Jess Lenouvel

My Easy Two-Part Formula to Batch 30 Real Estate Content Ideas For Social Media in One Day

August 29, 2024 by Jess Lenouvel

Is coming up with content ideas for social media a constant struggle?

As a busy real estate agent, you’re juggling property showings, client negotiations, and prospecting.

Finding time to consistently create engaging social media content can feel like an impossible task.

You sit down at your computer after a busy day to create content and think:

What on earth should I post today?

If this scenario sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

Many agents struggle to consistently create content their audience loves. Content that gets engagement, and people reaching out asking to work with them.

But here’s the thing:

Content creation is a muscle that you need to grow and develop over time.

The more you do it, the better you get at it. And the more consistent you are with it, the easier it will become.

And that’s where content batching comes in.

Imagine setting aside just one day to create an entire month’s worth of social media content. No more daily scrambling for ideas or feeling guilty about neglecting your online presence.

In this post, I’ll show you a simple two-part formula that will help you batch 30 real estate content ideas for social media in a single day.

By the end, you’ll have a month’s worth of posts ready to go, saving you time and stress while keeping your followers engaged and strengthening your content creation muscle.

Here’s how to reclaim your time, supercharge your social media strategy, and never run out of posts again. 👇🏼

Understand WHO You’re Targeting In Your Content

Before you can start coming up with content ideas, there’s one thing you need first:

You need a clear understanding of who exactly your ideal client is.

Most agents are too general in their marketing.

It’s not enough to say, “I’m a real estate agent in X-City and I want to help you buy or sell your home.”

A zip code is not a niche.

When you try to speak to everyone, you end up speaking to no one.

You have to figure out exactly what WHO it is you want to target with your content.

Are you looking to help couples buy a home to expand their family?

Or maybe people looking to downsize from a home to a condo in your city?

Get specific.

Figure out what demographic you’re targeting in your content so you can speak directly to them and their unique needs.

Conduct Market Research

Once you’ve nailed down your ideal client avatar, your content needs to solve their problems.

A simple rule for creating high-converting content is to stop making it about you.

You’re not making content for yourself or other agents. It’s all for your ideal client.

Forget about what you want to talk about and focus instead on only creating content that your audience wants to hear.

To do this you need to be conducting market research.

Market research allows you to get to understand your clients’ struggles, issues, hesitations, and more.

For example, you can offer free 1-on-1 Zoom interviews. Not only would these allow your prospects to ask you questions, but it also gives you an opportunity to really get to know them.

You’ll get a feel for their pain points and the precise language they use to describe their struggles.

Then, create content made specifically for them by using that same language to phrase your social media posts.

By continually conducting market research, you can be sure your content will always be relevant. Plus, you’ll maintain your connection with your audience.

To get their market research started, we give our members a worksheet of the most powerful market research questions. Join The Listings Lab to receive your copy today.

Two-Part Formula to Create 30 Real Estate Content Ideas

Now that you know your audience and their struggles, start creating your content ideas for social media with this simple two-part formula:

Problems + Solutions = Topics

1. Brainstorm and list 30 client problems.

Start by carving out some time to brainstorm and list 30 client problems.

Look back on your client interviews and let yourself brainstorm freely.

Don’t rush and don’t censor yourself. Just do a full mind dump of every problem and issue your audience has mentioned until you have a list of at least 30 problems.

Each problem becomes the skeleton for a new post.

Now keep in mind – your niche may not have 30 different probelms that you’re qualified to solve, BUT think of each problem in a different perspective to come up with different angles for it to make it it’s own topic!

2. Write down solutions for each client problem.

For every problem on your list, write out a simple solution.

If you’re feeling inspired, write down 2-3 solutions each.

The key here is to make sure these solutions are ones YOU can offer.

By working through this exercise, you’re creating high-level concepts for all of the topics and content that you can create.

Even if your first round of doing this wasn’t great, you can always come back to it later.

Revisit the list with fresh eyes and new perspectives whenever you need to so you never run out of content ideas.

For an in-depth look at how to structure a real estate social media post your audience will love, check out this post: 5 Main Elements Of An Engaging Real Estate Caption For Social Media.

Take It A Step Further: Tie In Your Signature System

In The Listings Lab, we teach agents how to create a signature system.

A signature system is YOUR unique method to get your clients from problem 👉🏼result.

To take the two-step content creation formula further, make sure you tie in your signature system.

As you’re writing out your solutions, think about how you can incorporate your service, positioning it as the answer to their pain points.

How is your system the solution to each of these 30 problems?

Add your answer to your content idea list.

Now, not only are you providing value in your social media posts, you’re also showcasing how your service is the BEST choice to help them get the results they’re looking for.

Schedule a “Content Day” In Your Calendar

Creating 30 content ideas in a day might seem like a daunting task.

However, it’s something you need to prioritize to have a winning content strategy.

By scheduling a content day into your calendar, you can make this task feel more manageable.

Start by blocking off half a day to brainstorm your initial list of client problems.

Then, schedule the second half of your day to be dedicated to writing out the solutions.

You can even split this up over the course of two days if needed.

The key is to take action and just start.

Watching trainings and gathering information is useless if you don’t implement it.

So, make it a point to add time into your calendar and commit to working on your content planning.

Get Yourself Into A Creative Headspace

If you’re struggling with content planning, try getting away from your desk.

Sometimes, the least creative place to be is in your office. That’s where you’re all about business, systems, and closing deals.

It’s okay if you need to pack your laptop and some headphones and get out for the day to get into a more creative headspace.

Head to your favorite café or go work in the park.

Find a place where you can feel relaxed without distractions.

Creating content in a new environment can help stimulate the brain and spark new ideas.

So, find that creative spot, settle in, and let the content ideas flow.

Run Each Post Through A Different “Lens”

When it comes to creating social media posts, one of the biggest things I hear agents say is:

“I can’t do [this topic] again! I’ve already done a post about this!”

But the thing is, you don’t always have to post something new.

In fact, repeating yourself and delivering the same message over and over again is not a weakness. It becomes your strength.

Take the problems + solutions you’ve listed and run them through a different lens to create different post types.

