NORTHERN CALIFORNIA 12-11-23 by Top Agent Magazine

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA EDITION

Fresh New Approaches to Content Marketing

Welcome Home: WORKING WITH RELOCATORS IN TRANSITION

MILLENNIAL BUYERS:

Is Finding a

NICHE MARKET

Where They Are & What to Know

Right for You?

COVER STORY

BETH TERANI

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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA EDITION

BETH TERANI

BETH TERANI CONTENTS 4) 5 FRESH NEW APPROACHES TO CONTENT MARKETING 13) WELCOME HOME: WORKING WITH RELOCATORS IN TRANSITION

18) MILLENNIAL BUYERS: WHERE THEY ARE & WHAT TO KNOW 22) IS FINDING A NICHE MARKET RIGHT FOR YOU?

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5 Fresh New Approaches to Content Marketing A couple of weeks ago we were conducting a workshop when we were asked two excellent questions about content marketing:

• People don’t want to hear from a roofing company every day. So how do you produce fresh and interesting content for social media that goes beyond your core services and yet ties back to your business?

• Can you extend your social media presence and content to include personal things (like your hobbies) and how does that affect your overall business image?

The workshop attendee who asked the first question was right. Almost no one wants to hear from any company every day… especially if all the content is about products and services…and yes, even if they’re giving helpful tips and information. Does that mean you should stop producing excellent daily content related to your business? No, of course not! Content is created for two reasons. First, to provide knowledge, expertise and even entertainment to your ideal customers in order to achieve top of mind awareness as an authority in your industry. And second, to produce SEO-rich results that keep you at the top of search engines. You must strike a

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balance between the two, and try to include content that draws people in by being super interesting and entertaining….and yes, sometimes personal. To help answer those content questions above, here are five different types of content (beyond the traditional stuff) that can give your brand a fresh, unique and balanced approach:

1. PHILANTHROPIC Your community efforts say a lot about who you are, and people will make an extra effort to do business with you as a result of this connection. We’ve consulted business owners who are very hesitant to promote these efforts because they don’t want it to seem as though they are exploiting the charities and organizations—and most especially because they don’t do it for the promotional aspects. They do it to give back. I ask you to keep this in mind. Nonprofit and charitable organizations very often have small marketing budgets. Not only do they rely on outside marketing forces to promote their initiatives, they would likely be forced to close their doors without that support. That means that when someone with a strong brand and presence promotes them, it’s a highly trusted and personal connection, and you can’t buy that kind of support. In other words, they not only need you to promote them, they want you to promote them. But your instincts are correct. It’s not about you. So just make sure your entire content focuses on the organization you’re helping, what they do for the community and how Top Agent Magazine

others can join in the cause. Then it becomes a huge win for all.

2. HOBBIES You bungee jumped from four of the tallest bridges in the U.S. In your spare time, you go fly fishing. You love playing chef and use only locally grown, organic foods. Your friends are always begging you to go to Vegas with your card shark talents. You’ve done mission work in Africa and would like to start your own group. You almost played professional baseball. You have an insane talent for gardening design or bass guitar. Your family works at a soup kitchen once a month. Ok…you get the picture. And two more words. Reality TV. People are interesting…and people are interested in interesting people. We remember others based on these unique traits. And most of all, people love the story behind the face. Don’t be afraid to share your hobbies. Quite often, it’s the first thing that will personally connect you to a prospect.

3. CREATIVE CONNECTION This one is perhaps our favorite. While we can’t imagine seeing something come across our news feed from a landscaping company every day, imagine this for a moment. What are we always told to remember in this hectic world? Stop and smell the roses, right? So what if…a landscaping company posted a beautiful flower each day, just to remind you to ‘stop and smell the roses’. And at the bottom of that photo (small print), you included

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the type of flower and type of environment needed to make it flourish (moist soil, full sun, etc.). And then, of course, watermarked it with your logo….and a title like, “Sam’s Daily Reminder: It’s Time to Stop & Smell the Roses”. You could even include some great, thought-provoking quotes. It has the personal connection (Sam), the business connection (flowers & logo watermark) and a cool creative connector (pause the meetings and paperwork to take a moment and appreciate life by noticing this beautiful flower). This is a great idea for staying ‘top of mind’ and connecting business with the kind of creative messaging people wouldn’t mind seeing every day.

