In March’s Advertising and marketing and Branding Month, we’ll go deep on agent branding and greatest practices for spending with Zillow, Realtor.com and extra. High CMOs of main companies drop by to share their latest techniques, too. And to high off this theme month, Inman is debuting a model new set of awards for branding and advertising leaders within the business referred to as Advertising and marketing All-Stars.

Growing a content material plan in your actual property enterprise means optimizing a number of on-line and real-world platforms. In our Content material Advertising and marketing Sport Plan, we deliver you the principles to make use of to generate 5 various kinds of foundational content material: your web site, bio, weblog, PR and self-published ebook.

One of many foundational items of content material that each actual property skilled wants is a well-written, up-to-date bio. You should utilize it in a wide range of methods on a wide range of advertising platforms to construct credibility for your small business.

As somebody who writes a number of actual property bios, I do know that that is the one piece of writing folks fear about (and complain about) most. It’s additionally the one piece of writing that, completed effectively, could make an enormous distinction in the best way you see your self — and the best way others see you as effectively. Right here’s easy methods to create a bio you’ll love.

The place are you in your profession?

The scope and scale of your bio relies upon, partly, on the place you’re in your profession.

New agent

Should you’re a brand new agent, you’re in all probability involved about what you’ll write because you don’t have a lot expertise. On this case, you possibly can lean in your brokerage’s fame so as to add to your credibility and spotlight your prior skilled or educational accomplishments till you additional develop your profession.

Established agent

At this level, you’ll have some transactions below your belt and will have some certifications and designations as effectively. Should you’ve began to ascertain a distinct segment in your actual property enterprise, you’ll wish to dedicate a part of your bio to describing your {qualifications} and the way you serve that market phase.

All-star agent

Should you’re a high producer, you’ll want a bio that helps you stand out. Honors and awards will go right here, together with superior coaching. You’ll in all probability have some pretty spectacular numbers to share, so embrace your efficiency stats.

The place will you employ your bio?

You’ll at all times discover locations to make use of your bio, particularly you probably have a number of variations to select from. Listed below are among the potentialities.

In your web site

One of many locations you’ll undoubtedly wish to use your bio is on the About Me web page of your web site. Should you’re a longtime or all-star agent who has been featured within the media, it’s possible you’ll wish to use a Q&A or interview both rather than your bio or prominently linked. 

When you have a video bio or have been featured in a podcast or TV present, you would possibly wish to embed any of those in your web site as effectively, both rather than or along with a written model.

In your social media platforms

Most of your social media platforms embrace a spot for a brief bio and lots of permit you the potential to pin a video model on the high of your feed. As well as, you possibly can hyperlink out to the About Me web page at your web site for individuals who are linking for much more complete data.

In your advertising collateral

A brief bio is a good concept on flyers, postcards and different advertising supplies. Embrace it on the backside of your e mail blasts or direct mailers so that you just remind folks about your {qualifications}. 

Should you conduct coaching occasions, serve on committees on the native affiliation or converse every now and then, you’ll need a model of your bio that’s helpful for temporary intros, assembly agendas or different supplies. 

What must you embrace in your bio?

If you’re gathering data for writing your bio, listed below are among the parts to consider:

• Your identify
• Your crew and/or brokerage identify
• Licensure data
• Certifications and designations
• Awards and honors
• Markets served
• Excellent statistics
• Niches and areas of specialization
• Training and related prior skilled expertise
• Quotes from critiques and testimonials
• Household and private data like hobbies and pursuits (for those who determine to incorporate them)

Some folks discover it tough to put in writing about themselves and don’t understand how a lot they’ve achieved. Contemplate sitting down with a trusted buddy or colleague to speak about your profession up to now and see what takeaways they discover most fascinating and compelling, then spotlight these in your bio.

Usually, we fail to contemplate how far we’ve are available in an expert sense. Should you’re a longtime or all-star agent, just be sure you be aware of the place you at the moment are and that your bio displays your present-day standing.

EXTRA: Searching for real-world examples of nice agent bios? Try these:

What else must you bear in mind when writing a bio?

Writing a bio could really feel intimidating, however there are a variety of issues you are able to do to make sure that the onerous work is worth it:

• When you’ve written your bio, flip it into a number of variations just by creating each lengthy and brief variations in first and third individual. First-person is extra informal and works effectively for social media or an About Me web page. Third-person is extra formal and works effectively for advertising collateral or introductions.
• Get previous the concern of sounding “smug” or overly salesy along with your bio. Outlining your accomplishments just isn’t the identical as bragging — it’s merely giving folks the data they’re searching for to make sure that you’re certified to assist them.
• Revisit your bio ceaselessly, particularly when there are adjustments in your small business or while you’ve achieved one thing noteworthy. Should you’re a longtime or all-star agent, hold it up to date with awards and new certifications and designations as you earn them. Your bio needs to be a dwelling doc that precisely displays your skilled progress.
• Longer doesn’t at all times imply higher in terms of your bio. Among the most achieved brokers within the business don’t have overly lengthy bios. They’ve brief bios that present a snapshot of their most spectacular accomplishments.
• Keep away from pat phrases and generic platitudes. Everybody listens. Everybody cares. Everybody helps. Make your bio extra fascinating and significant by focusing in your differentiators and on what you do, not simply what you are feeling.
• Don’t consider your bio as a gross sales piece. Consider it as a device to bolster and nurture leads — a approach to persuade people who find themselves already conscious of you that you just’re the fitting individual for his or her actual property wants.

In case your bio isn’t excellent but, hold working at it. The extra you rewrite and collect enter, the nearer every iteration will get to your splendid model.