5 Things Buyers and Sellers Don’t Care About (and Actually Matter)

Most agents are missing the mark when it comes to marketing. Not because they don’t work hard. Not because they don’t care. But because they’re still marketing like it’s 2019, in a market that looks nothing like it did five years ago.

For a long time, real estate marketing was based on one idea: Llook at me. Look at my sales. Look at my rankings. Look at my hustle. And to be fair, there was a time when that approach worked. That time is over.

Today’s buyers and sellers are better informed, more skeptical and much more focused on what’s inside them. They don’t want noise. They don’t want an ego. And they definitely don’t want recycled brag points that feel disconnected from the reality they’re in now.

5 things your customers don’t care about

Here are five things agents brag about that today’s customers could care less about. Instead of this boasting, I’ll share what’s really working right now to earn attention, trust, and sales.

1. Past successes where you are the hero

There’s nothing wrong with a strong track record. Experience is important. Results are important. What doesn’t matter is repeatedly bragging about how much business you did during the pandemic years or how many transactions you closed over the course of your career without relating it to what a client is dealing with now.

Buyers and sellers are not impressed with what you did in a market where houses sold themselves within 48 hours. They wonder if you can help them navigate a market where listings sit longer, buyers hesitate and decisions feel riskier.

The change here is simple but powerful: stop making yourself the hero, but start the process of making yourself the hero. Instead of saying, “I sold X number of homes,” show how you developed a marketing plan that repositioned a listing after showings slowed.

Share the story of a buyer who joined your buyer system and how it helped them win a home that others missed.

Statistics may tell the tale, but your stories of how you helped buyers and sellers achieve their goals will sell.

When people can see themselves in the story, trust is created. When trust grows, so does your business.

2. Number of followers on social media

The market doesn’t care how many followers you have. Follower count is one of the most misleading vanity metrics in real estate marketing. I’ve seen agents with huge followings struggle to convert, and agents with a few hundred hyper-local followers quietly dominate their markets.

What counts is not the reach. It’s relevance. I’d rather have 80 views from the right people than 8,000 views from people who will never buy or sell in my market. Depth wins over breadth every time.

Instead of chasing numbers, focus on creating content that your ideal customer would actually like, share, or save. Talking about local changes. Market shifts. Neighborhood insights. Things that help someone make a decision, not just scroll past a post. When content resonates, growth happens organically and conversions occur.

3. Whether you enjoy making videos

The market doesn’t care if you like video. I know some officers don’t want to hear this, but it’s reality. Video is the way people consume information today. Whether it’s YouTube, Instagram or short clips shared in group chats, this is where decisions start to be made.

This isn’t about becoming an influencer. It’s about accessibility and trust. People want to hear how you explain things. They want to see how you communicate. Video acts as a filter, and not only for customers, but also for you. It helps the right people come forward, and the wrong people move on.

You don’t have to be perfect. In fact, the early videos shouldn’t be. You’ll get better over time, but the authenticity of your first videos will attract buyers and sellers.

4. Awards and honors

Awards look great on the wall. They just don’t move the market. Consumers are smarter than we give them credit for. They know that many prizes are purchased or based on criteria that do not reflect what is important to them.

The shift here is from putting yourself in the spotlight to becoming more of a lighthouse. A spotlight draws attention to you. A lighthouse guides people safely where they want to go.

Instead of posting about awards, talk about the obstacles you’ve helped customers overcome. Emphasize creative solutions. Share how you handled assessment issues, funding challenges, or timing constraints. These stories demonstrate far more competence than any trophy ever could.

5. How hard you work

This one is tough, especially for agents who pride themselves on hustle. But the market doesn’t care how hard you work. It’s about the outcomes. Buyers and sellers don’t hire for effort. They recruit for results.

Talking about late nights, early mornings and non-stop grinding doesn’t inspire confidence. It often creates doubt. People want to know that you can get the job done efficiently and effectively, not that you are tired of it.

Shift the message from effort to impact. Tell stories about victories. Not just big wins, but real wins. Share how your systems and processes deliver results. Share the stories of how your systems and processes helped a seller maximize their sales price, sell their home faster, or complete a smooth transaction.

Focus on the results and how working with you will benefit them.

The real takeaway

This isn’t about weakening your marketing. It’s about tightening it up. The fastest way to grow in today’s market is not to brag louder. It’s a clearer message. A message that says, “I understand what you’re dealing with, and I know how to help you.”

When you stop making marketing about you and start making it about you themeverything changes. The agents who embrace this shift will build trust faster, attract better clients and grow more sustainably. Those who don’t will continue to shout at a market that no longer listens.