How to Be Seen as a Top Agent: The First 3 Things You Need to Do
By Kim Rittberg, Video Coach & Speaking Coach, Former Netflix exec, award-winning marketer, keynote speaker
If you want to be seen as a top agent in your market, it starts with confidence and visibility.
In today’s market, the agents who win are able to stay top of mind. As we are all glued to our phones and on social media constantly – agents who are willing to be public are the ones getting more engagement, more leads and more clients. How do you do that? Be visible, share your perspective, and show up consistently, especially on camera. And while that can feel uncomfortable at first, putting yourself out there and getting confident on camera is a skill you can build. It’s not an innate trait!
There is a simple framework that works for real estate agents at every stage. Here are the first three things you need to do to be seen as a top agent. It comes down to three things: mindset, skillset, and repetition.
1. Success Starts With a Mindset Shift
If you’ve ever said, “I hate my voice!” or “I hate watching myself on camera,” you are not alone! I’ve trained hundreds of people in my years in TV. No one likes the sound of their own voice! To help remove the stigma, here’s me trying to follow a dance routine. And yes, I filmed it.
Before you ever press record, you need a mindset shift. We start out in Supermodel Mode where we think everyone is watching our every move. We need to shift into teacher mode – and focus on who we are helping and teaching. If you’ve felt imposter syndrome at points in the past, it may pop up again. However, you also have to truly believe that being visible, including being on camera, can help you grow your business, build trust, and make a bigger impact in your community. Until you believe that, it will always feel optional. And when something feels optional, it is easy to avoid. Plus – remember, people actually like to hear from you. Seriously.
Many agents come to me and struggle with the same internal thoughts:
- “Do I really know enough?”
- “What if I look awkward?
- “I hate my voice.”
- “I do great work, but do I really need to post?”
To move past that, you need a stronger reason pulling you forward than fear holding you back. One of the most effective tools is simple. Write down why you want to be visible. Maybe it is to attract better clients. Maybe it is to grow your income. Maybe it is to be known as the expert in your area instead of blending in. Put that reason somewhere you can see it.
When doubt shows up, and it will, that motivation becomes your anchor. Confidence does not come from feeling ready. It comes from deciding that your message matters more than your discomfort.
2. Building The Skill Set:
Being Good on Camera Is Learned
The next shift is understanding that confidence on camera is a skill, not a personality trait.
There are entire careers built around communication. TV anchors, speakers, and broadcasters train for years. So when agents say, “I should be good at this,” I always push back. Why should you be good at something you have never practiced?
Just because you have a phone does not mean you are automatically comfortable on camera. And that is okay.
Once you stop judging yourself and start treating on-camera presence as a skill you are learning, everything changes. You become more patient with yourself. You improve faster. You stop making it personal.
One of my clients, an agent based in Florida, ranked herself a “2” out of “10” for on-camera confidence. But through our work together, we identified her motivation–to eventually open her own brokerage–and it pushed her out of her comfort zone. She shifted her mindset and put herself on video. It wasn’t easy at first – but it became lucrative. Last year, she brought in $2.5 million in new home sales through video!
Like any professional skill, this takes time. Even experienced speakers and media professionals are constantly refining how they communicate. The goal is not perfection. The goal is progress.
3. Confidence Is Cemented Through Repetition: Small, Consistent Action Wins
The final piece is repetition.
You cannot go to the gym once and expect results. The same is true for confidence on camera. You get better by doing it consistently.
Repetition does not mean daily long videos or polished content. It means showing up regularly, even in small ways.
If you talk to your camera once a week, by the end of the month, you have four reps. If you do it every few days, you build confidence much faster.
What should you say on camera?
There are many ways to show up on camera as an agent. Quick market insights, behind-the-scenes moments of your deals, answering common client questions, or simply sharing your perspective. This will let people get to know you and see how you work. It’s about consistency, not perfection!
4. Be the Go-To Agent: Keep Showing Up
Confidence on camera is not about being flashy. It is about being present, clear, and visible. And becoming a top agent using social media is all about MSR: Mindset, Skillset, Repetition.
When you shift your mindset, build the skill, and commit to repetition, you stop hiding and start leading. Over time, people recognize you. They trust you. And when it is time to buy or sell, you are the agent they think of first.
Confidence is built, not discovered. And it starts the moment you decide to show up.
If you’re looking to build that confidence, drop Kim an email.
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