The average reader only spends 37 seconds reading an article or blog post. So, you really need to make that time count by using formatting that makes reading easier (bold, bullet points, line breaks), This will make your content more scannable and able to be digested quickly. Make your key points stand out. And make use of tools like this:

[bctt tweet=”Want to engage audiences with truly compelling content? You gotta know the latest tools and know how to use them. #phenomenalcontent” username=”GeographicFarm”]

By making your content easily shareable through all social channels, you’ll let your audience do some of the work for you. Your brand can spread like wildfire if you provide the flame and the wind!

It’s also important to stay on top of the latest integrations. For example, you can now use BombBomb to directly record your embedded video messages for emails in your Chime CRM! The best tools can make creating and distributing compelling, top-notch content a breeze.

In a world that’s shrinking due to technology, the communication space is getting crowded. Take the solid ideas of the past and use today’s and tomorrow’s methods of conveying hot content. It’s not only essential to survival, but it’s the only way to come out ahead. A huge piece of that puzzle is having a smart system for bringing it all together. Chime is the real estate operating system that integrates with your favorite communication tools, from Gmail to Microsoft Exchange to BombBomb and so much more. Schedule a demo today!

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Ready for more? Check out this FREE eBook, Creating & Distributing Phenomenal Content, available here.

The post Phenomenal Content — Part 5: Use the Stuff That Works appeared first on GeographicFarm.com.

[bctt tweet=”You really don’t need to be a professional communicator to create great content. #phenomenalcontent” username=”GeographicFarm”]

Check out these tips from those in the know:

MARC DAVISON — 1000watt

For me, compelling content is about information that I, as the reader, will benefit from reading and knowing. Something new that opens up my mind to what I did not know, something that confirms my beliefs with new detail, or something that answers a question, concern or nagging problem. Finally, compelling content is that which offers valuable details or takeaways that enable the reader to execute on the information provided.

TRAVIS ROBERTSON — Robertson Coaching International

To me, compelling content is valuable or interesting information, a dynamic or relatable messenger, and a unique perspective.

 

If you only have one of those elements, your content will get lost. With two of the three, you can have great stuff. It must be relevant or interesting to the homeowner/buyer. The person providing the info should be someone they can connect or relate with. And the person should have a unique perspective on the information. There’s nothing new under the sun, but how we explain what’s under the sun is unique to us.

KELLY LECLAIR — HOM Sotheby’s International Realty (San Clemente, CA)

Great content is information clients can’t get elsewhere that’s delivered in an easy-to-understand style. Realtors have access to information, insider tips, gorgeous homes – all things that a potential customer would love to know and see. I believe compelling content educates consumers. It’s not all about me – it’s about them and what they need to know.

 

For example, I wanted to do a video showcasing our social media channels and interaction. I started off detailing how great our social media is. Well, that doesn’t work! No one wants to hear an ad or how great the agent is. So I rewrote the script to be “3 ways social media helps sell your house.” Now I’m giving context to the same content that, instead of sounding like a commercial, offers value to the consumer about real ways that social media helps sell homes.

These tips and insights can help you produce more compelling words, images, and videos that will help you connect with and serve your prospects and clients. For more content insights from more experts, check out this BombBomb article and video.

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Ready to learn more? There’s much more in this FREE eBook, Creating & Distributing Phenomenal Content, available here.

The post Phenomenal Content — Part 4: Look to the Best appeared first on GeographicFarm.com.

Even if you can’t afford to hire a trained and experienced writer, there are a few tricks you can use to help make your wordsmithing more engaging. First, think about the kinds of things you personally like to read.

• What attracts your attention at first?
• What kinds of headlines and opening lines hook you?
• What keeps you reading past the first paragraph?
• What tone of voice do you relate to?
• What makes you want more information when you’re done?
• Do you like long academic essays with lots of citations, or do you prefer to cut to the chase with a snappy infographic?

Consider what appeals to you as a reader, and then write that way. Chances are, your audience shares your taste…and even if they don’t, your message will be more genuine and authentic if your voice matches your own reading preferences. However, it’s useful to understand trends, too: for example, longer-form blog content currently generates nine times more leads than shorter pieces.

[bctt tweet=”Your message will be more genuine and authentic if your voice matches your own reading preferences. #phenomenalcontent” username=”GeographicFarm”]

Next, consider topics that will gain traction among your target audience. Use industry insights, as well as your own experience, to generate content ideas. Identify what the key messages for your communications should be:

• What does your audience know right now?
• What do you want your audience to know as a result of your communication?
• What action do you want them to take as a result of having consumed your message?

