Do you remember the funny animated Walt Disney movie “The Emperor’s New Groove”? It was my son’s favorite movie for awhile (along with Walt Disney’s “Goofy”.) Anyway, remember the scene early in the movie that show’s someone distracting the emperor? The emperor was no longer focused. As the movie portrayed it, the distraction made the emperor fall out of his “groove.” The poor little man had “thrown off” the emperor’s “groove” and, in turn, they guards threw the little man out the window.
So it is life. We have so much going on for us. There are so many places we can put our time and attention. So many sirens call us to turn here, turn there. And the temptation of distraction is HUGE. In fact, I believe that addictions to anything are about distraction. Somehow I think it is human nature that we seem to think it is fun to be distracted. In a way, I think it is a mechanism to keep us from achieving our dreams… the FEAR FACTOR of SUCCESS.
Web-surfing is great, right? Aren’t we fortunate to have access to the world at our fingertips? (Well, obviously it can be a humongous distraction. But used right, it is like a surgeon’s knife that can help us carve out what we really need to support our efforts.) This morning I was reminded why we need to stay focused and find our niche and then work it. The following article was written by Speare Valasakos, a seasoned real estate broker from California. He stresses this very thing, in his blog/article “1 Simple Shift = More Real Estate Leads”
I quote a portion of what he says to illustrate my point.
“Do you know the single most important factor that will determine the effectiveness of your marketing, and the profitability of your entire real estate business?
It’s simple, actually…
Choosing the right niche.
First let’s talk about why choosing a niche is one of the best ways to boost your income, and then we will list some of the hottest real estate niches that desperately need agents to handle all of the surplus clients right now.
When you choose the right niche you instantly set yourself apart from the other agents in your area.
Here is a short list of just a few of the benefits:
o You become the “go-to” expert on that subject in your community
o Referrals flow in because agents and other professionals rely on you for your expert advice
o Your marketing is targeted and focused
o Internet advertising is easier because potential client will search for your “keywords”
o Your marketing will bring in more revenue for every dollar spent
o You will instantly multiply the effectiveness of your marketing
o It is easy to build a busy team because any potential clients who need to solve that specific problem will want to work with an expert
o It easy for you to create systems to expand your business because you understand your niche and can distill it and teach it to your team
It may seem counterintuitive but marketing that focuses on a very specific target market will always be much more effective than general, “one size fits all” marketing.”
Alright, it is me, Oliver, again. What will be your focus? If you want to succeed focus is everything. Target your “groove” or “niche”. Step out and be a leader.
This principle applies to all aspects of life. Get a passion for something and pursue it like there is no tomorrow.
In real estate, the field is too big to be all things to all people. If you are a Realtor, decide what types of properties or what types of clients you are going after. Narrow it down, then go after that market. Same with real estate investors. If you want to do Short Sales, focus on that. If you want to acquire rentals, decide what your focus will be… single homes or multi-family dwellings. If the latter, once again, narrow it. Will you cater to small units (2-4 dwellings in a unit) or a whole apartment complex? While you can have success in both you will find by specializing your potential for success is much greater. Now, go do it!
