WorkPuzzle

Appealing to Younger Agents

A recent Real Trends article hammered home what many of us have suspected for quite some time...that the real estate agent population is aging.  In their article "Younger Sales Professionals Leaving the Industry in Droves" they go a step further, telling us that, not only are they difficult to attract, but that these younger agents are also difficult to retain:

"When viewed only by median age, the change has not seemed severe:  The median age went from 52 (in 2004) to 51 (in 2006) to 54 (in 2009).  This is noticeable, but most haven’t seemed to react too much over it (though it’s hard not to note that in the recent three-year period the median age increased by three years, which essentially says that the whole group just stayed the same and aged together – this alone is revealing).  

Based on our calculations, the number of sales professionals under the age of 35 has dropped from 149,000 to 101,000 (down 32%).  Over the same period, the number of sales professionals 35 to 44 has dropped from 272,000 to 156,000 (43% down); those 45 to 54 have dropped from 407,000 to 301,000 (26% down).  At the same time, the 55-and-over group has virtually held steady (going from 557,000 to 545,000).  In other words, we lost 164,000 Gen X’ers and Millennials in a three-year period (nearly 40% of what they were)."  (Real Trends Volume March 2011, XXV, Number 3)

Their explanation of this trend is fairly straight forward and I believe it is right on target.  They say:

"If we focus on the 35 to 44 group, which represented 20% of the total agent population in both 2004 and 2006 but only 14% today, we know that this generation had never experienced a down market before this one (after all, they were all in their thirties five years ago, and age 25 to 34 a decade ago).  It would seem that this group hit the wall and struggled to make ends meet just as they were moving to an age when one normally settles down and focuses on a long-term career.  They were brought into the business at a time when the industry was largely focused, from NAR right down through the individual brokerages, on expanding rosters to higher profits by recruiting, recruiting, and recruiting.  With some exceptions, similar energies were generally not put into training during this time.  Bad habits were formed, “easy money” was made by many thanks to a booming market, and too little was done to prepare for a shifting weather pattern.  When the downturn in the housing market went from bad to historic, it’s no wonder that many in this generation were not prepared to handle the jolt."

Real Trends' solution to the problems, however, seems a bit short-sided to me.  They recommend bringing younger candidates into today's rental market.  Not a entirely bad idea, but, I see the problem of attracting and retaining young talent to be much more complex than that very simple solution.

Before publishing some of my own thoughts about this trend, I would greatly appreciate hearing from some of our readers.  So, in the next day or so, please let me know what you think.  In the meantime, I'll write my thoughts out...and I'll be ready to add yours in the next edition.

You can send them by email or respond to this blog.  Thanks!

---

Editor's Note:  This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn.  Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Social Networking and Recruiting: 7 Guidelines for What to Share on Facebook

Yesterday, I pointed out that sharing too much in your social networks (quantity) is annoying to those who interact with you online.  It is a good way to get relegated to the spam box or simply turned off.  It is better to thoughtfully select the things you share (quality), and post less often.

The risk of taking this approach is that you may come across as shallow or having an agenda that is self-serving.  Having a clear focus can produce its own set of casualties. This is the classic problem with politics, advertising, marketing, branding, social media and recruiting.  Is there a middle ground that is just right?  I think so, and that place is called authenticity.

To help us understand authenticity, I'd like to share part of an article written by Heather Bussing.  Heather is an employment and business attorney who recently wrote Does Authenticity Make My Butt Look Big? In the article, she lays out some very helpful guidelines regarding what is appropriate to share professionally in social networks:

"I’ve been listening to sessions on employment branding at the Tru London conference.  The overall consensus is that companies should be more 'authentic'  But what does that really mean?  And how do you do it?  Asking yourself if you are being authentic enough is like asking if your what you're wearing makes your butt look big.  The questions are equally narcissistic and no one is going to tell you the truth.  (By the way, transparency always makes your butt look big.) 

 
To work on being more 'authentic' is to preclude the very possibility of authenticity.  Authenticity is not a destination.  It’s part of the sweat you work up taking a good hard run at life.  There is no way to 'be' authentic.  Authenticity is inherent in just being.  This is because being authentic is just being yourself.  If you are comfortable in your own skin, you will be authentic without trying.

