Special offer

Ask An Ambassador: Mind Your Own Beeswax!!

By
Real Estate Agent with Transaction Alliance 513.520.5305 www.LizTour.com SAL.2002007747

I don't think there are any consumers searching for:

Cincinnati real estate agents who are beekeepers

or

Cincinnati real estate agents who have Chihuahuas and cats.

I KNOW there are people searching for Cincinnati patio homes for sale, Cincinnati new construction homes, Cincinnati condos for sale and a host of other variations on the theme including RE/MAX agent specific searches, school districts, budget ranges, etc.

That type of information is what initially gets us found, but it may not by itself be enough to have a home buyer or seller reach out for us.  That's where the human element comes in.

I don't think the average consumer wants to work with someone they consider a jerk.  Expertise matters, but I think for the typical consumer, trusting you outweighs what you may know (or not know).

So how do we establish that trust?  It's not be being a nameless, faceless avatar with your web presence.  Whether it's your blog, your About Me page on your site or your email signature block, or social media presence, giving people an insight into what makes you tick may be the difference between having a site visit and an actual "hey, I need some help with buying a home, can you help me?".

There are certain things I won't touch (you can if you want, your Life and your call), but some things for me are either too personal or too divisive for public sharing.

On the other hand, I know religion is taboo for many, but you'll find the following quote in our email signature block:

“Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.”  ~
St. Francis of Assisi

Do I perfectly live up to that quote? No, but I try.

Are there people that might be offended by that quote?  Perhaps, but I can't make everyone happy.

But what else will you find out about me?

I'm a Navy vet (a little fuzzy, but it's an OLD picture and pre-digital!).

My Facebook wall is filled with things like the following photos:

Chihuahua row, that's 7 of the 9 in the picture.  The furry ones are part of our reason for working so hard in real estate!  There's kibble to be bought!

A dandelion up close and personal.  There's beauty in the details.

Where did I drop that head?  (Know your locality!)

Hop to it!  There's always something that needs done!

Amphibians aren't the only hoppers!  Keep on hopping!

Keep your blog inching along!

Don't fall away from good business habits!

The right content will keep you bzzzy with the right clients.

It's okay to take a siesta when you need one!

Everything in this post is personal, a little glimpse into what makes me tick. 

Give people a reason to trust you and an opportunity to find a common bond. 

If they like what they see, you just might get that "you're hired" call!


Until next Tuesday, Just Ask An Ambassador if you need help,
Bill & Liz aka BLiz

P.S.  if you need a beekeeping, flower-raising, Chihuahua and cat herding agent to refer to in Greater Cincinnati, Go Navy and send them our way!

Posted by

Serving Warren County Ohio & Adjacent Areas

The Liz Spear Team of Transaction Alliance
Elizabeth Spear, ABR, Ohio License SAL.2002007747

William (Bill) Spear, Ohio License SAL.2004011109  Kentucky 77938
Ask for us by name if you visit the office!

EHO
Bill Direct:  513-520-5305
Liz Direct: 513-265-3004     
Fax: 866-302-8418

MailTo:  Liz@LizSpear.com

Search Homes:  Https://WarrenCountyOhioRealEstate.com

 FacebookWordpressYouTube Pinterest

 

 

 

 

OUR PRIMARY SERVICE AREA:


Comments(25)

Bill Salvatore - East Valley
Arizona Elite Properties - Chandler, AZ
Realtor - 602-999-0952 / em: golfArizona@cox.net

Happy Tuesday Liz and Bill,

Thank you for the share, have a great day and sell a house. bill

Mar 29, 2022 06:32 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

Bill, My sighting of owls outside of a zoo are very rare!  I hear them in the woods around our house, but never see them.

Mar 29, 2022 07:07 AM
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Hello Bill (and Liz too) - inching along sometimes proves successful.  Caterpillars becoming butterflies comes to mind.  And then that subject of purpose enters the picture.  

Mar 29, 2022 06:33 AM
Michael Jacobs

Ah, Accidental Consequences rather than those that may be unintentional.  

Mar 29, 2022 07:41 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

Some of my photos get accidental captures.  Trying to take a picture of a bloom and get an inchworm or some other insect.

Mar 29, 2022 07:08 AM
Aura Alex
Seattle, WA
Retired Real Estate Pro

"A dandelion up close and personal.  There's beauty in the details."

That's what makes me tick! Love your post. Thank you for sharing!

 

Mar 29, 2022 07:15 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

Aura, that picture is one of my favorites.  Amazing what you get when you zoom in!