For example, let’s say the problem you’ve brainstormed is as follows. 👇🏼

Problem: Your clients say…

We want to sell our house, but our furniture is outdated. We’re worried about how it will affect our ability to sell!

Maybe you’ve brainstormed the following solution. 👇🏼

Solution: Not to worry! Using my proprietary “Sell With Ease” System, we actually have home stagers come in as part of the process to get your home decor in tip-top shape.

Now, you could turn this content post into multiple post types:

Authority building: Showcase how your signature system, which includes professional staging, solves their problem. This could be an educational carousel post explaining each step of your “Sell With Ease” process.

Social Proof: Share testimonials from past clients who were initially worried about their outdated furniture but had great success selling their homes through your system. This could be a series of quote graphics or short video testimonials.

Storytelling: Create a narrative that takes your audience on a journey. For instance, tell the story of a couple who were hesitant to sell due to outdated furniture, how they discovered your service, and the successful outcome. This could be a longer-form post or even an email campaign.

Behind-the-scenes: Offer a glimpse into your unique process. Share behind the scenes clips in B-Roll of homes before and after your team’s staging efforts, highlighting how this step fits into your overall selling strategy. This could make for a great Instagram reel – you could even add a voice-over!

Tips and Tricks: Provide advice on simple things homeowners can do to complement the professional staging you arrange. This could be a list post of “5 Easy Ways to Prepare Your Home for Staging.”

Myth-busting: Address common misconceptions about selling homes with outdated furniture. Create content debunking myths like “You need to completely refurnish your home to sell”.

By delivering the same information over and over again but in different ways, you’re reinforcing your message and showcasing how your service works and the answer.

Not only will it help bring new clients to your doorstep, it will strengthen your value and your expertise to the people who already follow you.

Maybe a certain topic didn’t connect with them when you shared it before By sharing it again in another way, it gives your audience another opportunity to connect with your content.

When you follow this formula, you’ll have a solid base of 30 or more real estate posts for social media.

Then, all you have left to do is schedule your posts and show up in your stories.

With time, content planning will become much easier, more fun, and less of a mental drain.

Ready to start signing consistent deals from social media each month?

Click here to book a FREE call with our team and let’s chat about how to turn social media into your #1 lead generation tool for your real estate business.

Email Marketing for Realtors: A Complete Guide to Everything You NEED to Know

August 22, 2024 by Jess Lenouvel

How much time are you ACTUALLY spending on building and nurturing your email list?

If your answer is not that much, it’s time to reevaluate your approach.

Many realtors underestimate the impact a good email marketing strategy can have on your business.

The reality is your email marketing can be even more important than the ads you run.

Ads might lead people to follow you, but what then?

Your email list is your direct line to past and potential clients.

It’s the key factor to nurturing those clients into buying or selling through you – whether it’s for the first time, or as a repeat client.

Today, I’m going to give you a complete guide to email marketing for real estate agents. I’ll cover everything you need to know – from common mistakes realtors make to expert advice on creating a successful strategy.

Let’s get into it, shall we?

Recognizing the Importance of Email Marketing

When you look at your marketing strategy as a whole, your email list is an important, critical piece to that puzzle.

All roads in your sales funnels should lead to capturing an email.

For example, if you offer a lead magnet, people should opt-in to receive it through an email sign-up.

And when you’re considering what to post on social media, make sure you’re thinking about how to migrate your social media followers over to your email list. You can do this by regularly mentioning your lead magnets and promoting them in your posts.

I’ve taken this advice myself and have been very intentional with how I’ve built my online audiences. I have far more email subscribers than social media followers on any other platform.

Why?

Because every part of your marketing strategy across all platforms should come down to capturing emails.

Building and maintaining your email marketing is incredibly important for real estate agents.

Here are the top three reasons why you need to start prioritizing your email marketing:

1. It’s the only list you actually own.

How many times in the past few years have Instagram and Facebook crashed?

Social media is a great way to connect and interact with your audience. However, it’s entirely unpredictable.

You can do everything right and the algorithm can still choose to limit or ban your posts from your audience.

Or you can get hacked and lose your following overnight.

The people on your email lists made the decision to hear from you.

This gives you direct access to your audience without needing to rely on an untrustworthy algorithm.

2. It’s where people have the most attention span.

If you’ve been here a while, you’ve heard me talk about omnipresence.

Omnipresence is maintaining and holding your audience’s attention in multiple places. It gives your audience the impression that you’re everywhere at once.

Your audience is likely to pay closer attention to emails than any other platform.

By appearing in their inbox regularly, you create that sense of omnipresence. You’re top of mind at all times with your audience.

Then, when they open your email, they are intently focused on your message – especially compared to platforms like Instagram and TikTok where they may be aimlessly scrolling.

This focused attention makes email a powerful tool in your omnipresence strategy, giving you a direct line to your most engaged audience members.

3. It has the highest open rates.

When you consider the reach of all the marketing platforms, nothing comes close to email.

Emails allow you to connect with a significant portion of your audience, consistently.

If your emails contain valuable, relevant, and engaging content, your open rate should average around 40%.

That’s considerably more than the 5-10% of people who see your content through social media.

As real estate agents, using your email list to its full extent can have a huge impact on your business.

Effective email marketing keeps you connected with your audience, establishing credibility and maintaining your relevance.

Common Mistakes Realtors Make with Email Marketing

In all my years mentoring agents, I’ve noticed a pattern of mistakes realtors make in their email marketing.

Here are some common mistakes you might be making with your email marketing and tips for how you can better nurture your email list.

Only Doing One Newsletter Per Month

One monthly newsletter isn’t nearly enough to nurture your email list effectively.

Thirty days is plenty of time for people to forget what they last read from you.

Plus, because newsletters are often formatted with images and graphics, they often get filtered into the promotions tab or even spam.

Monthly newsletters are an old-school, traditional approach to email marketing that we don’t teach in The Listings Lab.

Instead, the best way to nurture your audience is to aim for 2-3 touch points per week.

But if this feels like too much, send at least one weekly email, with some additional touch points over social media and/or texting.

