Monica Neubauer, REALTOR® at Benchmark Realty in Franklin, Tenn., is a national speaker and the host of the monthly podcast produced by the National Association of REALTORS®' (NAR) Center for REALTOR® Development.
Through these channels, Neubauer provides tools to agents that help them develop confidence in their work. She also preaches a healthy work-life balance—providing lessons on life management and business building that help agents find harmony with their families and communities. Last year, Neubauer and her guests on the podcast covered a wide variety of topics from using video and working with first-time homebuyers to creating the customer experience.
Here, Neubauer discusses what it means to be named a Newsmaker in the Influencers category and gives us a more in-depth look into what she covers as the host of NAR's Center for REALTOR® Development podcast, among other things.
RISMedia's Real Estate Newsmakers honors were created to recognize the people who are raising the standards of professionalism in the real estate industry. What does it mean to be named among this year's 300 honorees?
It's a real privilege to be honored as a Newsmaker. There were a lot of great categories of Newsmakers, but being chosen as an Influencer specifically meant a great deal to me. I like to be a force for good in the industry.
The Influencers category is dedicated to the thought leaders within real estate. Could you tell us a little bit about the podcast you host every month?
The idea came about when I was brainstorming ideas for how to deliver great content to agents. [The podcast] is educational and full of useful content—there is no fluff. We want to improve the listeners' position in the marketplace. It's a power-packed hour; our guests are some of the most successful brokers from around the U.S.
What's the biggest misconception newer agents have about how tech is utilized in real estate?
It's all or nothing. Either I'm the tech master, or I know nothing. Almost all agents use an MLS, Facebook and their smartphone, so they need to give themselves credit. One of the things that I hope agents get out of the podcast is to progress from where they currently are with their tech usage. You're always growing in tech.
How beneficial has utilizing video been to your business?
One of the biggest misconceptions about being an agent is that you need a really strong internet presence. Some people think that they need an incredible website, but there are very successful agents that don't. Agents need to focus on having great profiles first and foremost. That being said, videos are where I get the most views and responses online—that's just a normal trend on the internet. Video is the easiest way to reach the most people.
What's your go-to marketing tool when trying to attract clients from outside of your area?
All my business is by referral. Two of my contacts are lenders of their business and I get a lot of my business from them. It's very important to look at what other areas buyers are coming from. Work the relocation connections you have, but also utilize targeted Facebook ads.
