Ah, those agents who wax prolific on their accomplishments. You've seen their "marketing materials" over the years. Millions sold, top producer, top negotiator, president's circle and the well-worn litany of designations: CRS, GRI, E-Pro, certified whatever.

There seems to be some confusion about what personal marketing really is, because listing your achievements on a lime green flyer and papering the neighborhood isn't my definition of an effective strategy."? Personal marketing is" well, personal!

What I've described above is boasting and bragging, not marketing. The agents who do this may think they're marketing, but they aren't. The irony is that when consumers see how much an agent is selling, they assume it is how much they are making! Your multi-million dollar production is just more proof that you're getting rich in real estate and it gives buyers and sellers ammunition to grind you on your commissions.

Even worse, what's a GRI to a consumer.? Heck, most real estate agents don't what it means!

This is about as far from personal marketing as you can get. The key to making it effective is letting yourself be known to your target market. Who are you as a person? What do people like about you? Personal marketing is about letting people see you as a human, not as a salesperson, a "top negotiator" or a superstar they can't relate to. Real personal marketing tells your story in an emotive way that bonds you to the prospective client.

Powerful personal marketing allows people to "meet you" and "know you" before they see you for the first time. Your aim is to make prospective clients feel comfortable picking up the phone and making that call for a listing appointment, not to intimidate them by being a salesperson or closer.

Let your marketing open doors for you, not close them!