We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Nicole Bowdle a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Nicole, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.
Yes, the way I market myself. I have a very strong opinion on Real Estate Agents and their marketing. I think you need to stop thinking about yourself as a real estate agent from 1982 and start thinking about yourself as a modern day marketer. This is 2022 and the internet is not going anywhere. Social Media is not going anywhere. Stop posting stock photos with your brokerage logo. It’s not creating any value for your audience. It doesn’t serve them in any way. What’s in it for them? Who do you want to attract? Are you making content to attract other real estate agents or are you making content that is attracting your Ideal client and avitar to you. I think for me I realize that if someone wants to go look for a house they are going straight to Zillow there is no stopping them. What I am giving people is what they can’t get on Zillow. Most real estate agents make it about them, but no one cares about you and all your sales, just listed, under contracts and open houses but other agents. Consumers need to be educated and I am positioning myself as the expert to consumers in my local area by using video and social media. You are human and your clients are human. They need a way to connect with you. I believe the way you market a property for sale and a development for sale is completely different than how you should be marketing yourself and your services. I think people are scared to be their authentic selves as if they will turn someone off or are scared of coming off unprofessional. I say screw it, I think that is a good thing. They are going to find out who you are sooner than later. You are a personal brand whether you like it or not. My hat that I wear in all my videos has become part of my brand. People recognize me from my hats, and I have clients that say we love your hat and after we buy a house from you we also want to get the same hat as you. I realize not everyone is going to want to work with me so it cuts out the riff raff out from the get go. The people who know, like and trust me are the people who call me. I just closed an all cash deal in 12 days from a Youtube Client who bought a home for his son and now they are looking for homes for them. He found me because I am the only person on youtube providing value for the consumer. It was one of the best transactions I have ever had because we got along so well. Video Marketing Works, and social media is the consumer’s blockchain.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am a 36 year local of Park City Utah, a former professional dancer, and an avid skier and snowboarder. I am an online serial entrepreneur, and an expert in social media marketing and at viral video content creation. I have amassed over 5 Million plus views on multiple social media platforms. I have the most successful youtube channel on Park City Real Estate. I grew my entire channel organically from scratch with zero ad spend. I am monetized on all social media platforms which means I actually get paid by facebook and youtube now to post my content. I specialize in helping out of state buyers relocate, buy vacation homes or lifestyle investment type properties here in the beautiful Park City Area. In the beginning of my real estate career before social media played a big deal I actually mostly worked with sellers and accrued a great deal of experience through many transactions representing sellers. Since then my youtube channel has skyrocketed attracting many buyers from all over the world. The Majority of my clients now actually come directly from my youtube channel as well as my social media presence, With millions and millions of views across all platforms I have mastered the art of attracting my ideal clients through video by showing up authentically as myself, and positioning myself as the consumers expert in my local area.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
Youtube Hands Down. I have created a business with in a business, that brings me leads 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
Alright – let’s talk about marketing or sales – do you have any fun stories about a risk you’ve taken or something else exciting on the sales and marketing side?
Because of the way I get my clients, and me being in an area that is super old school luxury it can feel like a constant uphill battle with some agents who are my senior who have been around a while because their business completely runs off referrals and past clients. Which is a place we all want to get to in due time! I feel like most of them think I am absolutely insane for making videos, let alone the fact that I actually get business from it and get paid for it. This past year I have landed some HUGE multi multi- million dollar leads and I actually had one jerk call me to ask if I have even met the person in real life and the answer is NO, I haven’t met any of my youtube clients face to face until we do a zoom call, a face time, or they fly out here in person to go look at homes. I say yes and I figure it out later. Most of the time when I get a new client from my youtube channel they call me first, and when I pick up the phone they are like OMG!!! It’s Nicole honey hurry get over here Nicole’s on the phone I can’t believe she picked up the phone. It’s like I am literally talking to a raving fan. They tell me they have watched every single one of my videos and then they tell me their entire life story and I usually can’t even get a word in edgewise. Most of the time they are the real deal and turn out to be a way better client than any of my friends or family have ever given me referral wise, and of course I google them first to make sure they are not psychopaths. Most of them actually end up becoming great friends! It’s awesome.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.livinginparkcityutah.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parkcityinsider/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Livinginparkcityutah
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolebowdle/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/NBParkCity
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/nicolebowdleparkcityrealestate