t even met us? Listen to this episode and you’ll find out.
Are you telling a story that makes you the hero? Shame on you (and me)!
Yes, shame on me! I’ve done it myself. We all tend to speak about the things we’ve done to get a win for our clients. We talk about the credentials we’ve earned and the things that make us a better choice than the agent down the street (or in the next office). But there’s a problem with that approach.
Our customers don’t care.
Really, they don’t care. They aren’t interested in those things nearly as much as they are interested in knowing if we understand them and can help them get what they want and need. When you’re able to do that, you are able to build trust with them – which is what enables them to choose you as their real estate agent.
The first place to build trust with people: Your website’s “About” page
The first thing most people do when they are looking to work with a company or individual is to check out their website, right? When they go to YOUR website, what do they find? It might interest you to know that most people visit the “About” page immediately upon landing on your site.
Why is that? They want to know if you are the kind of person they can trust.
Building trust with people is key and sadly, most of us agents don’t know how to do it well. So here’s a bit of homework for you. Go to your own “About” page and read it. Does it make you out to be the greatest thing since sliced bread, or does it resonate with your potential customer’s needs? If you honestly say it’s the first of those options, you have some work to do.
Want to build trust with people? Provide content that shows you “get” them
Building trust with people happens over time, as you consistently communicate your message. So it makes sense to ask, “What message am I communicating?” and “What message SHOULD I be communicating?”
People who are looking for a real estate agent aren’t necessarily looking for the best agent – even though they may say they are. What they are really looking for is a person they believe will best understand their wants and needs and be able to help them meet those wants and needs.
That’s where the content you share on social media, on your blog, via Snapchat needs to demonstrate that you understand homebuyer (and home seller) needs. It’s a subtle shift in your messaging that could make all the difference when it comes to building trust.
Read between the lines to understand how a buyer’s lifestyle will impact their choice of home
How many times do your customers give you an exact description of the type of home they are looking to buy and then wind up buying something that doesn’t match that description at all? It happens a lot. Why? Because there are deeper issues at play, things having to do with lifestyle and way of life that they aren’t totally clear about initially.
Listen to this episode to hear my example of how you can build trust with people by tapping into the lifestyle needs they don’t even know they have. It’s a sure fire way to enable them to trust you more because of the way you care for them in the home buying process.
Outline of this great episode
- [0:35] What consumers crave from Real Estate professionals
- [2:50] Dial-in the 2nd most popular page on your website: About Me
- [3:44] Get it in your head that you are not the hero of the story
- [6:38] Are your content resources ego-driven? If so, you’re alienating your customers
- [7:54] People buy the product/service they understand fastest: Is your message clear?
- [10:40] Do you – identify with what your clients want? Know what homeownership means to them? Know what the consumer wants?
- [13:08] Reading between the lines to discern how a purchaser’s lifestyle influences their buying decision
- [16:27] New agents and stuck agents should ignore this episode for now.
Our sponsors:
- www.EasyAgentPro.com/OJ – please use this link as it solidifies the relationship we have them (both my site and my company’s website are EAP sites… check them out below).
Resources and Links mentioned in this episode
- BOOK: Building A StoryBrand
- Set up the Agent Rise Flash Briefing
- www.TheAgentMarketer.com
- www.IndustrySyndicate.com – lots of real estate podcasts in one place
- To get my 11-question listing presentation tips, text “listing” to 44222
- To contact me about coaching, go to www.neilmathwegcoaching.com and click Send Message.
- If you want to see my website as a REALTOR in Madison Wi go to www.neilmathweg.com
Connect with me!
You can find my personal real estate coaching website here
And connect with me on ANY of the following social channels. I LOVE social!
