Reboot Recap: Inman News Marketing Strategies Help Realtors Avoid Being "Secret Agents"

Agent Reboot was a blast as usual. The Inman social media gurus gave us so much information my head was spinning. Good thing I took notes for ya’ll! Inman, of course, is the industry’s leading source of national real estate news.

Agent Reboot is their traveling information “show.” Basically they educate industry professionals about the latest tools and resources that will help them to create a better marketing platform and increase brand awareness.

There were so many takeaways, but first and foremost, you had better be found on the Internet. Do not be a “Secret Agent.” I love that! Get your profile up on Zillow, Trulia, and Realtor.com. It’s free and it’s where people will find you.

Katie Lance (left) emphasized building a presence on the Internet.

Realtors were also encouraged to be local experts. Everyone is on the Internet. We can all press “search” on Google, so you have to know the hidden things, the secret bike trails, the best wine shop, who gives the best massage or mani-pedi, and share that information to attract a loyal following. You cannot serve every area of town and do it well, so find your niche and be the very best, most knowledgeable in that market. Own your target market!

Yes you need to blog but don’t make a federal case out of it. It’s just like talking to a friend, so blog about that dish that is not on the menu at Matt’s or the special deal the YMCA offers each January or the best Christmas tree farm. It’s as simple as that. Make sure your blog is linked to your website. If the words blog and link give you the heebie-jeebies, call a teenager and have them get you linked, optimized and teach you to COPE — Create Once, Publish Everywhere!

Dallas City Center Realtors Juliette Bouchard and Andra Stovall

Another uber important message was that agents need to provide “unparalleled service.” That means pick up the phone. Do not rely on texting. Be extremely responsive and exceed expectations. The reliable adage “under promise and over deliver” has never been more important.