The Meme-Worthy Truth About Why Personal Content Beats Perfect Content

You spent 45 minutes designing the perfect “Just Listed” graphic in Canva.

Bold fonts. Professional headshot. Property photo. “Contact me for details!”

You posted it to Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

14 likes. 2 comments (one from your mom, one from a bot selling followers).

Meanwhile, your competitor posted a photo of themselves holding their toddler while simultaneously negotiating a deal via Bluetooth headset in the Target parking lot.

147 likes. 38 comments. 3 DMs asking if they’re accepting new clients.

What the hell?

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: Nobody cares about your listing. They care about YOU.

The Reality Check: Why This Happens

Your brain on social media scrolling:

• Generic listing post → Scroll
• Another listing post → Scroll
• Agent holding their dog at an open house with caption “Brought backup for showings today” → STOP. Like. Comment. Remember.

Why Personal Content Wins

1. Listings Are Commodities. Personalities Aren’t.

Every agent in your market can post “Just Listed: 4bd/3ba, $850K, Link in Bio.”

Only YOU can post: “Client told me their dog ate the garage door opener 10 minutes before the showing. I’ve never army-crawled through a doggy door so fast in my life. We got it open. Dog is unrepentant. Showing went great. This is fine. ”

Which one makes you remember the agent?

This is exactly what separates agents who use wit to build their business from agents who blend into the wallpaper of generic real estate marketing.

2. People Hire Agents They Like, Not Agents With the Best Canva Skills

Buying a home is terrifying. Selling is stressful. Clients want to work with someone who feels HUMAN, not someone who feels like a corporate brochure.

If your entire brand feels “bleh”, it’s probably because you’re trying too hard to look professional instead of just being yourself.

Three Post Formats That Actually Work

Here’s what gets engagement, tags, and actual business inquiries:

Post Idea #1: “Expectation vs Reality”

Split image meme:

What to post: Create a split-screen image showing two photos side-by-side:

LEFT SIDE (Expectation): Professional photo of you in a suit at a pristine open house

RIGHT SIDE (Reality): You, holding a crying toddler, a Starbucks cup, and your phone trying to unlock the lockbox with your elbow

Caption: “Expectation vs Reality: Open House Edition. Anyone else doing real estate in survival mode today? ”

Why this works: The split image IS the post. The contrast is visual. Agents with kids will TAG EACH OTHER.

Post Idea #2: “Just Sold” But Make It Personal

DON’T POST: Generic “JUST SOLD!” graphic with property address and price

DO POST: Photo of you handing keys to smiling clients

Caption: “This one hit different. Sarah and Mike have been renting for 8 years while saving for a down payment. They called me crying when the appraisal came back $15K over (we’d already negotiated $10K under asking). First-time buyers who did EVERYTHING right. Watching them walk through THEIR house for the first time as OWNERS? This is why I do this job. Welcome home, you two. #NotACliche #ActuallyHappyCrying”

Why this works: You told a STORY. People remember stories. They also remember YOU care about people, not just commissions.

Post Idea #3: “Behind the Scenes Chaos”

Photo: Your car trunk filled with open house signs, Costco cookies, and random shoes (because toddlers)

Caption: “POV: You have 3 open houses today and you THINK you remembered everything. Spoiler: I did not grab matching shoes for the kid. Also, just realized the cookies are chocolate chip and the listing sheet says ‘nut-free home.’ This is fine. Anyone else winging it today? ”

Why this works: Shows the REAL job. Not the Instagram highlight reel. Agents will share this because it’s THEIR LIFE TOO.

The Question You’re Probably Asking

“But what if I’m not naturally funny? What if my life isn’t that chaotic?”

Here’s the truth: You don’t need to be a comedian. You just need to be willing to share the moments that actually happen.

Forgot your lockbox code and had to call your broker in front of clients? That’s content.

Client’s kid drew on the wall during a showing? That’s content.

You accidentally sent a text meant for your spouse to a client? (Hopefully nothing too embarrassing.) That’s content.

The bar isn’t “be hilarious.” The bar is “be real.” And you’re already clearing that bar every single day – you’re just not sharing it.

The Pattern You’re Seeing

You don’t need a marketing degree to make this work. Just follow the flow: Grab attention with the chaos, tell the story behind it, and remind people why they’d want you in their corner when their own real estate chaos hits.

You don’t have to be a comedian or have a toddler in a Target parking lot to pull this off. You just have to be willing to show the parts of the job that don’t make it into the glossy brochure.

The Bottom Line

Stop trying to be the “perfect professional agent” on social media.

Be the agent people WANT TO GRAB COFFEE WITH.

Because when someone is ready to buy or sell, they’re not going to Google “most professional real estate agent.”

They’re going to think: “Who do I know that I actually LIKE and TRUST?”

Be that person.

Share your chaos. Share your stories. Share your PERSONALITY.

The leads will follow. And when they do, make sure your digital presence is set up to actually capture them. SEO strategist Jeff Lenney’s guide on real estate lead generation breaks down how to turn social media engagement into actual conversations with qualified buyers and sellers.

And if you need help bringing all of this together – from building a brand that doesn’t feel generic to creating content that actually gets you remembered – check out how The Lighter Side can help you stand out.

The post Why Your Just Listed Posts Are Sabotaging Your Brand appeared first on Lighter Side of Real Estate.

The other day, I stumbled across a video being hyped as the sickest snowboard clip ever captured.

I have zero interest in snowboarding, but the headline promised something “jaw-dropping,” and my jaw was bored so I figured, why not?

The snowboarder did what I assume snowboarders would call “sick.” But for all I know it was the bunny-hop equivalent of pedaling a Huffy with training wheels off a curb.

What was undeniably impressive was the production.

It opened with an aerial shot of untouched snow on a desolate mountain. That alone took timing, planning, and the right gear. Then came the multiple camera angles — close-ups, wide shots, overhead drones. I couldn’t begin to guess how many cameras (or people) were involved in the filming.

Then, after all of that, someone took all that footage and spliced it all together with cinematic slow motion, sweeping pans, swelling music at all the right moments.

So yeah, that was pretty sick.

But as soon as it ended, I scrolled on.

I didn’t hit “like.” I didn’t follow the creator. I couldn’t tell you their name if you paid me. In fact, when I tried to find the video later, I couldn’t. There were dozens of nearly identical clips claiming to be “the most epic snowboarding moment ever.” Some were impressive, some amateurish, some boring.

However, they did all seem to have one thing in common…

Despite all of the time and effort they put into it, none of them had much in the way of likes, shares, or comments.

Which is something you might want to keep in mind if you’re thinking about putting any time, effort, or money into producing videos to market yourself as an agent.

There’s a Lot of Pressure to Do More Video

If you haven’t jumped into video yet, you’ve probably felt the pressure. Everywhere you look, someone is shouting that video is the future. Coaches, marketers, even fellow agents act like if you’re not cranking out reels, you’re practically invisible.