4. EXPERIENCES This one is similar to hobbies from the personal aspect, but instead of something that identifies us like our hobbies, our experiences are random happenings that can have great interest and meaning to our audience. Whether you have a unique experience buying a new car or a fateful conversation with a stranger in the airport, if you feel it ties into a life lesson or business lesson you’d like to share, by all means do. The lesson is to keep your radar up 24/7. Any experiences you have which relate to your

ideal customer are an opportunity to connect beyond the business world. And when we do that, we become a part of the family.

5. INFLUENCERS “Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future”. You’ve probably heard that saying, and the same is true whether you are a teenager or a business owner. Maybe you’ve learned a lot of your business knowledge from Bill Gates, Steve Jobs or Warren Buffet…or you like to quote Benjamin Franklin. Perhaps you have some mentors you’d like to recognize and tell why they’re important to you. Sharing the people and things that influence us is what makes us human. No matter how successful your business, you didn’t get there alone. People and circumstances shaped you along the way. Recognizing others for their contribution in our lives, large or small, is important in staying connected and grounded. We hope these five types of content help you to put a fresh spin on what you share with your audience, whether personal or professional. We believe you must have the combination of both to build an incredible brand.

Tonya Eberhart is the Branding Agent to Business Stars and founder of BrandFace®, LLC. Michael Carr is America’s Top Selling Real Estate Auctioneer & BrandFace® partner. Together, they focus on personal branding and marketing designed to help real estate professionals become the face of their business & a star in their market. BrandFace® for Real Estate Professionals is a book, professional speaking series and an exclusive workshop for agents, and is currently active in 18 U.S. states, Canada and New Zealand. For more information, visit www.BrandFaceRealEstate.com. 6

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BETH TERANI

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Top Agent Beth Terani with Redfin Oakland/ Berkeley serves the luxury real estate market in the lush coastal hillsides of Oakland, Lafayette, and Montclair. Beth Terani of Oakland, California, combines Terani Oakland, California, comaBeth broadly cast of digital footprint with a dedicabinestoaclient broadly cast digital footprint tion satisfaction to serve the with luxurya dedication to client satisfaction to serve the real estate market in the lush coastal hillsides. luxury real estatehas market in the lush coastal “Quality service to come first. Obstacles hillsides. “Quality service has to come first. come up and problems are inevitable, so I make Obstacles come communicate up and problems inevitasure I constantly and are educate clible, so I make I constantly ents every stepsure of the way – thatcommunicate way when I andthem educate clientsthe every of the way – tell the good, bad, step and the ugly; they know that when I’m up-front and on side. that way I tell them thetheir good, theWhen bad, you from they your know heart, that it allI’m comes back and work the ugly; up-front around you.” and on to their side. When you work from your heart, it all comes back around to you.” “My journey started with Keller Williams,” she “I started decidedwith to jump in and get my “Myrecalls. journey Keller Williams,” ® license.” After becoming REALTOR , Beth she recalls. “I decided to ajump in and get my ® signed on with Redfin Oakland/Berkeley and license.” After becoming a REALTOR , Beth began all of Redfin the East Bay and Lamorinda signedserving on with Oakland/Berkeley with an emphasis Oakland, and and began servingonall of the Lafayette, East Bay and her home neighborhood of Montclair. “I like Lamorinda with an emphasis on Oakland, being around different types of people. It’s so Lafayette, and her home neighborhood of diverse here, and I get to meet new individuMontclair. “I like being around different als every day. Being on the move and learning types of people. It’s so diverse here, and I get from others, getting to hear their stories and to meet new individuals every day. Being on be a part of their lives – that’s the dream.” the move and learning from others, getting to Beth also cherishes her role in a great team at hear their stories and be a part of theirher lives – Redfin, where collaboration enhances real that’s experience. the dream.” estate 8Copyright Copyright Top Agent Magazine

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Beth’s unslakable thirst for education and her penchant for candor and transparency have her boasting a book of business that is largely clients. MostMost recently, after repeat and andreferral referral clients. recently, initially sellingselling the estate, after initially the Beth’s estate, clients Beth’shave clireturned her aid infor listing ents haveforreturned her the aidMediterranean in listing the Villa of world renowned casino designer Henry Mediterranean Villa of world renowned casino

