Guest Post: Communication 101: Technology and the Real Estate Agent

As I mentioned a few days ago, one of our goals with the blog this year is to introduce you to guest contributors. Our very first is Angela Parker.

Angela's business, Wicked Word Craftm provides professional writing and marketing services. Whether it's an MLS description or a blog post, if you need help taking your writing up a notch I think you'll want to bookmark this post. It is an outstanding resource! Please leave questions and feedback for her. Without further ado, I introduce Angela and her first guest post. :

Communication 101: Technology and the Real Estate Agent
By Angela Allen Parker, WickedWordCraft.com

The real estate industry loves technology and many agents are early-adopters. An agent's reach is no longer limited to local newspapers, radio and television. Real estate agents are now international publishers, web-wide.

Technology always develops faster than the ability to use it effectively. For instance, tech industry leaders are currently scratching their heads and scurrying to develop software capable of fully utilizing the next generation of multi-core computer chips. These chips will be available while developers work to complete the software to run them. Hardware always outpaces software. Initial ability precedes ultimate utility.

Technology doesn't improve the inherent quality of a message. Even the best tech tools will never replace the need to communicate with your clients.

The message is the priority. Technology may provide a convenient method or more options for delivering the message, but it doesn't improve it. That is up to you.

Writing Basics
Be conversational – Your writing should approximate the way you really talk. Avoid stilted language or too-long sentences.

Be clear – Keep your writing simple and easy to scan and your paragraphs short and to the point. Don't make your reader guess about what you mean. Don't “acronym” them. Don't ramble.

Be active - Write with authority. Use active voice. Exude confidence. You are the expert on the topic, so act like it!

Don't yell – Using all capitals in your listing descriptions or your emails is rude. It also brands you as a someone who isn't tech or communication savvy.

Edit -- It takes longer to write a good short piece than a longer, error-laden one. Write everything about your topic when you begin. That's your rough draft. Now organize, add headlines, and re-arrange paragraphs. Eliminate words, phrases or sections that don't add something valuable. Use the copywriter's trick and read it aloud. Sections that don't “flow” when you read them aloud need to be changed. Short, focused sentences create a smoother reading experience.

Spelling, punctuation and grammar – These three items often discourage many would-be writers. Use a spell check program and keep a list of the most commonly misspelled words nearby. If you have questions about punctuation, refer to the Nuts and Bolts site on punctuation. Keep a copy of Strunk & White's Elements of Style at your desk or visit the online version to get answers to those tricky grammar questions. If you just love this stuff (and want even more information) refer to Common Errors in English Usage.

Single spaces and Block Style – When writing for the web (or when writing with anything newer than a typewriter) you should only hit the spacebar once after a period. Proportional fonts take care of the rest. Spacing twice makes your writing harder to read and “flags” you as out-of-date. Indenting your paragraphs is also “old school” and makes it harder to read on a monitor. (Instead of indenting, add an additional hard return after each paragraph before starting a new one.)

Beyond the Basics
Visualize your audience – Personalize the experience for your reader. Do what Amazon and eBay have been doing forever – tailor your offerings to the people you want to attract and serve. Present each property in a way that makes it unique – either because the house has an unusual feature or because you create a “story” on the use of a room, the type of people who would live there, or how living there will make a buyer feel. (Will they feel happy, rested, peaceful, successful, etc?). Help people identify themselves in your description – either how they are now, or how they hope to be in a new home.

Give tired words a rest - Overused words are as ineffective as no words – and are more annoying. Avoid terms like: beautiful, doll-house, spacious, cute and charming. Make your text descriptive. Replace, “Charming Dollhouse on Beautiful Street” with “Low Maintenance, High Quality 1920s Era Craftsman Cottage with Modern Kitchen” Tell them something! Don't waste your reader's time.

Positive spins – Suggest possibilities with a room, a house or a situation. Offer recommendations for potential rather than detracting with negative words. “The efficient kitchen, home office and walk-in closets make this the perfect home for any busy professional” rather than “This tiny kitchen can be renovated for a larger family.”