For some, being authentic means revealing personal information.  For others, it means demonstrating their quirks and foibles to seem more human.  Still others want to be clearer in their communications and say exactly what they mean.  These things don’t always work, nor do they demonstrate authenticity.  The whole point of authenticity is credibility.  When we say someone is authentic it means that they are not fake, they are true and you can believe them.  As Jean Giraudeaux once said:

'The secret of success is sincerity.  Once you can fake that you’ve got it made.'

But,the reverse is also true:

'A little sincerity is a dangerous thing, and a great deal of it is absolutely fatal'            - Oscar Wilde.
 
So the key is to be yourself but stay focused on your purpose, audience and topic.  Here are some practical tips I’ve learned as a trial lawyer on where to draw the line with your genuine, sincere, authenticity:

1. Avoid TMI:  Too Much Information is not the same as being authentic.  People don’t want to know about your medical conditions, particularly anything involving a rash or oozing.  They also don’t want to know about the toilet training of your children, how you cured smelly feet or other such personal information.
2. Avoid Public Heartfelt Disclosures:  It absolutely works in private and is essential to close relationships.  Most people are really uncomfortable with that level of disclosure with people they don’t know.  So avoid public discussion in business or professional settings of the epiphanies you had in therapy, church, a personal discussion with your spouse, or any combination thereof.
3. Self deprecation only works if it’s funny.  Irony doesn’t come through in writing unless you are a really talented writer with room for context.  Even adding an emoticon just doesn’t cut it.  If you say, 'I’m such an idiot,'  people will just think you’re an idiot.  On the other hand, you can push the line a lot farther if it’s funny.
4. Be your 'professional' self.  Put things out there you would share with a new boss or colleague.  If it’s someone who would get less than 70% on your Facebook How well do you know me quiz, it’s probably TMI.
5. Do not post anything online out of anger, fear, after more than one drink, or after 10 pm, whichever comes first.
6. Righteous indignation, no matter how passionate and heartfelt, always comes off closer to raving lunatic.
7. If you are uncomfortable, you’ll never pull it off.  Don’t even try to overcome it.  So just be uncomfortable and move on.  It will pass as soon as you let it.

The real key to communicating authentically is understanding what you are saying really well, then saying it as clearly and simply as possible.  This takes a lot more work and a lot more time than knocking off a few lines at the keyboard or flying by the seat of your pants.  It often requires editing, polishing, feedback and rethinking—all things that are often absent in online publishing."  

Bottom line:  Authenticity is both knowing what you are talking about and saying it really well.  The power of social networks--as a viable recruiting and business tool--will not be realized until we learn this lesson.

---

Editor's Note:  This article was written by Ben Hess.  Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Social Networking and Recruiting: Stop the Social Vomiting

Dave and I had the opportunity to attend two national real estate conferences last week in San Diego and Las Vegas.  While we attempt to stay connected with our clients year-round, there is nothing that replaces making the personal, face-to-face connections that happen at these types of venues.

I'm always amazed at how much we learn by talking with those who run businesses on a day-to-day basis.  The school of real life is a relentless taskmaster, but a faithful teacher of truth.  Gleaning these truths from our interactions and passing them on to those who read WorkPuzzle is one of the things I enjoy most about my job.

One area that remains to be of keen interest among many owners and first level managers is the topic of social networking as it applies to recruiting.  It would seem that this arena has so much potential, but the benefits have been very difficult to capture, measure, and scale.  We're really in the infancy of how social networking can be used to benefit the recruiting process.

Of course, the only way to learn is to experiment.  And many of these "experiments" have produced disasterous results.  In fact, there is a trend emerging where candidates are pushing back on clumsy attempts to use social networking for recruiting.  I've read several articles in the last week or so on what NOT to do when trying to promote your employment brand and recruit in the social networking arena. 

One of the best articles was written by Kathy Rapp, the Managing Director of hrQ.  Kathy recently took three months of maternity leave and was able to use that time to be a third party observer of the social networking state of affairs.  Here is what she noticed:

"I can't tell you how many people I've now hidden or turned-off because of the immense amount of social vomiting they do on a daily basis.  You know what I'm talking about.  There were those who continuously self-promote; those who posted every semi-humorous you-tube video of commercials, bands or cats; or those who simply retweeted everything they could without a single comment as to why I should take time to click on the link.

On the flip side were people who were extremely thoughtful in their posts, blogs or commentary.  Those who produced informative reads or insights that made me want to learn more.  I really, really came to appreciate the QUALITY of the communication.

