‘Don’t Say You’re Trustworthy’ and 7 More Real Estate Tips We Learned on Dallas Dirt
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We’ve heard such wonderful things this month since CandysDirt.com launched its first-ever podcast Dallas Dirt. The first question we got was “What took you so long?” And the second question, “How do I find it?” The answer to the first question we can discuss over a glass of bubbly, but we can certainly answer the second question right here.
How to Listen and Watch Dallas Dirt
The Dallas Dirt podcast is both an audio podcast, available on Apple Podcasts and all the major podcast platforms, and a YouTube show, on CandysDirt.com’s channel.
From your iPhone, find Dallas Dirt on Apple here or open it in your Apple Podcasts program right there on your Mac. You can subscribe to the show and have new episodes delivered weekly.
If you prefer to watch the podcast, visit our CandysDirt.com YouTube channel to find the Dallas Dirt show.
Top Takeaways From the Dallas Dirt Podcast
1. Don’t Be Afraid to Market the Owner and Not Just the Home
Here’s a tip we didn’t explicitly discuss on the show, but Realtor Christine McKenny delivers flawlessly.
In conversation with the Allie Beth Allman and Associates agent, we broached the topic of the podcast — asking if she’d like to invite her high-profile client D’Andra Simmons on the show to discuss her home for sale. Many publicity-adverse agents would decline, thinking it’d be an automatic, “No” by their clients.
But McKenny understood what Simmons as a reality television star knows — People are interested in people.
Yes, D’Andra’s Highland Park home is gorgeous and certainly my favorite home of the Real Housewives of Dallas. But to capture people’s attention, you need more than square feet and bedroom counts. If a home has an interesting background or notable owner, THAT is your differentiator. Use that to set your listing apart and help tell a story that people will be interested in.
2. Reality TV Is Hard Work
While we had a personality like D’Andra Simmons in the studio, we had to dish on her experience on the Bravo TV show, Real Housewives of Dallas. Candy’s passing comment about the show initiated an interesting discussion on how much energy — both mental and physical — went into the show.
In this clip, D’Andra admits her time on the show wasn’t always a positive experience.
Simmons and McKenny cover everything from bar-b-que to bubble baths on Ep. 1 of Dallas Dirt:
3. Don’t Sell. Connect.
If you’re a member of MetroTex, you know Darwin Stephens, the affable agent whose friendly demeanor collects people along every walk of life. I say “collect” because Darwin has a keen sense for connecting and networking with people. This insightful advice reframes the sales process, urging a shift from transactional thinking — “What am I selling you?” — to relationship-building — “How can I help you?”
In this clip starting at 0:0:28, Darwin and Candy discuss the difference between selling and connecting.
4. Match Their Energy
When working with clients, Stephens wants to quickly understand who they are and what they want. How do you do that?
“When you’re talking to someone, you need to match their energy,” Darwin says. “That’s really huge.”
What does that mean? If they’re quiet, don’t crash in loud or you’ll turn them off. If they’re loud, don’t bore them in monotones. You have to find that right balance and match their energy level.
5. “Am I ‘Young Enough’?”
Real estate is a second (or third) career for the 43-year-old who is a junior at UT-Dallas. As chairman of MetroTex’s Young Professional Network, Stephens is often asked if someone is “young enough” to be in YPN, and he always replies “It’s young in your career.”
That means second-career Realtors who are just starting out are welcome to join the group for networking, fellowship, and education. And sometimes that means asking other Realtors what’s the trick to getting a stubborn Supra lockbox to open.
Now sure, there are networking groups that specify an age — often 35 — but there are plenty of county-specific associations of Realtors like Dallas’ MetroTex that don’t put an age limit on club membership. So, don’t assume you’re too old for a young professionals group. Besides, 45 is the new 35, right?
Stephens shares more tips from his sales playbook on Dallas Dirt Ep. 2:
6. ‘Impart Credibility With Design’
Remington Reece, Creative Director for Ebby Halliday Companies, offers brilliant insight into the do’s and don’ts of agent marketing on Ep. 3 of Dallas Dirt.
In this clip starting at 1:01, Remington explains why good, clean design can help impart agent creditability, but poor design will certainly detract from it.
7. Don’t Say You’re Trustworthy
Here’s a golden nugget. When agents are asked to describe themselves, “without fail they all use the same four or five adjectives,” Reece says. “They’re all trustworthy, hard workers, good negotiators, and know the market well.”
But Remington says agents shouldn’t devote content and paid marketing to say these things. “You shouldn’t have to convince anyone you’re trustworthy. That should be achieved right out of the gate.”
8. Devote 10 Percent to Experimental Marketing
The best marketing advice Remington ever received was from a design conference speaker years ago. “He said every year, 10 percent of your budget should be experimental,” Reece says.
That means trying new outlets, mediums, styles, and methods of delivering your message to consumers. Try digital display ads instead of print display. Try telling a story about yourself and your listing, rather than sticking to just the facts. Try a podcast ad, a YouTube video, or a social media campaign.
Remington says if it works, great! If it doesn’t, you know what didn’t work so you can try something different next year.
Remington Reece does a deep dive into marketing on Dallas Dirt Ep. 3:
