Here's the thing: NO ONE is perfect at talking to the camera. So don't worry--we don't expect you to nail it in the first take.
If the thought of doing an agent intro sounds terrifying, trust us, you're not alone. But we promise, it'll be worth it to push through that uncomfortable feeling and go for it! Every real estate video is an opportunity for you to sell your current listing AND build your brand and recognition to attract new listings (and we'd argue that the second one is even more important). And the more you do it, the more comfortable you'll get.
We often have clients ask for recommendations on how to prep for their intro. Here are our top five tips on how to prepare, so you come across as confident and natural:
1. Be yourself. Be genuinely YOU! If you never dress up, no need to wear a suit or a fancy dress (you'll feel self-conscious, and that will come through). Don't drop in vocabulary that you wouldn't normally use in conversation. Just be yourself. The more normal and real you seem, the more people will connect with you!
2. Have a plan. Don't just wing it (especially if this is your first time). Write out what you want to say ahead of time. Then practice, practice, practice—out loud. The more you've prepared, the more comfortable & confident you will come across.
3. Keep it short. We recommend keeping your agent intro to 30 seconds or less. People's attention spans are short, so it's better to keep your portion quick. Plus, the shorter the intro, the easier it will be for you to nail it! If you're new to being on camera, we recommend a VERY short agent intro. Start with a "hook" that's engaging and captures attention right off the bat. Something like "I can't wait to show you my newest listing! It's beautifully remodeled, has an awesome floor plan, and just WAIT til you see the backyard. Come on in!" If you want to get into the details about all the features of the house, we can capture that in a voiceover, which you can simply read off a script you've pre-written (instead of having to memorize it). Then we will overlay your audio with footage of the house.
4. Don't hold yourself to a standard of perfection. Up until your appointment, it's great to prepare as much as possible. But once we're ready to record? It's time to take a deep breath, smile, and roll with it! If you try to remember your memorized lines exactly, it will look stiff...like you're concentrating too hard. Instead, be willing to improvise and go off-script a little. If you say something slightly differently than you originally intended? No one else will know!
5. Smile and be energetic. The point of doing an agent intro is to build connections with potential clients...so be friendly, authentic, energetic, and warm! It's more important to smile & have good energy, than it is to get your lines perfectly right. After all, people do business with people.
Statistics show that video outperforms all other types of content on social media...and by being in the video yourself, it will help people to connect with you and feel like they know you, like you, and trust you. If you've been thinking about trying an agent intro, let us know if you have any questions!
P.S. If you want to see some examples of our videos with agent intros, go here.