When you are trying to establish your personal brand, company presence, networking reach, or just responding to a post, remember quality over quantity.  While I may know your name because of the number of tweets you are tied to, if I associate your name with 'annoying' I doubt it is the message you want to deliver.

An example of a company that gets the quality concept: HomeAway.  Two years ago they jumped off a big cliff and produced a Super Bowl ad with the much talked about return of Clark and the Griswold family.  This year, it was the introduction of the Ministry of Detourism.

They've tiptoed into other social media realms, and as such whenever I see the clever blue birdhouse, I tend to read what has been posted.  Excellent example of company branding that emphasizes quality communication over quantity, which also happens to be one of the concepts they are selling to their customers."

Take an inventory of what you're sharing on your social networks.  Are you guilty of a little "social vomiting" of your own?  I hope not, but it sometimes is difficult to tell what's inappropriate to share.  It's a little like trying to figure out if you have bad breath--you may not be able to tell, and others are uncomfortable letting you know.  Next time, I'll cover some guidelines on what is appropriate to share and how you can turn your social network into a professional asset. 

---

Editor's Note:  This article was written by Ben Hess.  Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

The Case Against Passion

There are two frequently used words that tend to make my blood boil:  (1) issues, as in, "She is dealing with some issues;" and (2) passion, as in, "Pursue your passion."  Now, it's not that I never say these words, but, because they are overused, they have almost lost their meaning.  This is especially true when it comes to the way the concept of "passion" is used to find one's calling in life.

A great deal of the obsession around the concept of passion has to do with America's obsession with being happy.  If you haven't figured it out by reading my articles by now, I'll tell you that the science is fairly clear:  The happiest people are not the ones who are actively pursuing happiness.  They receive it as a bi-product of doing the right things every day to build a life of meaning and purpose, contributing towards something much greater than themselves.

Why is this topic important to a recruiter?  Read the following words from Daniel Pink's recent article "Think Tank: Ever Felt Like Your Job Isn't What You Were Born To Do?  You're Not Alone, And You'll See Why."

"When we find ourselves in the midst of a career change or feel a dull sense that what we're doing now isn't what we should be doing forever, our friends and families – along with every mentor, advisor, and consultant – will smile knowingly, lean in tenderly, and pose this question:  Tell me, what's your passion?  The idea is that if we simply acknowledge what fires our soul, if we just pull out our metaphysical arthroscope and examine our hearts, the path will reveal itself.  With a voice that quavers in expectation and an inflection that italicises the final word – they ask us again, 'What's your passion?'

Ladies and gentlemen, I detest that question.

When someone poses it to me, my innards tighten.  My vocabulary becomes a palette of aahs and ums.  My chest wells with the urge to flee.

Oh my.  The answer better be amazing – not some fumbling, feeble reply.  But I know the responses I've formed in my head aren't especially good.  Worse, they're probably not even accurate.  And I'm not alone.

So, as the economy comes back, and people begin pondering new opportunities, maybe we can take a break from this daunting and distracting question and ask a far more productive, one:  What do you do?

I learned the wisdom of this alternative from Gretchen Rubin, who lives and works in New York City.  After graduating from law school in the early 1990s, Rubin served as a law clerk for the US Supreme Court.  This job is perhaps the sweetest plum in the American legal orchard.  It practically guarantees a career of high-level positions in law firms and government.

But during her stint, Rubin's eyes wandered away from the law.

'When I had free time, I never wanted to talk about cases or read law journals, the way my fellow clerks did.  Instead, I spent hours reading, taking notes and writing my observations about the worldly passions – power, money, fame and sex,' Rubin says.

'Finally, I realized -- Hey, I'm writing a book.  And it dawned on me that some people write books for a living.  This project didn't have to be my hobby; it could be my job.'

She wrote her first book – Power Money Fame Sex:  A User's Guide – and soon she realized that she wasn't a lawyer.  She was a writer.  Now she has four books to her name, including her latest, The Happiness Project.

Rubin might have felt an occasional bolt of passion while writing.  But that didn't offer much guidance.  Instead, she took a step back and watched what she did.

Emma Jones is the founder of Enterprise Nation, a London company that supports small businesses.  She has discovered that people who notice what they do when nobody is watching them, or even paying them, often end up as entrepreneurs.

As it happens, I can testify to the power of de-emphasizing passion and re-emphasizing doing.  Beginning about two decades ago, I worked in some very demanding, intensely stressful jobs in American politics and government. But throughout – on the side, usually for no money – I wrote magazine articles about business and work, and formulated ideas for books.  At one level, it was foolish.  I lost sleep, sacrificed leisure, and probably distracted myself from my paid employment.