This way, you’re always top of mind for your ideal client. Frequent, consistent emails mean you’ll be the first person they think of when they’re ready to buy or sell.

Not Changing with the Times

Many times, we do things a certain way just because it seems to be how everyone else is doing them.

This is particularly true in email marketing. You see other real estate agents sending emails and think, “I guess that’s how I should do my emails, too!”.

However, most of these strategies tend to be rooted in traditional email marketing rather than how to nurture a modern-day email list.

Simply copying what everyone else is doing won’t cut it anymore.

You need to be intentional about how you engage with your audience and be innovative in your approach.

Not Including Personal Content in Your Emails

The average person moves every eight and a half years.

If your emails only talk about real estate, you won’t be relevant to a large portion of your email list.

And this lack of connection leads to a higher unsubscribe rate.

By including personal content, you keep people interested and engaged.

Your stories and updates make your emails more relatable and maintain your connection with your audience. When you add that human touch, you stay relevant to your whole audience – from the family looking to upgrade next year to the couple who just settled into their new home.

Only Doing Random Acts of Marketing

Another mistake I see realtors making in their email marketing is what I call random acts of marketing.

This is when you’ve built an email list but haven’t done anything with it in a while – or maybe even at all.

Then, when business becomes slow, you blast your entire list with marketing emails out of the blue.

Don’t just email them when you want something from them! Instead, you want to consistently nurture your subscribers.

One way to do this is through an automated nurture funnel.

Set up a sequence of automated emails that go out to your list regularly to keep your audience informed, engaged, and feeling valued.

Which brings us to…

No Automation or Consistency

If you don’t have automation, you won’t have consistency.

And without consistency, you’re missing a key step in creating omnipresence.

When people see you regularly in their inbox – regardless of whether they open your emails or not – you’re still building that sense of omnipresence.

You’re still forming that top-of-mind awareness.

When your email marketing is automated, it’s easier to keep up the level of consistency you need to keep yourself at the forefront of your audience’s mind.

Not Being Niche-Specific

Treating your email list with generalized content is the best way to increase your audience churn.

It’s so important to know who you’re talking to and exactly what they need to hear from you.

By not being niche-specific, you’re sending out content that isn’t relevant to a portion of your audience.

And not being relevant is the fastest way to turn your audience off.

Not Segmenting Your Email Lists

The last common mistake I see real estate agents making in their email marketing is not segmenting their email lists.

Segmenting your lists shows you have a profound understanding of your audience, their wants, their problems, and their needs.

For example, you should always know who the active buyers in your lists are.

These are the people who need more sales-driven content.

However, by sending sales emails to people who aren’t buying or selling, you lose your relevance.

Your emails become annoying and instantly get deleted, or worse, recipients unsubscribe altogether.

Instead of bombarding your entire list with sales content, segment your list based on where they are in their customer journey.

➡️ READ: Customer Journey In Real Estate: The Secret To Having 100s Of Leads Reaching Out Each Year

How to Grow Your Email List for Real Estate Agents

Once you’ve nailed your process for email marketing, you’re ready to take it to the next level.

It’s time to grow your email list. Here are five effective ways to do just that:

1. Your Methodology Guide

In The Listings Lab, we teach agents to create a lead magnet that details their signature methodology.

This guide is your biggest asset. It shows exactly how you address your audience’s pain points and solve their problems with your signature system.

By creating a landing page for your lead magnet, you’ll have one main hub to drive audience traffic to across all of your platforms.

2. Your Facebook Lead Forms

If you’re running paid ads, everything should always lead to an email capture form. Facebook lead forms streamline the process of building your email list. They allow users to provide their email address and opt into your lead magnet directly within Facebook, without needing to visit an external website.

3. Audience Swaps

Collaborations and interview swaps are probably the fastest and easiest way to grow your email list.

This works by finding complementary communities – people who have the same niche as you but offer different services.

Then, you swap audiences for a day – think Instagram story takeovers, free trainings, or podcast interviews.

The goal is to share your expertise with an audience similar to yours to grow your own following.

And, of course, capture those valuable emails along the way!

4. Open House Opt-ins

Although I wouldn’t expect much growth from this tactic, gathering email addresses during your open houses is still a valid way to grow your email list when done right.

5. Website Registrations

While websites don’t convert as high as they once did, it’s still valuable to have email sign-up forms on your website.

Your email list should be your largest audience. It takes priority over any of your social media followings.

Make sure you’re consistently making time to grow and nurture it.

Email Marketing for Realtors FAQs

Even knowing common mistakes to avoid and tips to grow your email lists, email marketing for realtors can be tricky.

Here are some of the most common questions real estate agents have about email marketing to help you clear up any lingering confusion.

How do you deal with unsubscribes?

Unsubscribes are a part of email marketing. There’s no avoiding them.

When your list is small, a few unsubscribes can feel like a drastic change. However, as you grow your list, those numbers will feel less significant.

The main point to remember is unsubscribes happen because of a lack of relevancy.

If your email content doesn’t resonate with your audience, they’re going to leave.

Your messaging needs to constantly be evolving. Understand your niche, stay on top of your market and the buying cycle, and adapt your content accordingly.

This helps keep your emails relevant which keeps YOU relevant to the people reading them.

Writing emails takes so long. How can you save time?

The easiest way to save time when writing emails is to repurpose your content.

Your top-performing content – particularly when it’s long-form – makes the best emails.

Don’t worry about your audience seeing the same content twice. People consume so much content on a daily basis that they won’t notice.

Pull from content you’ve posted to your Facebook group, Instagram, or blog. Think of anything that has generated high engagement.

Once you’ve chosen your content, the majority of it is already written for you.

It’s just a matter of rewording existing content into email format.

Put it all together to form a greatest hits collection of your best work to form your email nurture sequence.

Just remember to keep updating your sequence with fresh, high-performing content.

This way, your emails stay relevant and keep your audience engaged.

What’s The Difference Between a Database and an Email List?

Your database is made up of your past clients and leads you know personally.

Your marketing email list consists of people who have opted in to receive your emails. These are usually cold to warm leads who need more nurturing.

The way you interact with each of these lists will differ.

