Your Marketing Is About You… But It Really Isn’t

Go grab any homes magazine, Sunday Real Estate Edition of your local newspaper, or even the stack of real estate postcards that ended up in your mailbox this week. I bet you that you cannot get all the way through them without seeing something to the effect of:

• Your (fill in the city name) Real Estate Specialist
• Top 1% Worldwide
• Diamond (or any other exclusive sounding word) Society
• Joe Smith, REALTOR®, MBA, CRS, CDPE, E-pro, ABR, CPM, GRI, SRES, SFR, etc. etc. etc.

I get it. As a REALTOR®, you are your business. So it seems logical that you need to promote yourself. In fact, many of the best REALTORS® are consistent, solid self-promoters.

I'll even take it one step further. If you have worked your tail off and reached the successful level that puts you in the top tier of your marketplace, or spent your time furthering your education to get more designations, you should be proud of those things.

The reality of it, though, is that while these things are great, and while you should be proud of them, the public does not care. When I say "does not care," I mean every time, in every circumstance, no matter what.

First off, take a look at everyone that claims they are the top 1%, 5%, or whatever. It is statistically impossible for all those people to truly be in that category. As for designations, or even the brokerage designations like "gold circle," "diamond society," etc., the typical homeowner has no idea what those things are. Again, it simply doesn't matter.

FACT: As human beings, we are all selfish people. At the end of the day, all we want to know is "What's in it for us?"

This has never been more true than when a homeowner is considering selling their home. A home is most people's most valuable asset. Because of this, they have a very clear idea in mind as to what they want. They want answers and assurances. Specifically:

• How can you prepare my home to stand out above the other homes on the market that are similar to mine?
• Being that online home search is so popular, what type of online exposure are you going to give my home that others can't?
• How are you going to get me top dollar for my home?

Does your marketing answer questions like this, or does your marketing talk about yourself? If your marketing falls in the category of the latter, don't feel bad. Not a week goes by that we don't meet an agent that is in the "Me" marketing mode and not the "What I will do for you?" marketing mode. It's a very common mistake. The good news is that it's also one of the easiest things to fix.

When planning your marketing messages, think of things in terms of the following:

• What are my differentiating factors in my marketplace? When you answer this question, DO NOT think of it in terms of your rank, or stature in your marketplace. Think of specific things you do when listing homes that others don't, and how those specific differences will benefit the seller in the successful sale of their home.
• What are the top three benefits I will bring a home seller in the sale of their home? For instance, maybe you are known for quickly selling homes. Perhaps you are known for historically selling homes for x% over list price. Maybe you just have a proven process that makes it easy for sellers to sell and gives them a stress free experience. No matter what you come up with, just remember to ask yourself, "Is this something that would benefit a seller, specifically?"
• How can I showcase my past production to illustrate to homeowners the benefits I can bring them? There are lots of ways you can do this, but be careful. This is a tricky one. With just one wrong turn, this type of marketing message can easily shift from the "you" to the "me" thinking. You have to be aware of this and make sure you don't accidentally cross over into that realm.

One of the easiest ways to do this without getting into the "me" area is by using client testimonials. Let one of your past clients explain specifically how your performance helped them with the sale of a home. This type of marketing will allow a potential seller to easily put themselves in the shoes of your past client and automatically understand what you can do for them.

So there you have it. It's not easy being a REALTOR®. Marketing can be just as difficult. With a little planning, and the constant mantra, "What is in it for them?" you'll be on your way to a wildly successful marketing campaign.

To view the original article, visit the Leading Agent blog.