If you’re a real estate agent, you know the importance of making a good first impression. After all, there’s nothing more important than your ability to sell a home. When it comes to writing for agents, you need to be able to compete with other agents who also have great writing skills. In order for that to happen, you need to be aware of these 25 things:
Takeaways |
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1. Understand the real estate market thoroughly. |
2. Tailor your writing to address specific client needs. |
3. Create compelling property descriptions that resonate. |
4. Master the art of storytelling to engage readers. |
5. Utilize persuasive language to drive action. |
6. Stay updated with industry trends and news. |
7. Collaborate with real estate professionals for insights. |
8. Incorporate relevant keywords for effective SEO. |
9. Develop a consistent and recognizable writing style. |
10. Build a strong online presence through blogging and social media. |
11. Understand the legal and ethical considerations of real estate writing. |
12. Continuously improve your writing skills through practice. |
1. Time Constraints Don’t Allow For Thinking
Writing for real estate agents is a lot like writing for the school newspaper you edited in your teens. You will be expected to write quickly, often, and on deadline and when it comes time to publish content online, you must do this without any opportunity to edit or proofread what’s been written.
This means that every word counts which means you should think carefully about each word before putting it on the page! But don’t get overwhelmed: There are plenty of great resources out there (including this article) to help guide you through the process of crafting compelling copy that readers connect with emotionally and respond favorably to.
Discover the essential strategies that successful real estate writers employ to stand out in the industry. If you’re looking to excel in your writing career, take a look at our guide on 15 Things Successful Real Estate Writers Do and learn from the best.
2. Content Can Be Of High Quality And Mediocre At The Same Time
You can have high-quality content that is mediocre, and you can have mediocre content that is high-quality. You can also have low-quality content that is high quality, or high-quality content that is low.
So where does this leave us as writers? Do we write something average and then throw in a few low-quality words to make it look good? Or do we create great work but not worry about how many likes it gets?
The answer is neither because there’s only one determining factor for whether your writing will be successful: Focus on the reader’s needs. If you do this well enough if your audience finds what they’re looking for on your website and feels like their time was well spent you’ll see all the engagement and reach numbers you need to feel proud of what you’re doing.
3. Most People Are Not Looking For Your Specific Expertise
They want an expert who can help them solve a problem they have right now
People are looking for answers, not information.
When you’re writing content for real estate agents and listing agents, people are not searching for your specific expertise. They don’t want to read your story or hear about how awesome you are at what you do (though they might enjoy it).
What they want is an expert who can help them solve a problem they have right now. And this is something that has been proven time and time again: people will pay more attention to an article if it promises how much money they’ll save by reading it rather than what skills the author has in writing said article.
In short: People want answers not information or stories about other people’s lives or any other filler fluff that doesn’t relate directly back to their problems.*
Are you a real estate agent striving to close more deals through effective communication? Learn how to leverage the power of words by checking out our insights on scoring more deals with effective writing. Your words can be your strongest selling point.
4. It’s Much Easier To Sell Something That’s Free Than It Is To Sell Something That Costs Money
Free content is more likely to be shared, read, used, and bring in new leads. It’s also much easier to sell something free than it is to sell something that costs money.
You can spend a lot of time trying to convince people about how much value your service or product offers but at the end of the day if you provide an amazing enough solution for them then they will eventually trust you and buy from you without being convinced first.
5. The Vast Majority Of Real Estate Agents Don’t Treat Their Business Like A Business
If you’re a real estate agent, chances are pretty good that your business isn’t treated like a business. You may not be making money (or enough). You may not have a clear idea of how to grow your brand and make more sales. If this is the case, it could be because:
You don’t think of yourself as an entrepreneur.
You aren’t treating your business as an entity separate from yourself or anyone else in the office (it has its own needs and wants).
You don’t know how to do any of the tasks necessary for running a successful real estate brokerage but you feel like you should know because everyone else does!
6. Everyone Who Does Anything Has A Bias, Including You
If you’ve ever written anything that’s been published in any form, whether it be on a blog or in the pages of a magazine or newspaper, then I’m sure you’re familiar with the word “bias.” It comes up often enough and with good reason! Bias can be really useful when writing about real estate agents and other topics related to your industry. Here are some examples:
A bias is a preference for something over another thing. If someone likes apples more than oranges, for example, they have an apple bias.
A bias can also mean having tendencies toward certain beliefs or opinions about things in general or specific situations (e.g., “Bernie’s favorite color is blue”). This would be called his blue bias because it means he usually prefers blue things over other colors (e..g, Bernie’s favorite food is ice cream because he loves how cold it feels).
Finally, if someone already believes something before having evidence proving whether that belief is true or false (“I think my wife will cheat on me”).
This would be called his cheating-wife-bias because he already believes she might cheat just based on experience alone (e..g., He thinks she’ll cheat again even though there haven’t been any new incidents since they got married).
Aspiring to submit your real estate writing and make an impact? Review our detailed real estate writing submissions guidelines to ensure your work aligns with industry standards and expectations.
7. Writing Is Hard, Because It Is Thought-Intensive And Takes Time To Do Well
You may have heard that writing is hard. It is true, but not for the reasons you think. Writing is hard because it requires thought and effort to do well. I didn’t always know this, but now I do, and so will you if you keep reading!
Writing isn’t a natural activity for most people, so it takes time to get good at it. You have to spend time thinking about what you want to say before writing anything down or else your writing won’t be very good (at least not right away).
8. Real Estate Agents Are Not Shy About Sharing What They Think About Your Writing, Especially If You’re Getting Paid For It
Real estate agents are not shy about sharing their opinions on the writing you write for them. It is highly likely that at some point, someone will tell you that your writing is “crap,” or that it’s “the worst thing they’ve ever read.”
You need to be prepared for criticism because there will be plenty of it. Some of it will be constructive and helpful; some of it will be personal and mean-spirited and in many cases, there is no way to tell which type is which until after the fact (because neither kind comes with a warning label).
Developing a thick skin and learning how to listen are key if you want to succeed as an agent writer. Agents aren’t shy about sharing their opinions on the content they’re paying for and since this business relies heavily on word-of-mouth referrals from previous clients who were satisfied with the work done by professionals such as yourself (including yours truly).
It behooves anyone who wants repeat business from real estate agents like me to develop at least a basic understanding as soon as possible about what makes good writing great so we can apply those principles consistently across all our future projects together without having too much difficulty along the way!
9. You’ll Never Know If What You Wrote Worked Or Not
That’s because there are so many variables that determine whether or not your writing will have a positive impact on the real estate agent’s business. It’s possible that the piece of content you just wrote was read, but it could also be sitting in an inbox somewhere without being opened by anyone.
Maybe it was read by someone who didn’t fully understand what they were reading and therefore couldn’t take action on the information presented to them. Or maybe the piece of content provided such great value that it had a significant impact on how much money was made by clients in their next few weeks/months!
You can’t measure results easily with direct response marketing (DRM), which means you don’t have any idea how much revenue came from each piece of content and this includes everything from blog posts to emails to advertisements on social media sites like Facebook and LinkedIn.
Ready to turn your passion for real estate writing into a thriving business? Dive into our comprehensive guide on building a 6-figure business through real estate blog posts to uncover the strategies that can lead you to success.
10. You’ll Never Really Know Who Your Audience Is Until You Write For Them For A Long Time And Have A Lot Of Data To Look At And Analyze
You’ll never really know who your audience is until you write for them for a long time and have a lot of data to look at and analyze. This can be frustrating, but it’s also part of the job.
When your company was first founded, you probably had an idea of who’d be reading what you wrote maybe it was other real estate agents in the area or maybe it was people looking for homes in those areas.
But that’s not enough information to base what content works best on; there are just too many variables involved when trying to predict who will read something, especially when there isn’t much data available (like if this is your first article).
So instead, take some time and create articles that are suited specifically to one type of person: say, “How To Choose A Title Company” isn’t going to resonate with someone looking for help getting started as a real estate agent but “How To Get Started As A Real Estate Agent” might do the trick!
11. No Matter How Well-Written Your Content Is, Some People Will Always Respond Badly To It
No matter what you write about or how little controversy you include in the article
No matter how well-written your content is, some people will always respond badly to it, no matter what you write about or how little controversy you include in the article.
I’ve written articles that touched on controversial topics like race and gender, but also ones that were just about real estate agents giving referrals at holiday parties and making sure they’re wearing clean underwear when they go out into the field each morning. the first group of readers was mostly positive; the second group was mostly negative (and often rude).
I can’t control what people think or say and neither should you try to do so but this is one of those situations where you need to remember two things: 1) you can’t please everyone all of the time; 2) some people will always respond badly.
12. Some Real Estate Agents Will Pay More Than Others, But They Will Also Expect More From You
often in the form of perfection and understanding of every detail in their mind
We’re all looking for the same thing: a happy client who is willing to pay us enough to make our project worthwhile. Unfortunately, there isn’t a perfect amount of money or time that will make everyone happy. Some agents expect perfection, while others are content with good enough.
Some agents will pay more than others but they’ll also expect more from you in return. For example, some may want you to do their entire website from scratch (including designing it).
Whereas others might only ask for help with their sales page design and editing existing content. This means that even if one agent offers less per hour than another, she may still end up paying significantly less overall because she doesn’t require as much work.
Crafting compelling content for the real estate market requires finesse. Learn how to achieve excellence in your writing with our guide on how to succeed at real estate content writing, where we share tips and insights to help you make a lasting impact in the industry.
Conclusion
As you can see, writing for real estate agents is a lot more than just cranking out the words. If you’re going to do it right, then you need time to think and gather your thoughts.
This means writing articles that are well-researched and not just quick sales pitches for your services or products. You also need to be able to anticipate how people will respond when they read what you wrote; otherwise, it might come back to bite you in the end! So what are some of your biggest takeaways from reading this post? Let me know in the comments below!
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources to help you further develop your skills as a real estate writer:
Indeed’s Guide for New Real Estate Agents: Learn valuable insights and tips specifically tailored for individuals starting their journey as real estate agents.
Essential Skills for Estate Agents: Enhance your abilities with a comprehensive list of essential skills every estate agent should possess.
Mastering Different Writing Styles for Real Estate Agents: Explore various writing styles that are crucial for effective communication in the real estate industry.
FAQs
How can I become a successful real estate writer?
Becoming a successful real estate writer involves developing strong communication skills, understanding the market, and tailoring your content to your audience’s needs.
What are the key skills needed to excel as a real estate writer?
Effective research, understanding of real estate terminology, ability to create engaging property descriptions, and knowledge of SEO techniques are some of the key skills for success.
What types of writing should a real estate agent master?
Real estate agents should be adept at creating property listings, market reports, blog posts, email marketing content, and persuasive ad copy to effectively engage clients.
How can I keep up with the latest trends in real estate writing?
To stay current, subscribe to industry newsletters, follow influential real estate blogs, attend workshops, and actively engage with fellow professionals in online communities.
How can I balance creativity with accuracy in my real estate writing?
Striking a balance between creative storytelling and accurate representation of properties requires thorough research, attention to detail, and a deep understanding of your target audience’s preferences.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.