And maybe you’ve thought about it. But then the mental checklist starts running in your head.

You’ll need the gear…a ring light, a mic, maybe a backdrop so it doesn’t look like you’re filming in your laundry room.

You’ll need ideas for what to talk about: market updates, staging tips, neighborhood highlights.

Then there’s the actual recording. Retakes every time you trip on a word. Retakes when the dog barks. Retakes when a truck rumbles past your window.

And after all that, you still have editing. Captions. Music. Trying to figure out which trending audio might get you noticed before it stops trending.

By the time you’re done imagining it, what was supposed to be a “quick clip” has ballooned into hours you don’t really have.

So you put it off. Another week goes by. You scroll through your feed and see other agents dancing, lip-syncing, or talking into the camera like natural-born influencers. You wonder if you’re falling behind… but also, deep down, you wonder if any of this really works.

Because you know how you use social media. Most of the time, you’re swiping past videos without a second thought. Maybe you pause for something funny. Maybe you stick around if it’s exactly what you needed right then. But most of it gets forgotten before the next thumb flick.

All the time, money, and energy these videos would eat up… and for what? An audience that mostly scrolls on by.

But even if you can overlook the workload and potential waste of time it could become, the real question is whether or not it’s something you’re comfortable doing.

But Being on Camera Isn’t Right for Every Agent

For some agents, being on camera is second nature. They love it. They feed off the energy, crack jokes, improvise—maybe even star in what looks like something that could be nominated for Best Short Film at the Oscars just to rack up views. And that’s fine. If it works for them, more power to them.

But for many agents, that’s not the case. Being on camera doesn’t feel natural. Maybe it makes you anxious. Maybe you’ve tried it and ended up cringing at how stiff you looked. Or maybe just the thought of having to be on video to succeed as an agent makes you consider switching careers—lighthouse keeper, fire lookout, or anything else where you don’t have to be on display for thousands of online eyes.

That’s where the catch-22 kicks in. Don’t do video, and you worry you’ll be invisible. Do video, and you risk being remembered as the agent who looks like the awkward kid at a middle school dance—trying their best to bust out slick moves while everyone can tell they’d rather be pressed against the wall.

And sure, real estate isn’t exactly a business for the painfully shy. You’ve got to meet clients, sit across from sellers, negotiate face-to-face. But there’s a big difference between connecting with someone in person and trying to recreate that connection on camera. A one-on-one conversation at a kitchen table is miles away from reciting scripted lines into a ring light. And it’s a whole other universe from lip-syncing or staging elaborate routines for likes.

That’s why it can sting when you scroll through your feed and see other agents pulling it off effortlessly. They look polished. Confident. Entertaining. You can’t help but wonder if they’re landing business just because they’re better on camera—even if you know you’d be the stronger agent when it comes to actually helping clients buy or sell a house.

If you’ve felt that tension, you’re not alone. The good news is, constantly being on camera isn’t the only way to build trust or stay relevant. Plenty of people are tuning out the noise and looking for something different. Which means the very thing you see as a weakness could actually be your edge.

Fortunately, Your Followers Might Not Want More Videos

People certainly scroll a lot. But they’re searching for distraction more than anything else. Scrolling isn’t shopping. It’s procrastination with a soundtrack.

Just because people are swiping through content doesn’t mean your job is to be the most entertaining producer in the feed.

Even if you’re churning out videos nonstop, are people really going to pick their next agent based on who entertains them most—or based on who gives them the kind of substance they can actually use?

Churning out video after video, trying to go viral, polishing every frame to perfection—it might make you feel like you’re keeping up. But will it actually win you business? Are clients really going to hire the agent who posts the most videos or hits the slickest transitions? Or are they looking for someone who actually knows what they’re talking about, who can give them insight, guidance, and confidence when the time comes to buy or sell?

There’s growing evidence that people are starting to crave substance. They want content that makes them think, that gives them something to chew on—not just another flashy distraction. According to Marketing Tech, audiences are moving away from endless scrolling and choosing content that actually adds value. Quick hooks aren’t enough anymore. They want something they can trust, something meaningful they’ll remember when it matters most.

That’s where you have an edge. You don’t need to put on a show. You don’t need to chase trends or stage viral moments. You need to be present, offering insight, demonstrating your knowledge, and building trust over time. Your “less flashy” approach—the one that feels natural to you—might just be exactly what your future clients are looking for.

Here’s What You Can Do Instead of Videos

You don’t need to turn yourself into a full-time video producer to stay in front of people. Apparently, you might even be better off not adding to the constant noise that fills everyone’s feed.

That doesn’t mean you can disappear, though. Staying top of mind is still non-negotiable. Fortunately, social media has made that easier and more affordable than ever—you don’t need a Madison Avenue budget to get in front of people anymore. But the trick is to keep it simple, keep it consistent, and keep it human.

For your day-to-day posts, think light, unobtrusive touches.

Everywhere people turn (TV, social, radio), the vibe is heavy lately. Fear and frustration get airtime because, well, fear sells. But as this article from Content Marketing Institute points out, joy sells too. Positive, lighthearted marketing not only resonates—it sticks.

Real estate memes are a perfect way to stay in front of people. A quick laugh can make someone smile—and more importantly, make them remember you—without asking them to sit through a three-minute performance.

Take this one for example…

(You can literally take this example! Just click here to add your own branding for free.)

And you can use memes to mix in substance, too. Quick real estate tips people can actually use—a smart way to prep for a showing, a reminder about deadlines, a myth-busting fact about mortgages. These give people a sense of your expertise without overwhelming them. Like this one:

(Feel free to swipe this one as well!)

And then there’s the deeper dives. That’s where you can really stand out by providing the more in depth content people are looking for online now.

A great way to do this is to share some articles every week. We highlight a couple of articles you can share each week in our weekly newsletter. One is always a market news article, written in plain English so people can easily read and enjoy it, while learning something useful. And the other is typically a more fun list-type article that gives them a laugh along with some insights into buying or selling. So if you aren’t already receiving it, click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

We also have a huge library of articles you can share for free on our site! Dig around and you’ll be able to find a lot of great content to share.)

These kinds of posts allow you to entertain, inform, and stay top-of-mind without a crazy amount of effort, and without making your followers wish there was a mute button for real estate agents.

Because let’s be honest: most of the people scrolling past your posts today aren’t moving anytime soon. They’re not waiting for you to publish a well-polished video or anything else for that matter. But they do need to see your name and face attached to some real estate content on a regular basis so that you’re the first agent they think of when it is time for them to buy or sell.

They may not read every word. But just seeing your name, your face, your insights—it plants a seed. And when their situation changes, you’ve already been showing up in their world in a way that feels useful, not exhausting.

That’s how you build trust and stay visible without burning yourself out chasing the whole you-have-to-be-on-video trend.

Forget the pressure to perform. Keep it simple. Keep it steady. Keep it worth their while.