Mar 29, 2022 08:21 AM
Ray Henson
eXp Realty of California, Inc. (lic. #01878277) - Elk Grove, CA
Realtor

Thank you for the tips.  I love all of the pictures, but that last one is the best.  Siesta time!

Mar 29, 2022 07:29 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

Jasper loves to snooze, especially if we're out in the sun on the back deck :)

Mar 29, 2022 08:21 AM
Kat Palmiotti
eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

Fantastic photos, great captions, perfect theme, and I laughed at this part:

 

P.S.  if you need a beekeeping, flower-raising, Chihuahua and cat herding agent to refer to in Greater Cincinnati, Go Navy and send them our way!

Mar 29, 2022 07:44 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

I figured I was overdue for a shameless plug :)

Mar 29, 2022 08:22 AM
Ed Silva, 203-206-0754
Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 - Waterbury, CT
Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally

Interesting post  People want to work with feeling agents and not feel they are just a number or a dollar. When we post we need to be mindful of the audience as it will be out there forever.

Mar 29, 2022 07:53 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

Some things just don't age well, and there seem to be plenty of people that dredge through past social media history just looking for a reason to have a problem with someone. 

Mar 29, 2022 08:23 AM
Anna "Banana" Kruchten
HomeSmart Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ
602-380-4886

Hi Bill for me it's always been about building and maintaining trusting relationships with our clients and sphere.  Do they want my expertise and knowledge?  Of course. But they also want to see my personal and caring side. sometime I feel like I live in a bit of a different world in a sense as I'm not out there beating the bushes for the 'next' deal.

 

On a lighter note.....love seeing all your photos here in on FB.  Always makes me smile when I see you little glimpses of nature or your adorable pups!

 

One last thing....is that you shaking President Reagan's hand?  How cool is that!

Mar 29, 2022 10:17 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

I'm heavily focused on pull rather than push marketing.  Here's information, here's me, you contact me when you're ready.  On a website lead if they don't specifically ask a question, at most I'm sending an intro email and letting them know I'm here to help when THEY are ready, otherwise there will be no pressure, follow up emails, etc., until THEY start the relationship.

And yes, that was a much younger, much smaller version of me :)  He was supposed to shake hands with the top 100 grads that day (I WOULD NOT HAVE MADE THAT CUT), but he kept going for all 1000+ graduating mids that day.  Just one more reason he's my favorite "recent" POTUS.

Mar 29, 2022 11:40 AM
Anna "Banana" Kruchten
HomeSmart Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ
602-380-4886

That is so cool Bill!  I bet you were excited about being able to shake his hand.  He was my favorite President as well.  He reminded me a lot of my Father.

Mar 29, 2022 12:21 PM
Liz and Bill Spear

Definitely excited!  If he didn't have 1000 people that were already his fans prior to the graduation ceremony, he certainly would have after!

Mar 29, 2022 04:42 PM
Charita Cadenhead
eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL
Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)

Bliz you're right in that people want to know who we are outside of real estate and it's up to us what we share.  If we try to walk that delicate tightrope of trying to please everyone by trying to avoid being offensive, we'd spend all of our time trying not to be offensive instead of working.

People like people who are much like themselves so whoever we are or whatever we reveal about ourselves will attract others that have shared interest or experience.

As for the what we don't share, a little mystery keeps things interesting anyway.

Mar 29, 2022 04:16 PM
Liz and Bill Spear

I think that's one of the perks of having pets.  Most people probably have a cat or a dog, so there's a common bonding point to work from.  Add in other things from there to further solidify the relationship.

Mar 29, 2022 04:44 PM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Bill:

Colorful, personal, and filled with wisdom from start to finish. Who can argue with this unless they feel everything they do online needs to be about "ME, ME, ME and how wonderful I am."

Buyers and sellers still want to connect with someone they like and trust, and feel can help them with THEIR particular issues. The personal stuff is a bonus and shows we are human!

Jeff

Mar 29, 2022 08:24 PM
Liz and Bill Spear

If we answer the What's In It For Me question for the consumer, we're off to a good start, then add in the human element to further solidify the opportunity.

Mar 30, 2022 04:50 AM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher

I’m very busy with my own beeswax and I mind it quite well these days,  thankfully:)

Mar 29, 2022 08:57 PM
Liz and Bill Spear

We all have enough to manage without fights with random strangers on the Internet. 

Mar 30, 2022 04:51 AM
Erik Hiss
Keller Williams Capital Partners Realty - Worthington, OH
You can trust me for all your real estate needs!

