Agents: Be Authentic
By Matthew S. Gosselin, Author of My Blue Goose
Your Blue Goose is what makes you authentic. Authenticity is what will sell yourself and your business. It’s why brands such as Ben & Jerry’s, Starbucks and Samuel Adams have received an their cult-like following. So what does it take to be authentic?
Since you need to stand out in the crowd you need to do things differently. Often real estate professionals are using the same technology, they’re working in the same markets and often they are even using the same branded look. You need to speak louder than your colleagues and since statistics tell us that 40% of real estate agents do not spend a dime on their own marketing, this should not be difficult. Here are a few must-haves when discovering your Blue Goose.
Be Bold
The past couple of years the market has seen declining sales, declining new construction and not as many buyers. But it’s strange to me. A real estate agent will have a very different conversation with me than they will with a client. With me they will tell me that business has been slow, sales have declined and inventory is up higher than it has ever been. Then, they will turn around and tell a client that it is still a great market out there and the media is making it into a bigger deal than it really is. It doesn’t take long for consumers to realize that real estate agents are sales people and therefore need to be optimistic about market conditions. The problem is that once they figure this out, they are less likely to turn to that agent for real estate advice. “All of the hard numbers tell me one thing about the market conditions while the agent is painting a whole new picture” said Jack McCarthy who I met with one afternoon after he and an agent discussed putting his home up on the market.
To be bold, agents need to make a stand in situations such as these. Can you imagine a real estate professional writing this message on her marketing materials?
Worst Market Conditions In Eight Years
It’s true that we have seen a decline in sales recently but does that mean we can’t sell your home? No, in fact my company has already sold 14 homes in your neighborhood this year. Choosing the RIGHT agent for your home has never been more important.
A message like this delivers the truth but still packs a payoff punch by letting people know that this agent is a realist but will still get the job done.
Be Genuine
Originality and authenticity cannot be forced but it can be promoted. The definition of public relations of doing good and telling people about it applies here. Find something in which you share a passion and tell people about it. Maybe you love animals. On the bottom of all of your marketing you can write that you will share $100 of every sale with the local animal shelter. Maybe you are an avid runner. On all of your materials mention the local upcoming races.
Of course being genuine doesn’t end with shared interests. Handwritten notes to people who have taken the time to meet with you are a great way to show you are not only interested but care to take the time for them.
One agent I interviewed challenged herself to send a gift for after every listing appointment she went on. “These people were inviting me into their homes and I realized that for the three years I had been in business I was ignoring a very valuable resource. I decided to make a note of what interests each family had. One woman lived alone and collected the same knick-knacks that my grandmother used to collect. After buying them for my grandmother as gifts I knew which ones she was missing and where to find them. She came to my office the same day she received the gift and we signed papers that day to list her home. We still talk today well after the transaction. I also went on a listing appointment and the husband and wife had three boys that all played baseball. I bought them all tickets to a minor league baseball game. Total cost to me was less than $50 and they were very appreciative.” Since this agent has started doing this she has seen her listing presentation successes move from 42% to 85%.
Showing that you have interests outside of selling homes lets people know that you are a real person. Serving a larger purpose is attractive to anyone.
Make Time Your Greatest Gift
Yes, we know, you’re a real estate agent and you are very busy. Well, so are your homeowners and there are enough agents out there that they can find one that will make the time to help them out.
The first meeting I ever had with a big New York City agent was one in which I walked away in disbelief. He managed to greet me with the nod of his head while talking on the phone and typing an email at the same time. He told me to hold on a minute while he was finishing up. Twenty minutes later I walked out and to this day I’m still not even sure he noticed. He had managed to send three or four emails to people that were clearly not the same people that were on the phone. He was too busy to do one thing at a time. Clearly this is no way to conduct business well.
Integrity Is About Specifics
Very simply put, when you say you are going to do something, do it and do it right. Make sure your marketing really represents you. I have seen many agents advertise a very personable experience yet do little more than go through the motions. You have to ask the question if the statement of a personable experience is really specific enough. What exactly does that mean? If this is your Blue Goose, rethink it. How is your experience personable? What are you doing differently that other agents aren’t doing?
For the same reason the vague phrase “personable experience” doesn’t work neither does the statement “I have integrity.” Is that believable? Ask yourself “how have I shown integrity in my business?” “What are those specific stories?”
Begin thinking about the above ideas and how you can make your Blue Goose take the front window of any store. With these basic values, you will build a solid and believable foundation for your business.
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