When's the last time you updated your bio and refreshed your overall brand?

Remember the brand that you are selling is YOU. And you need to refresh your brand at least once a year. You might hate getting your picture taken, but you need a new one every year. And I'm not just talking about a new headshot. You also need to hire a professional photographer to do an entire photo spread for you.

On top of that, you need to update your bio. The best bios that will drive sales your way include the following four things:

1. They're timely
2. They're relevant
3. They include the latest and greatest things happening in your life that help you connect with people in a real way
4. And they include any awards you've received or accomplishments you've achieved

Your #1 goal with your bio is to create an emotional connection with people. So that when they read about you, they can easily decide that they want to work with you.

Once you've updated your bio, you have to make sure...

What do you think are the top 10 trends for kitchens coming into the new year?

Top 10 Design Trends for Kitchens

(According to Instagram)

• Granite countertops (46,619 posts)
• Pantry cabinets (29,429)
• Quartz countertops (23,652)
• Kitchen islands (23,436)
• Eco-friendly (5,785)
• Brass faucets (4,608)
• Copper hardware (3,698)
• Mosaic Splashback tiles (3,041)
• Induction countertop (650)
• Farmhouse sinks (141)

How can you use this information? Try creating an engagement post that pits two of these elements against each other... as in "Which do you prefer Granite Countertops or Quartz Countertops?". Of course you should include a photo of both options.

By using an engagement question you will find that your audience will be much more likely to stop scrolling and actually comment or like your content. This is crucial as the more engagement a post receives the more likely it is for the algorithm to place this content in front of even more people. Also when someone...

Do you find yourself getting a lot more friend requests right now? I am. In the past I might get one or two a day, now I'm getting four or five, sometimes 10 a day. Why is that? More people are at home and they are on their social media much more than ever!

So what can you do with that information?

We know we're supposed to be reaching out to our sphere with phone and video calls, writing handwritten notes, and Zoom meetings. But let me give you something else to do as well. Set a goal of sending out 10 friend requests on Facebook, following 10 people on Instagram, and connecting with 10 people a day on LinkedIn.

Yes, you can make 30 connections a day and it doesn't take a lot of time. But don't just connect - go deeper - endorse people on linked in and try using Facebook and Instagram as another CRM platform.

How?

Look for life change. If someone is posting about losing their job, having a struggle with their kids and homeschooling, or they're going crazy in...

Interesting news - Facebook is quietly testing the use of hashtags.

We all know that Facebook owns Instagram. They have for years and hashtags are big on Instagram. So we always tend to place hashtags behind every post. Why do we do that? Because hashtags are searchable! If you click on a hashtag you will see all the posts that have used that hashtag recently. 

Now that hashtags are going becoming searchable on Facebook, you can get ahead of the crowd and be somebody that is showing up at the top of one of these hashtags early. 

Check out this quick video for a quick demonstration!

Looking for a way to build your social media presence, add visitors to your website, drive buyer and seller leads, or connect with your sphere of influence?

Check out this quick coaching segment on creating Facebook Ads featuring marketing expert Jon Reinhart and Jim Remley.

To watch the whole coaching video and take advantage of 14 Days of FREE Coaching explore the Path Performance Coaching Platform!

Is Facebook quietly rolling out hashtags?

According to marketing experts the answer is yes. Facebook owns Instagram which has long used hashtags as a marketing tool. Not only can you attach hashtags to your posts, you can search, and even follow hashtags on Instagram. It appears that Facebook may be implementing a similar strategy.

It wouldn't be the fist time Facebook has followed Instagram.

The best example may be the roll out of Facebook Stories which has quickly become a game changer for social media content.

Check out this quick video to learn more and discover how you may be able to use the quiet roll out to your advantage!

Roughly 2.7 million U.S. adults moved in with a parent or grandparent in March and April as the coronavirus pandemic spread, potentially costing landlords hundreds of millions of dollars in monthly rent payments.

Here is the breakdown:

+ There were 32 million adults living with their parents or grandparents in April, the highest number on record.

+ More than 80% of those who recently moved back in with their parents are Gen Zers.

See graph here: https://www.zillow.com/research/coron...

How does this affect the real estate market? The demand for larger houses will be increasing as multi-generational households increase. Watch this quick video for details...

We have all heard from numerous channels that video will be the key differentiation tool for top real estate pros over the coming years.

But numbers just released by the KCM blog provide some staggering insight into just how fast this transition is occurring and why embracing video as a key part of your marketing strategy is so important.

• 93% of brands got a new customer because of a video on social media.
• 87% of businesses now use video as a marketing tool.
• Youtube is the #1 way consumers discover and research a brand.
• A Facebook executive predicted that their platform will be all video and no text by 2021.
• Social video gets shared 1200% more than text and images combined.
• 81% of marketers say video has helped them generate leads.
• Video ads were the #1 way consumers discovered a brand they later purchased from.
• By 2022, online videos will make up more than 82% of all consumer internet traffic.
• Homes listed with video get four times the inquiries of homes listed without video.
• 72%...

What if before being hired by a buyer or a seller they first checked out all of your social media pages? 

The vast majority do exactly this according to a study from Career Builder which reveals that 70% of employers view a potential employees social media pages before making a hiring decision. Even during employment 43% continue to check on current employees social media feeds. 

Buyers and sellers often view themselves as your employer and when entrusting the largest financial decision of their lives to someone will even be more likely to check you out on social media. 

Your social media feed then is the first step in the interview process, a life resume, that can help or hurt your chances of earning your next commission. To make sure you put your best foot forward check out this quick list of 9 Things Not to Do on Social Media! 

Do you need more leads, more listings, more buyers, and more closings? 

Explore Mastery Classes:

• Open House Mastery 
• For...

Where is the best place to find qualified real estate leads online? What social media markets are already saturated with REALTORS and which ones are full of opportunity? Where do buyers find information online and what are they looking for? 

These questions and more are answered during this video overview based on a new report from the National Association of REALTORS - Real Estate in a Digital World. Report Highlights

In the Real Estate in a Digital Age report, the process home buyers go through in the initial online search and how REALTORS® are connecting with customers in the digital space is examined. Some interesting findings (ton's more in the video overview)

• In 2018, buyers worked with an agent 87 percent of the time to find their home, so trust in a REALTOR® is still king. While the initial process may start online, home buyers turn to the advice from a trusted real estate agent.

• In addition to the home buying process, REALTORS® also...