For your database, you can be more casual and more intimate as you slowly nurture them towards repeats and referrals.

But, with your email list, you need to take the time to slowly take them through the nine-point psychological journey – i.e. your real estate sales funnel.

Again, this is where relevancy comes into play.

You have to be intentional with what you choose to put in front of each group.

And if you don’t currently have an email list, this is your sign to start building one now.

Your database will churn 20% conversion every eight and a half years. Meanwhile, your email list brings new people into your following every day.

This is why bringing in new people and being omnipresent in front of new people becomes so important.

The Ultimate Goal of Email Marketing

The main goal of email marketing for real estate agents is to build a strong foundation of deals through organic marketing.

Then, when you’re closing enough deals you can start running paid ads.

Paid traffic will help your email list grow even faster while boosting your organic social media following, too.

Sometimes we’re limited to the size and quality of our audiences.

For example, someone with a complimentary audience of 100,000 followers isn’t necessarily going to want to collaborate with you if your audience is too small.

It won’t be an equal exchange.

People will ask about your email list size, how often you clean it, and your open rate.

These are the metrics people will want to know before even considering collaborating with you.

But with a larger following, you’ll gain access to bigger complimentary audiences to collaborate with and expand your reach even more.

The more you grow your email list, the more your audience growth compounds across all platforms. You open doors to bigger opportunities. You’ll start bringing in more deals as your momentum multiplies.

By maintaining and nurturing an intentional email list you will always be top of mind and relevant – both to past clients and potential prospects.

In The Listings Lab, we give our members an 12-month email marketing sequence. These templates are proven to maintain your omnipresence and make it easier to turn prospects into loyal clients.

Ready to master digital marketing so you can turn strangers into clients?

Join the thousands of agents who have taken control of their lead generation with our proven marketing strategy.

Click here to book a FREE call with our team and let’s chat about how The Listings Lab can help you dominate your local market and consistently land high-value listings.

“How’s the Real Estate Market?”: How To Answer In A Way That Builds Your Authority

August 15, 2024 by Jess Lenouvel

The #1 question real estate agents get asked is: “How’s the real estate market?”

And this is one question that never fails to drive me CRAZY.

Why? Because ‘the market’ doesn’t exist.

And if you give someone an immediate response, you’re doing it wrong.

You can’t treat large geographic areas with entirely different trends, conditions, and patterns as one uniform thing.

Lumping them together doesn’t serve your clients. Giving a generic answer to this question does a disservice to your clients while undermining your expertise as an agent.

Now, let’s get into exactly why this is a bad question. Plus, I’ll share some strategies for answering it to build your authority and elevate your perceived value in the eyes of potential clients.

Understand That “The Market” Doesn’t Exist

Asking, “How’s the real estate market?’ is too general to provide any useful information to potential clients.

There is no such thing as “the market.”

The sooner you can shift your mindset to accept that, the sooner you can serve your audience at a higher level.

In any area there isn’t just one market. Instead, there are a ton of “micro markets”.

Think of micro markets this way:

New York City isn’t one market.

The Upper West Side and The Meatpacking District are completely different worlds, with distinct trends, buyer profiles, and property values.

Another way to think of micro markets is by demographic, like first-time buyers or downsizers.

Both are looking to buy a home but the problems and desires they are looking to solve with a home purchase are vastly different.

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer that will serve every micro market as a whole.

To provide the best value to your audience, you need to look deeper than just the general ‘market.’

Ask Better Questions To Get Better Answers

Now that you understand that ‘the market’ doesn’t exist, how are you supposed to answer when a client asks?

Let’s say a potential client asks you…

“How do you think the rate drop is going to impact the market in the next year?”

or “What percentage have homes on the market increased in my city?”

Instead of just giving a generic real estate answer, I want you to really start to think about how to answer these questions differently.

Answer their question with BETTER questions.

Asking how home prices have increased in their city isn’t going to get your clients the information they’re really looking for.

Any answer you give will be too generalized and too broad.

Instead, use their question as a way to dive deeper into the conversation and get to know them better.

Ask them things like:

What’s their budget for buying?
What neighborhood are they looking to purchase in?
What kind of home are they looking for?
Are they planning to upsize or downsize?

All of these questions break down the bigger questions to get to the answers they actually need.

The real value of asking better questions will come from understanding the specifics of your audience’s desires.

By digging deeper, you provide answers specific to their micro market and start building a genuine relationship.

And when you stop giving generic answers like, “There’s never a bad time to buy or sell!” you start to come from a place of genuine service. You demonstrate that you’re truly focused on understanding and meeting your clients’ unique needs, rather than just making a sale.

Niche Down to Serve Your Micro Market

The most important step in doing a market report is to have it be niched down.

Market reports are intended to help your audience understand what’s going on so they can make the best possible decision.

When you work with a generalized market report, you’re giving them averages.

Nobody can make good decisions off of averages. They need specifics.

When you stop thinking in such broad generalizations and start asking specific questions, you’ll find the answers your clients need.

The first thing you have to do is figure out what micro market you’re speaking to.

Is your audience based in downtown Nashville?

Pull a market report specifically for that small section of the city.

Or is your audience empty-nesters looking to downsize to a condo in Nashville?

Broaden your location search, but specifically pull reports on Nashville condos.

By niching down to focus on specific micro markets, your market reports will give you numbers that are relevant to your audience.

This helps them make informed decisions, which in turn, builds trust in your expertise.

Start Interpreting Data, Not Reporting It

Reports based on micro markets answer the question, ‘How does this impact YOU?’

It’s up to YOU to show your audience what all those numbers mean for them in THEIR specific situation.

It’s the interpretation of the data that’s the most important.

Too many agents use the market report straight from their brokerage without modifying it to fit their niche.

The key is people don’t want to look at the numbers and have to figure it out themselves.

That’s your job.

It’s up to you to market and sell services that get them the results they want.

Become an expert advisor and get specific.

Distill down the data so it’s relevant to different segments of your audience’s needs.

This way, your audience feels like the market report you created was made just for them.

Build Your Authority

If you’ve been in the real estate industry for a while, you might remember when real estate agents were the gatekeepers of information.