The post You Don’t Need More Video Marketing to Succeed as an Agent (It Might Even Annoy Your Followers) appeared first on Lighter Side of Real Estate.

Have you heard how amazing AI is, and how you should be using it to improve your real estate business in every way?!

That’s rhetorical, obviously. Of course you have.

The only way you haven’t heard that it’s the best thing since the fax machine is if you’re still using a fax machine…and handing out business cards with your 1986 headshot on them.

It’s everywhere. Post after post. Email after email. Article after article, all proclaiming AI is going to make your life as an agent easier, more productive, and incredibly efficient.

Honestly? It’s enticing. It’s promising. At the very least, it fills you with a healthy dose of FOMO. So there’s a good chance you’re either dabbling with it—or diving in headfirst, trying to prompt your way forward through these uncertain times of your real estate career.

Whether it’s for productivity hacks, automations, business planning, lead-gen ideas, or writing listing descriptions, emails, or social posts, AI is a handy tool. In fact, it’s probably a necessary one to get familiar with and start using.

But if there’s one thing you probably shouldn’t hold your breath waiting for AI to do for you, it’s coming up with genuine humor in the things it writes for you.

AI Could Never Come Up With This Joke…

Again, AI is impressive. It can solve complex equations in seconds, spit out code, and carry on conversations that feel eerily human. You’ve probably had at least one moment where you thought, Dang… this thing kind of gets me.

But if you were to go on a first date with it, don’t expect it to be funny or witty—unless you’re into corny dad jokes. As Mustafa Yücel points out in his essay, “Why AI Isn’t Funny (And Probably Never Will Be),” humor is something that just doesn’t compute for AI. Not convincingly. Not authentically. Not intentionally, at least—not without a human stepping in and massaging it until it’s actually worth a chuckle.

Because humor isn’t just clever phrasing or a well-timed punchline. It’s not a checklist of words or sentence structures. It’s rooted in shared experiences, cultural context, emotional nuance, and—let’s be honest—a little absurdity and vulnerability. It’s about why something is funny, not just what the funny thing is.

For example: we asked ChatGPT to “create a funny meme as a metaphor for a homeowner that tells the struggle of selling their home on their own without an agent.”

Not only does it not make any sense, the funniest thing about it is how badly it missed!

Now here’s one we came up with:

Remove our logo and share this meme with your branding

AI couldn’t come up with this on its own. It’s too granular, too human, too nuanced. It can’t truly relate to what it feels like to navigate the home selling process.

AI can simulate emotion, but it doesn’t feel anything. It just mixes and matches based on key words in a prompt.

It doesn’t know what it’s like to nervously fumble through a listing appointment, spill coffee on the kitchen table, and somehow still walk away with the deal because the seller said, “I can tell my dog liked you, and he doesn’t like anyone!” It might be able to describe the dog-humping moment given some guidance, but it misses the unspoken reality where you quietly decided, “This is fine. I need this listing.”

As Yücel points out, it doesn’t understand what makes something truly funny because it hasn’t lived through the chaos, the awkwardness, the fragile little moments that make people laugh. It can mimic the shape of a joke—but not its soul.

Which brings us to a bigger question:

Is humor the secret to helping agents stand out from their competition moving forward?

Humor Isn’t “Just for Clowns” Anymore

For a long time, humor in marketing was considered a no-go. As the old-school ad expert Claude Hopkins once said, “People do not buy from clowns.” And for decades, that sentiment stuck—especially in “serious” industries like real estate.

But times have changed. In fact, as Psychology Today put it in an article titled “Humor in Marketing: The Riches Are in the Glitches”, we’ve entered an era where humor isn’t just accepted—it’s expected.

Because humor, it turns out, is a universal language. It makes people feel safe. It creates connection. It disarms the inner skeptic. And most importantly? It makes you relatable.

Humor invites people in without making them feel sold to. It fosters trust in a way that polished scripts and perfect listing photos can’t always do. It says, Hey, I’m human. I get it. And I’m someone you might actually enjoy working with.

Of course, that doesn’t mean you need to start wearing wigs or lip-syncing your way through TikTok. Some agents absolutely thrive doing that kind of content—and if that’s your jam, go for it. But for many others, the idea of filming themselves doing something wacky (or anything at all, really) is a hard pass.

And that’s the beauty of humor: it’s not about going full clown mode. It’s about finding the tone and approach that fits you. A well-placed joke in an email. A wry observation in your newsletter. A quick story you post on social media that captures the awkward, funny, deeply human side of this industry we’re all navigating.

91% of Consumers Want Humor

At the start of this piece, we talked about how everywhere you turn, someone’s telling agents to use AI.

And hey, they’re not wrong.

But when it comes to being funny? Not happening. But you may not know that with all the hype in media lately. Which is why this meme sums it up perfectly:

Remove our logo and share this meme with your branding

Interestingly, AI is creating an opportunity for agents who don’t use AI for building rapport with their sphere…

There’s a huge gap between what consumers want from marketing and what they’re actually getting. According to an Oracle study cited by Marketing Dive, 91% of people say they prefer brands to be funny—but only 20% say the brands they interact with are.

With more and more agents using AI to create their marketing and content, and possibly even interact directly with their prospects, using humor is going to be even more of an advantage.

Humor (used well) makes people feel less stressed. Especially now—when people are constantly doomscrolling and are bombarded with divisiveness, unwanted ads, and algorithm-churned sameness—lightness, humanity, and levity are what cut through the noise.

And that’s your edge.

While other agents turn to bots and templated content to do the talking for them, you can be the one who makes people smile. Who sounds like someone they’d want to talk to. Who gives their audience (and their future clients) a needed reprieve from generic real estate noise.

You don’t have to be over the top. You don’t have to be outrageous. You just need a dash of smart, well-timed, thoughtful humor.

And if crafting that kind of content isn’t second nature to you… that’s where Lighter Side can help.

We’ve been doing this since 2013, starting with making memes that gave agents a much-needed break from the daily grind. Now, our Inner Circle members use everything from clever articles and social posts, to light-hearted emails and conversational eBooks—all created with just the right tone and touch of humor—to stay top of mind, attract more clients, and build stronger connections.

If you want to sound human in a world that’s starting to sound more and more like a chatbot…

If you want to educate, entertain, and market yourself in a way people actually enjoy…

If you want to stand out from a sea of sameness… Join our Inner Circle!

Oh… last thing. This article was 100% written by a human (zero AI). As it should be.

The post Why AI Can’t Be Funny—and Why That’s Great News for (Some) Real Estate Agents appeared first on Lighter Side of Real Estate.

There’s probably an agent in your area whose face seems to be plastered everywhere you look. You’re driving down the road and, boom, you see them on a billboard. A little further down the road and there’s an ad for them on the radio. You get home and flip through your mail…there’s a postcard with their face and name staring at you. You go out to eat, and they have an ad on the placemat.

