GET OUT FROM BEHIND THE SCENES

Jill Johnson Digital Coordinator

Get out from the scenesbehind

Our very first Real Estate XChange Conference has now come to an end! If you were unable to attend the conference at the end of May, boy you missed out! The conference was jam-packed with so much information regarding branding, social media, and short-term rentals! Even though the crowd was small, we sure were mighty. One of the big points discussed was video content for social media and marketing. A key takeaway that I had is that video does not have to be perfect, nor is it meant to be. People relate with real people which is why being your true self on social media platforms is what seems to attract a higher audience rather than a highly produced video. However, produced videos definitely still have their place as they should.

What I wanted to write about in this article is not necessarily the kind of videos to create, but more of the how. It really is as simple as grabbing your phone, hold it in 1 hand “selfie-style” , or set it down on a table, and just talk. In the month of May, Laurie and I took on the challenge to record a video of ourselves just talking; whether something motivational or just rambling, and it was hard at times. I did miss a couple of days after the conference, but it was very eye opening. There really is always something to talk about, whether we think so or not.

As many of you know, I started with HSRA a few years ago in a shy bubble. I tended to stay behind the scenes and that’s really all I wanted to do. In the past year, with the help of my amazing team, I have been able to burst out of that bubble for the most part.

I sometimes blow that bubble back up, but I don’t really think about that anymore. We have been taught, at least in my generation, that being perfect and polished with no mistakes or mess-ups is the only way to success. Well, I am here to tell you, that’s not exactly true. As I said, people relate to real people. We learned this at the conference from Amy Barton Cotney, a TikTok celebrity, and so many others. The way we do a video today is not the way we used to do it. So I just wanted to share a few tips on how to create real and authentic video content.

1.Don’t Rely on a Video Script

If you are creating a product that is for sale, you are probably going to want to have a script of some sort. This is for an item or service to purchase, and you do want it to be the best quality possible. But if you are just creating a quick video for the ‘gram, aka, Instagram, you don’t need to have a script. These platforms were not made for super-polished content, that’s why stories and doing live videos are so important and Instagram loves those for the algorithms.

2.Trust the Human Factor

As I said, people want to work with real people. If you are filming a video of a client for a testimonial, you can do the production setup or just record on your phone, depending on the type of client that you are looking to secure. The reason testimonial videos are important is because a potential client can see the actual person that has worked with you. They can see their physical reaction to your services, rather than just written, which sometimes can get overlooked. Your potential clients want to be able to relate to someone that you have serviced, and they can do so by hearing about that person’s pain points and how you have solved them.

3.Don’t Let Perfection Get in the Way

This is where filming LIVE content comes in. Now, this is the kind of content I still have moments of nervousness about because you can’t just record it, watch it, and then delete it and redo it if you don’t like it… I have spent countless times recording, watching, deleting, redoing, and just continuing that cycle. The times I did a live video have, in my opinion, been more beneficial than the ones I recorded because I wasn’t able to try to be “perfect” . That saying “you get what you get and you don’t throw a fit” also relates to live videos.

PHOTO COURTESY OF: ASHLEY FUENTES | STAGING THE NEST

Just to sum everything up, authenticity is what people are craving right now. That is definitely not to say that you stop being professional. It just means you don’t have to be “picture perfect”; something that is hard to relate to. Your clients want to know that they are working with someone that is professional, knows what they're doing, but is also not going to be fake or unauthentic with them. If you didn’t partake in the May challenge with Laurie and me, I challenge you to at least record a video of yourself every day for 1 week. The difference you will feel in self-confidence and growth is huge. I can say with this past month, I have naturally become more comfortable speaking in general.

Take that step, get out of always wanting to be behind the scenes. Be bold, be strong, be courageous, be confident, and let the world see who you are. Have an amazing month of June, and I’ll see you back here on a different piece of paper next month.

XOXO - JILL

Authenticity

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