It was a pleasure to chat with Cat Smith from @SocialWithCat on her show about David Smith Homes, in particular about using video to connect our community. Find out more about Cat here: http://www.getsocialwithcat.com/
Click the video to listen to the full interview:
Transcript below:
1. Were you camera shy before starting The Local?
Not really, I’ve come to terms I’m a 4/10 on appearance on a good day, so really there’s very little vanity involved. There are two buttons on my phone, the big red one, which I hit once, yell at the camera for a minute, and then hit again, and then the post button. That’s it. Simple.
2. What was the subject of the last video you shot on your cell phone?
My kid’s lemonade stand! I don’t show their faces, so it was a little bit of a challenge, but a good number of my followers came out to support them.
3. Nutshell the story of how “The Local” began?
Right when I began my real estate business I wanted to build it around advocating for others instead of myself, the best way to do that was video, so I found a partner and we made videos!
4. While you didn’t start “The Local” as a direct driver of business, how has it been successful to your real estate career?
You know, I don’t think I can point to a single deal that came directly from The Local, but I can point to a lot of people that realized I was different because of it and use me because I’m different.
5. Realtors are notorious for not showing more than the real estate side of themselves. Why is advocating important, especially in your own community?
At the macro level, because I’m not just trying to show myself off, period. I was to show other people off!
6. When you talk about the subjects in your videos, you say you are “celebrating” them. Why is it important to celebrate others?
Because they’re worth celebrating. Each one of us who runs our own business or non-profit knows how lonely it can be. It can mean the world for someone to come alongside, recognize what you’re doing, and publicly celebrate it.
7. You also mentioned in an interview this means even “publicly celebrating another local realtor for their advocacy.” Will that negatively impact our business?
Yes, it might do. But really, I don’t care. If someone is inspired by someone else, why shouldn’t they use them instead of me? I love celebrating other realtors too for the great things they do.
8. How does video build trust?
It’s hard to fake it on video without everyone seeing right through you. If you’re trying to be someone else, it’s not sustainable.
9. “The Local” is a pretty involved show. But you do things like “One Minute Market Story.” It doesn’t need to be grand to tell a story, right?
Absolutely not. I think a combination of high production value pieces can be supplemented super effectively with low production value content, they have different purposes.
10. You also use video as a driver to live events. Ex.: Home Buying & Beers. Do you think video helped boost your event?
I know for sure they do, the majority of people at those events found out about them on Facebook or Instagram, primarily from organic shares and boosted posts targeting their demographic.
11. What does your quote, “People over property” mean?
It just means I care about people a lot more than I do about houses. Honestly, real estate is a just an avenue for me to care for people. That’s where I find the satisfaction in this business.
12. “If you build it, they will come.” We can just load our video on the web and people will find it right? What kind of promotion to you do when releasing a new video?
It depends on the content, but the most potential seems to still be Facebook. A huge portion of consumers are still there, and their demographic targeting is unparalleled.
13. Stealing this from Inman: “If an agent should stop doing one thing today, what would it be?”
Thinking about themselves so much.