NAR ruling represents an amazing marketing opportunity for agents with the right message.

Including in this article:

• What's the amazing opportunity?
• 10 ways to stand out from other agents
• Useful links
• Free downloads

I’m not going to get into any judgement around the recent finding against the National Association of Realtors in the US and this month’s settlement agreement. What’s done is done. There’s little to be gained from post-mortem commentary. The big questions now are around what happens next and what agents are going to do about it.?

Just my two cents, but I don’t believe the decision will cause house prices to fall. The price of real estate lives in a free market environment and is clear of any recommended retail rules or guidelines. Rather, what a home sells for is predominantly determined by the emotional influences surrounding a buyer’s motivation to become the property owner, the seller’s motivation to accept the final offer, and the skill of a good agent to bring everything together.?

Any realtor will tell you that few sales are the result of a buyer mathematically approaching an offer number based purely on recent comparable sales, dollar-per-square-foot benchmarks, or current building costs. Typically, buying residential real estate is an emotional decision. That’s why sale prices are unpredictable and often surprising.

...And therein lies an unprecedented opportunity for marketing-savvy agents to leverage these recent changes by reaching out to potential selling clients with a message that reflects the agent’s ability to help their clients sell for a better price on better terms.?

I believe every seller has three specific objectives when they put a property on the market:?

1. A sale at a top market price
2. At or less than average days on the market and?
3. To be the beneficiary of a rewarding real estate selling experience?

Marketing savvy agents can appeal to potential clients by illustrating their success at achieving a better-than-average result in less than the average days-on-market.?

Right now, many US agents are worried about plummeting commissions following the ruling against the NAR and being pushed out of the market by competitors discounting. ?(A similar legal challenge is currently swirling in Canada)

Instead, I believe they should be looking at how they can package a better offer to help potential selling clients understand that not all agents are the same and that every seller has the power and opportunity to influence their selling price with the right strategy, the right marketing campaign, and the right agent.?

This doesn’t mean high cost and glossy ad campaigns, it’s simply a matter of connecting with potential clients on a different level with innovative strategies to build and nurture more relationships.

In Australia and New Zealand where agent fees are deregulated and there is no MLS, commission is only paid to the selling agent and averages 2 to 3%. Many sellers are also happy to pay an additional marketing levy to cover the cost of an advertising campaign. This not only results in better promotion but also showcases the agent’s marketing skills.?

Australian and Kiwi sellers understand the importance of marketing and see it as a prudent investment toward achieving the best result.?

Here are a few more ideas to help you develop an effective positioning strategy so you stand out from every other agent in your area.?

• Build a bank of client reviews and testimonials that champion your ability to help your clients achieve above-market-value results
• Write and publish an eBook or guide that includes your best ideas on how sellers can best present their home to attract more buyers and more offers. Here's a sample to give you some inspiration. If you'd like a customized copy, or an eBook with your name on the cover, let me know.?
• Make a series of simple videos on the above idea and publish them on your Youtube channel. This is a very cool idea and I guarantee none of your competitors will be doing anything similar
• Create a list of reliable local traders, contractors and professionals in the home services area like painters, plumbers, house washers, fencers, gardeners cleaners and junk removers who can help sellers prepare their home first sale.?
• Make sure you use light-balanced professional images and videos to market your listings.?
• Never publish a listing with images of empty rooms. Instead, you can virtually stage any room for a few dollars with services from companies like BoxBrownie.com
• Make sure all your marketing is ‘brand consistent’ so a common theme runs through everything from your ads, signage, flyers and handouts. You can access and quickly customize do-it-yourself brand kits from online marketing libraries like Jigglar.com
• Continually remind your database how your system helps sellers achieve ‘above market value’ results and deliriously happy and grateful clients
• Run paid ads for your listings on social media and optimize your reach and click-through rate while reducing your cost per click by using AI to live test different combinations of your ads and automatically shift your daily spend to the best-performing ads.?More info here
• Spread your influence and become the Digital Mayor in town. It's a great way to get notice and you'll find it very good for business. Here's how to do it.

Now is the time for innovative thinking and putting yourself in the seller’s shoes to 'package' what you bring to the table.

A real estate revolution is coming, and the winners will be the first to market with the right message that connects meaningfully.?