Yep...relationships and common grounds will get you business! And not EVERYONE will like you! Take it from me :)

Mar 30, 2022 05:49 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

Not everyone here is a fan of me either, and that's just the way things go sometimes.  I can live with it :)

Mar 30, 2022 08:43 AM
Beth Atalay
Cam Realty and Property Management - Clermont, FL
Cam Realty of Clermont FL

Fantastic post Liz and Bill Spear! Our clients certainly want us to be knowledgeable but they also want to be able to trust us. We are in the relationship business, that's for sure. Building meaningful ones take time and genuine effort. I love the pictures! 

Mar 30, 2022 09:44 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

Beth, That's a telltale for me that maybe a working relationship just isn't meant to be.  When they're not trusting me and not taking my advice for how to get what they want, what am I there for?  It just leads to frustration on both sides.

Mar 30, 2022 02:26 PM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Hi Bill- your post rings true.  All of us want to have some kind of connection when we work with someone and your posts give them just that. I've loved seeing your bee-caretaker position evolve and grow. And he's my favorite POTUS too. 

Mar 30, 2022 10:35 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

Whether it's my engineering job or real estate, I prefer to work with someone I trust and respect.  The bees I can mostly trust, unless I do something stupid to upset them :)

Mar 30, 2022 04:13 PM
Steffy Hristova
HomeSmart Elite Group Tempe AZ Tel: 602.710.8161 - Tempe, AZ
Tempe AZ Realtor - Your Home Close to Your Work!

Bill and Liz, I enjoyed reading your post, looking at the wonderful photos and captions to them. And I feel like, yes, I would like to connect with this human - I like a lot of the same things. Over the years I have enjoyed your interesting and informative writing about patio homes.

Mar 31, 2022 07:38 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

Our cats may be irritated if they find out I didn't give them equal screen time :)


I'm looking to give people reasons to say Yes rather than No for hiring us or referring to us.  We're not the perfect fit for everyone, but we can help most.

Mar 31, 2022 08:01 AM
Alan May
Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL
Home is where the hearth is.

I love this post.

Apr 01, 2022 07:24 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

I went a different route than usual for this one.

Apr 01, 2022 08:40 AM
Alan May

to paraphrase Justin Timberlake: "I'm loving it!"

Apr 01, 2022 08:51 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

whewwww...thought there might be something in a box....

Apr 01, 2022 07:24 PM
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

While I know the 'real Bill' better than most people here, I can say I absolutely LOVE this post! 

I have been trying to share my personal side for a long time now - mostly in Diary posts and Speechless Sundays. I was told by another member, that a particular member disagreed! She felt that "No one [consumer] wants to know about her [meaning me]. I would never share personal details on my business blog." I got a big kick out of it and just smiled when I heard this and said to myself, directed to her, "Oh, mind your own beeswax!!" LOL

Apr 01, 2022 07:05 PM
Debe Maxwell, CRS

😂 That is so very true!

Apr 01, 2022 07:31 PM
Liz and Bill Spear

I don't think any Rainer has met me more in person (perhaps some folks tied, but no one more!).

Letting people know a bit about us definitely helps.  My military background gives me a common bonding point with many people.  Add in the cats and dogs and there are very few people that we can't have a common bond with.

And some people really do need to mind their own beeswax :)

Apr 01, 2022 07:28 PM
Mimi Foster
Falcon Property Company - Colorado Springs, CO
Voted Colorado Springs Best Realtor

I absolutely love this post. When I stopped being the "real estate expert" and became "up close and personal" on my blog, my business thrived. I'm not no-nonsense and have no desire to be. If you want that in your Realtor, I'm not your girl. This is a great plug and wonderful insight. Thank you!

Apr 03, 2022 02:24 PM
Liz and Bill Spear

I tend to attract my fair share of analytical types (no surprise there, right?).  But with clients I'm not shy about pulling out my phone and showing them pix of our dogs, cats, bees, etc.  It's part of my life and if we're going to wind up looking at 10, 20, 30, houses, there's a lot of time spent with each other.

Apr 03, 2022 03:41 PM
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

I would like to add a 'ditto' to Mimi Foster's comment! LOL Mimi, I agree wholeheartedly. 

Apr 03, 2022 10:12 PM
Candice A. Donofrio
Next Wave RE Investments LLC Bullhead City AZ Commercial RE Broker - Fort Mohave, AZ
928-201-4BHC (4242) call/text

Ha, your sweet lil critters loving their crates, I'm so jealous right now! LOL

Apr 04, 2022 09:10 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

The advantage of Chihuahuas, they don't take up much space even when you have a whole herd of 'em!

Apr 04, 2022 10:15 AM