Once you got your real estate license, you got access to exclusive information on things like listings and sold prices. Consumers had to go through you to access any meaningful real estate data or market insights.

That is not the case anymore. We need to stop operating on old-school terms.

Everyone has access to information.

A simple Google search will tell you all of the properties listed in your area.

The only value that we have is to be the expert authority on interpreting the information.

You need to be able to give specifics and tell your audiences exactly what they need to know.

If you want your leads to convert, it’s all about going deeper.

Just posting an infographic of a brokerage market report to your social media is not going to create trust.

So, the next time a prospect asks you, “How’s the real estate market?” I don’t want you to answer like a practiced salesperson.

Instead, start with a few questions about them and their location.

Get to know them really well.

Then, give them honest answers based on data about the conditions of their specific micro market.

The majority of other real estate agents are posting generic old-school reports.

This leaves you with the opportunity to create value, build your authority, and truly stand out.

So, remember, there’s no such thing as ‘the market’. It’s time to stop spewing information as if there is.

Sweeping generalizations are too broad to provide actionable insights for your audience.

Instead, niche down and serve your micro market.

By focusing on specifics, you offer real value to your clients.

You become THE authority for your audience with data that speaks directly to them.

This approach builds trust and leaves your clients feeling as if your services were made only for them.

Want more tips about how to best serve your market? Want to stay up to date with all things real estate marketing? Join our Facebook group to get first dibs on high-value trainings for real estate agents.

Facebook Page vs Profile: Which One Is Better For Real Estate Agents?

August 6, 2024 by Jess Lenouvel

So you’re a real estate agent who wants to start using Facebook to get more business…

But you’re not sure if you need a Facebook Business Page or if you should just stick to using your Facebook personal profile?

I’ve been asked this question thousands of times by members of The Listings Lab, so I’ve got answers!

Stick around to keep reading about how you should be using your Facebook personal profile and Facebook business page for optimal results.

If you haven’t been getting any leads on Facebook, don’t worry…

I’ll also be giving you some tips on how to optimize your Facebook profile to turn it into a conversion machine.

Let’s go!

Facebook Business Page For Real Estate Agents

When many real estate agents decide they want to use Facebook to market their services, they go ahead and create a Facebook Business Page.

They start posting content there, but quickly realize it’s very difficult to gain traction.

Their posts are getting next to no reach or engagement.

They start to wonder…

Is Facebook even worth it for real estate?

Here’s the deal…👇🏼

Out of all of the social platforms, your Facebook Business Page is always going to have the lowest reach.

This doesn’t necessarily mean your content is bad. It might perform very well on a platform like Instagram or even your Facebook personal profile.

Most people are using their Facebook Business Pages to run paid ads. Therefore, organic content doesn’t do very well there. It’s very much a “pay to play” game when it comes to your Facebook page.

Facebook Personal Profile For Real Estate Agents

Your Facebook Personal Profile, on the other hand, is usually going to have much better reach.

Because personal profiles aren’t aimed at businesses (who Facebook wants to run ads!) you’re able to have your community see your posts, without being restricted by low reach.

You might be thinking:

But won’t only my FB friends see my posts, rather than other people from my audience/newsfeed?

And yes – that’s right.

But here’s what you need to remember.👇🏼

You can add up to 5,000 Facebook friends.

That’s a lot of people! You can build a solid network on Facebook with the right strategies.

For example, if you’re active in different neighborhood Facebook groups, you can network there and then add friends with members once you’ve built up some rapport.

I talk about this strategy in my post: 5 Unique Real Estate Marketing Ideas To Grow Your Audience.

So…Should Realtors Use A Facebook Business Page Or Personal Profile?

Now you might be wondering:

If reach is so low on my Facebook Business page, is it even worth having one? Or should I just stick to using my Facebook personal profile?

Even though you shouldn’t expect to get much traction on your Facebook Business page, I still recommend having one.

It’s not a question of whether you should have a Facebook Business page or a Facebook personal profile. You should have BOTH. However, the way you use these two marketing channels is very different.

Think of your Facebook Business page as more of a website. It should house all of your important information and be optimized in case someone searches for it.

It’s also important to set this up as you’ll need it when you decide to run Facebook ads for your real estate business.

Even if you don’t plan on running ads now, you want to have this set up for when you decide to run them in the future.

Your Facebook personal profile should also be optimized, and it’s the place where you want to focus on posting organic content.

You can then use your Facebook personal profile as a networking tool. You can add friends who seem like they would be in your target market, whether that’s from Facebook Groups or local searches.

When they accept your friend request, they’ll then begin seeing your content, nurturing them , nurturing them into potential leads, and building your real estate network organically.

How To Optimize Your Facebook Personal Profile For Conversions

You want to start thinking of your Facebook Personal profile as a mini sales funnel.

Start asking yourself:

What do my ideal clients need to see in order to be ready to hire me?

Most agents don’t do this.

In fact, their social profiles are actually set up to attract other agents.

Remember how I said you can add up to 5,000 friends on Facebook?

If you have 1,000 friends who are other agents, you’re using up precious space that could be reserved for other potemtial clients.

You need to switch your mindset and start viewing your Facebook personal profile as a place to attract and convert CLIENTS – not share memes and get laughs from other agents.

So how do you do that?

It starts with optimizing your profile.

Here are the three elements a perfectly-optimized profile must have.

Niche-focused cover photo of you (relaxed and personable) that’s not a headshot
Value Proposition statement clearly displayed
Value-driven call-to-action

Let’s take a look at an example from one of our successful members of The Listings Lab!

Niche-focused cover photo of you

As you can see, Ashley’s cover photo is perfectly optimized for her ideal client. Rather than choosing a stuffy, corporate headshot, she’s chosen one where she appears friendly and approachable. She’s relaxed and smiling, inviting her ideal client in to learn more.

Value Proposition statement clearly displayed

Ashley’s value proposition is clearly displayed on the right side of her cover photo. In one simple sentence, she shares *exactly* how she helps her ideal client. She also showcases her signature system – the Alignment method.

