If you see a bandwagon, it’s too late!!
Like so many great and inspiring statements, I think the brilliance of this one by James Goldsmith is two fold. It’s memorable and it has a subtle message at it’s core. It underlines the importance of differentiating yourself and your business from the competition, taking the less trodden path, being bold, creative and innovative.
During an interval at a recent conference I was exchanging some interesting banter with a group of Estate Agents. I asked them about why their business was different to the competition. Needless to say the responses were mixed, but most were less than exciting. What was interesting however, was that if they were asked this question during an appraisal by a potential vendor, then most of the agents were convinced of their ability to overcome it. Not completely surprised by this I decided to probe a bit further. “So how many appraisal appointments are you getting during an average week”? I asked. “Not enough, it’s very quiet” came the reply. “That’s Interesting” I said, “what’s the point of having the answers if you are not creating the questions, the demand or the opportunities?” I asked.
And then there was silence, for a reflective minute or two!
So I come back to my earlier point about differentiating yourselves. Think about the activities that will generate the required result. For example, if you need more appraisal appointments then what is going to generate them, why should a potential vendor use your agency? What stands out? Why are you different?
Whether we like it or not people form a perception based on what they see, hear or read, it’s human nature. So do your future clients ‘see’ your business in a way they should see it, or is their perception of it different?
And as everyone talks about providing great customer service – what exactly is it, what does it look like and when does it start? Because only when you know the answers can you start delivering it.
So if you really do want to see a bandwagon -make sure you got it rolling first!
www.madconsultancy.co.uk – Consultants to the Property Services Industry.
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