I’m listening.
Last week’s post, “Why? Finding real estate career motivation in down times.,” was a introspective piece, meant to show the reader that we all need some motivations in our life and to do my usual of opening up myself to allow me to grow (and you to watch, interject, and perhaps learn a thing or two). The following day, I saw Benn Rosales’ post, “Sales – Getting headspun, and smiling through gritted teeth,” which I read with great interest. I had never heard the term headspun, so for it was something new to me. After reading the post (and re-reading it, just to be sure I had understood it all), I went about my day, but something else started to pop into my head and I thought it was worth noting.
Benn wasn’t talking to you. He wrote the article for me. He was speaking directly to me in a way that served as one part reminder, one part life lesson, one part real estate theory, and one part psychology. He should have just sent it direct to me and not wasted your time with it. He wrote that post for me and about me.
Before you all think I’ve gone all Mark David Chapman on you, let me explain myself. I know Benn didn’t write it just for me. Maybe he was inspired to write it after reading my post, maybe not. That doesn’t matter. What matters is what happened when I read it.
This site is for me and you – no one else.
When reading Benn’s post, I felt as if we were part of a secret club and the AgentGenius website was there just for me and him to talk to each other on. I forgot all about the other readers, writers, and great posts that exist and concentrated on what Benn was saying. He was speaking directly to me, so I thought I ought to give him my direct attention.
Benn accomplished what so few writers (everywhere, not just here) can do effectively, but all writers should be doing more of. He made me forget that he runs a national real estate website and that he speaks to legions of agents everyday. He made me forget everyone but me and him. I was the only one in the room and Benn wanted to talk directly to me.
I know I’ve handed the new agent torch to Michael Bertoldi, but this thought was so valuable to me, that I had to share. And it’s not just for new agents and bloggers either. Everyone can benefit from the “for your eyes only” lesson.
Ignore everyone.
Next time you’re writing a real estate post on your blog, think about how you write. Ignore the broad appeal of your material and think of how that blog post can affect one person who reads it. Write to that person. Use the word “you” in it’s singular sense and avoid thinking “youse guys” and “y’all” (the Philly boy living in Texas terms for “you” in the plural sense). Don’t write the post to someone in particular (ie, don’t start the post “Dear Matt Stigliano”), but write it based on a singular experience with a client, a question someone asked you the other day, or something you yourself have had happen to you.
The beauty of this singular focus is that it won’t be read by just one person. If you’ve done it right, there should be multiple people out there thinking “they wrote this for me.” We talk about connection all the time; connect one-on-one with someone and you’ve done something stronger than spewing generalities out into the world wide web. You’ve spoken to them directly. They’ll feel as if they know you, they’ll trust you, and they’re more likely to connect with you than ever before.
Not every post will present the opportunity to speak in this manner. The listing post, your community update, neighborhood market reports – all of these probably won’t be super-conducive to this writing style. Take posts about short sales, HUD-1s, financing, transactions…use your knowledge and past experiences to draw from and make these posts focused on issues that matter to your past or current clients. Focus in on the detail of what they wanted to learn from the experience or what they gained from it after the fact. Chances are, there is someone with those same questions, those same feelings, those same ideas out there. Write for them and make them feel like they’re the only one in the room.
photo courtesy of thenails
