In 2009, when our commercial real estate brokerage business resembled a post war apocalypse, my wife and I made a fateful decision.
She went back to school to earn an advanced degree in apparel manufacturing at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, better known as FIDM, in Los Angeles. She loved every minute of it, graduated first in her class, and eventually opened a successful business crafting custom wedding handkerchiefs for brides in New Orleans.
You may be wondering what this has to do with commercial real estate. Once again, I ask you to indulge me.
One afternoon she returned from class with an idea.
“You need to start blogging.”
I had no idea what that meant, but I was curious.
She explained it this way. “Write about what you do. Post it online. Create a digital footprint.”
Then she coined a phrase I’ve never forgotten.
“Work out loud.”
Do the work once. Write about it. Let it live forever.
She was absolutely right.
Seventeen years later, I still publish a weekly commercial real estate blog. This newspaper column grew from that effort. LinkedIn, X, Facebook, YouTube and, more recently, TikTok have become extensions of that same philosophy. Instead of hoping people discover what we do, we show them.
So what have all these years of marketing commercial real estate through social media taught me?
First, consistency beats brilliance. One thoughtful post every week for years will outperform a burst of daily activity followed by months of silence.
Second, educate before you promote. People rarely share advertisements, but they frequently share ideas that help them make better decisions.
Third, authenticity wins. You don’t have to be the funniest, loudest or most controversial voice online. You simply need to be genuine and useful.
Fourth, your digital reputation often precedes your personal introduction. Many prospective clients know more about you before the first meeting than they ever could have learned from a brochure or résumé.
Finally, remember that social media is not a substitute for relationships. It is simply an amplifier. Lunches still matter. Phone calls still matter. Handwritten notes still matter. Social media simply keeps you top of mind between those interactions.
I’ve often been asked whether blogging, posting and producing videos directly resulted in business. The answer is yes, but perhaps not in the way you might expect.
Rarely has a client called and said, “I hired you because of one post.”
Instead, they say something far more meaningful.
“I feel like I already know you.”
Trust is built long before the first assignment is signed.
My wife recognized that nearly two decades ago. She saw that sharing knowledge would create opportunities that cold calls alone never could. Looking back, her advice may have been one of the best marketing lessons I’ve ever received.
Sometimes the most valuable commercial real estate advice doesn’t come from another broker. Sometimes it comes from someone who simply encourages you to work out loud.
Allen C. Buchanan, SIOR, is a principal with Lee & Associates Commercial Real Estate Services in Orange. He can be reached at abuchanan@lee-associates.com or 714.564.7104.