At Coldwell Banker, we have some of the best marketers in the business. From video king Tim Smith of Coldwell Banker Realty, in Newport Beach, CA, who is known for his viral and highly produced property videos, to TikTok queen Lauren Matera AKA @ItsThatRealEstateChick from Coldwell Banker Realty, in Annapolis, MD, who has amassed a nearly 350K following with her quick-hitting style, our marketers know how to score major brand points with their audiences.
However, while many agents are in the marketing game, how many are actually putting points on the board?
If marketing alone isn’t enough for you – maybe you hate it, or you want to enhance what you’re already succeeding at — there’s a move to add to your playbook: the highly underutilized power of public relations. While the industry is packed with “marketers,” there is plenty of room in the arena to shine in the PR space. So, if becoming the next Don Draper in your local market just isn’t your thing, consider these three public relations tips that can boost your business.
Master your signature move
At Coldwell Banker, we media train countless agents. I have seen many start their mock interviews mirroring mannerisms or talk tracks they have seen from others. My advice? The news doesn’t need the same old thing, so put the NEW back into the news with your unique story.
Unlock your move by answering, “What can you speak about with passion, accuracy and confidence?” Maybe you’re driving change in the DEI space like Tina Marie Hernandez, who joined the Coldwell Banker brand through the Inclusive Ownership program. Tina has created an incredible platform as a Latina leader passionate about building generational wealth for others in her market and nationally.
Do you live for the release of NAR numbers? Then maybe you are a data detective like Coldwell Banker Realty Chicagoland President Ayoub Rabah, who has created a video series on LinkedIn about his market that has captured media attention and unlocked multiple PR opportunities, most recently in Fast Company.
Whether you are a market intelligence expert, agent to celebrities or a changemaker, take time to master YOUR signature move and start creating relationships with local media partners to tell your story. Don’t try to be all things to everyone; stick with your one subject matter and become the authoritative voice in that space.
Think ahead
More media exposure = more eyes on your brand and more leads for yourself. But public relations strategies can’t just be reactive, they must be proactive too. Take time to think about and track what’s next, then share your brand and agent perspective with the media. Fresh news ideas are paramount to keeping the momentum going to support yourself as well as home sellers and buyers.
One way we did this at Coldwell Banker this year was by recognizing a lack of research on post-2020 homeowners, so we decided to make our own news. Our March survey, conducted with The Harris Poll, found that 1 in 5 homeowners had plans to sell in the next 12 months. Of those homeowners looking to sell, nearly 6 in 10 were planning to relocate to a different city or state. The results armed our agents with critical knowledge for growing their business and guiding their clients home. And the media took notice of the data too!
Partner with your brand
As Coldwell Banker, we serve as PR consultants to our network of nearly 100,000 agents, offering a range of free services including media training, crafting press releases, navigating crisis situations and promoting celebrity and multimillion dollar Coldwell Banker Global Luxury properties. As a result, we have a commanding lead when it comes to share of voice in the industry and have generated over $50M in YTD publicity value for our network.
If you are struggling to tell your story, tap your public relations team for support. And if you aren’t getting the help you need, I encourage you to explore what Coldwell Banker can do for your business. Our team has supported countless star agents throughout the years — from Coldwell Banker Global Luxury agents like Jade Mills to entrepreneurs like Booker Pickett.
We’re always looking for ways to highlight our affiliated agents and amplify their stories. Our experience building awareness spans every market, no matter the demographic, and we love looking for new ways to showcase our stars because the work they do deserves recognition on a grand scale.
Whether you’re knocking it out of the park with marketing or striking out, as we head into the final quarter of the year, I strongly encourage you to add a public relations component to your business strategy. I guarantee you’ll become an MVP. Good luck!
If you’re ready to embrace the power of PR, visit us now!
About Lindsay
Lindsay is the vice president, National Public Relations and Communications for Coldwell Banker. Since joining the brand in 2011, she has held nearly every role within the marketing team including media, advertising, public relations and communications and has supported partnerships with many major brands. She currently oversees the communications department and partner agencies that work together to support the brand’s 96,000+ agents around the world.
