Something caught my attention the other night while watching a rerun of Scrubs.
Here’s the set up.
J.D. watches the Janitor pack up a duffel bag of cleaning supplies.
J.D.’s narration: Sometimes when you’re down, you end up taking it out on the wrong person.
J.D.: Going on vacation?
Janitor: I get it — ’cause I’m a janitor, so, when I pack for a vacation, I just pack cleaning supplies. That’s funny!
J.D.: I thought so.
Janitor: Actually, I’m going to speak at my son’s career day.
J.D.: About… being a janitor?
Janitor: What do you think, there aren’t kids out there that want to grow up to make the world sparkle?
Selling sanctuary, love and sparkle.
Most brands sell products or services. GM sells cars. Borders sells books. Real estate brokerages sell homes. Great brands, however, satisfy desire by peeling off the hard leaves of the marketing artichoke and getting down to the emotional heart of the matter.
Zappos. They don’t sell shoes. They deliver that extra dose of love we all need from time to time.
W Hotels. People don’t go there to sleep. They go there to feel glamorous.
Downy doesn’t soften your clothes. They sell sanctuary.
Most brokerages sell real estate services. Most agents sell houses. Most vendors sell products. Software. A website.
Few target desire.
In 2008, Anne Randolph from Murray Consulting produced a survey that revealed what people really want when hiring an agent or a brokerage. Turns out it’s not a home; people are seeking trust.
How many of you can offer your customers trust?
So how do you get to the heart of that desire? Put yourself through this simple exercise. Fill in the blanks below.
Realtor: I sell real estate because ________________________
Broker: Consumers should choose my brand because ____________________
Compare what you’ve written in that blank space against your current marketing material. Against your slogan. Against the reasons why you believe customers should want your products or services.
Then compare it against what Anne’s research tells us.
You might discover that what you have been marketing around for years doesn’t even come close to what it is people really desire from you.
- Davison
Twitter:1000wattmarc
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Dear Marc,
I love that video by Anne Randolf and posted it back in May on my blog. It was some of the basis for my Client Bill of Rights for RealtyV2. Your site has been another inspiration.
http://www.sandiegolifestyle.info/2009/06/realtyv2-client-bill-of-rights/
Trust is such a big thing to consider for the future of real estate.
Personal Branding which is the experience before during and after close, something not many get but when they do, they excel.
Realtors are selling homes but they are all selling the same homes. The only thing that’s going to differentiate them is their ability to form authentic bonds with their personal audience that desire____________.
Really good information on putting our client first. I have often felt this is what clients want, nice to have it confirmed.
Aloha,
Kehai
Hey Marc,
Great Post. Of course we all have needs and businesses / Realtors exist to fill that needs. But do your customers actually desire what you are presenting them as their needs?
Trust is important in any transaction. But beyond trust, as Realtors we have to learn how to listen; we have to recognize those instances when our clients communicate their desires.
Cheers!
Nicole
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