A green designation can help your marketing and your local community.
A Need For Achievement And Recognition
About 3 years ago, I assisted a very successful real broker write the story of her remarkable life.
After obtaining her real estate license in the early 1960s, she became a broker and started a very successful real estate business, in which she continues to play an active role.
Among her many achievements was a professional designation that represents a combination of successfully completing a 3-year university extension course and real estate experience.
Without a doubt, this was a notable achievement...certainly a genuine source of pride for her.
At the time, it seemed to me that her pursuit of this designation had more to do with her own need for achievement and the recognition that brings than anything else.
A Green Designation
I was reminded about this experience when a read Earth Day 2009 - Get Your Green Designation
As I big fan of both lifelong learning and increasing our awareness of environmental issues, I very much like the idea of green designations.
According to its website NAR's Green Designation allows agents to:
- 1. Access new markets
- 2. Build your customer base
- 3. Be a positive force for change in your community
But I wonder if earning a green designation is doing the right thing for the wrong reasons.
How many agents would pursue the green designation simply to add another achievement to their credentials...much like my former client?
I also wonder how many agents would pursue the green designation as a marketing and business development tool...to access new markets and build a customer base?
As our awareness of environmental issues increases, all clients need...and presumably will benefit from...the assistance of an agent with a green designation.
This increased environmental awareness has no doubt also created a new niche market...'green' clients...which would make an ideal target market for green-designated agents.
The marketing and business development benefits of a green designation are obvious. I am however concerned that these marketing and business development benefits will override the third feature...a positive force for change in the community.
It seems to me that in accepting a green designation, agents should accept all 3 benefits of the designation...not just the first 2.
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Great post! Education is most important with any cause. As realtors, we have a lot of connections within our community and should get involved to preserve our real estate for future generations! I love that the Active Rain community makes it possible for us to share our knowledge and ideas! Thanks!