Bulletproof estate agency - here's how.
There's bulletproof coffee. Disgusting though the idea is.
And a film, The Bulletproof Monk.
Bulletproof glass and bulletproof vests.
So let's explore a bulletproof estate agency.
Those 'bullets' come in many guises.
With calibre both large & small.
Deliberate over-valuation is a popular choice for competitors that lack your integrity.
Caring little for the collateral damage it does to a vendor, just so long as it seriously damages your chances with that vendor.
Less powerful, but damaging nevertheless, is the 'cheap fee' bullet.
The PurpleBricks & HouseSimple (R.I.P) agencies of this world.
Employing the power of externalities to cause as much damage as possible to an industry that isn't at all good at protecting itself.
The 'cheap fee' bullet' is primed for a 'shoot-out' and to hit the target with any agency dumb enough to take the bait.
Many do, of course, and don't live to tell the tale.
It's time to get some protection. Time to make your agency bulletproof.
Here's how:
First, you need some attention. Every estate agency craves it. Pays a pretty penny, too, for the dubious privilege of being here today & gone tomorrow.
It's fleeting. A few mentions here. A temporary spike in social media 'likes' there. But try to find the narrative a month later and it's nigh on impossible.
Identity is the key to lasting attention.
Just ask Tony Robbins, Seth Godin, Oprah, or Donald Trump.
Something of interest, of course. But from someone who is, in themselves, interesting.
"This is what I believe."
Put it out there. Let it take shape.
Beliefs can change fairly easily. So as you change, as you mould yourself into a different version of yourself, let your audience know what's going on.
Bring them along for the journey.
Let them share your highs & your lows.
Underlying all that, though, are core values which should remain pretty constant.
"This is who I am. On that, you can rely."
Values & beliefs combine to provide the basis of an identity. A Personal Brand.
An origin story that brings readers in, allows them to see all your imperfections and asks them to love you, nevertheless.
As you build that audience, starting with an audience of just one, what you get is a community of vendors/landlords that like the way you think.
They like what it is that you have to say.
And, depending on how open and transparent you make it, they 'feel' something from you that no other agency can deliver.
AFFINITY: def. a natural liking for and understanding of someone or something.
Let's assume that every agency, or agent, is competent. I know that's not the case, but it's a long road to reach another conclusion based on empirical evidence.
Vendors aren't going to choose one agency over another simply because one agency claims to be better.
They're going to choose the agency, or agent, with which they feel some affinity.
Right there, in that very second, you have the opportunity to truly differentiate.
Most likely, you'll blow it.
The missed opportunity of a relationship approach.
Because you've been so conditioned to think transactional.
So conditioned to think 'in the moment'.
As opposed to long-term. Before you ever meet.
It's what salespeople do.
Persuade, change perceptions, convince & convert.
It's just a shame that most people don't like for you to 'sell them'.
In the absence of an agent with whom they share affinity, they will choose.
With 'bullets' flying everywhere from competitors, it may be your agency.
Or maybe not this time.
If you have affinity, though. If you have a personal brand.
The surprising thing is that it is now the vendor that makes you bulletproof.
You now have their protection.
For them, it's not a leap of faith.
The bridges have been built over time.
They wouldn't consider any other agency. No matter the fee. No matter the valuation. No matter the social approval.
That's a bulletproof estate agency.
The problem remains of finding a way to bridge that divide.
Between what vendors/landlords want and what agencies want to sell them.
Thanks, as always, for reading this far.
If you need any advice on making your brand bulletproof, just get in touch.
Happy to help.
The post Bulletproof Estate Agency- Here’s How. first appeared on And so the story began.