There is not a slight measure of doubt that face-to-face time is the most important time you get with a client; both prospective and current. Nothing speaks higher volumes of who you are as a person compared to how you interact and deliver for a client direct. This is why referrals are always the strongest leads.
However, in the age of digital consumption, you can no longer rely on the time you get to spend with people and the referrals that leads to new business. Creating and maintaining a personal brand foundation online is important not only for general visibility, but also for people to learn more about you over time. Humans have become much more quiet beings when it comes to research. Those phone calls or email enquiries are often as a result of extensive research behind the screen of their mobile device or computer.
Building a personal brand online is just as essential as building it offline.
There are many best practices when it comes to personal branding for an agent, and a simple Google search will put you onto some great resources. However, as a quick note I recommend:
- Be consistent: post regularly, maintain consistent head shots, ensure contact details everywhere are up to date and keep your conversation points to a select few!
- Be real: there is enough spam online, don’t be another. Allow your fun quirks and charms to shine online. People appreciate a personality.
- Be responsive: look, the fact of the matter is that you won’t be receiving 100 enquiries a day as soon as you get on social. But when you do, always respond quickly – as it encourages others to ask questions.