Value-driven call-to-action

Ashley’s call to action is one of the first things you see when you land on her profile. Her CTA directs us to download her free guide, which serves as a valuable lead magnet to attract and engage potential clients while showcasing her expertise.

BONUS: Your Location

This might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many agents forget to include their location in their Facebook personal profile or Instagram bio.

This is a key piece of information that tells ideal clients whether or not you can help them. Don’t overlook it!

Together, all of these pieces tell your ideal clients whether or not they should follow you.

Remember, you only have three seconds for someone to decide whether or not you’re from them. With these three elements optimized, your ideal clients will decide you’re worth the follow and then begin consuming your content.

Your content will then nurture them into becoming potential clients, building trust and establishing your expertise in their minds over time.

Leveraging Facebook effectively as a real estate agent requires a strategic approach using both your personal profile and business page. While your business page serves as an information hub and a platform for future ad campaigns, your personal profile is your primary tool for organic reach and networking.

By implementing these strategies, you can transform your Facebook presence into a powerful lead-generation tool. It’s not about choosing between a personal profile or a business page – it’s about using both effectively to grow your real estate business.

Want more resources on how to use social media platforms to generate consistent leads each month?

Join The Listings Lab Community on Facebook to get first dibs on high-value, weekly trainings on how to leverage digital marketing to skryrocket your business growth. 🚀

10 Biggest Mistakes I Made As A Real Estate Agent

July 24, 2024 by Jess Lenouvel

One of the fastest ways to succeed in real estate is to learn from others’ mistakes.

And trust me, I’ve made plenty! From limiting mindsets to leadership growing pains and marketing mishaps, I’ve experienced it all.

But these struggles aren’t unique. Through my mentorship programs, I’ve guided thousands of agents through similar challenges. Many have gone on to build thriving multi-6 and 7-figure businesses by avoiding these common pitfalls.

Let’s get into the ten biggest lessons I’ve learned from my real estate business so you can sidestep these mistakes and accelerate your success.

1. Listening to advice from mentors who didn’t align with my vision.

Too many agents follow the advice from mentors before asking themselves:

“Do they actually have the life I want?”

I was guilty of this, too.

I built my real estate business up to 7-figures, but it drained the life out of me. In part, because a lot of the people I followed at the time preached a “hustle” mindset.

When I was on the verge of burnout, I made a conscious decision to do things differently.

I realized the importance of aligning myself with mentors who embodied the lifestyle I truly desired.

This shift in perspective was crucial for rebuilding my business in a way that actually enhanced my life, rather than depleting it.

2. Not letting go of team members who weren’t a good fit soon enough.

One of the most important parts of leadership is having the courage to have difficult conversations. Equally important is being radically honest when something (or someone) isn’t a good fit.

I made the mistake of holding onto team members even when I knew they weren’t right for the role, thinking it was kinder to keep them on. I avoided having uncomfortable conversations about their performance, because I wanted them to like me.

These people-pleasing tendencies had a negative ROI on my business.

Don’t let your desire to be liked be greater than your desire to do what’s best for the business.

Remember that you are not your business. So rather than get caught up in your personal feelings, try to stay honest and objective about what’s working – and what’s not.

3. Only advertising listings and thinking that’s enough to bring in a steady stream of clients.

I fell into the trap of relying too heavily on ‘just listed’ and ‘just sold’ social media posts, believing this was enough to attract clients.

By relying on just listings, I wasn’t differentiating myself from other agents.

Instead of just showcasing properties, a more effective strategy involves storytelling, getting creative with content formats, and sharing detailed case studies of client experiences.

By focusing on the human element and the value you bring, you can create more engaging content that resonates with your ideal clients and distinguishes you as the go-to in your market!

4. Being a generalist instead of niching down.

In the beginning, I tried to be all things to all people, spreading myself too thin and diluting my message.

By not specializing in a specific demographic, I struggled to stand out in a crowded market.

When you niche down, everything becomes easier.

Your marketing becomes more powerful, drawing in perfect-fit clients.

You start getting more referrals, because people know exactly who it is you help.

Your processes and systems become smoother because you’re not trying to offer a million different service packages.

Remember, in real estate, being known for something specific is far more valuable than trying to be everything to everyone.

Struggling to figure out your real estate niche?

Check out this blog I wrote for some inspiration on profitable real estate niche ideas!

5. Chasing money instead of working with clients and on projects that brought joy and fulfillment.

I used to chase money at all costs. I’d take on any client, any deal just to fuel my ego and my bank account.

But working with anyone and everyone only led to burnout and dissatisfaction.

If you want to build a business that’s not just profitable but sustainable, it’s time to start being selective with the clients you take on.

When you work with clients who align with your values and goals, you’ll find yourself more energized, creative, and successful in the long run.

6. Spending ad budget without a systematized plan.

Ads are now a huge part of my marketing strategy. But when I first started out in real estate, I wasted money on ineffective ads and boosting posts randomly without a strategy.

And I see SO many real estate agents who make the same mistake.

Here’s what you need to know. 👇🏼

Ads are not a magic bullet. You have to validate your messaging and organic content first before jumping into the paid game.

Go in with a strategic plan rather than thinking that boosting random posts is going to build a successful business.

7. Being a control freak and afraid to delegate tasks to my team.

One of the biggest mistakes I made as a real estate agent was thinking no one could do the job as well as I could.

My perfectionism and lack of trust in others led me to micromanage and take on WAY too much.

I was very much caught up in the “lone wolf” mentality and it ended up stunting my business growth and leading to burnout.

If you find yourself falling into these limiting beliefs, remind yourself it IS possible to find a team of A-Players who will treat your business like their own.

Learning to delegate and trust your team is the only way to scale your business to 7 figures – without it consuming your life.

8. Not prioritizing building my personal brand.

In the early days, I made the mistake of hiding behind my business instead of showing up as my authentic self. I rarely showed my face in my content and was terrified of making videos.

I convinced myself it didn’t matter – my clients only followed me for real estate advice, right?

This approach held me back and stunted my growth.

Without a strong personal brand as an agent – you will always struggle to stand out in a competitive market.

