Special offer

"Just One Thing"....

By
Real Estate Agent with Fathom Realty West Sound WA State 52404

 Marketing Guru, Seth Godin, wrote a book entitled, "The Purple Cow" and in it, he explains how people and companies succeed in today's business climate by taking risks, and doing something 'remarkable.'

Well, in the current state of most real estate markets across the country, just selling a listing is a pretty remarkable accomplishment!

But seriously, I wonder, what exactly ARE you doing to set yourself apart from the masses? What is it that you're doing that distinguishes you from the hoardes of other agents anxious to get their clients under contract? When was the last time you stepped out and did something truly 'outside' the proverbial box?

Desperate times demand desperate actions. Or maybe, just the willingness to take risks and go "Purple!"

What's 'Just One Thing' you're going to do differently this week?

Posted by

Follow KitsapAgent on TwitterFriend Rich Jacobson on FacebookJoin Rich Jacobson's LinkedIn NetworkSubcribe to Rich Jacobson's YouTube Channel

 

Rich Jacobson is a REALTOR® and licensed Broker with Fathom Realty. He's a Crab Hunter, Clam Digger, and Oyster Shucker, skilffuly vanquishing anything in a shell! He is the Social Media Evangelist for Life on the Kitsap Peninsula & The Western Puget Sound in scenic WA State.

Comments (23)

Harold "Hal" Place
A1 Connection Realty, Inc. - Sun City Center, FL

Good morning Rich,

Good post, very thought provoking. I don't have a purple cow, nor have I ever seen one. You are right tho, placing a property under Contract is a real feat today.

We need to think fresh,  I will use your post for a brain storming topic at this mornings agent meeting. 

Have a great day!

Hal 

Mar 16, 2008 06:09 PM
Colleen Fischesser Northwest Property Shop
NextHome Experience - Chelan, WA
A Tradition of Trust in the Pacific NW since 1990!

Ok, well I actually have a blog bubbling in the back of my mind regarding Mr. Godin. For now, I will leave the thought which has been coming to the forefront of my mind over and over these last few weeks...

"it's not that any of us necessarily does anything extraordinary, it's more a matter of doing the ordinary, extraordinarily well."

I've recited it so much lately I feel as if it's my mantra

Mar 16, 2008 06:10 PM
Randy L. Prothero
eXp Realty - Hollister, MO
Missouri REALTOR, (808) 384-5645

That is a tough question for me, I have always been a little outside the box.

"Not Just Another Pretty Face" 

Randy Prothero

Mar 16, 2008 06:15 PM
Liz Moras Migic
Chilliwack, BC
Chilliwack, British Columbia - Realtor

hmmm the purple cow and the purple people eater........very thought provoking messages tonight - must be sunday night missives? is that typical for sundays - todays my 2nd day on active rain - and i've spent 2x as long on here as every 2nd message blanks out just when i finish writing it - so i type in frentic panic.........before it evaporates.........i'll thinki about this weeks defining distinction,,,,,,,and get back to you........Liz -

remax nyda realty - chilliwack - bc

Mar 16, 2008 07:00 PM
Joseph Ellman
Realty Executives- Williams-Sykes Realty - Poughkeepsie, NY
Rich - Good thought provoker, but I don't see this as desperate times.  The market is different, but ask anyone who's been around for a while and they will tell you this is more of a normal market.  With that said, outside the box thinking is always important in order to stay a couple of steps ahead of the competition.
Mar 16, 2008 09:21 PM
Missy Caulk
Missy Caulk TEAM - Ann Arbor, MI
Savvy Realtor - Ann Arbor Real Estate

Loved the book, and you're always asking us this. I haven't thought about this week, but early last week I sent out a letter to my past clients asking them if they were going to need help with their tax assessments.

Oh my what a response. I've spent most of last week and had another request in my email today asking for me to send comps on how their house values had declined so they could fight their taxes. Lots of work and time consuming but I guess they took my offer seriously. Even some neighbors have called that I have never sold a house to.

