CRE Brokers: The 3 Biggest Myths About Social Media
Over the years, I have spoken with countless brokers who built their businesses the traditional way. Cold calls. Networking events. Referrals. For a long time, that alone was enough.
But something started to shift.
Newer brokers, some with far less experience, were gaining traction faster. They were closing bigger deals and becoming the go-to names in their markets. The veterans kept coming to me with the same question:
“What has changed?”
My answer: digital presence.
A strong online presence does not replace the fundamentals of brokerage. It amplifies them. Yet many brokers resist building one because they believe things about it that are simply not true. Here are the three biggest myths worth addressing.
Myth #1: A strong digital presence leads directly to deals
Let me be clear: posting on LinkedIn will not magically land you a $10 million transaction.
Brokers often ask how many deals they will close after six months of posting content. That is the wrong question entirely.
Think about what happens when you attend an industry conference. You do not walk in expecting to leave with a signed contract. You go to meet people, build relationships, and establish your reputation. Your digital presence works exactly the same way. Your digital presence ensures that clients think of you first when they need a broker.
A buyer, seller, or tenant may follow your content for months before they ever pick up the phone. The key lies in positioning yourself as the expert in the room when they are ready.
Myth #2: Social media is all that matters online
Some brokers hold the belief that having a strong LinkedIn profile is crucial. Others avoid social media entirely, convinced it is not serious enough for CRE.
Both brokers fail to consider the wider picture.
Social media is one piece of a much larger digital presence system. Your full digital presence includes your website, which is the foundation of your online identity and the place prospects go to learn about you and see your past deals. It includes email marketing, one of the highest-ROI tools for consistently staying in front of clients and prospects. It includes SEO and online directories, which determine whether someone searching for a CRE broker in your market can even find you. And it includes content marketing: market reports, blog posts, and insights that position you as the authority in your space.
Social media supports your presence. It is not the whole thing. Your goal is not to become an influencer. It is to establish trust, provide value, and make it easy for the right people to find you at the right time.
Myth #3: It has worked without it this long, so why start now
Many seasoned brokers say this directly: “I built my business on relationships and referrals. Why change anything?”
Here is the honest answer. Your competition already has.
Your next client is not just asking their network for recommendations. They are searching online. They are following market thought leaders on LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, X, and Facebook. They are reading insights on Google before they ever make a call. If you have no presence, you are invisible to them before the conversation even starts.
Think of it this way. If two brokers have the same experience and expertise, but one has a consistent digital footprint and the other does not, who gets the call?
The Reality: Consistency Builds Authority
Your job is not to become a content creator. It is important to consistently communicate the value you bring as a CRE broker.
No broker has ever lost a listing because they built their personal brand. Every piece of valuable content you share builds trust and authority over time. Maintaining this consistency not only strengthens existing client relationships but also creates opportunities for new ones.
If you’re a CRE Broker who’s already closing deals but wants more consistency and less hours spent scrambling for deals, click here to learn about our upcoming workshop, The Massimo Commission Generating System (March 5th at 1:00pm EST).
