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Are You Doing What You Do Best? Or Do You Do Everything Yourself?

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with Napa Consultants DRE00893924

luxury real estate personal and company branding

We always ask our clients:  “What can you do better than anyone else in your luxury real estate business?  Whatever, the answer is, this is where you should concentrate your time, and leave everything else to the professionals.

 

Many agents have become photographers, videographers, web developers, staging experts, marketing mavens, and SEO Jockeys.  If you have time to do all that, you are not doing what brings business in.  These are secondary tasks, which undermine your value as luxury real estate marketing professionals.  If you think you are saving money, think again!

 

The broker owners of one of the companies for whom we recently developed a strategy, brand identity and web site decided to hire a photographer at their expense for every agent’s listing.  The owners felt that each home regardless of the price should be professionally photographed. 

 

They also have a web development company on retainer for their agents’ web sites.  All the marketing materials are professionally designed for each agent: online newsletters, CMA’s, yard signs, print ads, and all print materials.

 

Their agents’ time is freed up to do what they are best at, selling and listing homes.  Since we have worked with them, the company has grown attracting quality agents and has gained recognition as a leader in their market place and true professionals.

 

 

Are You Doing What You Do Best?

 

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel- 

ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  They work exclusively with professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership. With an expertise in personal branding, company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing they help their clients become the breakaway brand in their marketplace.

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WE SPECIALIZE IN
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                   If Gaining or Sustaining Market Leadership is Your Quest, we can help!

 

Comments (46)

Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Nick T Pappas I am delighted for you, and I think this is an evolution that is important to go through if one's intention is to be the go to person in their marketplace.  A

Jul 21, 2015 08:33 AM
Potranco Realty
Potranco Realty - San Antonio, TX
"Sold with Potranco Realty"

Great blog post, many agents including myself do things we should not be doing so our time is well spent bringing in more business. Just my office paper work can be overwhelming when I have three or more closing in a month.

Jul 21, 2015 09:37 AM
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Bob Ratliff, Broker Associate - REALTOR® CRS, GRI ~ 512-587-5689 great news that you are closing so many deals.  Bravo, what better time to get some help for that paperwork, so you can close many more.  I love hearing about your success and wish you many, many more. A

Jul 21, 2015 09:39 AM
Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®
Lewisburg, WV
Lewisburg WV, the go to agent for all real estate

It really is hard trying to do it all...and with my new $1 million+ listing I am hiring a professional photographer.  There is no way I can get on camera everything the home has to offer like a professional can.

Jul 21, 2015 01:30 PM
Noah Seidenberg
Coldwell Banker - Evanston, IL
Chicagoland and Suburbs (800) 858-7917

You have a very good point Ron & Alexandra. It is best to put your effort into what you do best and spend a few bucks on things that are worth investing in. The payoff will be great.

Jul 21, 2015 02:04 PM
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Hi Alexandra and Ron -- that ultimate luxury - time - demands that delegation of certain duties needs to be in place.   

Jul 21, 2015 08:06 PM
Lawrence "Larry" & Sheila Agranoff. Cell: 631-805-4400
The Top Team @ Charles Rutenberg Realty 255 Executive Dr, Plainview NY 11803 - Plainview, NY
Long Island Condo and Home Specialists

What an excellent idea for that broker to hire a professional photographer for all their listings. It does make a difference!

Jul 21, 2015 08:32 PM
James Dray
Fathom Realty - Bentonville, AR

Good morning A.  We currently have two agents who are professional photographers and one is also a certified stagger...  Life is good

Jul 21, 2015 08:48 PM
Dorie Dillard Austin TX
Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX
NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

Good morning Ron and Alexandra Seigel,

Love this post! I've always subscribed to a motto "Do what I do best and hire the rest!" I know listing and selling and communicating with my clients is what I do best. I hire a professional photographer and stager and my assistant is my right arm handling paper work and all the details I don't have time for! My husband and family are important to me and I want time to enjoy them and have a life!! If I tried to handle all these tasks with my volume there would be nothing left of "me!"

