Secrets to Successful Branding – The Law of the Word

If, we, as the real estate community really understood the concept of branding and its importance, we would save a fortune by cutting the misplaced dollars we are spending in the name of “getting their name out there.”

Most of us are re-treads – people who fell into this business and came from some other background. In 15 years of asking, I’ve only found one person who grew up wanting to be a real estate agent (and she is no longer in the business). I can’t tell you how many people I’ve interviewed as a Broker that said the reason they wanted to be an agent was because they liked houses and people. If that is the sole reason they are here my advice to them has been – “Don’t get started in this business because in 6 months you will hate them both.”

Those that make it in this industry in today’s world are those that approach it with an amount of business prowess. Unfortunately, that isn’t taught in the “learn everything you need to know to become successful in real estate in two weeks” class. So, we throw the newbies to the vultures (vendors who sell BS products that do nothing but line the pockets of the vendors and serve as filler our nation’s dumps). We let them sling mud on a wall and see what sticks and hope against hope that they will be one of the very few fortunate ones who will survive the first three years.

Over time, those that emerge as mega agents realize that to truly win in this you must realize that it is a business not a career (and there is a major difference) and start learning how to become the “RainMaker.” Although we have dozens of proprietary campaigns to generate more leads, from time to time, we need to strip back to the basics and dive into the philosophy to align ourselves with the right thinking to launch our business to the next level. This week, it’s all about how to brand effectively so that you may maximize your ROI in any marketing or advertising program your engage in. From Al Ries, a master of marketing and branding in the retail sector, we take the lessons and apply the fundamentals to our real estate businesses.

In Branding , There is the Law of the Word

There is a limited amount of real estate in our consumer’s active memory. The lion’s share of the space going to the things that weighs most heavily on their mind. Because this resource is precious and limited your brand should strive to own a single word or concept in the eyes of the consumer. You are not competing with other agents; you are competing against every other professional and service industry. You have an advantage because real estate and the client’s home equity can be leveraged as an important value on a constant basis with spikes of interest as it comes time to move. But you must keep the importance on the consumer’s top of mind with all the other competing interests vying for attention.

You want to establish yourself as the expert and go-to person for real estate regardless of where they are in the buying or selling process. Become their resource and contact. Ideally, you want to get to the point where when your perfect client drives past a competitor’s sign, they think of you.

Carpe diem,

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Notes from Pat Summitt – Leading to Win with the Law of the Edge Seminar

1. Relationships are the beginning of teamwork. 
2. If you want to have a great team, everyone on the team must feel respected.
3. They must know they bring value to the team. 
4. When you are doing what you are passionate about, motivation isn’t an issue.

Do you have relationships with those that are on your team?

Do the members of your team feel it’s their team as well?

Do you create opportunities for leaders to emerge within your team?

Do you create opportunities for learning in your team?  Name three specific actions you can take to increase learning within your team.

Winning teams are built upon a system.  Do you have a system that supports how you lead your team?  Is it clearly understood by all members of your team?

Practice makes perfect.  Do you create time for your team to practice?  Do you practice like you play?

Leaders take the pressure off individuals and keep it on the team.  List three ways you can you reduce the pressure on your teammates?

List three ways you can you keep positive pressure on your team? List three ways you can reduce the pressure on yourself?

Carpe diem,

You can also click on one of the following links to have the mastery coaching blog with helpful life and business tidbits geared to real estate’s elite delivered to your computer,

To subscribe to the mastery coaching blog via email

To subscribe to the mastery coaching blog via RSS reader

“Procrastination is failure on the installment plan.”

Why do we all seem to struggle with putting off the very things we know we should be doing, but don’t want to do?  Most of the time they are the very things that are the most important things we could be doing, those activities and tasks that make the greatest impact on our future. 

Procrastination boils down on a practical level to character and perspective.  A great test of our character is the ability to maintain a resolution after the mood it was made has passed.  We often make resolutions, decisions, and goals when we feel like it.  We are inspired, motivated, or driven in the moment to thoughts of grandeur, but when the mood passes, more often than not, so does our resolve. 

Most of our changing moods and feelings are due to a shift in our perspective.  Rarely has life or the world changed, we just changed the way we think about it.  As our perspective shifts, our emotions follow suit. 

Here’s an example: Have you ever seen a picture of yourself that is, well, less than flattering?  It seemed to show the few extra pounds in a way that you hadn’t ever imagined was on public display in such an unappealing way.  So, in a moment, your perspective changed.  The world around you hasn’t, the people around you haven’t.  You haven’t.  The only thing that has now become different is how you look and feel about something that already was. 

The secret to eliminating procrastination isn’t disciple and willpower.  Sure, those will last for a little while, but the real secret for those who are looking of lasting change is learning the art of managing your perspective.

Carpe diem,