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“Bud” Conversano. “His story is incredible,” designer Henry “Bud” Conversano. “His she exudes. “He studied industrial at story is incredible,” she exudes. “Hedesign studied Pratt, worked foratGeneral Motorsfor in General Detroit, industrial design Pratt, worked and eventually turned to eventually furniture and interior Motors in Detroit, and turned to design when met William got furniture andheinterior designHarrah. when That he met him started working the likes of workSteve William Harrah. Thatwith got him started Wynn andthe Donald – he put just much ing with likes Trump of Steve Wynn andas Donald

Beth’s efforts have seen her recognized with the Centurion Award from Redfin with $50 million in sales, and acknowledged as one of Real Trend America’s Best Real Estate Top Professionals with over $23.6 million sold in 2023. Trump – he put just as much time, energy, and time, energy, and love into designing his own love into designing his own home as he did home as he did those high end casinos, and it those high end casinos, and it shows.” shows.” These opportunities to breathtaking tour breathtaking These opportunities to tour archiarchitecture and work with international clitecture and work with international clientele entele hasuniquely Beth uniquely to serve has Beth poisedpoised to serve niche niche highhigh-end markets in California. Rather than end markets in California. Rather than guard guard herearned hard earned knowledge and insight, her hard knowledge and insight, Beth Beth eagerly educates her colleagues eagerly educates her colleagues and raisesand the Copyright Top Agent Magazine Copyright 10

raises the industry standard every chance she industry standard every chance she gets. She gets. She is currently an active member of the is currently an active member of the Bridge ® Bridge Association of REALTORS , and she ® Association of REALTORS , and she orgaorganizes and teaches events and seminars on nizes and teaches events and seminars on a a varietyofoftopics, topics, including including 1031 1031 exchanges variety exchanges and property management. and property management. In addition In addition to to bolstering bolstering her her colleagues colleagues and and broadening her professional impact, Beth broadening her professional impact, Beth plans to to grow plans grow her her brand brand by by leaning leaning into into an an Top Agent Magazine

(already robust) virtual presence. While her magazines listings already appear in luxury magazines around the world, Beth has steadily grown a following on several social media platforms, Instagram. including TikTok, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Her efforts recognized withwith the effortshave haveseen seenherher recognized Centurion Award fromfrom Redfin with with $50 milthe Centurion Award Redfin $50 lion in sales, and acknowledged as one of million in sales, and acknowledged as one of

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Real Trend America’s Best Real Estate Top Professionals with Professionals with over $23.6 million sold in 2023. She is grateful for all the the opportunities opportunities Redfin has provided. “Social media has been a game changer, but I balance that out with plenty of exercise and books. You can’t succeed only to ceed only online onlineororonline onlineininperson person– it– has it has be be both!” to both!”

For more about Beth Terani (Lic.# 01972611), please call 415-766-1755, email bethterani@gmail.com and Beth.tehrani@redfin.com or visit her Redfin bio https://www.redfin.com/real-estate-agents/beth-tehrani

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Welcome Home:

Working with Relocators in Transition People stage moves for all sorts of reasons. From the joyous and pre-planned, to the unfortunate and unexpected, new chapters begin with the help of an agent. When you’re working with buyers from a different region, state, or country, the typical complications of a transaction can be compounded. So, what’s a savvy agent to do? For starters, envision the big picture. Relocators have extra obstacles between them and Top Agent Magazine

their dream home. They don’t necessarily know which neighborhoods are ideal for their lifestyle, what they should budget for utilities, what type of homeowner’s insurance is ideal, or how they can tour, let alone close, on a house from afar. All in all, it’s a tall order, but if you can manage a relocation transaction successfully, you could tap into a sizable pool of clientele. Think of it this way: if you’re the shining star of a relocator’s moving process, their word-of-mouth praise could be

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exponential. Likewise, a winning reputation within that client’s corporate sphere could lead to lucrative, stable referrals and partnerships for years to come. Here are a few key ways to help clients navigate the relocation process with minimal stress and maximum results.

