The Art of Storytelling for Real Estate Marketing & Branding
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Long before podcasts, tv shows, or even books, people passed down knowledge through story.
The stories told connected people across time and were a way to entertain and share life lessons. And while communication has evolved, the value of story continues. You might not realize it, but every day you take part in multiple stories. From the TV shows you love to binge to the memories you create for your home buyers and sellers, stories shape our everyday lives. They keep you interested, able to recall information, and most of all - they play to our emotions. And by leveraging storytelling in your real estate marketing, you can start forming connections that will last a lifetime. It all starts with the right story.
I have a crystal clear memory of falling in love with storytelling. My family was traveling on vacation, and like most typical children of the 90s, I was staring out the window, watching the trees and cars rhythmically pass by. There were no tablets or movies to keep my mind occupied. It was just me and my imagination. So, as I sat in the back of the rental car, I was delighted to find something peeking out from underneath the driver's seat.
The previous family must have a little girl my age who had left behind her Baby Sitter's Club book. So, rescued from boredom, I devoured each page, lost in the adventure. Books quickly became an obsession of mine. I used to tuck them into my bunk bed slats, hoping to get extra time every night to lose myself in the next story. Now, my husband often finds me fast asleep, Kindle still in hand.
Last year, I read well over 100 books (according to my Kindle app!), and my curiosity remains the same as it was when I was a little girl. And I believe that being an avid reader makes me a stronger marketer. Because story empowers you to form connections in an authentic and meaningful way, you can easily leverage story without being a creative writer in your own marketing.
Why Use Story for Real Estate Marketing?
There are many advantages to incorporating storytelling into your real estate marketing.
You Can Form Connections: The use of a good story is creative and enables you to form a more personal connection. Consider the story I told about my childhood. Through this quick flashback, you were able to learn more about me in an interesting way. If I'd simply said, "I've always loved to read and still do," likely this wouldn't have made a significant impact.
It's Memorable Marketing: Above all, story is memorable, and when you're marketing yourself or even a listing as an agent, we want it to be memorable. This is why you can recall a funny story a friend told you or clearly remember an experience, but if I asked you to recite something you learned in school, you've likely forgotten it. Story sticks in your head in a way facts never could.
It Helps Illustrate a Point: There's a reason why nursery rhymes were used in the past to teach lessons. If you advise somebody to do something, it's not always taken to heart. However, if you have a story featuring relatable characters who overcame obstacles or achieved their dreams, it's more relatable.
Advertisers have long used storytelling in marketing. Think back on the t.v. commercials that make you laugh or even tear up at the Super Bowl. They often invoke emotion through the power of telling mini-stories. But the good news is, you don't need multi-million dollar budgets or to be a writing whiz to incorporate story into your real estate agent branding or marketing effectively.
Creative Ideas for REALTORS
You can start incorporating story easily into your social media captions, videos that you create, listing promotion, and even your agent branding.
Let's explore a few story prompts that you can use in your agent marketing. (You can take each idea and use it as a social media caption that you accompany with a photo, film an entire video about the prompt, or get creative with Instagram Reels!)
Ideas for Real Estate Agent Branding: Branding yourself as a real estate agent is much more than colors and logos, as we've discussed in the Agent Branding Series. It's about how you genuinely represent yourself, from online to in-person, and how that translates to your dream customer. However, many agents struggle with showing up on social or expressing themselves because they don't know what to say. But by using a strategic story, your next customer can get to know you and then want to work with you! You can share:
Why you became a REALTOR
What surprised you the most about the real estate industry
What people think being a REALTOR is like VS what it's actually like
Your favorite part of being a REALTOR
Who you look up to in real estate and how that's impacted you
Ideas for Education: There are many moving pieces in real estate, and helping your customers navigate the process is part of your daily life. It's also an excellent opportunity for social media content. However, you can take the concept of "tips for buyers and sellers" to the next level by incorporating a story. You can share:
About a buyer whose financing fell through because they bought a new car and financed furniture. (Keep the personal details out of any stories unless you have permission.)
The story of how someone was able to buy their first home
A tricky transaction that you navigated and had a happy ending
Ideas for Listings: Creative listing descriptions are probably the most popular way people use stories. I've personally sat in on my fair share of trainings for writing listing descriptions. Real estate is often an emotional experience. You're not just buying the home, you're buying the lifestyle. So, when we use storytelling for listing promotion, consider using video! You can share:
A video of the home "being lived in"
The history of the home (great for historical properties!)
A descriptive walkthrough (most popular option)
Don't worry about your writing skills or how creative you are or aren't. Start conversationally with your marketing and share stories like you would tell a friend or customer. Every day you probably share your knowledge about the communities you serve and the real estate process.
What we're doing with your marketing is taking that expertise and presenting it in a new way.
Creating a "Story Bank"
So, to get started, I suggest you create a "story bank." This is a place where you jot down your own experiences to use later in your marketing. (I'd suggesting using a tool like Evernote to keep you organized but the notes on your phone or a Google doc could do the trick.)
Whatever tool you choose, we're going to start with categories that you can add stories to.
For example, a category might be "funny moments in real estate." And then the next time something funny happens you think would be great to share on social or create content around, you jot it down to refer back to.
Your categories could be: memorable customers, difficulties in transactions, overcoming challenges, lessons learned in real estate. They could also be more specific, like working with first-time homebuyers, what happened at an open house, or that time I tried a new experience.
Your categories can be personal to you or real estate related. Think about your own branding and the type of homebuyer or seller you're looking to connect with. What would resonate with them?
Then, once you have your story bank, you can easily share these stories on social and start incorporating them into your marketing. Start by sharing one story a week. I bet you'll be surprised at home much engagement you get from it!
People will always love a good story. That's why we chat with friends over coffee and binge-watch sitcoms on Netflix. Stories touch lives. And the right story can do the same for your marketing. And be sure to download a copy of my Agent Branding Worksheet to get clarity on your unique agent brand -
UP NEXT:
I’m Heather Colby, host of the “Ideas for Real Estate Podcast.”
If you like what you read here today, I’d encourage you to take a listen to the episodes. :
It's time for seasonal marketing! Fall-themed real estate content and marketing on social media is not only trending, it also works in your Instagram Reels, posts, carousels, and more. The secret is to customize this content with photos and videos of you. So, in today's episode, let's plan an easy fall content shoot for you as a REALTOR to use in your marketing strategies this season!