Some agents have all the luck. Some agents have all the pain. Some agents get all the breaks. Some agents do nothing but complain. Is your real estate career sounding like a Rod Stewart song? Odds are that if you’re the kind of agent that DOES have all the pain, and does nothing but complain…then you’re losing the battle of obscurity! Good news, though! Getting you back on your feet and leading the sales board within your market is an easy fix. All it takes is a little bit of positioning to make sure that YOU are the agent that people want to do business with. In our previous article we discussed how the hierarchy of influence works, the importance of identifying your ideal client, and how to do that. You can find that article here. 
But that doesn’t mean that knowing your target audience will take you out of obscurity…yet. 
Your Next Step.
The next step in positioning yourself as an authority is something that every successful agent has put considerable time and effort into. I’m talking about sitting down in front of the proverbial mirror for a long time and asking yourself: “What makes ME different?!” It’s a heavy question that a lot of agents struggle with. I’m sure the first thing that comes to mind is that you can sell a home faster and for more money than your competition. We certainly hope so, but in reality, when every agent is saying the same thing, is that really a differentiating quality?? Let’s take a step back and talk about “value”.
Understanding Value
I think everyone reading this article understands the concept of value, but do you know how it applies to the marketing & sales game? We can start with a definition of value as a building block. Value: The extent to which a good or a service is perceived by its customer to meet his or her needs or wants, measured by customer’s willingness to pay for it. It commonly depends more on the customer’s perception of the worth of the product than on its intrinsic value. Taking it one step further, let’s look at the value equation. Practical Value + Intrinsic Value = Total Perceived Value All of which is achieved through positioning. For example… 
BMW vs Rolls Royce
The Practical Value of a Car
- Gets you places faster than walking
- Protects you from the elements
- You can store and transport things in it
- You don’t have to ride the bus
The BMW 7 Series 
- It’s well appointed
- It’s dependable
- It rides well
- It looks cool
- Price = $90,000 USD
The Rolls Royce Ghost 
- It’s well appointed
- It’s dependable
- It rides well
- It looks cool
- Price = $300,000 USD
So What’s the Difference?
If you were to simply look at their practical value, they would have the same asking price. (Practical value is determined by what your product does. It’s Benefits, Features & Results)
- A BMW and Rolls have the same practical value.
- Both cars are built on the same chassis and interior trim.
- BMW owns Rolls Royce. Hence it’s the SAME CAR!
If you look at the “benefits” of both cars, they’re the same. If you look at the manufacturer, they’re the same. So what justifies Rolls Royce to be able to retail for over a quarter million dollars when BMW retails for under $100K? The answer is the Intrinsic Value! Consumers believe that the Rolls Royce Ghost is worth $300,000, and so they will pay that kind of money. Intrinsic value is created by positioning and promotion. The $$$ are in the Intrinsic Value!
So what’s Your Intrinsic Value??
What does your website look like? What’s your presence on LinkedIn? On Facebook? Are you running ads? Are you differentiating yourself from the other agents at your brokerage? (Not to mention the other agents within your market!). Before you get that far, you need to sit down and ask yourself some solid questions: What do you want your marketplace to think of you? If you had a magic power, what would it be? What do you stand for? What do you stand against? These are some very simple, but but very important questions. Even if they sound silly, take them seriously — it could be the difference between a prospect reaching out to you, or not knowing you even exist.
Use Our Work
We’re all about taking the ‘leg work’ out of things, and sharing our knowledge with all of you. That being said, you’ll find just below a quick worksheet that will guide you through the creation of your Ideal Positioning Statement.
Ideal Positioning Statement
Positioning: The perceived value of your product or service by the intended audience. This is created through the use of promotion, price, placement and product. Your Ideal Positioning
- How do we build up our intrinsic value?
- Create your Ideal Positioning Statement by asking yourself what you want your marketplace to think about you?
Your Ideal Positioning Statement Quick Tips What is your magic power? What is your superhero identity? What do you want your market to think of you? What do you stand for? What do you stand against? Create Your Ideal Positioning Statement (Your name) is known as (insert magic power) in (insert industry) market place. She/he is famous for (the application of the “power”) that also (what you stand for) without (what you stand against). Your Ideal Positioning Statement Example NoHype Digital is known as the most sought-after business transformation solution in the real estate marketplace. We are famous for helping agents leverage tech & automations so that they can double down on what makes them great, instead of doing it all themselves. Once you establish your position, it’s time to deploy it. PS: Let me know what you thought of the post, and if you have any questions.
Trevor MacCalder
”I believe that it’s within a culture of positive interaction and meaningful relationships that great things inevitably happen.”
Trevor MacCalder
”I believe that it’s within a culture of positive interaction and meaningful relationships that great things inevitably happen.”