Create a full-scale timeline for you and your client that makes expectations clear. Moving is already one of life’s biggest stressors, but relocations have a dozen more moving parts that your average deal. Consider creating a master-plan of sorts to help you and your client visualize the steps required to achieve success in the midst of a relocation. Even from afar, your client will be able to refer to the roadmap you’ve set. Likewise, this makes sure you and your client are on the same page regarding expectations, timelines, and checklists. Assemble an articulated, overarching gameplan also helps demystify the process and lower stress. Instead of clients wondering what’s next, what’s needed, who to call, and when to be ready—handy guidelines of your own devising will be at their fingertips. 14

Attune your communication style so that nothing goes overlooked or miscommunicated. Establish early on how your client prefers to communicate and which methods should be excluded. Also, make sure to outline what timeframes are ideal to communicate in, and how often they expect to hear from you with status updates or follow-ups. Some clients might prefer a more hands-off approach that lets you manage most details behind the scenes with updates only when progress is made. Most clients in the midst of a serious relocation, however, will prefer to be in touch more frequently. Customizing is key. If they prefer text messages and emails over calls, that’s a helpful detail to know from the outset. If they prefer face-to-face video chats or can only speak after business hours—those are also key parameters to work within. The less mystery and hassle, the better.

Be a local resource with vetted recommendations and vendors on-hand. Relocating homeowners may not know the best neighborhoods and their amenities, or where the best school districts are, which areas are high-traffic, or where their dollar might stretch a little further. Identifying your clients’ goals can help narrow this field, but you’ll also want to be careful not to overwhelm them with information. After all, they’re taking on a huge life transition and making a move as an outsider. You’ll want to serve as a onestop-shop who can remove some steps and stress from their organizational obligations. Have a contractor who can get a head-start on home projects while clients make the move?

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Excellent. Or, perhaps you can provide an out-of-state agent referral so that clients can sell their existing property in a timeline that works in conjunction with their new purchase. Make yourself a community expert and a connector, and you’ve won a client— and their referrals—for much longer than a single transaction.

Think outside the box when weighing variables. Relocations aren’t your typical transaction. You’ll need to do a bit more planning to avoid pitfalls along the way. For instance, have you considered how you’ll tour homes with clients if they live hundreds of miles away? Are there time zone differences to factor in?

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If clients are relocating from another country, are there any special visa or naturalization considerations? How will their belongings travel? Are there pets to relocate? There are plenty of questions to ask and plan for, but the key is to be communicative and thorough up front. The more information and planning time you have, the smoother the transition will go. There are certified real estate agent designations you can pursue that set you apart for your experience when it comes to relocations, but in lieu of those—arm yourself with the planning details and methods that will make your client a raving fan. In the process, you’ll up your game, create a happy client, and hopefully field similar business for years to come.

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Millennial Buyers: Where They Are & What to Know Homebuyers and sellers come from all walks of life. If you’ve been an agent for long, you’ve likely worked alongside a wide variety of folks—from first-timer homeowners and down-sizers, to second home searchers and those finally hunting for their dream home. While there is hardly a shortage of diversity in the housing market, there 18

is one generation that is making big strides in homeownership these days: Millennials. Millennials can be loosely defined as those between the ages of twenty-two to thirtyseven. As you can see, this constitutes a wide swathe of the population. If you’re an agent who stands to learn a bit more about

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a demographic whose influence and homeownership goals are rapidly evolving, tune in below for a few pointers that can help you expand a segment of your clientele in the process.

Where do Millennials prefer to buy? Many Millennials came of age during or immediately following the Great Recession, and as such, many of them relocated or returned to mid-size cities and smaller communities where the cost of living was most affordable. Of course, there are countless Millennials that call the U.S.’s major cities home—especially those in the

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tech industry. The good news is that you can court Millennial clientele no matter where you service area is located. That said, community amenities are of great importance to this generation. They value public transportation, green space, and entertainment—from coffee shops and topnotch restaurants to farmer’s markets and boutiques. Emphasizing those attributes will be key in selling to Millennials and locating neighborhoods they’re most interested in.

What sort of communication do Millennials prefer? Most Millennials are digital natives, or close to. That means they grew up learning

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how to navigate digital spaces, and prefer to communicate through mediums like email, text, and social media. This isn’t to say that Millennials aren’t good communicators, but they’re often on the go, and have learned to research and shop online. To accommodate this, it’s best to build a presence across the most popular listing portals and social media platforms. Although, it’s not enough to establish a site and wait for the calls to come in. Responsiveness is a key factor for Millennials, who expect speedy response times. Make sure you’re checking your inbox frequently, responding accordingly, and engaging with your audience online. This will let Millennials know

that you’re savvy, available, and understand the value of their preferred method of communication.

