I'm about to say something a little harsh...

Hopefully you're setting some time aside this 3-day weekend for YOURSELF. If no one else has reminded you lately, you can't pour from an empty cup! So check in with yourself and schedule in some down time, it's necessary.

Last week I shared with you a love note from my heart, about how as Real Estate Professionals we have the power to show up authentically and show off what makes us uniquely us - and turn that into our brands.

But this week I wanted to turn that love note into ACTION - and share exactly HOW you should be showing off your unique skills, your personality and truly shine like the rockstar agents and pro’s you are.

I'm sure some of you can guess what I'm going to say next...It starts on SOCIAL MEDIA.

Well, technically it starts with YOU. It starts with you deciding “today is the day I’m going to stop holding myself back, worrying about what I look like or sound like, and get to posting my kick-butt self on the ‘gram”.

But then comes Social Media - The greatest FREE tool that has ever fallen in Real Estate Professional's laps.

So, how can YOU start showing up authentically and showing off that you can help make a difference in your clients lives?

BY NOT POSTING ONLY JUST SOLD AND JUST LISTED PHOTOS!

What I'm about to say might seem harsh... But the only people who care about your just listed and just sold posts… are the ones buying or selling the home.

Now before you say "but Barb!" - I know they are a necessity when it comes to marketing! Trust me, I'm not telling you to never post them again!

But the static, standard "Just Listed" and "Just Sold" Posts I see every Agent posting... belong on your Brokerages Instagram and Facebook. Or your Business Pages. Or at the very least, scattered between authentic and interesting posts and reels of YOU.

So… what should you be posting instead? Let’s talk about it.

• Post a photo (or a reel if you’re feeling brave!) with you AND your clients on key day instead! People want to see PEOPLE.

  Do you connect with a stationary image with text on it when you’re scrolling? NO. You connect with the faces of your friends, or neighbors, even strangers!

  If you don’t fully believe me, the Georgia Institute of Technology and Yahoo Labs Researchers conducted a study where they looked at 1.1 million photos on Instagram and found that pictures with HUMAN faces featured are 38 percent MORE likely to receive likes than photos with NO faces… That’s a big difference!

• Share a unique problem, or situation that you or your clients have had recently and how you helped SOLVE IT.

  This is always going to translate best in a Reel, but if you aren’t ready for that quite yet - a caption will do.

  Tell a story of a home inspection gone wrong, what happens when fridge goes out a week after your client purchased their home, or how you helped a client get approved for a rate they didn’t think they would qualify for…

  This lets people know that you’re good at what you do, that you’re knowledgeable in Real Estate and that you are a PRO when it comes to assisting your clients with their needs.

  It also lets people know that they can come to you with their questions, concerns or problems that they’ve been having, because they now feel comfortable with you to help them find a solution.

  *Hint hint*… it helps people KNOW you’re their trusted real estate advisor.

• UTILIZE Instagram’s Tools and Call to Actions to help DRIVE ENGAGEMENT.

  This is one of my most favorite ways to not only Connect with people, but get to the top of their feeds too, without them knowing!

  Seriously, pull out your phone right now! Snap a quick photo of whatever is near you and then head to your story to post. But before you post, put the Q&A sticker on it and ask a question.

  Here are three easy examples that you can do right now in under a minute;

  - Snap a screenshot of your local Market Update - “Did you hear about the rates this week and have questions? Drop them below”

  - Take a photo of your coffee cup - “In search of a new local coffee shop, what is your favorite?

  - Post a selfie of your pet - “Looking for a new brand of food for (insert pet name) what is your pets favorite?”

  AND POST. Trust me, people LOVE to answer questions (especially about their pets!) Even if only a few people respond, guess what them engaging with your story does?

  It lets Instagram's Algorithm know that you and the responder have a RELATIONSHIP. And that they WANT to see your content. So the next time you post your Real Estate related content, they’ll be seeing it first at the very top of their feeds.

  It also opens you up to a conversation with someone you may have not chatted with in a while, and helps build connections.

Social Media can seem so stressful, and I know it’s something a lot of us struggle with.

But it is also one of the most useful tools we have in our belts when it comes to marketing, relationships and staying connected.

And that is SO important in 2023 - especially when it’s completely FREE for us to do.

How are you going to start taking action, showing up and showing off on Social Media?Because trust me, you are GOOD at what you do and that deserves to be seen by everyone!

But no one is going to see it, unless you actually DO IT.

So, snap a quick pic, ask a question people want to answer - and sneaky tag me @barbbetts in your story so I can hold you accountable!

Then get ready to make 2023 your year to shine on the ‘gram.