There’s a new type of con man and woman in town.
And thankfully this emerging breed of con artists has zero to do with being smart talking, shiny suited charlatans tricking decent people out of their money.
For con people in 2018 replace confidence (as in con man / woman) with content.
Because folks if you’re in the estate agency business and not sharing content with your local market you will end up losing market share to a rival who is – if you haven’t already.
Here’s a personal example of why sharing content across all your marketing platforms is really important.
The Lyons clan is currently looking to book our summer family holiday.
The hotels / travel agents on our shortlist all have websites and social media which feature a professionally produced video, a blog section about life at the hotel and holiday advice in their region – what to do, where to eat, what to bring, that kind of thing.
These companies are already showing they are happy to help, that they know their stuff and they are all distinguishing themselves from cheaper rivals (and some more expensive ones).
So, if people like me are finding good content a deal maker with a decision like booking a holiday what do you think people in your area will think of an agency sharing useful content about the biggest buying decision they’ll make in their lifetime?
It’ll give them a sense of confidence and trust in your agency.
Some estate agents are already brilliant con people. These are the agents who consistently share useful content across all marketing platforms.
By content I’m talking about blogs that solve problems, videos that showcase why choosing experience over expense pays homeowners handsomely and being much more about the genuine tell than the hard sell.
Google loves fresh content on your website. Your email marketing is naked without problem solving content and your social media nothing more than a stream of listed properties.
I’ve come up with this 2 question, 10 second test below, which will highlight where you are a ‘good’ con man / woman in the agency world.
Do you have content you share?
Simple question. Yes or no? If it’s yes, please proceed to the PIE test below. If it’s a no, seriously? It’s 2018. If you are the expert in your field start proving it by sharing your experience, expertise and personality.
Does the content you share pass the PIE test?
The PIE test is something I’ve come up with that’s simple and doesn’t involving baking.
If you’ve produced or bought content that you’re sharing which isn’t Personable, Informative and Entertaining then it’s the equivalent of my last baking effort – a catastrophe of a Victoria sponge that was as flat as an old flip-flop and tasted only marginally better.
Yes – I’ve a vested interest in this subject because I’m now more of a content producer than PR man.
But that last statement alone is proof enough that sharing useful content is now more important than column inches in the local paper. Content is the new King and Queen.
The times have changed. And just like ‘gin’ the association attached to con men and women is changing for the better.
Thanks for reading and here’s to your next instruction.
Jerry