It’s so aggravating and disheartening to see the agents with the big budgets doing a ton of business, simply because they’re the first agent who comes to mind when someone thinks about buying or selling a house. How are you supposed to compete with someone who has a big enough budget to be seemingly everywhere and staying top-of-mind with not only you, but every other person in the area?

Here’s the good news: Most agents don’t have that kind of budget (or time) to spend on orchestrating such an elaborate campaign. So, you’re not alone. Here’s the better news: You can separate yourself from all those other agents (and the agents with billboards) by doing some top-of-mind marketing of your own.

A top-of-mind marketing approach is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. You just need to be consistently in front of your prospects’, leads’ and past clients’ eyes. Luckily that doesn’t have to entail spending tons of money on billboards, newspaper ads, or mailings. It used to be necessary to spend a ton of money on various types of marketing in order to create top-of-mind awareness, but with today’s technology, it can take very little money or time to be seemingly everywhere yourself now. The only real trick is to make sure that you connect with as many of your prospects, leads, and past clients as possible on social media!

While there are tons of different types of content you can share on social media to stay top-of-mind, real estate related memes are an incredibly effective way to leave a quick impression on your followers, without feeling like you’re intruding on their feed. People can digest a meme — even if they’re quickly scrolling — and you’re not interrupting their day any more than a billboard they pass, or an ad they hear on the radio.

You can always throw in real estate related articles, or other content, but using memes as the backbone of your top-of-mind approach works super well. Here, check out a few comments our Inner Circle members receive from their followers:

It can literally be that simple to stay top-of-mind with people. You do have to be consistent, and it may take time to see results, but that’s the same case with an elaborate, costly top-of-mind campaign. Agents who spend a ton of money on billboards and other advertising don’t get huge results immediately, or without consistently staying in front of people. So don’t post a few memes and give up thinking it doesn’t work because nobody has called you to buy or sell a house. Commit to doing it for the long-term.

Check out our Facebook page and use it as a starter pack of memes to share! Those won’t cost you a dime, and there are tons of memes you can share that we’ve posted over the years.

Pro tip: To truly stay top-of-mind, try sharing at least a meme per day, if not a couple of times per day.

Simply sharing real estate memes will be memorable and enjoyable enough for people to remember you as the go-to agent when the time comes to buy or sell a house. But if you want to amp your marketing up a bit, and be able to share memes with your face and branding on them with just a few clicks (and even schedule them to be posted), you should check out our Inner Circle membership. You ‘ll have access to way more memes that are exclusive to our members, and tons of other types of content too, like articles, booklets, and email templates, to name a few!

Either way, stop worrying about the billboard agents and start making them wonder and worry about how you managed to become top-of-mind with so many people in the area…without spending money on billboards!

The post How to Compete with “Billboard Agents” in Your Area (on a Budget) appeared first on Lighter Side of Real Estate.

As a real estate agent in the “people business”, I doubt you’d disagree.

So what DO people think about you? (Particularly on social media).

Are you funny? Interesting? Relatable?

Or are you the opposite of that?

Trust me, it matters.

It matters because as an agent, you’ve been commoditized.

Reality check: Most people think that all agents pretty much do the same thing. In the same way. And for the same price.

That’s why you’ve GOT to stand out from all the rest.

And when you know exactly how to CONNECT with potential buyers and sellers on a personal, relational and emotional level…

… you’ll see twice the results than agents who are just trying to sell themselves based on the SAME BORING talking points of “what you do” and “how you help”.

Funny or boring… choose wisely

If you’re not familiar with me and my story, here’s the short version:

My name is Mike Bell.

I used to be a boring agent who couldn’t get any traction on social media. I’d stay up til 2 a.m. trying to figure out how to get people to engage with me online. I was sharing stuff from boring real estate websites that was technical and dry, wasn’t fun or interesting and made people want to take a nap.

This could not go on.

Something had to change.

So, I made a decision.

I gave myself permission to be fun and interesting. And wouldn’t ya’ know, that led to the creation of The Lighter Side of Real Estate which is my full-time business where I get to make a living helping real estate agents lighten up.

After I made the change from dull to delightful, the content I was creating went crazy viral. I started getting shares, likes, and comments in the tens of thousands. Our website even crashed (a lot) in the beginning because we started getting MILLIONS of hits per month, and still do.

Fast forward to 2016, and now we get more shares, on average, than freakin’ CNN for the articles we publish:

And the only thing I did is make a simple change. I did what you can start doing today. I did what I knew would work in real estate… because it works everywhere else.

What was it?

I decided to be funny.

That’s it.

The science behind the funniez

Ok, so think about your personal life. You like to laugh. So does everybody else. Not a shocker is it? And I bet that if I paid someone to do a stalk you and do a study of the stuff you share and engage with online, most of it is pretty dang hilarious.

Like this:

A kid picks a flower and falls on his bum = funny
(I’ll be here all night folks).

Why does funny work in real estate marketing? Because people like, comment, and share stuff that makes them lol (as the kids say). This isn’t difficult to grasp right?

But most agents over-think their marketing strategy instead of just going with what works. Most agents (including my former agent self) are hesitant when it comes to being edgy, funny, or really… just being themselves.

They just are.

Maybe you are.

Bottom line: if you want to get noticed and stand out, you HAVE TO change. You have to utilize humor. You have to be witty. You have to meet them where they’re at and give them what they want.

“But Mike, that will never work with my business! It’s too much of a risk. People won’t take me seriously. I could lose business” sayeth you.

I object. Here’s why:

1. It’s working for myself and lots of other agents right now
2. If what you’re currently doing isn’t working, what do you have to lose anyways?

Need proof that funny works? Here ya go:

In a study on why content goes viral, Carson Ward says:

“Most obviously, content that is truly and broadly viral is almost always funny. One study interestingly titled “From subservient chickens to brawny men” found that despite 62% of ads being aired by Fortune 500 companies, 60% of viral ads were being generated by the smaller companies.”

The discussion continues:

“Humor was employed at near unanimous levels for all viral advertisements. Consequently, this study identified humor as the universal appeal for making content viral.”

UNANIMOUS LEVELS!?

Wow.

That’s why Lighter Side content is so popular. I mean, check out the engagement on this stuff (and these aren’t even our most shared stuff; this is just me scrolling through our Facebook page a few minutes ago):


Wow.

I’m still blown away everytime I see how popular our content is. And the cool part is that you’re 100% capable of doing the same thing.

More proof say you? Okay.

According to a study from the Mayo Clinic, laughter can:

• Stimulate many organs. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.
• Activate and relieve your stress response. A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response and increases your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling.
• Soothe tension. Laughter can also stimulate circulation and aid muscle relaxation, both of which help reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress.
• Relieve pain. Laughter may ease pain by causing the body to produce its own natural painkillers. Laughter may also break the pain-spasm cycle common to some muscle disorders.
• Increase personal satisfaction. Laughter can also make it easier to cope with difficult situations. It also helps you connect with other people.
• Improve your mood. Many people experience depression, sometimes due to chronic illnesses. Laughter can help lessen your depression and anxiety and make you feel happier.

