A matter of perspective…

I find value in paying attention to the tactics utilized by the various agents I encounter in my world on a regular basis, so when a fairly well known MEGA AGENT in our market – doesn’t matter which, but you might recognize his voice from the radio – recently took part in a Facebook live session a few weeks ago, I was keen to hear what he had to say. After all, I feel like I can learn at least one thing from every person I encounter. And if that person also happens to be someone who’s amassed enough leverage to create brand awareness using large ad buys? Well, you can be sure I’m going to try to pick up as much free wisdom as they’re willing dole out.

Ok, so after a few introductions and some small talk from the panel, it’s finally our man’s turn to bloviate for a bit. They cut over to his face. I notice that he’s sitting in an unfurnished white room with harsh lighting, and in lieu of art or décor, he simply has the YUGEST $100 bill I’ve seen in my entire life hung on the wall behind him. Ugh, can you say motivational guru stereotype. Also, might this not also suggest to his clients what he covets above all else? So we’re off to a shaky start, but no biggie. Let’s appreciate the content of the words and ignore the aesthetic. Having said that, he’s soon waxing poetic about his favorite sales pitch to “buy it himself, if he can’t sell it within X number of days”, using terms like “paradigm shift” and “bandwidth”, and responding to the moderator’s rehearsed comment about how he must be “killing it” with aplomb. It’s worth mentioning that this is all being voiced in what could only be described as “The Tony Robbins School of Infomercial Speaking”.

I close the browser. Sorry, gave the elevator pitch an honest shot. But I can’t. It’s clear this is not my cup of tea and the guy is just… the worst!

To myself: “Self, it’s clear you don’t have the “bandwidth” for this type of business model. And even though using his methods might potentially bring in a few extra deals (annually), it’s just not your cup of tea. You and your peers are better off served working in a manner that always keeps the best interests of your clients at the forefront of the mind? In other words, keep doing you boo. After all, the standard of service you strive to provide is typically followed by a respectable reward and a feeling of accomplishment that only a job well done can provide right? So move along folks, nothing to see here.” Yep, that’s what I said to me.

And the perspective mentioned at the top? Well, I still had an itch to scratch. A need to dig a little deeper and uncover what was fueling my skepticism here. What really lay under the shiny veneer? So I dove into the numbers. And the truth is that this operator (and his team of junior agents) had sold 76 properties in the past 12 months. That’s legit.

Until you skim down a few columns and see that he’s also responsible for 107 cancelled, expired, and/or withdrawn listing entries here in PDX within this same time period. Now you can draw your own conclusions as to what lesson is to be learned here, but suffice it to say that more deals going wrong than right isn’t good performance by any measure. Surely a success/failure ratio such as this might be the type of data his next set of potential marks, err, I mean clients would also do well to possess. I wonder if he ever brings it up?

To paraphrase Bernadette Jiwa in her recent book titled “difference”, the author states that “Conventional wisdom advocates developing a product and then creating a big marketing funnel in order to sell it. This means doing whatever we can to attract the most potential customers and then convert some of them into leads. But this approach is fast becoming an unsustainable and zero-sum game. What’s working better is doing exactly the opposite: figuring out what people want and finding ways to delight them (one person at a time). One person who is thrilled to talk about you to his or her friends, essentially turning the funnel on its head.” The passage sums up her book rather nicely and also describes my outlook relative to serving real estate clients.

Note that we don’t claim to be pure. Of course, we are compelled to do all sorts of things that are both self-promoting and geared to make the phones ring. Can’t run a business in a vacuum after all. But my default setting is first and foremost to create value for my clients. To delight them.

So, the classic Service -vs- Lead Conversion model (conundrum); Can I accomplish both at the same time? My answer has been yes. It’s how I’m wired and it affects everything in my world. Perhaps no distinction was even required. After all, good service leads to more clients, and at the end of the day… I just want to make a difference for my people.

Wanna join me?

Chad Meier

Broker | OR

He/Him

Hello, I’m Chad: Licensed Real Estate Broker, native Oregonian, photography aficionado, lover of old houses, friend to all animals, and powered by analytical data. As a member of the National, Oregon and Portland Metropolitan Associations of REALTORS®, I'm proud that my profession allows me to use the tools I've acquired over the past 20+ years (client advocacy, sales & marketing, conflict resolution, et al.) to help people on a daily basis. Bottom line… I love the work! Through personal experience, I understand that buying or selling a home is more than just a business transaction; In fact, it can often be a life changing event! This is why I’m dedicated to providing exceptional service for my clients when it’s time for them to make their move. On the listing side; I believe that every home, no matter how modest or grand, deserves to make the best possible first impression on a would-be buyer. This is why I’m aligned with our area's preeminent independent real estate brokerage (Living Room Realty) to offer every property the most compelling & relevant marketing available. It also means that I’ll never represent your home online with a smartphone picture ;^) On the buying side; I personally work with every client - no handing you off to a junior team member of a team - to ensure that we work toward your goals together and don’t fall prey to some of the pitfalls that buyers can face in today's heavily weighted market. In short, I can help you win! Above all else, I pledge to be a strong advocate for my client’s interests and promise to work relentlessly to help them achieve their real estate goals. After all, I believe that if you’re not left with an amazing experience, I haven’t done my job. Speaking personally, I’ve been connected to this great city and its surrounding areas since childhood. Most recently, my family (wife Shawn, son Jakob, mother Glenna, and mutts Juno & Dizzy) have lived in the vibrant Sellwood-Moreland neighborhood for the past 14 years. When not at my desk or in the field helping clients, you’ll likely find me trying to capture a compelling scene behind my camera lens, playing basketball wherever I can find a pickup game, or combining these two passions by photographing my son’s high school basketball team in action (GO WARRIORS!). And on occasion, you may even find me at any number of our city's finer dining establishments, searching high and low for a bartender who knows the recipe for a perfect Roman Holiday ;^) Whether you have a plan to buy or sell (or simply need to develop one), please feel free to contact me. I look forward to understanding your goals and helping you achieve them! I can be reached at 503-709-9600 -or- Chad@PortlandHomeBase.com

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• T: 503-709-9600
• F: 503-961-8224
• dcmeier@gmail.com