As listing agents we often times find ourselves competing for one "position." In a buyer's market, it is more important than ever that we find the "right fit," and that we feel confident that we are on the same page as the seller. This is equally as important to today's home sellers, as they are likely going to be working with their chosen agent for some time.
It would unrealistic to think that any of us are the "only" ones that can get the job done, because there are only so many different ways to market a home. The choice ultimately comes down to what a homeowner is looking for in an agent, as there is more than one way to successfully find a buyer and get a home sold.
To me, there are many similarities between the world of sports and the world of business and life, which is why I often use sports analogies when discussing real estate. In this case, we are talking about REALTORS® competing for a listing, but what if we were talking about building an NFL team from the ground up? The first position that most teams would fill would be the quarterback, as this is arguably the most important position in football.
As of today, at the halfway point in the season, there are two undefeated teams in the NFL, and two teams that have only lost once. All four of these teams can attribute much of their success to the play of their quarterback. These four quarterbacks have similar qualities and also points of differentiation, yet all of them can get the job done, which goes to show that sometimes it's just about finding the "right fit" for the job. The four quarterbacks in this case are Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Tom Brady and Tony Romo.
Let's start with Peyton Manning. If there was ever a man that was destined to be a successful NFL quarterback, it is Peyton Manning. His father, Archie, was one of the all-time great college quarterbacks, and would likely have been mentioned as one of the best NFL quarterbacks had he not spent his career on a team that was a perennial loser. Peyton Manning was the first overall pick in the NFL Draft when he came out of college. This family is a breeding ground for quarterbacks, as Peyton's brother, Eli, was picked at the top of the draft a few years later.
Everyone expected Peyton Manning to be a great quarterback, and he has not disappointed. While he was once considered to be someone that couldn't win the "big game" until last year's Super Bowl, there isn't anyone that can argue his talent. His preparation to play each game is second to none, and his ability to be a field general is unrivaled. There's a reason that his team won the Super Bowl last year, and why they are currently undefeated this year. Much of the Colts success has to be attributed to Peyton Manning.
In terms of real estate, Peyton Manning would be the equivalent of someone that comes from a family of successful REALTORS®, and is currently picking up where their parent(s) left off.
The next quarterback is Brett Favre. He was originally drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round of the NFL Draft, and eventually traded to the Green Bay Packers. It's amazing to think of someone whose name is synonymous with the Green Bay Packers ever being associated with another team. Brett Favre slipped into the second round of the draft because there were some perceived "flaws" in his game. It's great to have confidence, but Brett Favre's confidence in what he could accomplish often lead to mistakes. As he's matured, the "gunslinger" has become much more of a crafty player. When physical talent diminishes, the mental game must be stepped up a notch to ensure success.
In terms of real estate, Brett Favre would be the equivalent of an agent that just didn't fit in with his first broker, but ultimately thrived under the guidance of his second broker. Many of us in the business have changed brokers in search of the "right fit."
Tom Brady is being mentioned as possibly the greatest quarterback to ever play the game. His success is unrivaled by any other current quarterback, and only a handful of retired quarterbacks can even be compared to Tom Brady in terms of achievement. However, Tom Brady was not picked until the sixth round of the NFL Draft. He had a successful college career, but wasn't known for being spectacular. He was merely considered"solid" by the "experts."
Very little was expected of Tom Brady when he entered the league. He was a late-round, developmental type of player, who was thought of as no more than a back-up. That is until the starting quarterback, Drew Bledsoe, was injured on a jarring hit. Opportunity knocked and Tom Brady answered. He never relinquished the starting quarterback job, and the rest, as they say, is history. To date, Tom Brady has won 3 Super Bowls, and is playing on one of the two teams that are currently undefeated.
In terms of real estate, Tom Brady would be the equivalent of an agent that struggled to find his groove for a few years, but once he did, he ascended quickly to the ranks of Top Producer, and has never looked back.
If Tom Brady was a quarterback that came into the league with low expectations, the final quarterback, Tony Romo, came in to the league with no expectations, as he was a long shot to even make an NFL roster. Tony Romo did not get drafted in the NFL Draft. He signed on with the Dallas Cowboys as a rookie free agent. This is a tough road to hoe for any position, but for a quarterback, it is even more difficult.
Perseverance and tenacity are the words that best describe this small school prospect who flew under the NFL radar for quite some time. Tony Romo was thought to have been no more than a 3rd-string quarterback who would receive very little playing time (if any). For three years, the Cowboys kept bringing in quarterback after quarterback looking for one that could be "the guy." All the while, Tony Romo just kept plugging away and getting better and better, until he was able to ascend to the role of back-up behind Drew Bledsoe, the quarterback that Tom Brady previously dethroned.
Eventually, Drew Bledsoe started to falter, and Tony Romo was given a chance to come into a game in the second half to try and give the Cowboys a "spark." He made some great plays, and he made some terrible plays. Ultimately, the Cowboys lost that game, but over the next several weeks, Tony Romo improved to the point that he could no longer be looked at as a backup. He has a lot of Brett Favre in him, probably due the fact that Brett Favre was Tony Romo's idol as a kid. Never one to get flustered, even when things didn't go his way, Tony Romo kept on pushing and pushing until he was the starting quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys. Remarkably, with only half of a season under his belt, Tony Romo was named to the Pro Bowl roster.
After suffering a terrible defeat in the playoffs due to a fumbled snap on a field goal attempt, many wondered if this Cinderella story was going to end with Tony Romo turning back into a pumpkin this season. He has not! He is playing better than ever, and was just rewarded with a contract that will pay him $67.5 million over the next 6 years. Not too bad for a guy that was never expected to even make an NFL roster.
In terms of real estate, Tony Romo would be the equivalent of someone that was an assistant for several years, but not a practicing agent. It just goes to show that an assistant can end up learning so much about the business through their mentor that they themself become a top producing agent.
Like these NFL quarterbacks, every agent has their own reasons for joining the profession, and their own timetable to achieve their goals. For some, they come in and show immediate signs that they are going to be great (like Peyton Manning). Others make take more time to develop because they are with the wrong broker at first (like Brett Favre). Maybe success took them a while because they needed more time to get acclimated (like Tom Brady), or possibly because they were making the transition from assistant (like Tony Romo). Whatever the case, it goes to show that there are many paths to success. Three of these quarterbacks have won the Super Bowl, and the forth one is certainly a Super Bowl caliber quarterback.
As we go on listing appointments, we should be confident that we are the best person for the job, and do whatever we can to highlight our points of differentiation. However, the basic home marketing programs are very similar for many of us, so sometimes it will come down to personal preference based on a personality fit. This is a great reason to work by referral as much as possible. It's always better to go into an appointment recommended by another satisfied client, than it is to just be a part of the interview process.
We all have a path that we follow, and we should all have a roadmap to get to where we plan on going. As we travel down our chosen path, we must realize that we each need to do whatever we can to stand out in the mind of the consumer, so that we get "drafted" (so to speak).
;)
;)
