Agents should always work on building their brand, but it’s especially important when dealing with challenging market conditions. With mortgage rates projected to stay over 6 percent throughout the year and transaction volume still relatively weak, agents need every edge they can get to win market share.
Here are four ways you can add value and stand out just by using Zillow tools and resources.
1. Optimize your Agent Profile
Online research is the most common way buyers and sellers begin searching for an agent. That means your Zillow Agent Profile could play a key role in convincing clients to reach out to you. To make the strongest first impression possible, ensure your profile is complete and compelling.
You can start by uploading a recent headshot and writing a clear, friendly bio that highlights your local expertise and track record. Then go deeper by adding a video introduction, linking your social media profiles and highlighting past sales to establish credibility. Zillow’s review system helps you build a public reputation, so consistently follow up with clients to ask for their feedback.
Whether you’re looking to create a new profile or refresh an existing one, here’s a quick walkthrough to maximize the benefits.
2. Share free local market research
Sharing local market knowledge is another proven way to get clients on board: 75 percent of sellers who used an agent said it was a highly important characteristic when choosing who to hire.
When clients ask questions about the market, referencing a credible industry voice can help. Zillow’s local research dashboards, like the Market Snapshot and Market Heat Index, are designed to help you break down housing trends in a way buyers and sellers can actually understand. Pull the latest stats for your listing presentations, emails and social media posts. You can even create graphics with your logo that feature this data, reinforcing both your expertise and your personal brand.
Consider setting a calendar reminder to check Zillow’s economic research so you’re always ready when the dashboards update in the middle of the month.
3. Help clients see what they can afford
Financing is one of the most confusing and stressful parts of the homebuying process. Agents can help reduce that anxiety by introducing clients to BuyAbility℠, the free Zillow Home Loans tool that estimates how much someone can afford in real time based on their specific financial picture. (Here’s a short explainer for agents.) Once a client has completed their BuyAbility, for-sale homes that fall within their budget will show as “Within BuyAbility” on the Zillow app.
BuyAbility is a more modern, low-stakes way to start the conversation around financing. For buyers without a concrete budget, this can get them prepared to speak to a loan officer and help them get a more realistic understanding of which properties to focus on. Plus, it keeps you involved in the process as a knowledgeable guide who’s looking out for their best interests.
Your clients can find BuyAbility under the Home Loans tab of the Zillow app.
4. Build trust through co-branding
The technology agents use can also be a big differentiator. In recent interviews, team leaders have told us they like to highlight a few unique tools in listing presentations to show what they can do to make a property command attention. For instance, agents can use Zillow Showcase to stand out from other listings in the map view.
Agents can also tout this kind of partnership on websites, marketing materials and social channels. With Showcase, one team leader integrated slide templates and stats that Zillow provided, and emphasized the co-branding when meeting with potential sellers. It’s another savvy way to show how your brand aligns with a name your clients likely already know and trust.
