My grandmother owns a cute townhome in a waterfront community in Indiana. She loves to curl up with a good book on her patio - her Dachshund, Dani, at her feet and a glass of wine on the wicker side table.
When it came time to sell her home, my sister helped her choose a Realtor.
Before I had the chance to tell them about ERA Grizzard’s global network of Real Estate professionals(!), my sister had turned to the internet to select a listing agent. I was skeptical about her decision process, so I asked her how and why she’d selected the agent.It was simple. She’d liked the agent’s profile on Realtor.com. It was professionally written, featured a photo of the local area, and the agent had a history of selling townhomes in my grandmother’s community.
I tell this story because a little time and thought put into a profile, turned into a listing opportunity and eventually a closing.
It doesn’t have to be difficult or time consuming to make yourself stand out online. When we write profiles in our Marketing Department, we start with a simple list of questions and transform those answers into a story.
Here's our stress-free formula to writing an effective Realtor profile-
Step 1: Get a professional headshot
If our Marketing Department writes any profiles or announcements for new agents, the first requirement is a professional headshot.
We all know the importance of professional photography for listings. Your headshot deserves the same attention to detail. If it wasn’t taken professionally or is older than 2-3 years, get a new one STAT!
Step 2: Ask yourself these 7 questions
- How and when did you get started in Real Estate?
- What do you enjoy most about Real Estate or your career?
- What and where do you specialize or focus (luxury homes, waterfront, a specific neighborhood/community, 55+, etc.)? The more specific you can be the better.
- Why should a client work with you?
- Do you have any degrees, awards, designations/certifications, or notable accomplishments?
- What kind of hobbies, interests, or loves do you have (outside of Real Estate!)?
Step 3: Speak to your Customer Persona
If you don’t know who your target client is, your Customer Persona, look back to our post on the 5 Simple Steps for Creating a DYNAMITE Marketing Plan. Your online profiles should support your marketing plan.
If you’re focusing your marketing efforts this year on working with first time home buyers in a specific area, make sure you appeal to that Customer Persona in your profiles. If you can upload cover photos, select images of the local communities you specialize in.
Step 4: Turn your answers into copy
Take your answers from Step 2 and combine them to create your profile.
Pro Tip: Should you write in 1st or 3rd person? If you’re uncomfortable writing about yourself, you might find it easier to refer to yourself in the 3rd person. However, if you write in 1st person, your profile will be more personal. Choose whichever you’re most comfortable with.
Here’s a quick example to give you some inspiration:
Rachael Realtor’s 7 Question Answers
- How and when did you get started in Real Estate? In 1997, I had a horrible experience buying a home. I had been in customer service for over 10 years and knew that was not a client experience that I would ever provide. So, I got my license that same year and haven’t looked back!
- What do you enjoy most about Real Estate or your career? I enjoy creating relationships with my clients and being their trusted adviser. Buying or selling a home can be stressful. So, I pride myself on creating as smooth of a transaction - and more importantly, experience - that I can.
- What and where do you specialize or focus (luxury homes, waterfront, a specific neighborhood or community, 55+, etc.)? The more specific you can be the better. I like to work with people who are looking to move to 55+ communities and starting the best chapter of their lives. Many times these clients are relocating from out of state. I specialize in The Villages and the surrounding communities, like Stonecrest. I live in The Villages myself and write a monthly newsletter about activities in the area and featured market information.
- Why should a client work with you? I have years of experience under my belt. At the same time, it’s important to me that I stay up-to-date on Real Estate trends and technology. If I’m working with a seller, my innovative marketing means more eyes on their property!
- Do you have any degrees, awards, designations/certifications, or notable accomplishments? I’m have my SRES designation. I’m also a multi-million dollar producer for the past 10 years and had an article published about The Villages in a travel magazine.
- What kind of hobbies, interests, or loves do you have (outside of Real Estate!) I love to paint with watercolors - flowers, birds, or anything I see from my lanai. My Chihuahua, Tina, is my constant companion, and I take her everywhere.
Now, here are those answers transformed into a polished profile:
Meet Rachael Realtor
Rachael Realtor began her career in Real Estate nearly 20 years ago. The exceptional experience that she provides to her clients is a reflection of her past roles in customer service and continued commitment to her clients.
“I enjoy creating relationships with my clients and being their trusted adviser. Buying or selling a home can be stressful. I pride myself on creating as smooth of a transaction as possible and more importantly, providing my clients with a great experience,” says Rachael Realtor.
Rachael specializes in assisting home buyers and sellers in Central Florida’s popular Active Adult Communities. Whether a client is relocating from New England to The Villages, or selling their home in Stonecrest, Rachael is a local market expert. In fact, she writes a popular monthly newsletter about The Villages life and Real Estate trends. Her expertise was even published in a prominent travel magazine!
Real Estate is constantly evolving, and Rachael has remained at the forefront of the industry by committing herself to innovative marketing practices for her listings and continued education for herself. She has earned the Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES) designation to more effectively address the needs of her 55+ clients, and she has been a Multi-Million Dollar Producer for over ten years.
When she’s not busy helping her clients live “the best chapters of their lives,” you can find her on her lanai capturing Florida’s beauty in watercolor with her beloved Chihuahua, Tina, at her side.
You’ll notice that the profile follows the order of the original 7 questions and features “quotes” from those answers. The quotes are a great way to show some personality, while creating the appearance of a professionally written bio.
Nobody has to know that you wrote it on your couch watching Netflix!
Pro Tip: Keep your profile around 200-300 words or 2-3 paragraphs. The profile above was 238 words and 5 paragraphs. I prefer to write in shorter, more frequent paragraphs for easier reading on mobile devices.
Step 4: Spread the word
Upload your new bio or profile to all the major Real Estate and professional sites such as: Trulia, Zillow, Realtor.com, LinkedIn, and your own personal website.
Pro Tip: If you are focusing on improving your personal website’s SEO. Consider creating a different profile for your own site. Google doesn’t like duplicate content, and you can use that opportunity to take advantage of any keywords you’re targeting.
Search yourself on the internet, and turn over any rocks that old profiles might be hiding under.
My favorite quote from our Broker/Owner, Gus Grizzard is - “don’t let perfection stand in the way of production.” Don’t get caught up in crafting the most eloquent bio ever written or overwhelmed by writing styles. You can write an effective profile by following our basic formula.
Simply answer our 7 questions questions. Polish them up. Then, combine your answers to create a professional Real Estate profile.
I reworded and tweaked the answers. However, you could just combine your original answers and edit your grammar. Remember, your profile is a source of potential new business.
If you follow our stress-free formula, you’ll have an effective Real Estate bio in no time!
What do you think is the hardest part of writing a bio? Did you use our formula to write a profile? Let me know in the comments below!
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