But after many years, it finally hit me:  This – not politics – is what I did.  And now, as a result, that's what I do.

Am I passionate about it?  Sure, I guess.  Maybe.  Some days.  But passion isn't something I much ponder.  I'm too busy doing what I do."

Having pondered the above, do you have any ideas how your interviews might change in the future?  Certainly don't throw candidates out of your office for using the word "passion."  But, do drill down more thoroughly on how the candidates spend their free time.  They may not even think to tell you much of the really interesting stuff...stuff like: "I basically like talking to my friends 24/7 and have about 1,000 phone numbers of people I stay in contact with..." or ... "I spend a great deal of time on the computer, following stories, stats, information..."

In either case, you can use that information to better coach those candidates on how to turn what they do into a more personally derived business plan that resonates with what they already do, naturally.

---

Editor's Note:  This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn.  Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Generosity: How to Persevere a Long Recruiting Cycle

I had the pleasure of spending some time in the San Francisco Bay area last week with one of our clients.  I enjoy this particular company because their energy toward recruiting is among the best I've ever observed.  Their executive team and hiring managers are truly passionate about hiring.  And their passion is not just raw exuberance, but rather an excitement towards becoming more effective in their methodologies and working smarter than their competitors.

As we talked through their recruiting challenges, it became apparent that passion and energy is something they'll need a lot of if they hope to be successful.  Why?  Because the real estate recruiting environment is going to continue to be challenging for some time.

One of these challenges is the length of the recruiting cycle (i.e. the time it takes to recruit an agent).  Whether a company’s recruiting focus is "new to real estate" candidates or experienced agents who are currently working for a competitor, the recruiting cycle is much longer, on average, than it has been in the past. 

Why?  Uncertainty in the economy and difficult conditions in the real estate market tend to make people more risk averse.  While candidates will still change companies if they experience a crisis with their current employer/broker, most people in today’s environment prefer to hang onto what they have unless the perfect opportunity comes along.

With a lengthy recruiting cycle becoming the norm, the hiring managers who can persevere and stay engaged with a candidate over a long period of time are the ones who are going to be successful.

How do you accomplish this?  One place to start is generosity.  In a recent article in Fast Company, Anya Kamenetz makes the point that the internet has a way of empowering this type of engagement through generosity:

"… what fascinates me is the way in which the Internet can unleash acts of generosity and true connection.

Truth is, anyone who goes online takes advantage of the kindness of strangers.  Wikipedia is the most famous example.  Still, sites like Amazon, eBay, Yelp, and TripAdvisor are also valuable because of the feedback provided gratis by millions of people.

When it comes to sites such as PatientsLikeMe, or any of the thousands of message boards dedicated to infertility, cancer, and various other ailments, people get informed about life-and-death decisions based on volunteered information, while also deriving much-needed emotional support from strangers.

Sociologists attribute the desire to contribute to such communities to a “reputation economy,” in which people gain self-esteem and standing by giving away their time and opinion.  Information is the thing people will share most readily, followed by time, followed by goods."

Notice what she says in the last paragraph:  “…people gain self-esteem and standing by giving away their time and opinion.”  If this is true, then hiring managers should be among the most generous people around!  In essence, recruiting boils down to continually raising your “standing” in the eyes of your candidates (over a sustained period of time) until the candidate feels compelled to join your team.

What can you be giving away to your candidates?  

---

Editor's Note:  This article was written by Ben Hess.  Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Branding Example for the Real Estate Manager

A couple of weeks ago, Ben wrote a series of well-received articles on employment branding, as it relates to managers and the importance of recruiting and retaining high-caliber agents and candidates.

Long before "branding" was ever a topic of discussion, a leading pioneer in in the field of I/O (Industrial Organizational) Psychology, stated that he always begins working with an organization by first asking this question:

"What is it that you are known for, and how are you furthering that knowledge to others?"

Whether you know it or not, you are known for something.  You may not be aware of what it is and may need to spend some time exploring and assessing your strengths and what you stand for.  If you haven't yet, please do read Ben's series on branding (1,2,3,4).

Then...check out Dan Foster's blog...

