I have a really simple – yet potentially painful – question for you…

Are you relevant?

I recently met Greg Creed, former CEO of Yum! Brands and author of a great new book called R.E.D. Marketing. He brought up the topic of social and cultural relevance.

Then a few days later at last week’s Success Summit, Seth Godin spoke about the need to be “remarkable” – literally getting people to remark, or talk, about you.

Relevance and remarkability… two things you may have never really thought of until very recently. And two things that can absolutely make or break the success of your business.

 

Are All 7.9 Billion of Us Relevant?

With nearly eight billion people on the planet, it’s impossible for everyone to stand out.

But as a salesperson who needs others to choose you out of a pool of people fighting for their attention, it’s imperative for you gain relevance and remarkability.

So what exactly makes you relevant?

Greg broke relevance down into two categories: Cultural relevance and social relevance.

No one wants to work with someone they sense is behind the times, so cultural relevance is about being seen in places where people are today – social media being the big picture, but even more specifically, are you doing Reels? Are you on TikTok yet? Are you meeting your audience where they are, or are you sitting back, hoping that they find you wherever you feel most comfortable?

Social relevance introduces a different side of the equation… Are you doing noteworthy things that get people talking? Are people discussing your latest campaign at cocktail parties?

Which brings in Seth’s concept of being “remarkable.” Is your service so extraordinary that people can’t help but talk about it? Do your listing videos get shared dozens of times because they’re so creative and compelling?

These are the things that make agents relevant and remarkable. And in an increasingly competitive industry, they’re the things that will separate you from your competition and make all of your wildest dreams come true.


 

5 Questions to Gauge Your Relevance

I’ve come up with five questions that will give you some clarity on whether or not you’re relevant – and if not, what you can do to change things for the better. Let’s dive in…

 

Are you shooting video?

I’ve been saying we’re living in a “video-first” marketing environment for probably five years now. In late 2021, if you’re still not using video to communicate your message, you’re making it very difficult on yourself to be culturally relevant. (That’s my nice way of saying it’s impossible.) It’s time to get over your fears and start using video.

Eighty-one percent of consumers today say they make buying decisions after watching a video. Which means if you’re still afraid to hit that little red RECORD button, you’re eliminating four-fifths of your potential audience.

Quite simply, video needs to be a primary strategy in everything you do.

If you’re still claiming, “I’m not sure what to say,” think about the questions you get asked every day. Then create a video explaining that you keep hearing these questions, so you wanted to inform people and answer the question! Answer a new question every day and watch what happens.

 

Do you post on social media consistently, including Instagram, Stories, Reels, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn?

It’s no longer enough to simply “exist” on social media. You need to be engaged and actively posting and communicating through these platforms. Are you? If your answer is no, it may be time to think about hiring some part-time marketing help or a social media coordinator to make sure it happens – no matter how busy you are.

 

Are you publishing content consistently?

If you don’t have your own YouTube show, podcast, or blog with an established weekly publishing schedule, you’re likely not creating enough content to be relevant.

How often are you creating special reports to educate and inform consumers in your marketplace? How often are you asking for and answering people’s questions in your Instagram Stories? Are you sending people in your geographic farm unsolicited CMAs?

Content fuels “know, like, and trust” in today’s world. Make sure you’re creating enough to get noticed.

 

Are you pushing the envelope to become truly remarkable?

“Ordinary” doesn’t get people talking. It’s about getting creative, taking risks, doing something different to stand out. It’s about providing an extraordinary experience. Last week at the Summit, Seth Godin talked about identifying and serving your smallest viable audience… people to whom you can provide highly specialized services that make them want to tell everyone they know about how wonderful you are. Be honest… does that sound like your current business?

 

What will you do next to take it farther?

Relevance can be fleeting. If you want to remain relevant, you need to invest yourself fully and commit to actively seeking out innovation. You need to live on that leading edge and be open to new platforms as they come along. Look at Zachary Foust or Glennda Baker on TikTok – they adopted that platform and built amazing followings because they saw it as an untapped resource.

 

It’s Entirely Up to You

The possibility of being irrelevant is not only depressing, but it’s also very real. But here’s the good news – with the camera in your pocket and a little bit of ingenuity, your relevance is entirely in your control. If you do all the things I’ve mentioned above, you’re going to gain relevance. If you figure out how to treat people better than anything they’ve experienced before, you’re going to be remarkable.

And when you’re relevant and remarkable, your life and business are going to be a whole lot more fulfilling.

Let me know what you’re committing to that will increase your relevance and remarkability in the comments below.