Annotate pictures/video – Yes, you still need words. Describe each photo or video to add depth and detail. Tell your viewers what the photo represents and what that means to them. Give them a reason to “click” on a video or podcast. Entice them. (And, remember to use alt tags on all graphics for improved SEO.)

Yes, nearly every real estate agent in the world is now online, publishing. But, if they aren't communicating well, they aren't really your competition. “Innovation” is wonderful, but it's not a synonym for “effective.”

While others are out looking for the next big “thing” that they believe will bring them success, you can use the tools that are readily available and get back to the basics of communicating and serving your clients. After all, that's the real secret to success – online and face-to-face.

Book Report: Movies In The Mind

If you've read this blog for a while you know I often visit the issue of of marketing copy for listings. Here's a practical suggestion. Pick up copy of the book Movies In The Mind, How to Build a Short Story by Colleen Mariah Rae. It's a short and easy read based upon her strategies for creative writing. Even though the book is written to help authors craft fictional short stories, the skills are valuable to anyone struggling with the concept of writing great marketing copy.

The mind's eye is a powerful place. How your marketing copy projects the image of something can make all the difference in the world to a consumer that is trying to decide whether or not to click through and get more details or just skim down the list. Colleen gives practical advice for transcribing the video you see in your head to meaningful prose.

It's great idea to take a digital voice recorder to a listing and start at the elevation, transcribing features and ideas as you move through the property. Take it back to the office, listen and start thinking about changing things like "there is a large picture window in family room" to "the quiet serenity of a sweeping panoramic view". 

The first comment on this post gets the my copy of "Movies In The Mind" sent straight to their door.

P.S. It's a well documented fact that the majority of MLS' limit the number of characters for a description that makes a good narrative a challenge. It's not impossible, in fact, I've seen some pretty creative work done within those confines. If you only want to take the time to write one description and the MLS is the only place you're concerned about when it comes its distribution, you may want to visit a different writing site.

P.S.S. Do you like to pass on the books you've read? Ever heard of Bookcrossing.Com?  Check it out.

Previous Book Reports:
Be Unreasonable
Citizen Marketers
The Power of Place
The Long Tail
An Army of Davids
Mavericks At Work
Waiting For Your Cat to Bark?

Technorati Tags: Real Estate Marketing Copy Writing Real Estate Blogging

Help Right The Wrongs of Writing.

I spotted a link today on FOREM to Darren Rowse's post entitled "9 Lessons You Can Learn about Blogging By Watching Me Sell My House". All of his observations were good. What really struck me was how well he addressed the issue of the marketing copy used to describe his home. Lesson number 2 is entitled, "Tell a Story, Not Just The Facts".

One of the theories that I’ve been testing with the marketing of our house is to appeal not just to the head of buyers but the heart. I’ve pushed for the ads in local papers and the copy used to not just present facts but to appeal to emotion and the heart.

Brilliant. I just couldn't fight the urge to harp on the topic again. A listing description isn't the place to rattle off a list of features. There are plenty of other places within an MLS data sheet to include them. The description is your opportunity to enter your prospect's brain and take control of the "mind's eye". The journey you take a reader on should capture the imagination and give a sense of place. I know it's not easy. Want to compete in the real estate industry of the future? You'll have no choice but to hone your copy writing skills or hire someone that can do it for you.

The RE.net has done a lot to poke fun at the weaknesses of bad MLS photos and cheesy copy lately. Perhaps the blogging community could come together to highlight some of the more exceptional listing marketing. It could be a great way to share the best of the best with the industry. What are your thoughts on the concept? Do you have some examples of blue ribbon listing copy ? Share them here. I'm going to take the time to bounce some ideas off of a few people in the RE.net. Maybe together we can come up with a great community tool that sheds some light on the issue in a positive way. Drop a comment or an email if you want to help. ( mprice at mlbroadcast .com )