I hope you had a great Easter weekend! With the Holiday I pushed this issue out for today instead.

I’m testing days to see if you prefer Tues, Thurs, Sun, Monday etc.

This week is a little special because my other labor of love besides this email, the Breaking and Building Leaders Podcast is releasing this week!

It’s another piece that I’m hoping helps push our industry forward, together.

Hopefully, you enjoy it like this email.

— Andrew

🎥 From Pharmacist to #3 Solo Agent in Only 2 Years

Big Picture: Soomin Kim, an Austin-based real estate agent, broke into the luxury real estate market by leveraging YouTube.

In his first full year of real estate, he closed 87 deals, totaling $67 million in production.

Then in his second year, he closed 114 transactions, achieving an impressive $80.65 million in sales volume, and quickly became the #3 individual agent in the nation for solo sales- thanks to his creative and engaging videos that garnered thousands of views and attracted high-end clients.

This case study breaks down how Soomin achieved this level of success and provides insights into his approach to creating engaging YouTube content.

Why this matters: In today's competitive real estate market, especially in Austin Texas (the boom town of real estate the last few years) it's crucial for agents to stand out and offer unique marketing strategies to attract clients.

"I was always passionate about filmmaking...

When I decided to enter the real estate industry, I knew I could use my skills to create a unique marketing approach. I wanted to offer my clients something different, something that would truly showcase their homes in the best light possible."

- Soomin Kim

Soomin found a way to not only enter real estate but break into luxury & set himself apart from other agents in the industry to become a top agent in only 1 year and the #3 solo agent in 2…

Soomin’s Background: He joined real estate during the pandemic after moving from California to Texas.

Previously working as a pharmacist, and new to Texas, he was starting with no network or sphere of influence, so he had to find a way to build from nothing.

“I realized that I could not go the traditional way. There's no way I'd be able to compete traditionally especially with the detriment of not knowing anyone not knowing area.

I felt like i want to be more efficient if I were to knock on the door it would be one action for one response. If I want to cold call someone it'd be one action for one response. However if i can set up social platforms in a certain way one form of action can probably give me a thousand responses.

I'm new. I don't have experience. Ifeel like i'm older where I don't feel like i'm just in it for the experience. I'm in it to be productive and to provide for my family as quickly as possible.

So I went straight to social content and social media platforms to market myself and communicate with as many people in the shortest amount of time in the most efficient way.”

- Soomin Kim

He chose Williamson County as his target area because he:

• Saw potential in suburban areas with more space and new construction.
• Williamson County is experiencing rapid expansion, attracting families and individuals in similar life stages.

From starter to luxury in 1 year: He approached builders in his area to film their properties, initially focusing on homes in the $350,000 to $400,000 price range. This helped him build a library of content, primarily consisting of home tours.

But he quickly realized most of his clients were in that price range. So he asked, “How could I increase my price point?”

So as his YouTube channel gained traction, he strategically moved into higher price point home tours, ranging from the $500,000’s to $700,000. As he moved up, he noticed the people who reached out moving up as well. As a result, he kept expanding into the luxury market.

He was strategic and intentional in choosing areas that will be in demand or new communities that will have plenty of new homes for him to sell.

He continuously sought out new developments and communities to film, always aiming to be the first to showcase these homes to his audience.

Soomin's Approach:

So, let’s break down his videos, how he grew, and the lessons to take away from his success.

1) Presentation: Breaking down his videos

a) Start - Hook 🪝

• Soomin starts by introducing himself, the property, and the community.
• He typically starts outside with the community or exterior of the home in the background.
• He emphasizes exclusivity, desirability, unique beauty, or scarcity to build anticipation for the video.
• ex. “exclusive look at a home that is coming on the market”, “going to be one of the very first to be able to preview this home”, “one of the most celebrated, most beautiful homes in this already celebrated community.”
• He has a similar introduction in every video around 30 to 60 seconds, where he mentions who he is and has a short call to action.
• ex. “to help people with their real estate needs, whether they're looking to buy, relocate, or sell their home in Austin. He encourages viewers to like and subscribe for more content.”

b) Middle - The Tour 🎥

• Storytelling

He’s skilled at taking viewers through each property he features.

Starting with the big picture by focusing on the location, lifestyle, community, and unique selling points of the home.

But as the video progresses, he zooms in on the finer details, showcasing the property's features and amenities.

• Authenticity

Similar to how Ryan Serhant’s videos feel more like a vlog and less professional, Soomin doesn’t have perfectly stable or smooth video. The imperfections make it feel more raw and real. His casual and conversational tone make him more relatable.

He strikes the perfect balance between professionalism and relatability, making viewers feel as though they're exploring the property with a trusted friend.

• Home Tour Flow

Starting from the outside, he does something similar to what Brad McCallum does (that I mentioned in a previous issue) by going from macro to micro.

He highlights what makes this specific property unique, talking about the location, community, lot, and home overall before going inside.