So being funny isn’t only good for business, it’s good for your health too. Now, I could list study after study and article after article on the benefits of being funny and using humor in marketing, but I think you get the point right?

1. To be get noticed, you have to do something worth noticing.
2. To be relevant to your market, you have to post and share stuff they want to see.
3. To stand out from the crowd when everyone and their mother knows 27 real estate agents, you need to do something nobody else in your sphere is doing.

Got your attention?

I hope so.

Because I want to share something with you that will solve all of your marketing mishaps and help you unleash the funny-lol-inducing real estate agent that you’ve been hiding in the basement for all these years.

Ready to stand out?

Tired of pulling your hair out because you can’t figure out how to get traction on social media? If you want to see just how deep the rabbit hole goes and take your real estate marketing to the next level…

…click here

Mike Bell
Chief Chuckler in Charge
Lighter Side of Real Estate

The post Why Witty Agents Get More Business appeared first on Lighter Side of Real Estate.

I know. Stick with me, though. I promise this isn’t some sort of “clickbait.” There’s a powerful message if you read it to the end.

Actually, this was never intended to be read outside of my small Facebook group of less than 3,000 members. This “article” you’re reading was just something I randomly posted one night in an attempt to bring some value to the other members.

The response to my post was so overwhelming that I figured it might inspire you, too.

Btw, my name is Mike Bell. I run the Lighter Side of Real Estate. Maybe you’re one of the 680,000+ followers on my Facebook page? If not, no biggie. If you’re a real estate agent, then this message is for you.

Onto the story…

I recently saw an agent complaining about how her Facebook posts weren’t fetching much engagement.

Her post conjured up a memory about a breakup I had with an ex-girlfriend.

(And yes, there’s a connection here. A strong one. So stick with me here.)

See, I wasn’t a particularly good boyfriend in my twenties.

Granted, I feel I was a good guy and all, but I was a rough around the edges when it came to understanding women.

I guess all men are to varying degrees.

My biggest malfunction? I hadn’t learned one massively important thing about women:

Women. Crave. Compliments. Compliments to a woman are like water and sunlight to a seed.

DUH! Right?!

But I hadn’t realized this yet back on July 27, 1996. I was dating a young lady named Brandy.

That day is etched into my memory because it was supposed to be the most romantic night of our 9 month relationship… her birthday dinner. We’d been looking forward to this for weeks.

Brandy was a football-lovin’, flip-flops-wearin’, cussin’-like-a-sailor southern gal. Beautiful as the day is long, but also the type who could easily fit in with the guys.

She was feminine but not what you’d call a girly girl. You know the type.

Oh, and speaking of type… she was also the type to run late.

In fact, we were dangerously close to missing our reservation, which was making me antsy since I wasn’t quite sure how swanky restaurants worked. (Would it matter if we were late? Would they turn us away?)

So there I was sitting on her couch, not-so-patiently waiting for her to emerge from the bathroom from doing who-knows-what for the last god-knows-how-long.

As I glanced at my watch for the millionth time, I heard the bathroom door swing open and then…

*Clank*
*Clank*
*Clank*

…the sound of heels striking the hardwood floors as she sauntered down the hallway.

“Heels? Really? Her?” I thought.

When she appeared in my view, I was mesmerized. From head to toe she was almost unrecognizable (in the best of ways).

New dress? Check
New hairstyle? Check
New stilettos? Double check! I love a woman in stilettos!

I must’ve looked like a six-year-old boy gazing at an ant farm for the first time because she looked uhh-mazing.

It was the first time I’d ever seen her dressed to the nines. I felt like I was falling in love with her all over again.

So yeah, that’s what I was thinking… but what did my 21 year-old, knuckle-headed self SAY?

Something to the effect of, “C’mon, we gotta go. Like, now! We’re late!”

She didn’t peep a word on the drive there, but I didn’t think much of it since I had the radio up.

But moments after arriving and being seated, I noticed a tear rolling down her cheek.

I was puzzled, but she didn’t want to talk about it. I did, but I didn’t press the issue since we were in public.

Later in the car, she revealed the reason to me: she didn’t “feel pretty.” More specifically, she didn’t think I felt she was pretty.

I apologized profusely and expressed how beautiful she looked to me.

But it was too late. I missed an opportunity. An important one it would turn out. And it wasn’t my first time.

Soon afterwards she broke up with me. Not solely because of that incident, but it was certainly a domino in the chain reaction of our demise.

That experience taught me a valuable lesson about relationships…

… and twenty-one years later I’m still learning from it.

Oddly enough I’m learning things from her perspective of that night.

This is where personal branding on social media comes in

See, all real estate agents have a bit of Brandy in them. All agents want what she wanted:

To look your best.
To stand out from the crowd.
To be freakin’ N-O-T-I-C-E-D!

So here’s my advice…

Always brand in stilettos

Translated: Present yourself “to the nines” by posting the most useful / entertaining / valuable content you can muster up…

…EVEN IF (and this is huge)… even if nobody acknowledges you for it through likes, shares, and comments.

Sure, you want and need validation from others just like Brandy needed from me. We’re all wired this way.

But here’s the unfortunate truth…

People WILL do you like I did Brandy. In other words…

They WILL notice you.

They WILL appreciate you…

…but then not say anything because they’re running late for a dinner reservation like I was (or a bazillion other reasons).

And that’s okay.

Not everybody who enjoys your content is inclined to go the extra mile and tap the like button. Or the share button. Or, heaven forbid, string together multiple letters to form an actual comment.

Yes, we humans are that freakin’ lazy and/or sidetracked. And this laziness can skew your perception of how effective social media is for building your brand.

Don’t let that happen!

Just know that people are watching and appreciating your content (just like I silently appreciated Brandy’s beauty that night).

Some people will speak up. Some won’t. But at the end of the day it doesn’t matter because when people notice you, they’ll remember you.

And when they remember you, you stay top of mind.

And as a real estate agent who’s competing with tons of other agents…

… top of mind ain’t a bad place to be.

And do you wanna know the fastest way to become top of mind?

Again, it’s all about posting great content. But “great” is so vague, isn’t it? So let’s define it. Rather, let’s define what great content is not.

Contrary to what you might normally associate with “stilettos” and “dressing to the nines,” great content is NOT:

Formal.
Or pretentious.
Or pretty-on-the-outside-but-lacking-depth.

It’s not content that makes you — and only you — feel great.

No. Great content is content that makes you relatable to others. It’s authentic. It’s clever. It’s witty. It’s outside-the-box.

It genuinely stands out to people who consume it.

So…

My “stilettos” metaphor is about doing your best and not getting down on yourself… even if you feel nobody recognizes you. So please don’t walk away with the impression that great content should be pretty to look at and that’s it.

Prettiness by itself doesn’t stand out anymore. “Meaningfulness” is where it’s at. Not to mention, pretty is already expected from agents. And most times, it’s severely lacking in any real value for your audience.