Once I pushed past my fear and started putting myself out there – showing up on video, sharing my story, and demonstrating my knowledge – everything changed.

I attracted more clients who resonated with my approach, and my business grew faster than ever.

Building a personal brand might initially feel uncomfortable, but the results are so worth it.

9. Not being decisive enough in making important decisions.

I often found myself in a state of indecision, trying to keep all options open.

This led to missed opportunities and wasted energy.

In business, money loves speed.

Learning to make quick, confident decisions – whether it’s a resounding yes or a firm no – is key for capitalizing on opportunities and maintaining momentum.

Decisive action speeds up results, accelerating both your learning AND earning. 💰

10. Spending too much time on busy work instead of my zone of genius.

It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day tasks that keep you busy but don’t move the needle in your business. This is a mistake I see real estate agents make all the time – and it held me hostage for far too long.

Identifying your strengths and the activities that yield the highest return on investment is key.

Focus on these high-impact activities and delegate or eliminate the rest.

Learn more about how to find the needle-moving tasks in this post where I show you how to do an energy audit. 👇🏼

READ: Why Energy Management Is More Important Than Time Management For Real Estate Agents

These mistakes cost me years of stress and thousands of dollars – but you don’t have to repeat them.

Avoiding these common mistakes real estate agents make is key to building a sustainable, profitable business.

If you’re ready to ditch the hustle mentality and fast-track your success, let’s talk.

Book a call with our team today to see how The Listings Lab can help you sidestep these pitfalls and create the real estate business you’ve always wanted.

How To Plan Your Real Estate Goals: From Long-Term Vision to Daily Action

July 18, 2024 by Jess Lenouvel

Does this sound familiar?

“I’m not on track to complete any of the big goals I planned for this year.”

How about this?

“I’m not sure what I need to focus on or what I need to be working on.”

Many real estate agents feel this way at some point as they scale their businesses.
But there’s one tool you can use to overcome the uncertainty:

Intentional goal setting.

Start by envisioning your long-term goals.

Paint a clear picture of where you ultimately want to be in ten years.

Then, the real magic happens when you break your 10-year goal down into smaller, more manageable goals – 3-year, 1-year, and quarterly increments.

This way, you have clear, actionable steps that move you closer to making that 10-year vision a reality.

So, step away from uncertainty and gain clarity over your real estate goals with a definitive and effective plan for success.

Here’s how!

Setting Long-Term Goals As A Real Estate Agent

I’ve seen far too many agents who only focus on the now and neglect future goals.

Realtors get trapped in a cycle of always chasing after the next deal – instead of planning long-term.

This kind of short-term thinking can make it nearly impossible to reach your vision.

If you don’t have a map for where you want to go, how can you possibly expect to get there?

This is why you need clarity in your vision.

Ask yourself, where do you see your business 10 years from now?

By having the vision piece clear, you can set actionable goals to hit your 10-year targets.

That vision of what you want your life to look like ten years from now drives how you set your goals.

Your goals then drive all of your planning.

Once you’ve planned how you’ll reach your goals, your planning dictates your resources and how they get allocated.

Then, the resources you allocate drive your execution.

Do you need to outsource certain things? Get more training for yourself? How are you going to use your time?

Finally, your execution will always directly influence your results.

The key to all of this comes back to: Do you really know what you want?

Do you know where you want to be ten years from now?

So many agents are short-sighted in their thinking. It’s time to think beyond what you want to achieve this year.

Instead, start thinking about what you’re building towards with your long-term vision.

Is what you’re doing pushing you closer or further away from that ultimate dream?

Breaking Down Your 10-Year Vision

Once you’re clear on where you want your real estate business to be in ten years, don’t get distracted by shiny things along the way.

You need a clear path that leads you to your 10-year vision. Then, you must rigorously follow it without veering off track.

Start by breaking that 10-year vision down into three-year increments.

Identify the priorities that need to happen to reach that first three-year milestone.

Then put tasks in place to reach that goal.

These three-year milestones become your map to reach your final destination.

To gain clarity on your 3-year targets, there are a few things you want to consider:

Your Finances

By the end of your first three-year milestone, where do you want to be from a revenue standpoint?

What’s your profit?

How much do you have in savings?

Do you have passive income streams built out?

Think of your finances as a whole – not just your business, but your whole life.

How are you building your business to support the lifestyle you want?

Your Team Structure

You can’t be a solo agent forever if you want to build a 7-figure real estate business.

“Trying to” will only lead to burnout.

So, in three years, are you still a solo agent?

If not, how are you going to build a real estate team?

Additionally, part of creating your team structure comes from deciding if you thrive in a more visionary or operational role.

Think about how you want to fit into your team.

Do you prefer to be knee-deep in operations or are you a visionary who loves coming up with ideas and planning for the future?

Having a clear understanding of this will help you build a high-performing team that keeps you in your zone of genius!

Your Time Off

Finally, consider how much time you want to spend working.

Clarity in terms of money and finances is one thing.

But it’s important to remember not to get so caught up in hitting your revenue milestone that you forget to take time off.

How much do you want to be working per week?

Are you working a full 8-hour day or a 3-hour day?

How much vacation time do you have without your phone or laptop, completely off the grid?

Considering these factors – your work hours, daily schedule, and vacation time – is crucial.

They’re just as important as financial goals in creating a balanced and sustainable business.

Which brings us to this important reminder:

Your Goals Can’t Just Be Monetary

Success in real estate involves more than just financial gains.

I firmly believe that people who allow their work to bleed into their personal lives have a lower chance of being successful.

Instead, you put yourself at a higher risk of burnout.

The reality is it’s not all about the grind 24/7.

Instead, set boundaries on your work hours and use your limited time to work on the most needle-moving tasks.

Then, you’ll have more energy to actually move closer to your goals for your real estate business.

So, how does limiting your work hours factor into your 3-year plan?

Create Your Ideal Schedule

As a real estate agent, when setting your 3-year goals, think about your ideal schedule.

Map out an entire week of what your ideal day should look like in three years.

Do you want to be able to drop off and pick up your kids from school every day – and do super focused work in between?

