Eddie rules!

Anyway, me thinks, this post confused a few others as well. Perhaps I went too far with the metaphor. But at the heart of the post was a positive message. I hope that came through.

Clapton had his roots in the blues, Blackmore in Bach (Highway Star is a direct lift from Johann Sebastian) Cream and Deep Purple are easily distinguished but both were unique top notch bands.

Zeppelin and Sabbath, not so easily,at least not on the core heavy metal portion of their work. Hence my confusion.
Nice post though even though I didn't get it the first time!

I have, in the past, cited the book Lovemarks and delved into the art of going past the brand, past the trademark to where a company creates a Lovemark with a customer. To where a company creates that diehard customer.

Loyalty to the death. As I am with Mac's. And Porsches. And Adidas. And W hotels. And Rob Levy – my agent in Portland.

I love these entities because in their own way, they have loved me back.

I know that so many agents get into this business for the right reasons. They aspire to be something great. For themselves and for their customers. I say, don't ever lose that desire. If you have misplaced it, find it and go for it. Now more than ever. The American customer is hungry for great real estate leaders.

While we're talking music, allow me to add my favorite, Frank Zappa. An anomaly of success. Never commercial but widely successful, loved by his legion of fans to this day. And that is a big part of success– many are talented but a rock star is loved.

Here's a taste of Frank (Muffin Man)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CGO9I8rmkE

"I'm not sure that I agree
that the rock star is the
image that works best
when moving the discussion
towards being consumer-centric."

I am positive it is Geordie and here is why. Rock stars are about me, me, me. And so are real estate agents. That's a fact. And it's cool. It's what makes both these people tick. I know. I managed talent for 20 years and now, after ten years in real estate I can tell for sure they are cut from the same stone.

I offer this as a positive attribute.

And here is why the consumer-centric analogy works. Spend an evening with me backstage. Watch the transformation a rock star goes through from the few hours they spend in the dressing focusing solely on themselves, to that moment they take the stage.

When those lights turn on, as they stand there exposed in front of their customers, their fans, they give 110% of themselves. I've seen it first hand — the blood, the sweat — as they jump, writhe, swing from rafters. In those moments, they are more consumer-centric than any ten businesses combined.

Frank. The Boss. Meatloaf. Garcia. Bono. Elvis — No holds barred. Each unique. Each reaching deep inside pulling out everything they have for the benefit everyone who buys their music and concert tickets. It can be argued that some (Garcia comes to mind) died in the throws of giving to their fans.

Rocks stars are the pinnacles of consumer-centric. The Clash fought their record label hard to release Sandinista (a triple album) for the price of a double album. As a result, they earned almost $0.00 in royalties. They did it for their fans.

Consider all aid benefits put on by rock stars. The hundreds of millions if not billions collected and donated. Every artist I ever managed or met has in their careers made critical decisions that while not in their own best interest was in the best interest of their fans. This is the world I came from and the one I know.

Artists spend years crafting the perfect album at a great expense to themselves. Radiohead's last album was posted free online in lieu of donations risking millions of potential record label revenue to do right by their fans. That decision by the way, turned out well in their behalf.

Rock Stars don't dabble in lead generation. Or incubation. No drip email campaigns. No boilerplate content and monthly newsletters they buy from some music publisher. Every song, every note, every hairdo — original.

Yes, behind it all is their ego pushing them to be the best they can be. Find me a Realtor who is hugely successful and they fit that profile to a tee.

If my belief that agents have this juice inside them bothers some people, let it.

If some find me "simple" for suggesting that my clients and those who read this blog strive to be original and different. Let them.

Selling real estate is a public performance. Having a website viewable by the world is a real estate persons center stage. Their visitors – are their fans.

Their postcards, newsletters, their blogs, their advertising – these are their songs.

They are their statements to the world. They have a choice — copy the works of others or rise to a new occasion. And write hits. Be egotistic in the dressing room. But in public, give it up. Like a rock star.

If this is controversial, cool.
If it’s unnerving, cool.

Tension creates change.

I'm not trying to hurt anyone or brow beat a single soul. Just offering my sense of how I see it.

Thanks again Geordie.

I'm not sure that I agree that the rock star is the image that works best when moving the discussion towards being consumer-centric. Rock stars seem to be about me, me, me and there is already too much of that on the re.net. The real estate agent 3.0 has to realize it's about you, you, you. You are not a lead, I'm not a rock star..

PS. Congrats on being invited to speak at the big Windermere hullabaloo this fall.