by blake gray, principal at apex estate agents
In the recent May/June issue, we briefly discussed how to adapt and succeed in a changing market, such as in the adjustment we’re currently experiencing. We addressed five of the most common questions as coming from property sellers. The key takeaway from the article was that premium prices are still possible. It’s the shift in mindset and approach that produces the winning result.
There will be those of you who wish to sell in July and August, have plans to sell as Spring sets in around September, or perhaps your property is already listed ‘For Sale’, however, it’s not going as planned. This article is intended for you. Think of this as your pre–game huddle, just before stepping onto the real estate field. In this piece I’d like to imbue you with a sense of verve and bearing with regard to your campaign (whether it be forthcoming or already underway). After all, an adjusting market does have its challenges, but it certainly also has its rewards. And so, this article is specifically about encouraging you to think differently about energy and how to elevate it.
Here’s how to be a real turn–on in the market between now and Spring.
People talk about energy in varying contexts all the time, but almost never is it clearly defined or explained in such a way that is actionable, sustainable or very much useful. Generally energy is just a synonym for enthusiasm, positive thinking, or improving morale. This is typically an accurate interpretation when it’s invoked by sales professionals and I’ve noticed it’s being mentioned quite a bit in the space recently. While I agree that morale is unquestionably an important ingredient in success, the fallacy here is that simply thinking positively and ‘keeping the energy high’ has some sort of lasting, tangible effect. I would submit that it does not, in fact, improve output, nor alter outcomes for the better in any measurable way because there’s no framework behind it. It’s analogous to holding a pre–game huddle to increase motivation for a match in which no gameplay and no strategy has been set with which to direct this motivation, thus it quickly evaporates. We must attempt to view energy in a new way.
I think clarity is important. So through this new lens, I shall do my best to define what we mean by energy, suggest how to quantify it, and most importantly, detail how it’s perceived and exchanged in property sales, all in a manner that actually translates into calculable actions that produce results.
In the context of selling real estate we can talk about energy in the following conceptual way.
Any property transaction comprises two separate hemispheres. In one hemisphere is the campaign (the seller; the agent(s); the marketing and pricing) and in the other is the marketplace (the buyers; the viewing audience; consumers of real estate content). There is always friction between these two halves. The more friction, the lower the potential offers and the less likely a sale is to take place. In the most basic sense we can define energy as it relates to each hemisphere. From the perspective of the campaign, energy is the total level of responsiveness, engagement and interest received from the marketplace. From the perspective of the marketplace, energy is the total level of clarity and appeal created by the campaign. The greater these two, the less friction between them.
Therefore, in this conceptualisation, a high–energy campaign is one that proactively anticipates what the marketplace will find attractive. It then follows that a campaign that finds renewed energy is one that reflexively and effectively responds to the energy it receives from the marketplace – in a fashion that amplifies the resolution of its attractiveness. In other words, a high–energy campaign should start with strong conviction, then listen to the marketplace and evolve (upscaling its qualities and minimising its liabilities as it does so).
Now a quick word on morale. Your sales agent acts as the conduit for the transferring of this energy between the two hemispheres. A skilled representative actively filters this energy for the most valuable information and in turn provides practical, evidence–based direction for moving forward. This in itself will build reassurance and morale inside your campaign as a matter of course, as it provides the basis for the missing framework we spoke of earlier.
Conceptualise energy in this new way and you’re sure to become an appealing player on the real estate field.
For more information on some supplementary techniques for designing an attractive campaign and being a real turn–on in the market, please refer to previous issues of both On the Coast Families and On the Coast Over 55.
Blake Gray | Principal APEX Estate Agents – Blue Bay
0448 822 123 | bg@apexestateagents.com | apexestateagents.com
APEX Estate Agents are a team of avant–garde real estate specialists, marketing experts, and consummate professionals absolutely obsessed with challenging the status quo. We exist to be the ultimate custodians for our clients, thus improving their quality of life through property – that’s our raison d’être.