Do you want to have someone else running the day-to-day of your operations?

Do you want to divide your weekly workload into types of tasks that you can focus on each day?

Mapping out your ideal week helps you visualize and work towards a business that lets you put your life first.

These set the foundation of your 3-year plan for your real estate business.

With them, you can craft the building blocks to make your 3-year plan a reality.

Then, you’ll have deeper clarity to gauge whether you’re on track to reach your 10-year goals.

Planning Your Annual Goals As A Realtor

Now that you have your 3-year real estate business goals planned, it’s time to plan your annual goals.

Just like your 10-year plan, your 3-year plan also gets broken down into thirds – which become your 1-year goals.

Your 1-year goals should be mainly focused on where you want your revenue, profit, and personal pay to be.

How many transactions do you need to hit those targets?

How do you plan to find the leads you need to fulfill your money goal?

Really think about what exactly you need to be focused on in the next year for you to reach your 3 and 10-year goals.

Then, identify what your annual goals should look like.

Achieve Your Goals By Setting Quarterly Rocks

The next step is to set your quarterly rocks in your 90-day plans.

The Quarterly Rocks Analogy was created by Gino Wickman to symbolize the importance of prioritizing your 90-day goals.

It works like this:

Imagine you have an empty jar, and this jar is one specific size.

Many realtors get distracted from their main goals by falling into the shiny object syndrome. When this happens, you throw sand and pebbles into your jar.

Meanwhile, the rocks are the pieces of your business that absolutely have to get done this quarter.

But if your jar is already too full of sand and pebbles, you won’t have room to squeeze your rocks in.

When you’re planning your quarterly goals, your major business priorities HAVE to come first.

Anything else not directly related to those priorities is secondary.

This keeps you focused firmly on track to achieving your vision.

How to Plan Your Quarterly Goals

The first step to planning your real estate quarterly goals is knowing what your rocks are.

What do you NEED to prioritize this quarter to reach your money goals?

Decide what your major projects are for the next 90 days, then break them down into daily tasks.

For most real estate agents, this comes down to knowing where there’s the most opportunity.

Where do you want your income to be and what does that look like in terms of transactions?

Get really specific here. Analyze your market and the average sale price of properties in your area. Find the exact number of transactions you’ll need to meet your money goal.

Now, figure out where those transactions will come from.

This can normally be broken down into referrals, new clients, repeats, and people in your audience who are already warm to hot.

Here’s how to audit your lead sources to discover where you have the most opportunity:

Auditing Your Lead Sources

Most realtors are only marketing toward the 3% of people who are ready to buy or sell their homes now.

However, by only marketing to this small percentage of leads, you’re ignoring the rest of your lead sources.

Most real estate opportunities lie in targeting people in the information-gathering stage (approximately 17% of your audience) or leads who are even earlier in the process, in the problem-aware stage (approximately 20% of your audience).

Identify where the majority of your opportunity is coming from before setting your quarterly goals.

This way, you know where to aim your focus to keep the needle moving forward.

To help you narrow this down, do a simple audit of the four main lead sources:

1. Referrals

Everyone always thinks referrals are the easiest way to generate new business.

However, it takes work to keep your referral database warm.

If you haven’t been maintaining your database, it’s going to be hard to earn transactions through referrals.

2. New Clients

New clients are the ones who found you from organic social media, paid traffic, free downloads or trainings you offer, and communities that you join.

How good are you at taking these people from completely cold to hot?

Your lead generation strategy is a huge part of how well you convert new clients.

Ask yourself: how many people are finding you on a regular basis and how many of those people do you actually convert?

Rate yourself on how well your lead generation works at bringing you new leads.

Many agents struggle with converting new clients because they aren’t bringing in enough people.

The top of their funnel is broken.

Think of it this way: If you want 20 extra deals a year from now with new clients alone, you have to bring in about a thousand new people into your audience every year.

Can your lead generation systems handle that?

3. Repeats

Look at the people you’ve worked with before.

It’s crucial that you maintain that database – especially if the market has changed.

This can be as simple as becoming Facebook friends with every single person you’ve ever worked with.

The goal is to keep them warm to you so when the time comes 3-7 years from now and they’re ready to buy or sell again, you’ll already be top of mind.

As you audit your repeat clients, take the time to also look at how well you’re maintaining these relationships in an automated way.

Rate yourself on this as well.

Even sending regular emails to keep them updated on your business and your services can have an impact on your number of repeat clients.

By keeping your clients warm and up-to-date, you foster long-term loyalty.

4. Warm to Hot Leads

Your warm-to-hot leads are the ones who are already in your audience.

They are the ones who have been following you for a while but haven’t needed your services yet.

With these leads, your goal is to advance them down the customer’s journey so that they go from curious about your services to realizing they need your services – and sending an inquiry.

Can you easily take them from where they are in your nurture system and get them to become a client?

With these four lead sources in mind, rate yourself from 1 to 10 on how good you are at converting within each source.

Out of your referrals, new clients, repeats, and warm-to-hot leads, where are you receiving the most sales? Which ones are you underleveraging?

Maybe you realize you’ve already got some inbound leads from social media, even while just posting a couple of times a week. Time to amp up your visibility there and create a 90-day content strategy!

Maybe you realize you’ve got a strong client experience and have gotten a couple of referrals, but you could be even better at maintaining your database and systemizing your follow-up. You might decide to prioritize these projects to get more referrals.

When you understand how you rank in your lead sources, you can better plan for your money goals.

Then you can set your quarterly rocks and the daily tasks that need to happen for you to make your real estate goals a reality.

As a real estate agent, it’s always tempting to put all of your focus into chasing the next deal and landing the next sale.

But when you get intentional with your long-term vision and set clear goals to follow along the way, you’ll have a clear path to creating a real estate business that works for you.

If you need help creating your long-term marketing goals, apply to join us in The Listings Lab.

Our program has helped hundreds of real estate agents create a roadmap to achieve their goals without hustling or working 60-hour weeks.

We give you the step-by-step framework to create a sustainable, profitable real estate business aligned with your ultimate life vision.

Book a FREE call with our team to see if The Listings Lab is right for you.

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