Dan, manager at Prudential Northwest Properties, based in Portland Oregon, is a very skillful brander.  He has obviously worked hard to articulate and build further an identity for himself that resonates with who he is, and what he values.  You'll notice that he's certainly not trying to be everything to everyone... He is simply conveying and repeating his message again and again...

And so, instead of me taking your time today, allow me to redirect you to Dan's site so that you can spend some quality time pursuing ideas on how to further your brand, and better yet, your mark on this world...  

---

Editor's Note:  This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn.  Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Real Estate Managers and Gold Rush Alaska

As you know, if you've read the first edition of this series, I promised you a description of how your job can be compared to a Gold Miner's, and how this analogy should be in the forefront of your mind at all times if you want to consistently add value to your office and company.

My current favorite cable TV show is a program called "Gold Rush Alaska."  If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend starting from the very beginning through on demand or via the Discovery Channel on the internet.

The program is about a small team of unemployed, blue collar workers from Sandy, Oregon, who spend their last dollars on equipment and leasing of a promising piece of land in Alaska, with the hopes of finding gold.  I love watching this team of inexperienced, but mechanically savvy guys think their way through a series of mistakes, alternatives, fixes, injuries, and mechanical changes in order to capture every flake of gold, while discarding all unnecessary rocks and gravel.

The reason your job has become very much like theirs is that yours no longer provides easily found gold (new or experienced agents) by stumbling over nuggets as you walk along the river bed.  In fact it's gotten downright difficult.

One of the most fascinating themes to watch as the series progresses is how each and every piece of the entire system is vital to the success of finding LOTS of gold....or none at all.  In each episode the workers spend most of their time assessing each and every part of the process.  This kind of diligence and attention to the overall process is crucial for effective and efficient recruiting as well.  In fact, many similarities can be drawn between gold mining and agent recruiting.  Here is a description of some of the machinery used in gold mining and how it relates to the sourcing of agents:

1. Large Backhoe to dig up large amounts of dirt and rocks:  This is your first stage of sourcing candidates.  These numbers must be sufficiently large enough that you KNOW that there must be gold (great hires) in the volume.  This process includes continually broadening your network, increasing your exposure and brand, and setting up a system to manage large volumes of new candidate interest.
2. Grizzly Feeder:  This is a huge rectangular receptacle that can receive tons of dirt and rocks.  This is your version of a reliable system that can track every candidate, or where every experienced agent (as you network) can be entered and tracked.  It must be built to quickly receive the large volume of candidates that you presumably and consistently are feeding into the system.
3. Large Trommel:  This is a large drum that constantly rotates, and gradually separates the gravel from the gold. This process is similar to the many calls you make and emails you send to slowly build a trusting relationship with candidates to ensure that you don't lose any of the best talent.
4. Sluice Box:  This piece may be the most important.  This long corridor of riffles further refines the separation of gold from gravel.  Read this explanation and see if you can understand the similarities between Mining and patience in Recruiting:

"Getting the flow right is the key to running a sluice.  Too much water, or moving too quickly will carry gold higher into suspension. 

On the flip side, too little flow, while allowing the gold to drop out quickly, also allows lighter material to drop out, filling the space between your riffles, eliminating the slow spots entirely, and allowing the rest of your gold to flow right out of the box.

The perfect flow allows the gold and other heavies to drop out of suspension and the lighter material to flow out of the box." 

To recruit well, you must have the right equipment, put all the pieces in place, be diligent in keeping the flow going at the right speed (while not missing any golden recruits), and most importantly...you must consistently measure and perfect every piece of the puzzle.

---

Editor's Note:  This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn.  Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Two Ways Real Estate Manager Jobs Have Changed Forever

Over the past three years I have heard the following words from ALL of the smartest people I know:  "The world has changed!"

These words may sound shallow and cliche when they come from the mouths of most people.  But, when these words trickle out, VERBATIM, from the mouths of my top ten list of most successful clients, mentors, acquaintances and friends I am blessed to know, I tend to listen.....carefully.  And so should you.

I have questioned each of them about what they mean when they state that "the world has changed," and invariably it can be boiled down to the following:  Each and every business and each and every position within those businesses (especially the visionaries and the managers) must overhaul how they approach their work from this point forward if they expect to remain competitive.  Here's what these folks are really saying:

"You don't have to reinvent everything, but you must do a thorough assessment of all you do, and everything you believe, and rethink its proper fit in today's...and tomorrow's markets." 

