Most real estate companies that I meet say that they are looking to provide their customers with more than bricks and mortar — their goal is to help clients find homes, productive office spaces or efficient industrial facilities. However, most of them also admit privately that they are failing to differentiate themselves from their competitors.
If this situation sounds like your company, then I believe I have found the person causing this problem and you can see him or her clearly most mornings when you are brushing your teeth.
In my time when I am not updating this blog, my job is to help real estate companies selling large footprint properties to find more customers and build their brands through RightSite.asia, and it was on just such a mission this morning that I went to meet with the marketing director of a business park developer from a small island nation.
Previously, I had spoken with some of the executives from this listed company at an event, and they had explained that their problem was that they could not compete on price with local developers, and that they needed to show potential clients the advantages of working with a professionally managed developer capable of putting together a world-class business park.
So we made an appointment for me to stop by their office today and discuss ways that they could project their company’s added value more effectively through RightSite.
Here’s a blow-by-blow of the office visit:
Arrive at glass office door — no receptionist in sight, but some staff can be seen working inside
Ring doorbell to summon receptionist — no response
Wait two minutes — ring doorbell again — still no response
Knock on door — other staff look up, but no one answers door
Notice the “back” door of this whole floor office is unattended — sneak into office
Walk through office past managers’ offices – no one notices
Find 24-year-old heavily made up person playing solitaire — tell her that I have an appointment with their marketing director for 10:00 am
Miss Maybelline lets me know that their marketing director is on a business trip and her assistant is not present
I am told to wait and they will find someone else from their marketing department to speak to.
Wait two minutes at reception desk (Miss Receptionist has materialised)
Decide that my time can be better spent elsewhere and leave
So lets review this company’s issue as they see it “they had explained that their problem was that they could not compete on price with local developers, and that they needed to show potential clients the advantages of working with a professionally managed developer capable of putting together a world-class business park.”
Sorry, but a company that cannot manage their own office properly, needs more than marketing to convince the public that they should pay a premium for their space.
Just because your government gives you low interest loans doesn’t mean that you will win in China. I can guarantee you that the local players will have better resources than you can get from back home.
If your company doesn’t want to compete on price — and most smart people don’t — then it means making a commitment to running a professional company, and that starts at your own desk and goes from there.
It’s only after achieving professionalism in your own space that you will be able to provide this to others.
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