Your brand deserves better than that.

And speaking of your brand…

You might not know this, but your brand is not your logo (which is just a bunch of pixels).

Your brand is not your color scheme.
Your brand is not your headshot.
Your brand is not something physical or tangible.

Instead, your brand is what people feel when they think about you…

… it’s a perception — not a tangible thing you can hold.
… it’s your stand out-factor — what makes you unique and authentic.
… it only exists in the minds of others (it’s a feeling).

And great content is what creates your brand.

Another thing about great content is that it shouldn’t be as painful to create as stilettos are to wear. (Not that I have first-hand knowledge lol. I’ve just been told.)

They are painful though, right?

After running the Lighter Side of Real Estate for years, and seeing the severe lack of quality content out there, I decided to build something never seen before in the real estate industry…

…I call it my “Inner Circle.”

It’s my treasure trove of content that’s “dressed to the nines” for agents who want to brand themselves in a more personable and meaningful way…

…all waiting for you. With your branding on it.

There’s zero pain for you. The work has been done FOR you. It’s the perfect way to wear stilettos (metaphorically, of course) when marketing & branding yourself.

So go on, give it a peek right here. (Members say it’s “like Netflix for real estate marketing & branding.”)

Maybe it suits your style. If so, I’d sure love you to join us. If not, thanks for reading this and I hope you never look at stilettos the same way again.

Mike Bell
Chief Chuckler in Charge
Lighter Side of Real Estate

The post Why Real Estate Agents Should Always Brand In Stilettos appeared first on Lighter Side of Real Estate.

And some advice is just plain terrible, like this:

“No one respects an agent who shares funny memes. You should only represent yourself with professional content.”

Easy there, Negative Nancy! Geez.

This is terrible advice, ladies and gents, and it comes from what’s commonly known as a hater.
Haters can’t be avoided. They’re everywhere! And sometimes they mean well, but that doesn’t mean you should take their terrible advice to heart. Instead of giving helpful information, they dole out criticism without substance or useless comments with prejudice.

Enter the Kardashians. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, they know alllll about succeeding in the face of haters.

Sure, they’re not in real estate (YET… just wait, I bet Khloe will be getting her license any day now), but they know exactly how to grab and keep attention—haters or no haters.

You see, instead of worrying about negative comments and changing their approach to fit every Harry McHaterson that comes down the pike, the Kardashian clan use a very simple method for staying top-of-mind in the public eye.

Are you ready? Their method is…

Find out what most people want… and give it to them.

Think about it. When you plop down on the sofa, kick off your shoes, and reach for the remote at the end of the day, are you looking for a bash-you-over-the-head serious dose of information?

Maybe. But I’ll bet most of the time you just want to be entertained. Chances are good you’re not looking to be challenged or enlightened. This is true for the vast majority of people—especially when they’re scrolling through social media sites like Facebook.

When you want to relax or take a break, you just want some good old-fashioned brain candy. Kim and Co. know this. That’s why when their audience keeps tuning in to their show. They expect crazy-rich people in weird situations giving over the top reactions. And the Kardashians always deliver. They stick to their method, make their fans happy, and rake in big bucks—year after year.

So now that we understand their method, we’ve still got two questions…

Question #1: Mama Kardashian ain’t no fool; they try something out, then they look at the ratings. People want more of Kylie? Poof! Kylie gets more press and more screen time… and here’s a couple kajillion dollars’ worth of lipgloss to go with it.

You can easily apply this on your own Facebook page and profile to see what content has worked well in the past, as well as what content bombed. Facebook provides easy-to-use tools for this. But if you don’t want to dig into the nitty gritty, just pay attention to the likes and comments (or lack thereof) your posts get. That’s a sure-fire way to know if you’re givin’ ‘em what they want.

Here are some examples of comments you want to see (obviously).
Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

Exhibit C:

Exhibit D:

On a side note, you’re probably wondering… exactly WHAT are these agents posting that have audiences going crazy?

Are you ready for this?

It’s memes! Simple, witty, fun, memorable memes like

This brings us to…

Question #2: Now that you know how to determine what type of content works best, how do you go about creating it? And once you figure that out, how do you keep it flowing consistently like the Kardashians do?

Do you have a production crew? Do you have a kajillion dollar budget? Do you have 14 assistants freeing up time so you can focus on your next piece of clever content?

I mean, sure, you can think of a funny topic or saying, dig around for a great image to portray that thought, and spend a couple hours in Canva trying to make it all look right together…

… but that’s a huge chunk of time out of your day—time that’s supposed to be spent on your real job (a.k.a. real estate)! Oh, and it’s not just a one time thing; you’ve got to keep this content flowing regularly so people remember you all year round.

The answer to this problem is obvious: Find a proven, affordable service that creates the type of content that your prospects love. (Yes, a service like this exists—wink wink. Keep reading.)
Here’s the bottom line: When you post the right type of content (versus the yawn-inducing stuff most agents post), you might just see results like this:

We see screenshots like this all the time. Why? Because these agents are posting memes that we (The Lighter Side of Real Estate) created. With over 415k fans on Facebook alone, suffice to say we know a thing or two about staying top-of-mind.

There’s actually another secret these agents use that goes a little deeper than just sharing good content.

You see, anyone can stumble across our Facebook page and hit the share button. That approach may get you a giggle or two, but YOU aren’t credited as the clever one who came up with it. The secret that the agents from the screenshots above have is they were able to personalize these memes—each one had the agent’s branding right there front and center!

It’s as if they created the meme. So they get all the love.

Think of it this way: it’s one thing to be thought of as the guy (or gal!) who shares funny stuff from time to time…

But it’s quite another to be perceived as the person who loves real estate so much they come up with these ideas themselves. It creates an instant affinity with everyone who sees, likes, and comments. And best of all? When folks are motivated to SHARE your funny memes, guess whose branding gets seen by even more people?

That’s the kind of branding magic you want working for you!

So when Harry McHaterson says, “No one respects an agent who shares funny memes,” you know he’s not living in 2019. Here’s the proof…BOOM.

BOOM.

BOOM.

One question remains: Do you have the time and talent to create awesome content yourself? OR… would you benefit from riding our coat-tails?

With Lighter Side’s Inner Circle, you’ll get unlimited access to all the memes (plus many other types of marketing content) you’ll ever need. Best thing of all? When you join, you can personalize everything with your OWN branding.

We want all your prospects to think you’re the clever and witty one, so you’ll stay top of mind effortlessly.

This is what we do, this is our passion.

Sounds pretty good, right? OF COURSE RIGHT. Just remember, forget the haters, go with what works (and what’s FUN!), and you, too, can build a lovable brand.

Click here and let’s get started

Mike Bell

Mike has asked repeatedly to be called “His Royal Awesomeness”, but no one listens. So, he settles for “Chief Chuckler in Charge” of Lighter Side of Real Estate. He enjoys writing bios in third person and hopes you don’t think any less of him because his headshot was shot in a bar.

