Less Drama and More Marketing: The Key To Your Real Estate Success

by Mark Johnson | Mar 8, 2020 | JPAR, Real Estate, Success, Sucess Goals

Speaking with so many of you this week, I know one thing: you all have high hopes and big dreams for your real estate practice! That’s exciting. Yet here is what I know, whatever it is that got you this point, may not be strong enough to carry you to your next big moment. Think about that statement for a moment, said another way, what got you here won’t get you there!

So, what holds you back?

Can I propose 2 things from my conversations this week? Drama and Marketing. Let’s dig in.

Drama

In my line of work, I get to deal with a lot of drama and from my perspective it easy to see how drama keeps my associates from achieving everything they deserve. I’ve observed that the bigger your goals are in business, the more dramatic your business is going to feel. And you can actually escalate your drama to the point like, literally you can’t function in your business.

Consider this, if you can approach your life from a non-dramatic approach, you’ll be able to have bigger goals and accomplish so much more. Who wants that?!

I’ve been blessed with the skill and ability to look at things at face value. Just the facts ma’am! And I’ve learned over time how to question – and redirect –  the meaning that I attached to things that happen in my life. We all have so much more power than you think you have in terms of how you describe your business to yourself. When you master this, can you feel how much better that will change your business? The good news is, you and I have the power to change the meaning we associated with anything that happens in our business!

Recently one of our industry 3rd party vendors changed everything about their business model. DRAMA! Think about it, when you take the facts and make them mean anything other than the facts, you can create a lot of unnecessary drama. So, in this case, the change in this 3rd party’s business model created drama in many associates’ minds of the injustice of it all, that is was unfair that we were being singled out, that it just was not right.

Once you’re locked into an injustice of something, you can lose your mind over it and become all consumed with the craziness of trying to seek justice. That’s exactly what was happening with this business model change.  It will not come naturally to you yet what would happen if over time you retrained yourself to recognize the trigger? If you took a deep breath and asked: “what are the facts?” Two questions I’ve learned over time to ask is “what is the worse or the best thing that can happen?” and “what’s the best next step for me to take right now?”

Drama comes from the stories that we tell about situations and from the way we describe situations to ourselves. So, I want you to take a look at your own business, take a look at your situations and decide how you want to tell the story. And if nothing else, I want you to recognize that you have options.

Marketing

Your agent real estate brand is stale, your story is boring, and you sound like everyone else.  Sorry about that bluntness folks yet for so many of us that’s truly the case.

My good friends Tom Ferry and Marc Davison recently sat down and did a “riff” on real estate marketing, branding and how you can take more positive action to achieve your goals. Now it will take 70 minutes of your time plus more time to layout and execute an action plan, yet in my view well worth everyone one of my readers time listen in. Here’s the link: why branding matters!

Sometimes the answers come from asking better questions, like?

• What makes you different?
• What do you believe?
• How do you communicate what you believe in your marketing?
• What is the problem you solve and the solution you bring?
• What is the point of clarity for your real estate practice?

Something practical to consider. Instead of trying to be all things to all people, successful top producers in real estate sales today are focusing on a specific area using a specific system. The singularity of focus!

Top producers are specialists, not generalists. How do you go about becoming known as a local expert? Here are three steps to consider:

First, make sure your database is ready to support you and your growth! Your database has never been more important – with AI (artificial intelligence) plugins happening all over – you must have a robust database. Your relationship with your database is your defense and offense for anything that happens in the future. A robust database allows you to leverage AI-enabled newsletters with predictive AI, like Home Actions. Your database is truly one of the most valuable assets of your real estate practice.

Second, find a market that fits your selling style. Then, find an area ready for your focus. If you sell condos, find a great community with them, and stake your claim. Once you know what you’re passionate about selling, you can start to target a market that matches your strengths. Maybe investors are your specialty, and you can create a video, blog, and private email notifications about the “Investment Property Of The Week.”

Third, leverage video. A bad video is better than no video. Consistency and value are key. Interview the local business owner, the local school principal, the local charity leader. Highlight on video community events and more. Sprinkle in some real estate trends and facts, and you have a winning formula to be known as the local area expert.

With so many real estate agents out there, focusing on a specific niche helps you compete. Be known for something! Once you’ve chosen your expertise, you’ll attract a particular clientele.

Get the most from your marketing activities by keeping a razor-sharp focus on your targeting.

I once worked with an agent who had one specialty – self-storage units – he built a great life and a business from being the go-to person and expert in self-storage.

Have fun with your research. Find out what’s relevant to consumers in your locale. The more you know about your local market the more comfortable potential consumers are when engaging your services.