The very first
thing I counsel agents to do in all of my marketing programs and classes
is to think in terms of Positioning themselves in their market area.
To create a
greater marketing impact you must know what makes you different from all
the other real estate agents in your town who offer similar real estate
services.
Let's face
it, as real estate professionals we all offer pretty much the same real
estate services. Why would people come and do business with me, or you,
if we both offer the same services as every other agent in our office?
In our board? If we each only offer more of the same services to the public,
why will they choose to do business with you?
Too many agents
languish in relative obscurity and suffer because they have nothing special
to offer in their marketing, nothing that allows them to stand out as different.
If you want to have a greater marketing impact it's essential for you to
focus on your Unique Selling Position.
The use of
the term Unique Selling Position seems so outdated to me now, and I've
decided to re-name this essential business building tool and call it -'Your
Essential Professional Positioning Statement', or, 'YEPPS' (tm), for short!
Recently, I've
visited several places on the www. where people have posted a list of real
estate 'slogans' for agents to use as tag-lines, or signatures. Please
don't!
Most of the
'slogans' I've seen don't provide the one essential ingredient prospects
look for first. Most 'slogans' or U.S.P.s don't provide your prospects
with any of the benefits of working with you. Most 'slogans' are fluff.
They use a buzz word here and there hoping they sound current and will
pique someone's interest.
Anyone's interest.
For instance: "The
Realtor(R) With A Fresh Approach To Real Estate".
That's nice!
But, as a consumer
with a pressing real estate need or concern, a problem I can't solve that
keeps me awake at night and causes large lapses of concentration at work,
the above slogan isn't going to cause me to sit up, take notice and pick
up the phone.
What actually
is a 'Fresh Approach', anyway? Does that agent bring flowers to the closing?
Do they have one of those hanging pine trees in their car?
Are those compelling
solutions for most consumers?
'Your Essential
Professional Positioning Statement' should tell your prospects and
customers exactly what it is that you do, mentioning benefits and how you
are different. To be the most effective, it should make them an offer and
give them a guarantee of some sort.
But in order
to make them an offer you have to know who they are. What's their particular
pain? What causes them to stay up at night and pace the floor?
Is it their
listing that hasn't sold after 7 months?
Is it their
fear of not dealing with a reputable builder who uses only quality subs,
quality materials and offers a real, take-it-to-the-bank warranty that
they have proven that they stand behind, 100%?
Maybe it's
a first time buyer with credit problems and little cash? Or, a couple in
their 60's who still aren't quite sure how the '98 Tax Laws will affect
them if they were to sell their family home and move into a midtown condo?
Who are
your customers?
Only
when you know exactly who your best customers are, and what
their biggest real estate concerns are, can you write an effective
and compelling 'YEPPS' (tm).
Developing
your own 'YEPPS'(tm) gives you a huge competitive advantage because
developing one forces you concentrate first and foremost on the needs of
your customers. What can you include in your own 'YEPPS', based solely
on solving the needs of your customers, that will cause them to respond
to you when they are ready?
Will your positioning
statement give your prospects and customers a reason for doing business
with you, above all of the other choices they have?
Concentrate
your focus and thinking process today on what makes you unique. Not your
company. Not your broker. You.
First, complete
this exercise:
The MediaWorks
'YEPPS'-O-Meter:
-
Who do you most
enjoy doing business with? Which group of buyers or sellers do you enjoy
spending time with the most? Are they the most profitable customers/clients
you could spend your time with?
Why?
-
Which of the real
estate services that you offer do you enjoy performing the most and are
you the best at delivering?
-
Which of the real
estate services that you provide do your customers appreciate the most?
-
Do your customers
know the real value of those particular services?
-
Which of the services
that you deliver cost you the least to perform? The most?
-
Within the past
year, why have your customers chosen you over other agents in your
area?
-
List the reasons
you lost customers to other agents.
-
Where do you really
outshine your competitors?
-
What are your
strengths?
Your weaknesses?
How are you
unique?
-
From your customer/client's
viewpoint, what is truly unique about your real estate business.
-
the services you
perform?
-
the order in which
they are performed?
-
the way you deliver
the services?
-
the speed at which
you deliver your services?
-
the service Guarantee
you offer?
-
the way you 'bundle'
your services or offer 'un-bundled' services?
-
What services
are your customers requesting that you don't provide.
Why don't
you?
Your 'YEPPS'(tm)
statement should clearly identify you, speak directly to your chosen customers
and prospects, and state how you solve their most pressing needs.
"But wait",
they all cried at once! "I deal with so many different kinds of customers/clients.
How am I going to know what each of their most pressing needs are so I
can write an effective 'YEPPS'?"
KEY QUESTION
& A VERY KEY POINT
If you honestly
don't yet know who your best customers are, what their most pressing real
estate needs, concerns and priorities are, you don't have much of a chance
of writing a very compelling 'YEPPS'(tm).
I didn't want
to say it, because every agent needs a compelling 'YEPPS'(tm) so your prospects
and customers can tell you apart from the other agents and have an easier
time finding you. But it had to be said.
And it's worth
repeating: If you don't yet have a clear and specific demographic and psychographic
description of who your best customers are and what their concerns are,
how are you going to reach them?
-
Why should you
get your share of available business if you fail to offer any appealing
promise, unique benefit or special service?
-
Where do your
best customers congregate?
-
What do they read?
-
Where are you
going to concentrate your marketing efforts so they will have the greatest
impact with the least amount of money spent?
-
What are their
most pressing real estate needs or concerns?
-
What 'offers'
can you make that will solve their problems and causes them to sit up,
take notice, raise their hand and call you?
Remember, the
'YEPPS' (tm) is the nucleus around which you will build your name, your
success, and your business, so you better be able to state it without stumbling.
If you can't state your 'YEPPS'(tm) clearly and it can't be put
it on every marketing piece you've
-
Prospecting
is looking for customers.
-
Positioning
is having them find you!
If you
think you might need some help in developing your own compelling
Positioning Statement, call me. I can help you for just $99. Just
tell me who your best customers are and what their unique real
estate needs and concerns are and I'll help you write a compelling
'YEPPS'(tm) signature you can use on all of your marketing materials
so your prospects can find you. "I'll work on it 'til it works
for you. Guaranteed." Just send me an email with 'YEPPS'
Help in the Subject line and we'll get started right away.
mailto:Solutions@NichesWork.com
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