Viva la Difference! By the way, what is it?

“Whoopeee! Another realtor.”

Realtors are a dime a dozen at the moment. In the current economy, they face increasing pressure to perform and that requires differentiating. The current report of the Greater Albuquerque Association of Realtors presents the area as a buyers market with 1,965 listings lasting an average of 68 days on the market.

So, as a realtor how do you shine in this kind of market?

Differentiation. No matter what label you give it – unique selling position, elevator speech, or distinction – your difference separates you from the competition. Defining your difference means finding and highlighting the things interesting to your audience.

NOTE: This everyday question could and should be addressed by every business professional, not just realtors.

The realtor I referred to had a news release prepared for local papers. Now, the simple news release can work for nearly any company. I talk about the how of news releases frequently when I talk about online media rooms and I’m presenting a Lunch N Learn today for AIBA; participants leave with their own news release begun.

For realtors, the challenge of differentiation may seem overwhelming. Sally (her name is changed to protect the innocent)had significant homebuilding experience behind her. In speaking to her marketing tactics, I recommend she capture and highlight her expertise with a special page on Facebook. Sally had already begun a Facebook page.

Social media works if one works the media. (See my post of June 2, 2008 on LinkedIn.) Sally can post her news release on Facebook. She could invite connections from prospects. In this new phase of her career, Sally might ask homeowners with whom she worked previously to recommend her. She could also provide links to any media coverage of her award-winning homes.

Further, I suggest Sally write a special report using her expertise as a builder to offer prospects information they might not from other realtors:

• 10 structural things to look for in your next home
• 20 Insights to the Well-Built Used Home

If Sally can’t write such a report, she could hire it done from a ghost writer. I’m certain that her 20-plus years as a contractor and builder offer her plenty of stories and information that a professional could develop.

Once the Special Report is complete, she needs to build a prospect list of her own. One way to do that involves responding to email requests for the report; in addition she might offer it to prospects who gave her their contact information on Facebook, in the broker’s office, or at other places where she can post a flyer about her offering.

Her ultimate goal: become the expert, the go-to realtor in that arena. This approach would differentiate her from dozens of other realtors who don’t have the hands-on experience as a builder.

It’s not a get-rich quick scheme but then almost nothing is. This approach highlights a true difference and separates Sally from hundreds of other realtors. Now Sally can begin to influence future buyers.

How do you plan to highlight your difference?