Why us? Why me? And why my company? These are very important questions to ask yourself, to understand why clients should choose you.
Competition in the real estate industry increases every day. If you can confidently answer those questions above in a way that has meaning to a seller, you will always have a very valuable, competitive advantage over your competitors.
If most companies in your area offer ‘excellent service’ or photo ads or agent contact twice a week, then these are not things that are going to impress a seller as special or advantageous. You cannot sell the generic. The fact that you put a sign up and so does somebody else creates you equal. In other words, you cannot say:
- I give good service
- We try harder
- We use photo signs
The key is true differentiation.
Differentiation is the only other way you can gain a strategic advantage in any business. So it comes down to the question of ‘what is the difference between you and anybody else in your area?’
Ask yourself, ‘what can your company offer a seller that is clearly different or superior to your competition?’ What do you have more of? What do you have the best of? You are the only ones who have…? You are unique because…?
Now make a list of what you personally have to offer a seller. One obvious area is your track record. How long have you been in the business? How many sales have you made? What percentage of your listings do you sell? What special training have you had? Have you had training or experience in another field that contributes to your work?
All of these key selling points that you come up with for the company and you personally can be used as a beginning to build your profile and also all of the messages and advertising you do throughout your listing presentation. Extracts from this can be included on your website, back of cards, fliers, and so on.
Below are two examples, one for your business and another for your own agent profile:
- Business: By listing with our agency we will arrange a professional photographer and have a specialist copywriter prepare the advertising to ensure your home looks the best and not only attracts more buyers but the right ones.
- Agent: I have lived in this area for the last 20 years and worked in real estate for the past 10 years – I really know how to get people excited about our region. Having negotiated millions of dollars’ worth of property over this time I use this experience to get you the best possible price for your property.
It is vital to understand the reasons for a seller to list with your company and the reasons why they would list with you, personally. Understand the answers to these questions, and work out what sets you apart from the crowd. Asking why provides knowledge – and knowledge is power. The more you know, the more you have to work with, and the more your competition will struggle to keep up.
Taking such a genuine approach towards your lead generation will provide you with a long lasting understanding of your personal and company core values. All of which will be reflected in your customer relations, giving you a comfortable competitive edge.
Now all you need to do is go ahead and create your lists. Once completed make sure you use these key selling points in everything you do!