I have deliberately spent some time thinking about the changes that I see in your position and responsibilities.  I would love to hear from all of you about the changes that you see.  I will start the list with two observations I've made, but will amend the list as I hear from many of you.  I will post however many changes we can list.  It may be five...it may be 12...I'm not sure yet.  But, you and I can help build the list together.  So, for today, here are two ways that Real Estate Manager jobs have changed:

1. Today's manager must change WHO they recruit:  The days of thousands of brash and naive "I want rewards without work" kind of people wanting to make an easy buck in real estate are probably over...and should be over.  Prior to 2008, a manager could actually argue that it was appropriate to hire hundreds of low quality people.  After all, everyone's neighbor, or someone in their circle of friends, was selling or buying, and fewer homeowners were as concerned as they are today about squeezing every last dollar out of each exchange.  Today, customers are demanding a more savvy approach and increased need for professionalism.  As an example, my neighbors, who recently put their house up for sale, formally held interviews with three agents (one was a mutual friend and neighbor) before finally choosing an agent who demonstrated the most professionalism in asking questions, intelligently listening to their needs and presenting a plan for selling their home that best reflected those needs.  (The friend/neighbor didn't get the gig.)  Experience in the business and who you know may mean less than an agent's actual customer focused skills these days.  The new agent must be an excellent executor of sales tasks that drive business as well.
2. Today's manager must change HOW they recruit:  Today's agent in today's market must be a hard-working professional.  They must be a high caliber business person who understands the essential importance of how, (despite the importance of every technology tool out there) through meeting peoples' needs daily, they will build a good referral base.  These agents will not be recruited through traditional means, but like mining for gold, will be found after lots of digging, lots of panning, and very hard work on the part of the manager to dedicate a great deal of time interviewing.

In the next blog I'll take this gold mining analogy a step further and describe what must be done to end up with the best talent...

---

Editor's Note:  This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn.  Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Employment Brand Part 4: What Can You Learn From the Old Spice Guy?

I’ll wrap up the discussion we’ve been having (1,2,3) about creating your employment/personal brand by pointing you to one of the best examples of brand transformation that I’ve ever observed…the Old Spice brand.

If you happen to live with teenage boys, you’re probably already aware of the transformation the Old Spice brand has undergone over the last couple of years.  The whistling, nautical, bearded guy is long gone and has been replaced by the new Old Spice guy who connects with younger folks.

Don’t take this the wrong way, but there are many real estate offices that have brands that are similar to the original Old Spice image—old, stodgy, not connected with modern life.  The good news…a transformation is possible.

How did Proctor and Gamble (Old Spice’s parent company) pull this off? Obviously, they put a lot of time, resources, and talent into creating the new image.  But, they also did an exceptional job of communicating and maintaining their reinvented brand through online tools, such as YouTube. Take a look at this example:

 

On the first page of a YouTube search on “Old Spice,” you’ll notice that Old Spice videos have generated more than 100 million views.     

In fact, Old Spice has become so proficient at promulgating their new Old Spice Brand online, they are forgoing a Super Bowl ad this year and instead are releasing their next ad today (on February 7th—after the Super Bowl) through a specially chosen superfan, who has enough connections to make their ad go viral on the internet.  You might want to see if you can find it online!

"Smelling like a man" is not the only thing you can learn from the Old Spice guy.  Try applying these principles as you develop, communicate, and maintain your brand online:

1. Think Outside Your Original Image.   The Old Spice image transformation was successful because marketers thought completely outside the boundaries of their original brand.  They were able to capture new customers and take on some significant competitors (Axe, Irish Spring, etc.) by imaging something completely different.  This doesn’t mean that you have to become something you’re not (Old Spice is still good smelling stuff for guys—always has been), but does mean focusing the public’s attention on something that is interesting and engaging for those candidates you’re trying to attract.
2. Be Consistent.   Once you’ve developed your brand, consistently portray that image when you communicate with others.  Start by practicing with those who are already on your team.  Invite your existing agents to help by communicating the office’s brand to those in their networks.  If it’s fun and interesting, the image will take on a life of its own.  My teenage boys walk around the house teasing each other because they don’t smell like a man.  Needless to say, they own a lot of Old Spice.
3. Use both Online and Offline Avenues to Promote and Maintain Your Brand.   Branding expert Dan Scwabell has compiled some great ideas for communicating your employment brand.  Before you take a look at Dan’s ideas, it is important to heed the golden rule of promoting yourself:

“Put on your personal PR hat and start to promote your materials.  Before you go crazy with self-promotion, realize that the most successful people are able and trained to promote the work of others as well.” 