And surprisingly, he doesn’t narrate inside. So for about 10-15+ minutes, he walks through the home, going from room to room with only background music, letting the home speak for itself.

c) End - Conclusion & Call to Action 📱

• He wraps up the video by reiterating that the walkthrough is an exclusive first look for his audience and expressing his admiration for the home. This continues the “exclusivity”, and “access” narrative that is his value proposition.
• “Please make sure you like this video but subscribe because there's so many things shifting in the Austin marketplace right now and i'm going to be on top of it. I'm going to be making sure that all of my audience and my community and those of you that subscribed are going to get privy to the newest things and the newest shifting changes here in the Austin marketplace. But with that being said I can't wait to see on the next one and hope you enjoyed this one, I'll see you then.”
• He directs viewers to the video description for more information about the house.
• He encourages people to reach out. He shares his contact information and offers assistance in making an offer, or helping look for similar homes. He mentions the variety of homes available in Austin and his willingness to help, regardless of their budget.
• ex. “So I would be happy to help you whether it's this model or a different builder perhaps it's a similar size and range that you're looking for. I’d be happy to help you with that and as always I am going to put up my information right up there, so whether you are looking for a home like this in a different area, a different community or maybe you've been seeking a floor plan like this. I have a little bit of an inside track that I'd be able to help you with and guide you on and make those connections for you and certainly be able to represent you through that process.”

"My videos are not just about showing the house; they are about telling a story. A story that will make potential buyers fall in love with the property."

- Soomin Kim

2) Packaging: How he grew

a) The Idea 💡

• Strategic home tours. He specifically chooses homes based on specific price points and areas of Austin where there’s more demand. Or he gets access to new communities early so there’s plenty of inventory to sell
• Working closely & collaborating with builders & listing agents helps bring unique opportunities. And having “access” to these unique opportunities are incentives for buyers to reach out.
• His engaging and informational walkthroughs help him be seen as the expert.

b) Communication 🗣️

• Personal. He incorporated his personal story and narrative of moving from California to Texas. So his personal anecdotes & experiences humanize him allowing people to build an emotional & personal connection with him. He found his niche.
• Relatable. He avoids industry jargon and instead focuses on clear, concise language that resonates with the audience. His communication style is casual and friendly, making the content more engaging and relatable.
• He focuses on the unique features of each property, such as architectural details, custom finishes, and luxury amenities. He creates a narrative around these features, allowing potential buyers to visualize themselves living in the home.

c) Maximizing YouTube 🖥️

• Title, Thumbnail, Tags, Description, etc. - He doesn’t neglect the foundation that helps videos rank & get found when people relocating search.
• He started with posting 2-3x a week but now he’s averaging about 1 video a week consistently.
• Creates longer videos, more in-depth videos for higher average watch time, which is one of the (3) best metrics for YouTube channels

"My YouTube channel has been a game-changer for my business. I've built a reputation as a luxury real estate agent who goes above and beyond to market properties in the best possible light."

- Soomin Kim

Results: Soomin's approach to real estate via modern marketing & YouTube yielded astounding results in his first year as a real estate agent:

• Selling 87 homes for $67,000,000 in production
• Then his second year he closed 114 deals, totaling $80.65 million in sales volume.
• Gaining clients almost entirely from YouTube videos without running ads or old school prospecting.
• Rapidly built a strong personal brand and reputation in the highly competitive Austin market.

Bottom Line: Soomin Kim's success demonstrates the power of embracing modern marketing strategies and the importance of storytelling in today's market. So by leveraging YouTube as a platform and focusing on creating emotionally-driven content, Soomin was able to break into the luxury market and achieve outstanding results in just one year. His journey serves as an inspiration and highlights the potential for growth when adopting innovative approaches in an ever-evolving industry.

Soomin's Advice for Success:

1. “Embrace modern marketing strategies, such as video content and social media platforms, to connect with your target audience.”
2. “Focus on building relationships with key stakeholders, such as builders and listing agents, to gain access to luxury properties.”
3. “Leverage your unique skills and background to differentiate yourself in the market.”

So by following Soomin's example and applying these principles to your own business, you can achieve remarkable results and make a name for yourself in the real estate industry.

Bonus resources:

• Home tours are not his only videos, although they make up most of his content he also creates videos about:
• Austin Market
• What’s Coming Soon to Austin
• His Moving Story
• Neighborhood/Area Guide Videos
• Some New Construction Education topics
• What he uses to film home tours (under $200!)
• He films with his iPhone for simplicity & wide angle capability.
• He uses a DJI Osmo for stability so the videos don’t feel shaky but found he prefers an iPhone rig (Newerr or Ulanzi) because it responds more quickly to movements.
• His mic is an inexpensive wired lavalier for better quality sound.
• How he gets builders & listing agents to let him tour their homes
• Confident posture and intention
• Minimize questions
• Present yourself as an ally
• Keep your setup minimal

🧱 Breaking and Building Leaders Podcast

YouTube Channel

If you enjoy hearing stories, and lessons from leaders in the real estate industry then this channel is for you!

The mission of "Breaking and Building Leaders" is to share the untold stories and lessons of leaders to empower the leaders of tomorrow in real estate. By breaking down their stories I hope to share wisdom & insights that help you become a better leader in your business and personal life.