Jul 21, 2015 09:06 PM
Joe Pryor
The Virtual Real Estate Team - Oklahoma City, OK
REALTOR® - Oklahoma Investment Properties

The Gig economy has existed long before Uber and for the last decade I have oursourced repeatable tasks on elance.com. It allows me to concentrate on concepts for investment real estate I do with my wife. We have two agents that we use like the Gig economy so all listings and buyers are outsourced to them. 

Jul 21, 2015 10:27 PM
Roger D. Mucci
Shaken...with a Twist 216.633.2092 - Euclid, OH
Lets shake things up at your home today!

It scares me to think about what I do best and makes me wonder if I could actually make money doing it too.  

Jul 21, 2015 10:47 PM
Joe Petrowsky
Mortgage Consultant, Right Trac Financial Group, Inc. NMLS # 2709 - Manchester, CT
Your Mortgage Consultant for Life

Good morning A & R. No way, I am willing to do it all myself, I would be much less efficient. Great job with your post, really important topic.

Jul 22, 2015 12:21 AM
Nicole Doty - Gilbert Real Estate Expert
Zion Realty - Gilbert, AZ
Broker/Owner of Zion Realty ZionRealtyAZ.com

As the owner of a Brokerage I can tell you it's getting harder and harder to offer those types of perks. At least here in Arizona, agents are demanding higher commision splits than ever before making it difficult for Brokerages to even remain profitable. If you don't give them what they want they move on to someone who will. They'd rather keep more money in their pocket and do with it what they want verses having me take a higher percentage and putting that money towards helping them with their marketing, web developement, advertising, and further education. 

Jul 22, 2015 01:12 AM
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Nicole Doty - Gilbert Real Estate Expert 

I don't know what your model is in your brokerage, so  I cannot give you any advice.  This company has a formula that is adaptable as to the type of person one is hiring.  My suggestion would be to really define the type of agent you want working for you, and don't compromise.  We ran a brokerage and had two agents that were perfect to work with.  They understood what was given to them, and what they contributed.  I understand what you are going through.

Jul 22, 2015 01:30 AM
Nicole Doty - Gilbert Real Estate Expert
Zion Realty - Gilbert, AZ
Broker/Owner of Zion Realty ZionRealtyAZ.com

Ron and Alexandra Seigel - My model is adaptable as well but we are having a big influx of younger, millennial age agents. It's all about the bottom line for them. They want to keep as much money as possible in their pockets and don't really care what a brokerage can do for them. On the other hand, older, more seasoned producing agents usually have the attitude that they're doing me a favor by signing up with me so they want to pay as little as possible. After all, they're making ME money and they don't see the value in what I do for them because they are already established and have steady clients. It's a tough situation for brokerages right now. 

Jul 22, 2015 01:38 AM
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Nicole Doty - Gilbert Real Estate Expert , yes it is tough out there, and all you need is a few that are right for you.  We have interviewed many agents and some are faithful to their brand and would not move for more money.  They like where they are.  It is not about millenials or older agents, it is  about finding the right person that love working with you... A

Jul 22, 2015 02:34 AM
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

You have made some really good points. I know my limitations and hire that part out. Other components of my business I want to have a handson grasp of and feel the pulse. Now there may be a day that gets handed over to someone else too.

Jul 23, 2015 11:43 AM
Bill Roberts
Brooks and Dunphy Real Estate - Oceanside, CA
"Baby Boomer" Retirement Planner

R&A, I am very happy to delegate most thiings, but the money issue needs to be considered.

After having "worked from home" for many years I am considering re-opening an office. I like your advice (in the comments) of being very selective in hiring agents. If they think they are doing me a favor I don't want them. They need to understand the value proposition.

Bill Roberts

Sep 05, 2015 12:11 AM
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Bill Roberts I agree with you, someone who is doing you a favor is not going to be a good team member.  You have to take time to find the right person, and they are there, one cannot lose faith.  A

Sep 05, 2015 12:21 AM
Bill Roberts
Brooks and Dunphy Real Estate - Oceanside, CA
"Baby Boomer" Retirement Planner

Thank you Alexandra. I will look hard for the right ones and ONLY the right ones.

Bill Roberts

Sep 05, 2015 12:47 AM