Differentiation is the foundation of a positive experience for customers. Oftentimes we fall into a trap where we think that the same experience is a good experience — the “if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality. However, selling real estate in 2021 is vastly different than it used to be.
The internet has made it easy for a listing agent to sell a house. Just post a few pics online and voila! But the effort that used to go into marketing a home led to a better experience for the seller — and the buyer. Now that this has been stripped away, how does an agent make their listing stand out? How does an agent even win a listing when the playing field is so automated?
Customers want exceptional service. BUT that means so many different things to different people. Differentiation starts with the human experience — and by that, I mean the experiences people have living in their homes.
When agents are more creative and work to enhance the customer experience, it makes everyone happier — which is what we all should be striving for. Making a listing stand out is an experience enhancement that everyone should be embracing. It’s also the differentiator. You’re bringing something different to the transaction and marketing your listing in a different way.
I’ve seen agents who do an effective job of winning a listing by being very different in their listing appointment. They ask better questions to help define a home, to improve their listing — and that to me is where they win. Nothing makes me more excited than to hear one of the agents I work with telling me their seller said something like, “How come the agent yesterday didn’t ask me…?” That’s when I know the agent has done an effective job of differentiating themselves, winning a listing, and earning their commission.
It’s not commoditization we’re concerned about.
By giving a cookie-cutter experience for every home, there are homes we are short-changing in terms of the sale price, whether we want to acknowledge it or not. Not every home is equal and there are certain features in a home that will resonate with buyers. When we draw those features out and market them, not only have we created a new experience, we’ve created a demand for that home.
When it comes to a high-performing home, Pearl helps you identify those high-performing features and translate them into value by making that home more desirable. A seller might not even realize what they're sitting on that can contribute to value. And although no buyer has ever gone out and said “I need a home that is air sealed correctly,” when they see what that means in their everyday life, they will look for that feature in every subsequent home.
So the seller earns more money on the sale, and the buyer feels great about the home they are buying. All because you differentiated yourself and your listing, and delivered an A+ customer experience.
Bottom line? Agents earn business through differentiation! And Pearl can help you differentiate.
Pearl Certification is transforming the housing market. We’re making a visible difference nationwide for homeowners and the businesses that serve them.
