We probably don’t need to tell you this – stories can be powerful ways to reel in your real estate clients.
Imagine this. You’re heading to meet a new client, with a large property they’re looking to sell. You’re armed with all sorts of information, including local market values and your trusty list of properties you’ve recently sold in the area.
You meet with them and let them have it. You present all the information, give them the stats you think they’re looking for, and sit back, waiting for them to offer you the gig.
But the offer doesn’t come through. Why?
Because you didn’t have a story. What you said wasn’t at all memorable, you didn’t back up anything you said with real-life examples and as a result, everything came across a big bag of empty promises.
If you had asked your prospective clients about their concerns and objections, then countered them with examples of how you’ve recently overcome them with other sales, you would have gained a captive audience. You would have locked in their interest. They would have remembered you when decision time rolled around.
Your storytelling abilities are what people remember about your brand. If you don’t want to fade into the distance, it’s something you need to get good at – and fast.
But how can you turn your experience, statistics and market information into a story? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Check out the 5 points below and you’ll be nailing your storytelling in no time.
1) Get to Grips with Who Your Audience Is
You might think a story is compelling, but if you’re talking about macroprudential policies to a group of first-time buyers, you’re going to lose their interest.
Take the time to understand who your audience is, then build a story around what they’re interested. Taking the group above, you could tackle their budgetary objections by how you managed to work with them to secure a gorgeous suburban property, utilising the first-home buyer grants & subsidies bringing it into a first-time buyer’s price range.
2) Know What Makes a Good Story
If you’ve been in the industry a while, you’ll already have a lot of stories. Working out which ones to tell, however, is a completely different deal.
Once again, think about who your audience are. Target your story to their objections. One useful habit to pick up is marking all your sold property addresses on a Google Maps account. Before you know it, you’ll have a large record of property sales, which you can tap up to jog your memory about deals you’ve made near your new clients.
There are two key story types known to be effective:
– The good vs. evil
Whether it’s about a difficult buyer or loose-cannon lawyers, everyone loves a good bad-guy story. If you can work yours around this type, great. Use it to your advantage.
– The overcoming an obstacle
Being able to relate to mistakes and how they’re worked out is a key aspect your stories need to have. Why? Because nobody wants to make mistakes, meaning they’ll likely heed your advice and listen in.
3) Go Back to the Basics
Knowing what makes a good story isn’t all about advanced techniques, engagement and intonation – some of the best tips are the most basic:
– Set the scene by mentioning the place, time, and who’s involved.
– Present the problem by mentioning the obstacle that needs to be overcome.
– Share the pinnacle moment where you overcame that obstacle
– Say what you got from it in terms of a reward.
4) Play on Your Audience’s Emotions
Any good story is one that plays on your emotions. It engages you, makes you feel involved with the characters, and leaves you asking, “what next?”.
If there’s an emotive angle to your story, use it. Tell you audience how you and your clients felt during the process, playing on any stress, sadness and fear you may have experienced.
5) Weave Stories into Your Overall Marketing Efforts
Stories are no longer just for sharing face-to-face. As more and more businesses take to social media to communicate with potential customers, you’re presented with a priceless platform for capturing attention, engaging your audience, and appealing to their emotions.
Publish your stories in short teaser snippets on your Facebook page, with links to the full article on your business blog. If you’re discussing home maintenance, don’t just give generic tips. Tie stories into it to strengthen your bond with your customers and vice versa.