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Differentiate?
 One of the best ways to attract more clients is to quit marketing the same way your competitors do. Because when every Realtor markets essentially the same, it becomes nearly impossible to distinguish one from another. And studies show that consumers will make decisions one of two ways.
First, if all competitors appear the same and there are too many to choose from, consumers won't make any decision. Instead they'll continue procrastinating. It's the same when you go to a restaurant with a hungry appetite. You're instantly paralyzed when you're handed a 10-page menu from the waiter. There are too many choices.
Secondly, if the consumer doesn't procrastinate and all competitors appear the same, they'll choose based on price (your commission rate). This is the worst component to compete on because there's always some desperate Realtor who is willing to cut their commission rate to win a new client.
Position in Your Prospect's Mind
Positioning is your competitive strategy for reaching your targeted audience and getting noticed. Ultimately, when you market your services, you're competing with other Realtors in the prospect's mind.
What is your position? Take a moment and consider it. Look at your marketing pieces: your website, flyers, postcards, newsletters, brochures, advertisements, and business card. What are you communicating? What are you telling prospects that makes you different from other Realtors?
Now visit your competitor's website, if you switched your company logo with it, how much difference would there actually be? For most Realtors the answer is simple...very little.
If your position is similar to your competitor's, you're competing in an overcrowded place in the prospect's mind.
 A Singular Message
To improve your position, you need to narrow your focus. A position that seeks to be everything to everyone will end up being nothing to everyone.
For example, do your messages appeal with the promises' delivering great service, selling their home in less time, staging their home to sell, pricing, effective marketing? These positions don't work. First, it's competing with too many others; secondly, it isn't simple and doesn't focus on a single thing.
Look back at when Federal Express started. They began with a single position that hadn't been occupied by other shippers yet. - "When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight."
Southwest Airlines is another great example. Their position of the "Low-fare Airline" helped them dominate and achieve prosperity in one of the toughest industries.
If your services are indistinguishable from other Realtors you're not setting yourself apart from competition, you've joined it. One of the keys to being effective at differentiating from competitors is to position within a niche that's going unfulfilled.
Get Niched!
What do Ann Landers, Dr. Phil and Roger Ebert have in common? Each of them enjoys being recognized as the leading expert in their respective fields. Because of this status they enjoy greater visibility and reputation than their peers.
Instead of having to cold call or advertise for new clients, they take pleasure in prospects seeking them out. Yet, when you study these experts closely you realize that they're no more talented, smarter or knowledgeable than the rest.
They achieved guru status not because they're good at what they do, but because they're great at selling and marketing themselves. They identified a niche they could occupy as a leading expert. You can find a niche to fulfill as a leading expert and attract more clients than you can handle.
Discover Your Unique Knowledge
Over time and with work experience, every Realtor learns unique knowledge, skills and expertise that prospects can benefit from. By discovering this special knowledge, you begin the first step in the process of finding a niche that you can fill.
A Realtor doesn't achieve leading expert status because of extraordinary creativity or Herculean effort. His or her mastery comes from learning through repetition and a discipline established from research, self-study, education and experience.
We live in the Information Age. You can position yourself as a knowledge expert in a particular topic or subject. Therefore, prospects needing help with your topic turn to you first.
Prospects and clients prefer to work with someone they view as an expert than to waste time shopping services. Remember we live in a period with greater urgency than in the past. Your status as a leading expert will attract clients because they value time as a precious commodity.
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