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Explain your business to my Mum...

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with Globrix

Excuse the English spelling, I just can't say 'Mom'...not when talking about my Mum anyway!

So what am I getting at in this title? Well, quite simply, this post is about being able to explain what your business is clearly and precisely. And it can be surprisingly difficult to do.

Well you're here on ActiveRain so you obviously work in real estate, but what exactly do you do? How are you different? What are you tapping into that others haven't? Is it your service that sets you apart? Your connections? Your value? What? It's wishy washy to say you're the number one agent/mortgage broker/stager in a certain area, and it's all too easy to get sucked into advertising speak and forget the core of what your business is about. I think there's a real value in sitting down and thinking about how you'd explain yourself in plain English.

'The Elevator Pitch' is a great way to hone in on what you're really all about, imagine you're riding the elevator with a potential client/investor, you have probably no more than a minute to get across what your business is all about? What would you say?

As much as I love the 'elevator pitch', I particularly like the idea of picturing yourself explaining your business to a stranger's mother.

Let's face it, mothers are no easy people to pull the wool over. They certainly always knew when we were trying to get out of school by heating the thermometer over a lightbulb!

This is how I would explain Zoomf, my company, to your mother....

"Zoomf's business is to help consumers find property using search engine technology like Google, and to try to make it as simple and fast as possible to discover property to buy and let. We include lots of easy to use features including maps so that you can see exactly where properties are located. Our income comes from sales of advertisements to estate agents, mortgage brokers and others who sell services to people who wish to move to a new home."

How would you explain your business to my mum?

Me (when I was quite a bit younger) with my Mum!

Comments (6)

Neal Bloom
Brokered by eXp Realty LLC - Weston, FL
Realtor CRS-Weston FL Real Estate

Poppy,

Your mom looks like you with short hair. So lets see the real you now.:) You say mum because you are British right?

Whats the elevator pitch? Is it to be kind to the people you meet on the way up because you will meet the same people on the way down?:)

Apr 13, 2008 12:42 AM
Poppy Dinsey
Globrix - Anaheim, CA
London, UK
Neal - Yep it's Mum for me because I'm British :-) And I'm just about to change my profile pic just for you! The elevator pitch is a concept used sometimes when entrepreneurs are trying to get investment from VCs. The idea being to sell your idea in just a minute, as if they're getting out of an elevator at the next floor and you've only got until then to convince them! Some people would say if you can't sum up your business in a minute you're not worth dealing with, harsh perhaps but some people swear by it!
Apr 13, 2008 12:51 AM
Doreen McPherson
Homesmart ~ Scottsdale ~ Tempe - Tempe, AZ
Phoenix Arizona Real Estate ~
You look very much like your Mum.  Much more now than when you were a child. 
Apr 13, 2008 02:03 AM
Poppy Dinsey
Globrix - Anaheim, CA
London, UK
Doreen - Until this post I don't think I ever even realized that! I've always looked so much like my Dad that I forgot about how much I resembled my mum!
Apr 13, 2008 02:32 AM
Kathy McGraw
CELLing Realty - White Water, CA
Riverside County CA Real Estate

Poppy-Ok so I have one minute......this is what I would tell you mum :) :)

 " I spent over 25 years working in Social Services, now I help people buy or sell a home or vacant land. I use a lot of Internet Marketing, and keep up with what different people are doing in different areas, so that I can help my clients. Every property is different, and my job is trying to match a buyer with a seller. I'm pretty good at it too."

That's my elevator pitch, so would I pass the elevator pitch, and what about MUM.............. LOL :)

Apr 15, 2008 10:01 AM
Poppy Dinsey
Globrix - Anaheim, CA
London, UK
Kathy - Yay I love that! And my Mum would love it even more because she's spent the last 25 years or so working in social services herself :-) I think that's a great pitch.
Apr 15, 2008 07:14 PM