In real estate, as in many fields, in an effort to gain your business all sorts of claims are made in advertising. Our profession in BC is heavily regulated so ads making claims have to have a "disclaimer" somewhere. Of course sometimes the disclaimer is so small you'd need a microscope to read it! And, sometimes its so ridiculous you have to laugh. "Based on sales of similar homes from 2005 - 2006 on Tuesday afternoons." Apparently in my area there are three companies that are number 1!
But, that's not really where I was going with this....what I shake my head at is why a consumer, any consumer of any service or product would be impressed with these claims to fame:
1. We pay our salespeople less than anyone else in the business. (Wow...there's some motivation)
2. We are the busiest salespeople in the entire industry. (Wow...love trying to get help when everyone is too busy to even see me in the crowd.)
Some of these same companies also run banners about how much their clients saved by going with a model offering lower commission. Of course, any savvy consumer should question if this: "If this company pays all Realtors the least and are so busy that they're always advertising about how busy they are....did they really save me money? Or, did I lose money because not enough people wanted to see my home (insert any product) and my home was just one of a crowd that was not in any way special to the super busy Realtor who talked to me??"
Imagine this: you have a car to sell, a unique car. You can take your car to any lot in the North Okanagan. Would you want the salesperson advertising that they are paid the least to work for you? Would you want the salesperson who has so much inventory on their lot they don't even know where yours is parked? Do you really want to have your "baby" looked after in a machine advertising volume?
I wouldn't. I'd take my car to the salesperson who liked my car and knew how it worked. I'd take my car to the salesperson who understood why I was selling, what I needed for it, what I needed after it. I'd take my car to the salesperson who looked after all their inventory personally and well. I'd take my car to the salesperson who shouted from the rooftop that the salespeople associated with their lot were the best paid in the industry. I'd take my car to the place that didn't use gimmicks and high pressure sales. I'd take my car somewhere that people go knowing they can trust the service and value.
But, hey, that's just me!
But, that's not really where I was going with this....what I shake my head at is why a consumer, any consumer of any service or product would be impressed with these claims to fame:
1. We pay our salespeople less than anyone else in the business. (Wow...there's some motivation)
2. We are the busiest salespeople in the entire industry. (Wow...love trying to get help when everyone is too busy to even see me in the crowd.)
Some of these same companies also run banners about how much their clients saved by going with a model offering lower commission. Of course, any savvy consumer should question if this: "If this company pays all Realtors the least and are so busy that they're always advertising about how busy they are....did they really save me money? Or, did I lose money because not enough people wanted to see my home (insert any product) and my home was just one of a crowd that was not in any way special to the super busy Realtor who talked to me??"
Imagine this: you have a car to sell, a unique car. You can take your car to any lot in the North Okanagan. Would you want the salesperson advertising that they are paid the least to work for you? Would you want the salesperson who has so much inventory on their lot they don't even know where yours is parked? Do you really want to have your "baby" looked after in a machine advertising volume?
I wouldn't. I'd take my car to the salesperson who liked my car and knew how it worked. I'd take my car to the salesperson who understood why I was selling, what I needed for it, what I needed after it. I'd take my car to the salesperson who looked after all their inventory personally and well. I'd take my car to the salesperson who shouted from the rooftop that the salespeople associated with their lot were the best paid in the industry. I'd take my car to the place that didn't use gimmicks and high pressure sales. I'd take my car somewhere that people go knowing they can trust the service and value.
But, hey, that's just me!
