Are You the Best Realtor Out There? My Dentist and his Frustrations with Marketing

I had an interesting conversation with my dentist today. I went in for a routine checkup and cleaning. He wanted to discuss marketing. More to the point, he wanted to share his frustrations with marketing.

He asked me a couple simple questions, "How come I didn't get a football schedule magnet from you?" He said it with a slight glint in his eye suggesting that the question wasn't completely serious. I responded, "Because they don't work." With his glint shining in full force, he added, "Oh, I was hoping you would say that it wasn't your style. You mean to tell me that you aren't the #1 Realtor in the area? I get all types of marketing materials from Realtors who all say they are #1" The conversation was getting fun. I answered honestly, "No, I am not the #1 Realtor in the area, but I am a great one and getting better every day."

My Dentist is abit older, probably in his late 50's, maybe in his 60's. His office still has wood paneling which immediately transports me back in time. It is also painted in some type of old-style green color. Honestly, I can't even tell you what shade of green it is. I know I won't find it at Lowe's. He is old school, a great dentist. I won't go into all of his frustrations with marketing, but the basic gist is that so much of marketing is a lie. It twists the truth. Really, can every Real Estate agent be the #1 Realtor in the area. Of course not. So what makes so many Realtors send out marketing materials with #1 Realtor on it and why do they promote that on their website? Because in our society you have to be #1. Anything less is seen as inadequate.

This blog is dedicated to "Keeping it Real." In my first post, I would like to do just that by saying that being #1 is not the most important thing. I simply don't believe that I have to be the #1 Realtor in the area. My commitment is to be the best Realtor I can be. My goal is to always be a great Realtor and to treat my clients with integrity. I love giving honest answers. I tell my sellers on a regular basis that their house is not worth what they think it is. Why? So they can deal with the reality of the current market. At Keller Williams Real Estate, we always say, "I don't make the market, I only interpret it." The worst thing a seller can do, especially in a buyer's market, is overprice their home. So I would much rather be an honest, straight-to-the-point Realtor than the #1 agent in the land.

I quickly reminded my dentist that not all marketing is deceptive, but his point is a good one for all of us to remember: a ton of it is! We always have to remind ourselves to Keep it Real, especially as we move deeper into the 21st Century with all of its advances in Social Media. Social Media is a wonderful thing. I fully embrace it all. But in the midst of that embrace, I never forget the wonderful reality of being face-to-face with another human being and sharing great ideas.