Recently I offered to have name tags made for my agents to wear to networking events, etc. Since we are a "think outside the box", no bureaucracy office, I let my agents choose their own title. We had some fun trying to figure out what to put on the nametags but it got me thinking....
Why do so many companies call their real estate professionals "sales associates"? The terms "sales" really is way too narrow to describe what we do. We don't really sell houses, we sell our services in order to find clients. We are truly brokers, consultants and marketers. But our governing bodies, in their infinite wisdom, won't allow agents to use the title Broker. And what is the "associate" all about? Yes, of course they are associated with the company they work for - isn't that a given?
Of course, NAR would like use to all use Realtor with a trademark. That's like declaring a political affiliation. Whatever you feel about our monopolistic association, I don't that the term that announces our membership with an business organization is an adequate title for someone in our profession.
I have so much respect for what we do and all the hard-working people in our profession and just don't think agent is anywhere near an adequate description. I am frustrated that we don't have a title to truly describe the real estate professional.
Any ideas? Does anyone out there have a great title or have heard of a great title for those of us who broker real estate?
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