Are you a Rat or a Hamster? An open letter to independent estate agents.
Hello there,
I’ll get to the point.
The industry has an image problem. A bloody big one.
Most people do not trust estate agents. Heck a lot of agents don’t even trust agents.
Every time there is a top ten list of the least trusted / most despised professions in the UK estate agents will feature in it – Guaranteed.
Among the roll call of greedy bankers, lying politicians, dodgy car salesmen and truth allergic journalists you’ll be among them.
Why?
Don’t the public realise what you do for them?
Are they wilfully ignorant to the hard work and stress involved in getting the best price in the shortest amount of time for their most valuable asset?
Do they really think all you do is upload a few photos with some sales spiel onto a property portal?
I know most of you are good guys, but do they? From the popularity charts it appears not.
I’ve even heard estate agents referred to as ‘rats.’
This is despicable, unfair and a terrible slur on the majority of the industry (Disclaimer: In all professions there a percentage of schmucks, that’s just life).
But this slanderous snipe got me thinking.
What’s the difference between a rat and a hamster?
Both are rodents, they look pretty similar and share those beady little eyes.
Unless you’re a Vet or Sir David Attenborough that’s where the similarities end and perception kicks in.
Rats are feared, often hated, universally mistrusted and seen as vermin of the highest order.
Hamsters on the other hand are seen as cute, cuddly and so trustworthy little Jack or Jane has one called Harry as a pet wheeling around carefree in a cage in their bedroom.
Roman Abramovich (Russian, owns Chelsea FC, seriously loaded) says the real difference between a rat and a hamster is simply that ‘one has much better PR than the other.’
Old Romi is right.
It’s all about the public’s perception and that applies to your agency’s image and reputation. Perception matters. A lot.
As estate agents surely you sell trust and expertise before you sell houses? Otherwise how would you win the instruction?
If someone doesn’t trust you, value your skills or even like you nine times out of ten they sure as hell ain’t going to instruct you.
This is where working with a professional public relations man works wonders. I can change your public perception. For the better obviously.
While your agency’s image and reputation is priceless my guide to estate agency PR is as free as little Jimmy’s hamster after you forgot to shut the cage door.
My guide will show you lots of things including:
Why blogging works wonders for estate agents.
How to get the local press to love you.
Get a reputation for being your area’s most trusted agent.
And I’ll even include a free 20 minute telephone consultation on how you can improve your agency’s PR.
Yours (literally) in the fight against the plague of misperception,
Jerry Lyons
PS – Follow this link to grab my PR for Estate Agents Guide and see how I can help your agency become more popular, trusted and loved – just like Harry the Hamster.
PPS – I’d love to know why your agency is more hamster than rat – feel free to send me an email at Jerry@propertyprexpert.co.uk – subject line – ‘Rats enough, we’re hamsters.’
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