To many of us go to real estate school and start working for a broker. We do everything we are told to and most of us do what everyone else is doing. We take listings the same way, market the same way and follow up closed transactions the same way.
I have always preached to "Think Outside The Box" in everything we do. I love pay attention to what other industries are doing and see if I can apply what they do to my real estate profession.
- Professional Sports: Pro football is in full swing and approaching playoff time. What many of us don't see is coaches and their staff looking at what went right and what went wrong with the last game, even if they won. They study films of games for hours and they also study the opposition. They look for anything that will give them an advantage over the competition. Instead of just doing the same thing over and over with little results we too can look at what we have done the past year and what we can do to improve it. We can look at what our competition is doing that is working for them and try to come up with something better. I believe in the statement "If you aren't moving forward you are remaining stagnant or going backwards".
- Readers Digest: I love this magazine! The next time you pickup a readers digest look at the cover and all the "Bullets" they use to entice you and I to read their articles. I have written several blogs that talk about "Smart Advertising". It's so easy to get caught up in "Giving away the farm" in advertising with stunning postlet and vflyer listing ads but if we do this there is very little reason for anyone to contact us. Take a lesson from Readers Digest and start using catchy titles in your advertising. In the body of your advertising give people a reason to call you or to link to your website. If they don't like the home you are advertising at least you got the viewer to call you or to visit your site site and they may just find something else they like.
- Nordstrom's: This retail clothing store wrote the book on customer service. Visit a Nordstrom's store and it will be an experience you won't soon forget. Whether you purchase an $80 bottle of perfume or a $1,500 suite you will be treated with a tremendous amount of respect and attention. You will also receive follow up in the mail months and years after you visited the store. How many Realtors do you know of that don't necessarily treat every buyer the same way? I have had the philosophy for years that I want to make every real estate transaction one a buyer, seller or co-op Realtor will never forget. Do things buyers, sellers and co-op Realtors don't expect and watch your referral business start to swell!
In your travels look around you and observe what this or that company is doing to generate business and think about how you can apply it to your business and help it grow. You just may hit on an idea that can change your world and your bottom line.
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Posted By: George Tallabas - Boise Idaho Real Estate Agent - Associate Broker
with RE/MAX Advantage, Canyon Counties #1 Brokerage in sales and listings
specializing in Boise Idaho Real Estate and Southwest Idaho Real Estate.
Colleen "Fish"
www.ColleenFish.com www.MapleValleyRealEstate.com
Colleen - Thank you my friend and I agree about Starbucks. I hope all is well.
George- Great post and examples! You give much to be thought about and to do!
Merry Christmas!
Thank you for the great tips. They all have a point, and we should all be treating our business's as if we are the CEO of it.
Thanks,
Heather
You're right, we do most everything everyone else does. I have tried all those suggested marketing tools given by my broker and sometimes it works but sometimes it doesn't. I will start paying attention to outside sources. Thanks for the great post!
George, that is why I opened an independent firm of my own when I got my license, rather than signing on with a franchise company or a real estate mill. Some of us don't thrive in a boiler room.
There is an awful lot of uniformity to the way that many agents practice real estate. The problem is, that makes it extremely difficult for an agent to stand apart from the pack.
Gayle - Very true and thank you for sharing.
George - once again you are sharing some wonderful information here! Thank you!
Sometimes we get so 'programmed' to follow the allegedly old tried and true lines that are promoted in every RE class that we forget to be free thinkers.
Thanks again!
Carol - Thank you my friend and I hope you are doing well.
Andrew - I will definately try to keep it up Andrew..thank you.
Missy - Thank you and have a great evening.
Hello George,
Sorry I have been MIA lately. I hope all is well with you.
I have been spending time thinking about what you just wrote about in your post.
My last resort is to stand in the middle of the road with a sign that says "Pick Me for your Real Estate Needs!"
(Good thing we have medians in Florida)
George, You must have experience in the biz because you write with such confidence. I thank you for taking the time to write that post... I am an avid fan of all marketing and advertising and NEVER did once step back and think IF I was guilty of giving too much information away or if I was not enticing the prospective buyer enough. Much food for thought, much. Once again, thanks and have a wonderful and merry Christmas y Feliz Navidad! Shakti.
This is exactly the point I was trying to make in my blog http://activerain.com/blogsview/288732/Think-About-It
Tim - Very true...thanks
David - Thanks for sharing
Sharon - Thanks for sharing and what a great story
Julianna - Thank you very much
Joan - Thank you and happy holidays to you my friend
Great post George. I think the biggest mistake we make as Realtors is to ask another Realtor what they think of the ad we ran. BAD! The 80/20 rule doesn't even apply anymore. You can be at the bottom of the top 20% and still be broke. The preparation bit really hit me when I finally realized, I was making a good living and spending less than 8 hours a week with an actual client. The other 30 hours or so were spent preparing for the game.
Thanks again!
John