Mar 16, 2008 10:58 PM
Bill Gassett
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Hopkinton, MA
Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate
Actually being an active participant in web 2.0 is something that sets us apart from the masses. Active Rain being at the top of the list! 
Mar 16, 2008 11:44 PM
Cynthia Tilghman, Realtor® Onslow County NC Home Specialist
Kingsbridge Realty, Inc - Hubert, NC
Rich,
Ok, this is going to require some thought.  Thanks for asking and helping me getting the brain juice moving.
Mar 16, 2008 11:56 PM
Jason Sardi
Auto & Home & Life Insurance throughout North Carolina - Charlotte, NC
Your Agent for Life
Rich - I saw the video yesterday, very cool.  I'm an outside the box guy myself.  I am trying to take what works and turn it up a notch.  What doesn't work, re-evaluate the implementation of it...or drop it all together.
Mar 17, 2008 01:18 AM
Lissa Uder
RE/MAX Next Generation, LLC - Lebanon, MO
Your Lebanon MO Real Estate Agent
Golly, something new? I think my brain has shut down. I'll have another cup of coffee and think about it.
Mar 17, 2008 02:20 AM
Alan 'AJ' Nisen California Contra Costa Mortgage Officer
A Large Bank in America - Lafayette, CA
Rich, as Monika McGillcuddy's mentioned in her post, we need a paradigm shift or Laurie Manny in her post pointing out that nothing ever stays the same, we as business people have to change too with the market.  We need to run our own businesses. AJ
Mar 17, 2008 02:47 AM
Fran Gaspari
Patriot Land Transfer, Inc. - Limerick, PA
"The Title Man" - Title Insurance - PA & NJ

Rich,

Work Hard!!! Thanks,   Fran

Mar 17, 2008 04:12 AM
Billnulls Blog Florida Realty Professional
Charles Rutenberg Realty - Clearwater, FL
AHWD
Rich - I have to agree with Fran - work hard, blog at several sites and link them, offer homebuyer seminars, send out yellow postcards and hit the phone - but that is what we do anyway - something above and beyond....................I will have to think about that one!
Mar 17, 2008 06:05 AM
Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman
Liberty Homes - Mililani, HI
(RA) AHWD CRS ePRO OAHU HAWAII REAL ESTATE
I think for our market in Hawaii...it is imperative that I set myself apart from others in that I represent buyers AND sellers. It's nothing different...just a preference to chameleonize (is that a word?) and change with the markets and do all instead of just a particular side.
Mar 17, 2008 07:56 AM
Marlene Scheffer
Realty Station - Bremerton, WA
Realtor to Kitsap County, WA

Well, I'm blogging more, and, umm... hmmm. one thing.....

Oh!  I'm going to pick up the phone and call at least 10 top-producing agents in my area to tell them about one of my listings!  There!  Most agents don't do that!

Mar 17, 2008 03:07 PM
Gary Bolen
McCall Realty - South Lake Tahoe, CA
CRS - Lake Tahoe Real Estate Information

We're linked to Seth on our outside blog, always have been. Donno what we did this day that was remarkable, but felt like we did do a decent final piece to what we're running on our value as RALTORS.

I also think we made some progress with hooking up with Mary McKnight to help get us up to G1, instead of a few notches lower. Seems that Laurie Manny is having good success with that too. Hope to talk to her soon.

Also think we do finally hook up, that will be remarkable too.

best 

Mar 17, 2008 03:21 PM
Julie Burks
Riverpoint Realty - Sacramento, CA
Sacramento CA, e-Pro, SFR
I will be anxiously watching this post to see how others respond to this.  I know I definitely need to change my color in this market.
Mar 18, 2008 08:52 AM
Debbie DiFonzo
Debbie DiFonzo - United Country VIP Realty, SW Missouri - Lebanon, MO
Lebanon MO and Buffalo Missouri Real Estate
Thanks for reminding me - this book is in my "stack" - can you believe I've never read it? I love Seth's blog and I think blogging sets me apart. I know of only one other agent in my market that uses this tool. And a powerful tool that it can be!
Mar 21, 2008 12:02 PM
Georgie Hunter R(S) 58089
Hawai'i Life Real Estate Brokers - Haiku, HI
Maui Real Estate sales and lifestyle info
This week I got myself a wwoofer (see my blog for more on that) - so that frees up a lot of my time to spend contacting clients and checking out the new listings in person.
Mar 21, 2008 12:04 PM
Lane Bailey
Century 21 Results Realty - Suwanee, GA
Realtor & Car Guy
  • Publish an online magazine.
  • Maintain multiple channels on contact (Twitter, Yahoo IM, phone, Plugoo on website, etc.)
  • Blog... more than every day
  • Listen to the consumer

That is just the list for today...  I am basing my whole business on being something different.  I think I'll post about that on my blog...

Apr 02, 2008 06:22 AM