Influence is a funny thing. Thirty years in Grantham, there
were three big estate/lettings/surveying practices, William H. Brown, Goldings
and Escritt and Barrell. People thought all the Directors all walked on water and the unclean of
Grantham dothed their cap as they drove
by in their fancy cars. They were Grantham Property Glitterati, the gurus
of property their town. To get to that point, they had worked 25 years rising
up the ranks, sweeping floors, working under the boss as a slave until they
retired and they took the reins .. it had been like that for 100 years and it
would continue like that for another 100 years .. wouldn’t it?
However, the world has changed, technology democratises
anything it touches, and now, thanks to internet and social media, you can have
followers even if you haven't done the sorts of things .. you can be your town’s
guru, the go to man or lady, the No. 1 influencer in your towns property market
.. I am not jesting here and no bull
either. Don’t get me wrong though, it is hard work .. really hard work! Still
interested? .. read on my blog reading friend
If you want to become your town’s local property guru, the
fount of all knowledge to do with your local property, then you have to prove it.
.. but once you have, you will have influence, you will be your town’s property
guru.
Writing the articles about your local property market in
local newspapers, local newsletters and blogs have to tell a story, but at the
same time, not give a lecture. By hinting at the facts you will get greater
results, instead of just announcing the facts. It is really hard to prove your
way into getting the landlord to walk through your door, let alone use your
agency —you gain a landlord when the landlord proves to himself (or herself)
that you are a good choice.
The process of
discovering you are the best letting agent is more powerful than being told by
a mate (or you) that you are the best agent. Why? ...because in this funny old
world, there is no right or wrong answer, and here is the best bit, even if
there were, the landlord wouldn’t believe you!
Is a Audi A3 better than a Skoda Fabia? Both are decent
sized family motors, both will get you to Birmingham in about the same amount
of time. They are based on the same skeleton and have the same engine in
them... probably made in the same factory, they will use the same amount of
petrol and nought to sixty is the same .... but the Audi is £22,000 and the
Skoda £14,000. Is the Audi 50% better?
That depends.
When a car buyer slams the door of the Audi, it tells a
story. A story about safety and workmanship, a story that says solidity and
performance. That doesn’t happen with a Skoda. What’s the Audi story worth? How
does it make the buyer feel about the brand and the way he’s chosen to spend
his money?
Audi spends almost all of the price premium they charge
building stories for customers to believe, to enjoy and to share. They put
those stories into the TV or the way the accelerator feels or the intelligent
actions of the windshield washers. .... but underneath the bonnet, it’s the
same engine, the same engineering, same suspension.... it’s the same bloody
car! ..... but Audi wins because they
are authentic in their quest for a car worth talking about.
That’s why it’s important you are worth talking about Mr and
Mrs Fellow letting agent; by becoming the local property expert; using blogs,
newsletters and newspaper advertorials to tell a story about the local property
market.. you need to post three or four times a week on your blog (otherwise
you are wasting your time). But then you need to get people to your blog (no
point in writing something if nobody is going to read it), then you need to get
those regular visitors to then contact you.
If you want to know the way to become your town’s property
guru .. let’s talk? What have you got to lose?