The post The Secret Kardashian Formula Every Real Estate Agent Needs To Learn appeared first on Lighter Side of Real Estate.

As the Chief Chuckler in Charge of the Lighter Side, I believe I have the coolest job in the world. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

That said, the bigger picture of what I do isn’t known by a lot of folks… and if you’re just a casual Facebook follower of the Lighter Side, you’re probably not taking advantage of everything you could be.

So let’s get this sorted out right now.

Look…

Am I here to make you laugh? Yes.
Am I here to help lessen stress? Yes.
Am I here to help you escape your daily real estate grind? Absolutely.

BUT…

That’s only 20% of what I do.

These posts are designed to tell your story when you share it. Whether it’s “I love what I do,” or “I’m here to serve you,” or “this is what my life is like as an agent”.

It’s real. It’s relatable. But most of all, it represents you in a positive light to buyers and sellers.

It’s content that when you share it, lets you come across as:

• Entertaining
• Resourceful
• Non-salesy
• Human!

And keeps you ‘top of mind’ to boot.

But don’t just take my word for it…

Here are some real comments from real prospects that were the result of agents sharing some of my content. (This is just a few, I have literally dozens of examples.)

And another:

And another:

Here’s the bottom line. Think of social media like a cocktail party, not a monologue. Using it as a megaphone to blast boring, rehashed industry news doesn’t get the job done.

The name of the game is starting conversations.

If done correctly, you’ll establish a reputation as a “real” human being who’s both resourceful and entertaining.

Winning at social media is simple: Build strong relationships and an environment where people can become comfortable doing business with you.

But fair warning…

Don’t go wasting your time scouring the Lighter Side Facebook page for this type of content. For the most part, you won’t find it. It’s mostly reserved for my (much smaller) group of marketing savvy agents. I call this my Inner Circle…

Wanna learn more?

Click here.

The post Something You Need To Know About The Lighter Side, From The Guy Behind It… appeared first on Lighter Side of Real Estate.

You feel your company is the greatest, and everyone else should join too. Am I right?

You guys are “the fastest growing company”, everyone loves each other, and you have the best this, that, or another thing. Right?

Ok so you “drank the Kool-Aid.”

No harm, no foul!

But the thing is, when you’re in a company that other agents joke like that about, it makes it harder to actually recruit people into your company.

Starting almost any conversation about recruiting goes over about as subtle as that big red pitcher crashing through walls in the Kool-Aid commercials back in the day.

The minute you even hint at trying to recruit someone, it’s like other agents put up a wall—a wall big and strong enough to keep you and the Kool-Aid guy from getting through!

So what’re you supposed to do? Not boast about your company? Let people just label you? Not even try to recruit people, and just chalk it up to it being “their loss”?!

Nahhhhh, you just gotta…

Own the Kool-Aid narrative!

I’ve got a lot of fans that drink the so-called “Kool-Aid” with my brand, the Lighter Side of Real Estate. In my line of work, I get to interact with a broad spectrum of agents day in and day out. And I’ve always felt your pain when it comes to recruiting.

Many agents tell me how hard they’re trying. Maybe you’re one of them. And like them, you also get shut down too quickly. You’re often misunderstood, and you get a bad rap for trying to recruit people. But hey, you genuinely got a good thing. You should be bragging about it and inviting people to see how cool it is for themselves.

So here’s a little something for you: a recruiting letter / email template I whipped up to get your juices flowing. Just a small ‘thank you’ for being a fan of The Lighter Side! (If you’re not a fan of The Lighter Side, please close your eyes or stop reading…LOL. JK.)

Btw, I’m totally cool with you swiping this and giving it a whirl!

Instead of just trying to avoid the “Kool-Aid” label, own it.

And in my experience with the Lighter Side, a little levity is one of the best ways to:

• Get someone’s attention
• Keep it
• Nurture the relationship over time

So I hope that letter helps you get (and keep) the attention of the next person you try to recruit!

You should also consider other fun angles!

I think part of the reason so many agents who get labelled as Kool-Aid drinkers and pushers is because they always tend to lead with, and focus on, their company. (With good reason, of course.)

But just because your company is great, doesn’t mean that’s what’s gonna get and keep someone’s attention.

So if you’re actively trying to recruit into your company, and you liked the letter I gave you to use, you’ll love the 20 other recruiting letters I created.

I’ll give them all to you if you decide to join my exclusive Inner Circle membership. Check ‘em out:

They’re all unique approaches you can use depending on the agent you’re trying to convert ahem, I mean, recruit (LOL). Each one has its own fun, funny, or witty angle, and a call to action.

And they’re not just good as letters or emails. I wrote these in a way that you can use them as scripts that roll right off your tongue (with a little practice of course), since they’re short and to the point.

Get all these templates and soooo much more

Here’s the deal.

If you haven’t heard, the Lighter Side of Real Estate has an exclusive group of agents known as our Inner Circle. It’s a monthly membership consisting of marketing savvy agents like yourself.

When you join you’ll have full license use any or all of these templates (plus all future ones I create).

And get THIS: These templates are just one teeny-tiny part of what you’ll get as a member. Just wait til you see what all’s included!

Click here to join our Inner Circle and get access to all these templates and much more.

What members are saying

I could tell you the Inner Circle is the best thing since the invention of the MLS… but fortunately I don’t have to. My members are doing the talking for me:

Click here to join our Inner Circle and get access to all these templates and much more.

Happy recruiting!!!

The post How To Get Other Agents To Drink Your “Kool-Aid” appeared first on Lighter Side of Real Estate.

Fair Warning: This story isn’t exactly short. BUT… if you stick with me til the end, AND you’re a real estate agent, you’ll receive a nice payoff.
– Mike Bell, “Chief Chuckler in Charge”

I crouched over my tattered, brown couch as I searched the cracks for loose change. I was hungry and needed to eat, and so did my dog, Cubby. I was 39 years old and in the “prime” of my life.

It was 2013, around March or April as best I can recall. I was down to $13 in the bank, plus almost two bucks in change I scored from my couch.

The plan? Go down to the Food Lion (local grocery) and walk out with as many cans of tuna as $15 could buy. Which is exactly what I did.

Cubby and I were set for the next few days.

(Btw, I’ll never forget the shame of having to combine two forms of payment—a debit card and a fistful of change—for a $15 transaction.)

Such was my life back then. Some people live paycheck to paycheck. I was living meal to meal. I was broke and deflated, but not yet defeated.

Let me stop you here.

This isn’t some bullshit “rags to riches” story. Nor am I seeking your sympathy. Rather, this is the true story of a “perfect storm” which led me to create the Lighter Side of Real Estate brand. I simply believe in giving full context when telling a story.

Now, based on what I’ve told you, you might assume I was a crackhead or something. And I wouldn’t blame you. I was practically living on my couch—it doubled as both my bed and “office.”

