Surprise! We’re Not in the Real Estate Business.
“Any opportunity to be helpful is an opportunity to earn money.” – Chris Brogan, Trust Agents
I love eating out. In particular, I love to eat dinner at Fleming’s Steak House. If you haven’t been, you should go. Now, in Houston, Texas where I live there’s a steak house on every other corner. They all cook steak and serve cocktails. So I have plenty of choices, right? But I choose Fleming’s first. Why?
Well, before I answer that question, let’s consider the real business of a steak house. Is it to cook steak and sling drinks? Nope.
If they crave raving and returning fans, Yelps, word of mouth recommendations, and profits, the real business of a supreme steak house like Fleming’s is to serve up remarkable experiences, to soothe us with the visual delights of their decor, to tongue tease with dishes that are unique to them (you must order the Chocolate Lava Cake), and to make sure every customer leaves the place impressed and feeling good. Even though the word “steak” is included in the name of their establishment, at Fleming’s it’s not all about the steak. It’s about the entire feel good experience, which just happens to include a sizzling steak. When I and countless others dine at Fleming’s Steakhouse, we’re not just being sold steak and vodka gimlets, we’re buying a memorable and pleasurable experience.
Fleming’s, like Apple, Starbucks, Louboutin, and all those other iconic brands we love, know what business they’re in. And believe me, it’s not simply about steak, digital devices, coffee, and shoes. It’s about the customer experience; in particular, how experiencing these brands make us feel. Feelings that include desire, lust, and appreciation.
So let me ask again: What Business Are You and I in?
Most real estate agents would say that we’re in the business of listing, selling, and closing real estate transactions. Right?
Nope. Nada. WRONG!!!
Selling a house is the end result of a transaction, but client delight and our long-term success happen only when we focus on the total client experience. The total client experience, Blah Blah or Ooh La La, is shaped by the quality of our communication, presentation, sharing, problem solving, and service. I guess you could say the total client experience we deliver is a reflection of our values: what we believe in, what we stand for, and where we choose to draw the line between common and uncommon.
Here’s the deal. To set a firm foundation for your future, we need to determine if you current efforts are focused on selling houses and doing deals, or delivering client-centered service and wow-whee experiences? So let’s begin by asking ourselves the following questions to reveal where our heads are.
The following chart is a kind of “common Blah Blah Boring experience” and an “Ah-Ha experience” comparison. Either put a physical mark or a mental check against each of these statements, then total up to discover whether your thinking lies mainly in the “Blah Blah” or the “Ah Ha and Appreciated”:
How are we communicating?
How are we presenting ourselves and what impressions and perceptions are we creating?
How do we solve problems?
How do we share and support others?
How do we lead and inspire others?
Okay, I’m a realistic guy. I know you probably skimmed through that chart without seriously inspecting your total client experience foundation. I’ll assume that’s because you’re so stoked about finding new what-to-do’s in this book that you thought this could be skipped over. But, please: this will take you only three minutes, five tops. Go back and review each question, think about it critically, and answer honestly. You don’t have to share your results; most definitely don’t criticize yourself. What this exercise will help you do is to see which old habits are holding you back and what needs changing.
Once you’ve decided on what you’re committed to improving, then and only then can you begin to consciously include new, positive traits concerning aspects of your communication, presentation, sharing, solutions, and leadership styles.
So, bearing in mind that people mostly make new decisions based on new information, let me ask you again:
What business are you really in?
Jot down your answer as a personal mini Values Statement on an index card or a yellow sticky note and keep it in your purse or wallet. Review it daily. That way you will be reminded that the real estate business is about things that are way more meaningful than simply selling houses.
But, you might be asking, why do I need to think this way? What are the benefits of changing what countless real estate professionals have been trained to think, do and feel for decades? Let’s look at the reasons why we need to re-think the business we are in. It’s a five-letter word. Can you guess what it is? Check back next week and I'll share Chapter 3, or you can make big things for yourself happen fast by buying the book and sprinting forward - you can get it Amazon.com - CLICK HERE.
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Thanks for reading, if I can be helpful, let me know - Ken Brand 832-797-1779.
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