Are Millennials ready to buy? It’s a common misconception that Millennials are uninterested in the rite of passage of purchasing a home. While Millennials maybe waiting a bit longer than their parents did to buy a home, there are good reasons to explain this phenomenon. For starters, Millennials entered the job market during the downturn, which means they are more conservative when making big purchases, and have to play catch-up to reach a sound

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financial position. Likewise, student loan debt has proved a major financial inhabitation for Millennials. Instead of socking away a few hundred a month to save for a home, they’re forking over that cash to pay down their educational loans. How does a Realtor compete with this reality? For starters, a bit of understanding goes a long way. Work with your mortgage partners to find financing possibilities that cater to this younger demographic. Recognize that Millennials—like most buyers—have some trepidations when buying a home. Also consider fielding Millennial clientele with the long view in mind. You might be Top Agent Magazine

courting them for months or more until they’re ready to take the plunge, but they’re also famous for their reviews. When a job is done well, Millennials shout it from the rooftops—or at least share it a dozen time from their phone. As time passes, Millennials will continue to dominate the marketplace when it comes to buying and selling homes. A little self-education on this powerful demographic can go a long way. If you know your clients and your audience, you’ll be in a far better position to serve their interests and make a customer for life.

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Is Finding A Niche Market Right for You?

A lot of Realtors® take the ‘jack of all trades’ approach to their businesses, and some are extremely successful with doing it all and doing it well. But taking that approach can also make it hard to stand out if there are a lot of agents in your area taking the same approach. If you’re looking for a way to stand out from the rest, finding a niche market might be the way to go. Although it might sound limiting at first, with the right branding and marketing, your specialty and expertise may help you lock up a market after you become well known for being the ‘go to’ Realtor® in a certain demographic. Having a niche helps you target your marketing, making it more effective, until eventually people are seeking you out as you build your reputation as the foremost expert in your particular niche. 22

Despite the benefits of taking on a specialty, it’s still something that only a small percentage of Realtors® do, which means you have a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor in your area by being ahead of what is sure to be a looming real estate trend. You want to claim your stake on the niche that best fits not only your passions, but something that fills a void in your market. If this all sounds good to you, the next step is finding your niche! Here are a few things you need to consider:

There are two approaches to having a specialty, one that is truly your all-consuming passion or a sort of revolving niche, one that changes with the market Top Agent Magazine

In addition to creating a thriving business, finding a niche may even unlock a hidden passion. Does your area have a large historic home inventory? Are you passionate about helping first time home buyers realize their dreams? Having a personal connection to what you specialize in is always a great way to start out. If you’re passionate about something, you’re almost guaranteed to have the work ethic it takes to have success in a niche market. Once you hone in on a niche, make sure the market data backs up your focus. Another approach is changing with the market. If you’re truly an expert in a few areas of the business, it might be good to have sort of a revolving niche. In a down market you might specialize in short sales and foreclosures. When things pick up, you may take your innovative approaches and start applying them to luxury homes. Whether you take the consistent niche approach or the flexible one, it’s really all about figuring out what best suits you and your market.

Fill a void in your market Maybe you don’t have an instant passion for one particular niche. In that case, there are several areas you can consider. A lot of it will start with really researching and analyzing your market and having a good eye for what future trends will be. Is there a certain demographic that is surging in your area? Cater your business to serve them. Maybe you are fluent in Spanish and your area is seeing a rise in a Latino population, who are emigrating from other countries. Or perhaps, you live in an area that has a larger retirement population. There Top Agent Magazine

are numerous demographics that truly need expert real estate advice. Be the one to fill it. You can also focus on a particular neighborhood or gated community. Helping people navigate the ins and outs of a particular HOA can be a lifesaver.

Are you already serving a niche? Of course, sometimes you may already have a niche and are unaware of it. Maybe you are already dealing with a lot of first-time homebuyers. Look over your sales records and see what might already be there, then make it official. Figure out why you’re drawn to that area and then nail down the reasons you’ve excelled with that niche and use it to create a marketing plan and branding.

Find ways to really sell your expertise Once you figure out your niche, get the training, designations, and certifications that will enhance your expertise. Another way to let it be known that you are the ‘go to’ Realtor® in your particular niche is to become a resource online. Create a website with informative blogs and marketing information. Make a mark on social media where you can link back to your site, so potential clients can actually interact with you. There is a lot to consider when you’re thinking of going the niche market way with your business, but if you consider everything carefully and focus in on something you can be passionate about, the rewards could be a major win for you and for your clients. 23

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