I hope you’ll take what you’ve learned over the past couple of weeks and start the process of making your employment brand a success.  As you find good ideas, please share them with me and I’ll republish.  I’m sure there are others in the WorkPuzzle community who would be interested in your success.  As I notice things over the months ahead, I’ll occasionally swing back and revisit the topic with some updates.

---

Editor's Note:  This article was written by Ben Hess.  Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Employment Brand Part 3: Creating and Communicating Your Brand

Hopefully you’ve had some time to put some thought into developing and quantifying your personal brand.  If you’re struggling with this, be assured, it is not easy work.  So, it may take some time.

As you think about a framework to build upon, here is some advice from Tom Peters in his classic article The Brand Called You:

“No matter what you're doing today, there are four things you've got to measure yourself against.  First, you've got to be a great teammate and a supportive colleague.  Second, you've got to be an exceptional expert at something that has real value.  Third, you've got to be a broad-gauged visionary -- a leader, a teacher, a farsighted ‘imagineer.’  Fourth, you've got to be a businessperson -- you've got to be obsessed with pragmatic outcomes.”

Your brand probably should contain most, if not all, of these components.  If you’re having trouble with this step in the process, make sure you ask questions, seek out the opinions of those you trust, and bounce your finished product off a few people who know you well.

Now, on to creating your brand... Your brand will not accomplish anything if it just lives in your head or even passively interacts with those in your close network.  A personal brand only takes on life when it is actively promoted and consistently impacts new individuals.

To create your brand, break your actions into online and offline activities.  I’ll cover each category in the remainder of the discussion.

Create Your Personal Brand Online.   If someone googled your name, your office, or [your city] real estate, what would they find?  If a person IS able to find you with a search inquiry, what does the information found say about you?  Does it match your brand?  These are important questions because a large majority of people will interact with (or miss completely) your brand online.

Here are the basics of what you need to create your personal brand online:

1. Facebook Profile.   You probably already have a Facebook account.  Does it match the personal brand you developed?  If not, you may want to create a professional version and then limit those who have access to your personal version to those in your personal network.
2. LinkedIn Profile.   Again, make sure that your LinkedIn profile matches what you’ve quantified as your personal brand.  Push the limits of LinkedIn by joining groups where you can contribute your expertise and build a reputation for being knowledgeable.
3. Twitter Profile.   Compared to the previous two venues, Twitter is much more tricky.  But, there are some people who have learned to use this tool effectively.  If you need some ideas, study some of the popular restaurants or night clubs in your area.
4. Blog.   It is tough to write a blog as a real estate company and not be perceived as biased.  So, if you decide to write a blog, you may want to focus it on a topic that is not perceived as manipulative.  One of the most popular blogs in my area is SeattleBubble.com - Even though the author is currently an employee of Redfin, he does a good job of maintaining neutrality.

Create You Personal Brand Offline.   Because real estate is such a local/community business, there are still many opportunities to deploy traditional methodologies for building your personal brand.  Here are some ideas:

1. Volunteer.   There are many opportunities in a local community to volunteer.  Pick opportunities that not only support your personal brand, but seem to get a lot of press.  Ride the popularity of things that are naturally interesting to others.
2. Take on a Cause.   Find something in your community that needs attention and make it your job to get it fixed.  For example, if there were a dangerous intersection in your community, could you bring it to the public’s attention and spearhead the public-interest project to get it fixed?  Seems like a great fit for someone who is concerned about the surrounding neighborhoods.
3. Teach a Class.   For most people, building a personal brand involves being perceived as an expert in a certain domain.  Teaching is a great way to build this perception.  Try contacting the local community college or an adult education program.
4. Participate in a Panel Discussion.   Are there conferences in your area where you can make a contribution?  It is quite common for conferences to hold panel discussions with experts from the local community.  Use your network to work your way onto one of these panels.  The first one will be the hardest, but visibility has a way of multiplying.

There are many more ideas out there, so don’t stop with what I’ve suggested... Build a good base, but then take every opportunity possible to add to your personal brand.  Tom Peters says it this way:

“The important thing to remember about your personal visibility campaign is: it all matters.  When you're promoting brand You, everything you do -- and everything you choose not to do -- communicates the value and character of the brand.”

---

Editor's Note:  This article was written by Ben Hess.  Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.