There are tons of communities for lead gen and prospecting.
Geoff has carved out a completely different niche.
As both a lawyer and broker, he’s built RPro Academy around content that is…
Hyper-specific
Hyper-local
Timely
And through that, the community has found its One Big Promise: We help you get from contract to close.
This is a perfect example of a ‘MicroFamous’ strategy, and I’m going to tie this into some odd examples from aviation and AI.
So let’s dive into the…
Non-Obvious Insights from our Conversation:
Specialize in the Mundane
“I’m a specialist in the boring stuff. You know, the code of ethics, the fair housing, the compliance, that’s where I made my specialty because I love it. And I feel like we found ways to make it interesting and engaging for people to attend.” - Geoffrey Long
Not only has Geoff built a thriving community around the ‘boring stuff,’ he’s also limited the community to one state for now (Oklahoma).
Being hyper-local allows Geoff to be hyper-specific.
As a result, the community is completely unique, cutting through the noise, and spreading by word of mouth. It’s easy for agents and brokers to know if the community is for them, and it’s easy for members to recommend.
Geoff avoided one of the most common traps in thought leadership…Going too BIG and broad early on.
When you’re too big and broad, you can’t be hyper-specific.
And your content sounds like everyone else’s.
And you stay invisible.
Real Engagement Comes from Real NEED
“Part of the foundation of the community we created was [that] it’s actually fulfilling a need, not just a desire….When it can be framed in that way… it increases the value….It increases the engagement…” - Geoffrey Long
I’ve seen many community builders struggle to create engagement.
When a community is big and broad, members have a wide range of challenges.
It’s hard for anyone to post something that will be interesting to all its members. That shows up as poor engagement.
But in Geoff’s community, being hyper-local and hyper-specific creates its own engagement.
Challenges drive members to post. Posts get natural engagement because other members face the same challenges. It’s a flywheel of engagement.
When you get hyper-specific, it’s a lot easier to find the NEED…the unique challenges that bring a community together and create real engagement.
Find the Emotional Need Behind the Practical Need
“...most of the time it’s just confirmation, right? Like, I think I know the answer, but I would just like somebody else that I trust to confirm it for me. That’s like 90% of it…That gets so much comfort for people.” - Geoffrey Long
Geoff found that his members actually have two needs.
remove obstacles between contract and closing
get trusted confirmation and reassurance
In this ‘trust apocalypse’ we live in…where people struggle to trust their own decisions…
Confirmation and reassurance are rare.
And that makes them valuable.
The kind of value you can build a scalable community around.
Example: One of our agency clients hosts The Flight Department Show.
He might be the only expert in the world on compensation for business aviation departments (fleets of private planes for big companies and wealthy families).
One of the reasons pilots and mechanics buy his compensation reports is for confirmation and reassurance.
They want a trusted opinion on whether staying in business aviation is a good financial decision. They don’t want to look stupid to their spouse or partner. That’s the real emotional need.
Want support to create your best content…consistently?
Check out our Done-for-You Content Production & Strategy service.
From Michael Maher and Lars Hedenborg to Jeff Cohn and Marki Lemons Ryhal, we’ve been the content team behind many of your fellow real estate coaches, speakers and authors. We turn raw footage into professional YouTube videos, podcasts and email newsletters. All with zero overwhelm, guaranteed.
Visit GetMicroFamous.com to learn more and schedule your Free Brainstorm Call.
You Can Create Massive Advantages by Doing What Your Competitors are Unwilling To Do
Last week OpenAI claimed their new AI model just solved an unsolvable math problem.
Mathematician Thomas Bloom had this to say…
“[the AI’s] success here echoes previous achievements: it often produces the most surprising results by persevering down paths a human may have dismissed as not worth their time to explore, combining superhuman levels of patience with familiarity with a vast array of technical machinery.”- Thomas Bloom
In other words, AI solves ‘unsolvable’ problems…
Partly by doing what humans are unwilling to do.
There’s a version of that in the thought leadership space.
Last week Craig Grant shared how speakers tried outsourcing the hard work of their speaker proposals to AI.
But more than that, there’s also a desire to outsource the hard thinking and hard choices to AI.
Which creates big opportunities for those willing to do what others won’t.
In Geoff’s case, it was choosing to build around his strengths, even in the ‘boring stuff,’ and choosing to build one state first.
Those are hard choices. They take patience and long-term vision.
But RPro Academy is living proof that when you do the hard stuff behind the scenes…the results show up in easier sales.
Want to go deeper? Click on the audio file for the full chat, or search Real Estate Thought Leaders on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Ask This:
What are you willing to do that your competition isn’t?
A few weeks ago I shared some tactics to make your content more rare and valuable. Getting hyper-specific. Weaving in authentic stories. Developing and sharing proprietary data. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. There are many ways to win by doing what others are unwilling to do.
Quick Links & Resources
I had a blast chatting with Geoff, both at the BEATS conference and recording this conversation. He’s very thoughtful and strategic, which carries over into the community he’s building. If you’re hosting a show and need a fantastic guest, reach out and I’m happy to make a personal intro!
Talk soon,
-Matt
Agency Founder & Author of MicroFamous
PS Here’s how we can help…
Done-for-You Content Production & Strategy - We turn raw video into professional YouTube videos, podcasts and email newsletters. All with zero overwhelm, guaranteed.
From Michael Maher and Lars Hedenborg to Jeff Cohn and Marki Lemons Ryhal, we’ve been the content team behind many of your fellow real estate coaches, speakers and authors.
We start every client engagement by developing your ‘Signature Talk’ - So you have a message you’re excited to take to stages, guest interviews and all your content.
Then we launch your flagship video show - supported by podcast and email newsletter, delivered with pro-quality and relentless consistency. We promote with short video clips and social posts on any platform where you’re active.
Each month we give you research-based video title and topic ideas, scripts, outlines, even slides. Plus all the support you need to stay consistent, from email updates to strategy calls.
So if you’re not putting out the quality of content…consistently…to become the thought leader you’re meant to be, let’s talk. Click here to learn more and schedule a Free Brainstorm Call.
