I met my fiancée online. Match.Com to be precise.
It worked for us. Seven years, three homes, one lovely daughter and a mental dog later we’re still a good match (well most of the time).
I like to think she initially clicked on my profile because back then my pictures sold a leaner, less grey-haired (for the record my Barnet is still glorious) and dazzlingly dashing figure.
Unfortunately for my ego, it wasn’t the photos that caught her eye; she told me it was the brief biography I wrote.
I can’t remember what I said, but it would have been along the lines of ‘unpretentious failed footballer seeks someone with a lot of patience and a sense of the ridiculous.’
My partner told me the bio stood out, and the write up made her laugh and warm to me. There are a lot of bland bios out there and not just on dating sites.
Great. ‘Well done mate,’ I hear you say while thinking what the hell does this have to do with estate agency?
Stay with me reader. You see if I’d have played a straight, safe, boring bat and spoke about being ‘interested in extreme sports, reading classic novels, walking and socialising’ she wouldn’t have sent a wink.
The romantic chain of events wouldn’t have started, and our lives would be very different now.
Therefore, my motto when it comes to content for independent estate agents and their content is, ‘Bland is Banned.’
I see a lot of Meet the Teams or About Us sections on estate agency websites. Some are really, really good. Funny, interesting and a little revealing.
A lot are painfully bland and crammed full of clichés and meaningless jargon such as ‘I’m a visionary with a customer-centric approach to estate agency and a strategic approach to selling your property.’ Bollocks.
If the old saying ‘people buy people’ is true that sort of biography is getting you left on the shelf. Leave those sorts of lines for contestants on The Apprentice.
The worst kind of About Us section on a website is the ones which don’t mention names but pour out tired statements such as ‘we are a vibrant, dynamic and passionate agency.’ Sweet baby Jesus!
The best examples of these vitally important sections are ones that tell you something rather than try to sell you something.
Q & A’s are good for injecting a bit of fun into your Meet the Teams and bios.
Every way you communicate with your community is content. Whether it’s lame or lovable is down to you.
Rolling out a load of local property market stats might hit the spot to attract some sellers and landlords, but most people love stories. It’s how our species have learned since we got double handy with our thumbs.
So, don’t be afraid to show some personality in your content efforts. If you are an independent agent, this is your chance to highlight that you’re not a faceless corporate agency.
Talk about your family, share your genuine passions and be yourself.
After all, well written, interesting and light-hearted content can get people to fall in love with you, literally in my case.
Amen.
Father Jerry Lyons – The Church of EstateAgentContent.co.uk