Also, you can save time and effort by repurposing content whenever possible, such as reworking an existing blog post to publish in a different channel. According to LookBookHQ, over 60% of marketers reuse content two to five times. Just be sure to modify the language so you can avoid getting SEO penalized by Google for having duplicated content.

Although many content channels involve the written word, writing (and reading) is not everybody’s bag. And in many cases, writing is simply not the most efficient or effective mode of messaging. BombBomb’s VP of Marketing Ethan Beute has a great message about that.

Putting yourself in the mindet of your target audience, and remembering these essentials, you’ll be well-prepared to provide content that really appeals to the right people at the right time, as you build relationships and build your business.

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Learn more! Discover content mastery in the FREE eBook, Creating & Distributing Phenomenal Content, available here.

The post Phenomenal Content — Part 3: Write Like a Reader appeared first on GeographicFarm.com.

Ask yourself: What’s the ideal medium for presenting my content? Maybe it’s a text. Maybe an email. Maybe it’s a YouTube video. Maybe it’s a postcard, or a tweet, or a Facebook post, or…a sky-writer. Don’t be afraid to try new things, but don’t be gimmicky just for the sake of being novel. Sometimes a simple blog post like this one is what a certain message calls for.

“Make sure you match the message to the medium, always keeping in mind the purpose of the communication and what you hope to achieve,” said Matt Murphy, CMO of Chime. “Put yourself in the target audience’s shoes: what will get the best response for this particular message, with this particular audience? Communication is a transaction — what does your audience really want, and what will they give you in exchange for it?”

[bctt tweet=””Communication is a transaction — what does your audience really want, and what will they give you in exchange for it? #phenomenalcontent”” username=”GeographicFarm”]

Audiences may be changing, but they’re still quite diverse in what appeals to them. Many don’t have time to read text-heavy blog pieces, but do have the time to listen to podcasts. The Ring in the Sales weekly podcast is a perfect example of how to play to strengths and weaknesses. Many real estate agents spend hours in the car, so listening to a podcast while driving to open houses or geofarming is an ideal way to multitask.

Your audience may respond positively to short YouTube videos that appear in their social media feeds, or a digest-style email may be the right touch. It all depends on your goals, and understanding your audience’s habits and preferences is essential to matching the message to the right medium.

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Ready to learn more? There’s much more in this FREE eBook, Creating & Distributing Phenomenal Content, available here.

The post Phenomenal Content — Part 2: Try Something New appeared first on GeographicFarm.com.

The real estate world seems to be populated by three kinds of business people: those not creating any content, those repurposing existing content from templates and scripts from top coaches, and a few who are developing new, engaging, original content. That’s the kind of material that adds value to a conversation, building credibility and reputation for a growing business.

[bctt tweet=”Quality content increases the quality and quantity of your leads, so becoming a content emperor is a must. #phenomenalcontent” username=”GeographicFarm”]

What is Content?

Content — content marketing, that is — basically consists of free information created for initiating and developing relationships with potential or existing customers. It can come as blogs, social media messages, long-form online articles, videos, emails, or smartly-placed print materials such as geographic farming postcards.

Why should a real estate professional like you focus on content? Because content marketing is essential to making your mark in a busy marketplace — in fact, it’s one of the most cost-effective ways to promote your brand.

We’ve all experienced it: some content is simply amazing, while other content just sits there using up pixels. Why is that? It’s all about originality. New content, or content that conveys established ideas in new and interesting ways, is the ideal way to gain positive attention in a noisy market space. 80% of consumers enjoy custom content and are influenced by it. It also costs 62% less than traditional marketing, but generates about three times as many leads.

[bctt tweet=”You can’t expect to truly influence a large segment of consumers with content that’s not unique. #phenomenalcontent” username=”GeographicFarm”]

Utilizing existing templates and scripts from popular thought leaders and coaches is definitely smart: it saves lots of time and effort if you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. We all know that not everyone has the resources to create powerful, original content, and coaches use tried-and-true methods of engaging leads so that you don’t have to go through the trouble of proving what really works. But in a landscape overflowing with marketing messages, your audience is growing more and more savvy. They can spot material that’s been repurposed with a few branding tweaks and pumped out onto the web with little effort.

If you weren’t already convinced of the value of quality marketing content, check out this Ultimate List of Marketing Statistics from HubSpot. It’s full of some pretty astounding data regarding the current state of content!

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Ready to learn more? There’s much more in this FREE eBook, Creating & Distributing Phenomenal Content, available here.

The post Phenomenal Content — Part 1: Why? appeared first on GeographicFarm.com.