I wasn’t a crackhead at all, though. Drugs were never my deal. See, I was actually a different kind of crackhead. Instead of searching for my next high, I was searching for that elusive lil’ booger called “happiness within.”

Little did I realize, happiness comes from making others happy. Give value to others, and it will boomerang back to you. Looking back, I hadn’t doled out much value at that point in my life.

Life was pretty gloomy then.

Most people have built a nice life for themselves by their late 30’s. But me? I was a grown-ass man who could barely feed himself, let alone provide value to anybody.

My biggest fear, which has always been “wasted talent”, was becoming more of a reality. I hadn’t found my calling in life yet, and it was eating me to the core—financially and emotionally.

I knew I was a bright person, but I still hadn’t figured out exactly what my talent was. Or how I could use it to give value to others.

Ultimately I found it, which you’ll learn in a minute. But before I tell you, I want you to know how I’d fallen so low (and how I got back up).

I cut my teeth on real estate fresh out of college in 1997 when a buddy introduced me to the world of appraising. He was a successful mortgage broker, and I was a floundering graduate trying to figure things out. He introduced me to his appraiser friend who agreed to take me on as an apprentice.

Early into my appraisal career I began investing in real estate, so getting my sales license seemed only natural. In 2004 I became licensed to sell. I sold and appraised until I put both licenses on inactive status in 2008. They’re probably caked with dust by now.

I’d like to say that leaving real estate was by choice… that I was some “rock star” agent who just “wanted more of a challenge” or some nonsense. But I won’t. I’m more transparent than that.

When the real estate bubble popped, I hadn’t built up enough of a client base to survive. Stepping away from my appraisal career, on the other hand, was completely voluntary. Newly-imposed regulations on appraisers had strangled my love for the profession.

My post-real estate career consisted of random writing gigs, local marketing services, and a slew of big ideas which flopped massively…

…which led to that disgusting brown couch—pretty much my sole possession at the time.

Here it is, btw. (Yeah, it had seen better days.)

Literally the spot where the Lighter Side of Real Estate was conceived.

I wondered if my “big ideas” kept flopping because I couldn’t get the word out to enough people…

So I turned to social media.

I figured I’d build a brand by putting out content on Facebook, then figure out the money part later. Maybe create witty t-shirts and sell them to agents or something.

It was at that moment I hedged my bets and went all in. I mean, what did I have to lose? My couch was already PAID FOR, baby!

I named my first Facebook page, Real Estate News & Trends. I shared the same real estate stuff everyone else was sharing (yawn). They were the type of posts everyone scrolled right past. This was mid-2013.

In hindsight I realize how naive I was. I mean, it was interesting content to people like me and you (real estate folks)…

…but to people we actually want to reach (potential buyers & sellers)? Total freakin’ snoozefest.

It was data.
It was boring.
It was… oatmeal (not bacon).

Which brings me to a point in this story where I think you can REALLY relate…

See, I was just winging it, like maybe you’re doing. It was as if I couldn’t even pay somebody to like a post I made.

I was clueless about how to build a likable brand online.
I was irrelevant to the few followers I actually had.
I was wasting time making “noise” on social media that lacked any value.

Because let’s face it, real estate isn’t exactly the sexiest thing to talk about on social media.

But I wanted so badly to build an unforgettable brand.
To reach lots of people.
To have influence.

Sound familiar? I wanted everything from social media that you probably want as an agent. But I failed.

I failed because I was building a brand without a soul.

I was just posting more of the same ol’ crap with a fancy logo slapped on it. My “brand” was lost in a sea of sameness.

Day after day I’d make posts… and crickets.

No likes.*
No comments.
No shares.

*Except for that handful of friends who like EVERYTHING you post. Gotta love true friends!

This went on for months. How the heck was I gonna build a popular brand if I couldn’t even reach anybody… or post anything interesting? And then one day it hit me harder than a lowball appraisal…

Call it luck, fate, or even divine intervention if you want. I remember it vividly. The date was December 29, 2013.

After moping around all weekend, wondering if I should throw in the towel, I stumbled onto a podcast that changed everything for me.

With one simple word, this random podcast dude shifted my entire mindset.

I FINALLY knew what I had to do.

That one word?

“Info-tainment”

The fusion of information and entertainment. Brilliant!

Truth is, we humans crave entertainment. It’s hard-wired into us all!

And if you can find a way to post real estate related stuff that’s actually interesting (and not desperate-sounding or boring), you’ll grab people’s attention…

… and they’ll like you. And more importantly, remember you!

And if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this…

Attracting clients has less to do with your “credentials”… and everything to do with how people feel about you!

So after hearing this podcast, I scrapped my old Facebook page and started a new page called the Lighter Side of Real Estate…

… with a fresh new strategy.

I began posting about topics on the fringes of real estate. In other words, NOT listings or boring real estate news. Instead, I posted fun content that had broad appeal (but always with a real estate angle woven in).

I started showing the plight of agents through lighthearted humor. In doing so, I demonstrated that real estate people are fun and interesting, not self-promoting robots like much of the public thinks.

Basically, I tried (and still try) to give real estate the makeover I feel it needs.

And boy did it take off!

My content was finally getting shared by agents AS WELL AS regular, non real estate folks (i.e. potential buyers & sellers)!

And wouldn’t you know it…

In no time at all, my posts were getting more attention than the “top dogs” of real estate!

I started outperforming brands I’ve always respected!

Yep. Me. A “nobody” with zero industry connections—and my engagement stats were blowing right past theirs.

Via Buzzsumo, 2016

Heck, at one point, Lighter Side’s articles, on average, were getting shared more than CNN’s!. What?!

Via Buzzsumo, 2016

After months of failing to get noticed online, messages started pouring in.

Agents were telling me they were using my content to promote themselves…

…and also that their followers LOVED the content they were sharing.

Take Renee, for example:

And I started getting posts and messages like that on a daily basis:

The messages just wouldn’t stop pouring in (and I loved it!):

Fact is, they were staying top of mind and getting REAL results!

As it turned out, this kind of content was making THEM (the agents) look like rock stars. This feedback blew me away!

Agents flooded my inbox, asking permission to use my stuff with their own branding on it.

So I reached out to my email list and asked if I should create some sort of “content club”.

And boy did I learn a lot from that email! I uncovered a HUGE need.

Now here’s where YOU enter this story…

Fast forward to today.

See, although the Lighter Side of Real Estate started out as a way to give real estate the makeover I mentioned earlier…

… it’s grown into a content marketing platform that agents like you can use to build your personal brand.

Wouldn’t it be freakin’ awesome if people were pre-sold on YOU as their agent?

If people loved the crap out of you even prior to reaching out to you?

If they respected you not only as someone who’s professional… but who’s also fun, relatable, and personable?

Of course that’d be freakin’ awesome!

And that’s exactly why I started the Lighter Side “Inner Circle”.

Click here and I’ll show it to you.

The post How I Built The Most Viral Real Estate Brand On Facebook (From My Couch) appeared first on Lighter Side of Real Estate.