This challenge is a brilliant new marketing technique and I offer congratulations to both the author, Stefan Swanepoel, and Active Rain. I took the challenge and took the quiz right off when I first read of this from a blog by Missy Caulk.
Surviving the Serengiti is an interesting read. We are offered the first two chapters free if we blog about it. Actually we are offered the first two chapters if we read it, if we blog about it we may get extra points from Active Rain. We also have to take the quiz to find out which of the seven animals we most resemble in the Serengeti. This is new age marketing at it's best. Give to get and make it fun is the watchword here. Brilliant and should be very instructive to every agent in terms of marketing and getting your word out. This is not just about the points, or the cool giveaway. This is about viral messaging and getting the word out about this book in a massive way. I bow to Stefan and Active Rain. They are using our competitiveness, our love of points, our network and our own words to build this audience. Oh, and one more thing, it is well worth your time and effort even if points and fun were not involved. The first two stories are very well written and compelling. The desired affect was reached, I have to buy this book and I want to blog about it.
Michelle Miller writes about how a portion of the money received from the sales will benefit the American Wildlife Foundation. I am so on board with these kinds of cross promotions and look to add this kind of thing for each of my clients and their homes. I often wonder how each listing I carry can provide it's community a benefit beyond the transfer of this deed. How can I be more for my community than just a professional real estate consultant? These are good questions to ask, I think.
With homage to Stefan and his wonderfully written first two chapters I want to share my own story of surviving a Serengiti experience in real estate.
I a
rrived in Dallas in January of 2010 so excited to get started with this new career. I had met a consultant and uber agent Walter Sanford some months before and decided to start my career with his book "If I Could Start Over Again. I was brought to Dallas, some 1300 miles from my home, by a friend from my high school days who owned a franchise there. We had reconnected on Facebook and, after a bit of time, he realized that my 10 years of work in social media and 28 years in marketing is exactly the thing he needed to get his office to grow. I am a collaborator and I was all for joining forces and growing together.
I should have had my antennae up when in the first week the friend who brought me didn't want to sit down and write out goals. "Let's just double the business," he told me without telling me what the business had done. I jumped at the challenge and began blogging everyday about the process and learning from those around me. I grew fond of an agent who seemed to be helpful with information and support on the outset. Over the first month we connected with an agent who my friend had worked out a deal with to handle his REO properties in our area. Life seemed so good and the work and learning was in high tilt at this point.
Stefan in his book defines types of people from the observations of animal types in the Serengiti. I think I would add some more types from my experiences in real estate. There are also sharks and snakes. Survival in real estate demands constant vigilance on a moment by moment basis. Not only must we be searching for food and opportunity, but we must be mindful of those who are predator's and want to feed on you and your efforts. Mr Swanepoel opens the door to the realization that we are not just defined by our real estate efforts, but also by the stories that we share for the benefit of others. Thank you Stefan your book and all that it can mean to we as professionals and individuals is significant.
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