It must have been about ten years ago. My now sixteen year old son was six and the fourteen year old was four. (I obviously excelled in math as a student.)
At any rate it was a Saturday morning and we were driving back from karate class. The return ride home was almost always more pleasant than the ride there. They resisted going every Saturday, and it was a struggle to keep them committed but I did – for six arduous years!
Humbleness
If I taught the boys anything on a consistent basis it was to be humble. I’m not quite sure that it worked with the younger one but hey, one out of two isn’t bad!
In the front seat of the car was a newspaper ad that Al Filippone Associates displayed on the back page of the local newspaper. I thought that it was one of our better ones, and I proudly passed it back to my older son while asking both boys what they thought.
“Daddy,” the oldest one chirped in quickly, “I think it’s a little bit bragging.” Rather than attempt to discern in my mind whether he was correct or not, my initial response was to compliment him effusively for offering that perspective.
Life vs. Marketing
The conversation then evolved further. “Well technically you’re right honey, one can consider it bragging. But boasting about yourself and marketing are sort of two different things. When you’re running a business, you have to let consumers know what you offer so that they can make prudent decisions about with whom they choose to work.”
A Lesson For Realtors
There’s a local realtor whose marketing is simply impeccable and certainly “easy on the eyes.” I was engaged in conversation with a fellow realtor once who belittled her advertising style. He bemoaned the fact that it was all about her. On a good year he sells one home. She is one of Fairfield County Ct.’s top producers and sells almost one home per week.
Smelling the Roses
He’s partially correct. Her advertising is about her, but it’s also about the home. Mostly though, it’s very compelling.
Your fiduciary responsibility as a listing agent is to generate the most prospects for your client’s home. Now ask yourself, how compelling is it for a potential buyer to read about the size of the rooms, the number of bedrooms and baths and the charm of a home for the billionth time?
Redundancy doesn’t generate excitement and enthusiasmn, nor does it inspire a prospect to pick up the phone. It’s the allure of a captivating ad that will bring the most buyers to the doorsteps of all your clients, and that is your mission. It’s not bragging, it’s good business and enables you to serve your clients to the best of your ability.
How do you market the properties that you list?
Do you promote the benefits of calling you in addition to calling about the home?
Please let us know in the comment section below.
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