I believe leadership in life is a choice and everybody is a leader somewhere in their life. So, let's make an impact and leave a lasting legacy.

The first two episodes include:

• Amit Bhuta, a top luxury team in Miami. We discuss a wide range of topics including: how he mastered the art of storytelling, how he consistentaly attracts luxury listings, past struggles with mental health & why 9+ other top agents reached out with similar issues.
• Ken Pozek, a top team in Orlando. We discuss the dark side of $6 million GCI business but how he found true fullilment, how he attracts & retains talent with ZERO turnover, how he’s building a media company that sells real estate, his YouTube process, losing 50 lbs in 7 months & more!

New Episodes Weekly.

Check out the first trailer NOW LIVE!

🎥 Is Text-to-video the holy grail of content creation?

Second time but new… This is the second story I’ve done on RunwayML but this time it’s because they announced their Gen2 model, which starts to make text-to-video possible. You describe the type of video you’re looking for and the AI builds it for you.

I could try and describe how it works, but to be honest, seeing is believing. If you do nothing else, click here and watch the explainer video for how Runway works.

Bottom line: I have a feeling Runway is going to be one of the big winners in this initial AI wave.

Following the thread of AI, ChatGPT is becoming integrating with almost everything we know…

1. ChatGPT + Bing can now search the internet and retrieve real-time information (previously, GPT models were trained on data through 2021, so it wasn’t useful for things like current events, pop culture, weather, etc.)
2. ChatGPT + OpenTable can automatically find and book restaurant reservations
3. ChatGPT + Instacart can break a recipe into ingredient components and auto-order them from the store
4. ChatGPT + Shop can automatically shop and checkout on Shopify ecommerce sites
5. ChatGPT + Kayak/Expedia can automatically find and book flights/hotels
6. Here’s a list of 80 other ChatGPT Plugins that are already being tested. Hundreds more are on the way.

🔍 Rise of Programmatic SEO - Redfin will demolish local search, but here’s your solution:

What’s driving the news: Since ChatGPT’s launch Programmatic SEO, using automation to publish SEO-optimized landing pages at scale, has seen a massive spike as content becomes commoditized, context matters more.

Why this matters: Competing on search vs. Zillow or Redfin will be a losing battle, but you can beat them with personal brand. The 1 thing you have that they don’t, is your story.

The details: A programmatic SEO program uses data sets to generate similar but unique landing pages, each targeting a specific keyword. Some even incorporate LLMs like GPT-3 to help write unique content for each page.

For instance, thanks to programmatic SEO, TripAdvisor is often one of the top results when searching for “best things to do in X city”.

All their landing pages have a similar layout and structure (the only difference is each page's content).

Just take a look at Redfin’s blog since ChatGPT released… they’re launching MULTIPLY local blogs across the nation EVERY DAY…

Bottom line: But what they don’t have is a personality, a story, and a way for people to connect with them emotionally. So the way agents win is becoming more relatable and weaving your story more in content.

🎙️ x 🎥 Stories Worth Learning:

• Google is following Meta in publishing a library that lets you see all ads published across its platforms. (Meta also lets you see spend, for political ads.) GOOGLE, META
• From $100K to $100M with Alex Hormozi & Steven Bartlett
• How to edit talking head videos with the editor of 2.79M YouTube channel
• How to write content that gets eyeballs with Sam Parr

🐦 Leaders Worth Following:

• Critial Conversations in Real Estate Marketing Videos with Phil M Jones, Jason Pantana & Tom Ferry
• No Rules, Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention

📝 In Case You Missed It:

• Last Week’s Issue about From Nordstrom's to 7-Figure GCI, April Content Drop & TikTok Ban.
• April Monthly Content Drop with the content calendar, 8X short-form video topics with exactly what to say, 4X long-form video topics with exactly what to say, 4X emails you can send & more!

That's it for today! See you next week!

If you have any questions, then reply & let me know so I can make sure that I'm not just making stuff out of my head, but answering the questions you care about!

Let's have an amazing week!

Andrew Bayon

P.S. It would mean the world to me if you found value from ANY of the content I put out, if you could subscribe to Breaking and Building Leaders on YouTube or Podcast IF you think you may like it & share it with 1 person!

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🧱 An Unfiltered Conversation with NY's #1 Mortgage Lender (Top 10 in US) | Brian Scott Cohen

Watch Now

Meet Brian Scott Cohen. This is an unfiltered conversation with Brian Scott Cohen, NY's #1 mortgage lender, top 10 in the US, and the most reachable mortgage lender in NY with over $6 billion in loans & 9,000 homeowners served.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• 00:00 - intro
• 02:15 - his story after 19 years
• 07:34 - 19,000+ TikTok followers: embracing digital
• 10:25 - overcoming tough markets
• 16:54 - high volume but high touch
• 22:55 - work life integration as a high performer
• 25:38 - over prioritizing communication
• 32:08 - becoming the knowledge broker
• 34:36 - meeting & working with Ryan Serhant for 15 years
• 40:25 - Brian's secrets for long lasting relationships
• 46:23 - educating & expanding into new markets
• 57:06 - world class leadership