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How Realtors can leverage media coverage to build their brand

Desmond Brown can see both sides of a story. The sales representative at Re/Max Hallmark Realty Ltd. in Toronto has worked as both a journalist and a Realtor, so he knows how to ask and answer real estate questions. The handy combination of careers has allowed him to set himself up as an expert that reporters call for quotes about anything real estate.

The most important thing is to say “yes” when journalists call, he says. “When I was a reporter, I couldn’t believe it when I’d call up an agent and they would say they didn’t want to be interviewed. They were missing a huge opportunity to get exposure.”

Brown bookended a journalism career (print including National Post, Toronto Star and Ottawa Citizen, and broadcast news on CTV) with being a real estate agent.

 

How to prepare for an interview

 

Being quoted in the media and TV news stories is free advertising, he says. However, it’s not as simple as opening your mouth when reporters call. “Don’t go in cold,” Brown cautions, adding that you should always ask what the story is about and see if you can get some questions ahead of time. “Set up a time to speak to them and take time to prepare. Make sure you know what’s happening in the market. Attend office meetings and have your pulse on the market so you can come across as an expert.”

Another tip, he says, is to have good quotes and stories ready. “Numbers and statistics are very boring. We (real estate agents) know before the media knows and before stats come out if the market is buoyant or it’s a down market. Tell those stories.”

He takes a positive outlook. Even when the market “tanks”, the positive story is that it’s good for purchasers. However, it’s important to be honest. Even in a good market, not everything sells.

 

What makes a great story?

 

For example, when the numbers are up, he says, “You might say, ‘I’m not surprised. I have three buyers and there were multiple offers on everything and we lost out.”

The media also likes unique stories about properties or circumstances. Tell them, “You wouldn’t believe what I saw this week. A vacant house infested with rats. I had to turn around, it smelled so bad. A quote like that will make headlines,” Brown says.

Another time, a property owned by the Hells Angels motorcycle club was for sale. Brown inspected the building and took photos. “It was a cool property. I was quoted as an expert….I went through the property for a client and (talked about) what I saw.” He says he was not the listing agent and was transparent about it to the reporter.

He asked the listing agent for permission to use the photos and got the ok. In a case like this, “a good listing agent says thanks for the exposure,” he says, rather than refusing to help.

 

Editorial vs. advertising—know the difference 

 

Years later, Brown still gets calls from reporters doing follow-up stories about the Hells Angels asking him for comments. “Don’t be afraid to be quoted,” he says.

However, he warns, remember that editorial is different from paid advertising. “Watch what you say. It’s on the record and you’re not going to have the opportunity to look at the story before it’s printed or see a TV piece before it airs.” There’s no opportunity to make changes as you can with advertising.

If your client is hesitant about having their property featured, let them know the benefits of additional exposure. “I’ve not had a seller who told me they don’t want a property talked about in the media,” he says. The exposure could be tens of thousands of people reading the story. Brown says his friends at the Toronto Star have told him real estate stories are the most read.

 

How to build relationships with reporters

 

“Be confident in what you’re saying and come across as an expert. Reporters will ask a lot of the same questions as potential clients. Be the professional you are.”

How do you get started? Brown says, “Get to know which reporters cover real estate. Read legit news sources and jot names down and don’t be afraid to call a reporter. Connect with a reporter and alert them to a great story about real estate.”

Before speaking to a reporter, do your research to see if “they are anti-agent, anti-people making a profit and always spin their stories that way,” he says. In that case, you may want to decline the interview. “The last thing you want is for a reporter to embarrass you.”

Partnerships between agents and reporters are beneficial to both. “Reporters always come back for more. If you’re too busy, refer them to a partner, someone in your office or someone else you think can help them,” he says. Don’t worry about losing the reporter to another source.  “Reporters will come back again. You can’t be too possessive.”

 

Staying calm and professional

 

To stay calm and professional during the interview, Brown shares a tip he received when he started in TV news, “Imagine you are speaking to someone that you love.”

Canadian broadcast journalist Lloyd Robertson told Brown he imagines speaking to a family, with three or four people on a couch, to help him relax.

Brown says being quoted as an expert lends credibility and is also lucrative, with people reaching out after they hear or read his interviews.

 

Davelle Morrison’s media strategy

 

Broker Davelle Morrison’s path was a little different. She posted on Twitter and Instagram regularly, which resulted in the Globe and Mail’s real estate reporter reaching out. Morrison was quoted in her story. “Then CityTV saw the article and I got on air.”

Morrison, who has been with Bosley Real Estate Ltd. in Toronto for over 12 years, has an ever-growing media list. Each time she is quoted in a new media story, she emails it to the reporters on her list.

The list of print coverage is long. She has also been a regular on AM640 radio, first speaking with host Ben Mulroney on Saturdays.

Getting noticed

 

When he moved on to a weekday show, Morrison’s producer put her name forward to a talent director. She auditioned live on the radio.

She passed the audition and was asked to stay on in January and February, doing two three-hour weekend shows. You can now listen to Morrison on weekends from 7 to 10 am on 640 Toronto.

Morrison started building herself up as a real estate expert/source about a half dozen years ago and says it’s been a slow process. “It is like chopping down a tree. You take the axe. It’s not the first chop that gets to the goal, it’s all things combined.”

To get started, pay attention to which reporters cover real estate then Google them for their contact information and reach out.

 

Best practices 

 

What not to do? Morrison says, “When you get interviewed, don’t just say ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Tell them something they don’t know about, something new. Talk about examples whenever you can, something relatable.”

It helps to be passionate about the subject, and it also helps if you own your own home and have real estate as an investment. Know what’s going on.

“Some people on Instagram have lots of followers, posts and look pretty, but lack substance,” she says. “Be a real working agent doing business. Read the paper every day, watch the news, know what’s going on. Go to conferences and listen to economists speak.”

 

Maximizing exposure

 

She says improv classes acted as her “media training”, teaching her how to speak off the cuff.

Shoot videos of yourself to see what you look and sound like. Watch TV shows to see what people are wearing and what looks good on camera (solids look better than prints, she says).

Learn how to do your makeup and use a ring light for interviews from home to ensure the lighting is right.

Make the most of your coverage. Morrison posts her radio interviews on social media and in her weekly newsletter. Guest speakers will post and tag her, giving her further reach and more exposure.

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