What Is A Content Driven Business
Content marketing is certainly nothing new for any business and has been around since the beginning of strategic marketing and selling. Ultimately, a buyer will not make a buying decision without the opportunity to "do the homework" and in order to do so, they must be provided with content that informs them enough to make a favorable decision. Therefore, a content driven business model is critical if you're looking to bring stability and predictability to your real estate agent business. When a consumer, especially a Digital Age consumer, happens upon a well organized content driven business model, they sense the professionalism and are drawn in further.
What Is Core/Evergreen/Foundational Content
While most real estate agents are enthusiastic about learning how to produce content about their neighborhood specialties and listings, most are completely void of being able to produce a core piece of content that thoroughly explains their Unique Selling Proposition. In the real estate agent business, we as agents are tasked with guiding consumers through one of the single largest financial and emotional transactions that they'll ever make in a lifetime, yet the majority of not-so-strategic training evolves around lead capture and scripted appointment conversion. That's fine and we certainly believe those are parts of the real estate agent business, but ultimately you need content that answers the questions, "why should I choose you and your guidance?" If you can't clearly articulate your answer, then you'll be losing plenty of business.
How To Obtain A Deep Understanding Of Your Core Content Offer
Once you've developed core content for your sellers, buyers and agents it's ok to start with a high level or simplified explanation. We prefer to use simple infographics to explain our strategy and the infographic itself becomes an easy to consume and carry away piece of content in and of itself. However, the major caveat is to not rest on your laurels of a too simple explanation and begin to dig into a deeper understanding of why your offer works and why it matters to the consumer. Consider this pursuit of a deeper understanding as the "process" of becoming better at explaining your core offer. Don't confuse this with getting more complicated or a discussion, rather a more passionate and believable version.
How To Use Social Media & Direct Mail For Marketing Core Content
Once you have your core content in place, you must not stray from sharing it through any and all mediums that make sense for your business plan. We suggest that you first consider bulking up your social media platforms with a steady cadence of this core content, supplemented by an offline delivery though brochures and direct mail as well. By focusing on a regular delivery of your core content (i.e. weekly online, monthly/quarterly online) you'll avoid overwhelming yourself or your followers with an overflow of random, varied content that while leaving your audience entertained, confuses them to the point that they have no clear call to action if they want to use your services. Too many agents forget the outcome they so desire; we're not in the entertainment business! Use your core content to sell your services.