I spent many years in Chief Marketing and Brand Officer roles for some very well known service and retail brands, before beginning my "next chapter" career in real estate.
What strikes me as most common between my former career world and my current one is the constant need for better storytelling at a number of levels. Selling a home is an opportunity for storytelling at it's best, and one I see many agents consistently miss, whether in an in-person pitch to other agents, or even in the public comments section of the MLS. To a buyer, the future is only a story--and the story they are told about the home they are being shown or considering based on an on-line listing view, is all they have to imagine how they might write future chapters to that story--in that home.
Agents also have an opportunity to tell a better story about themselves as an agent, and what makes them "different" from other agents. As I get to know these agents and their personal stories, it's clear to me they are "short" telling their personal story, for whatever reason.
So as i begin to form my foundation in the real estate business, I am reminded of the importance of storytelling as a way to broaden the spectrum of opportunities to connect with clients and partners. And great stiorytelling always starts with a vision. And thats where I am today---imagining the vision for myself in 3 years, 5 years, 10 years...and then building my personal and professional experience to that vision in story form.
Because vision is afterall--a function of story. And that story you are building must pass the muster of the 5 principles of story (my definition anyway), which are:
1. The story must be useful.
2. It must be challenging.
3. It must be plausible.
4. It must be clear.
5. Most importantly perhaps--it must be connected to the present.
Why does it matter so much to me? Because I believe my future can be much more than just an extrapolation of my past. So I challenge you to consider this:
If the future depends on the stories you telll about yourself, what is the story you could tell about yourself that would make the biggest difference?
Now--go build a better story--about yourself---about your listings. You can do it! Would love to hear your thoughts on this approach.
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