Shaun Osher’s ‘The RED Report’ examines all things real estate from resales to new development, offering opinions, analyses and forecasts from his point of view.
My last blog entry touched upon my top five common colloquial sayings that are true. Here are my top three that are not true….
1. “Don’t sweat the small stuff”
If you’re creating a brand, culture, and business that has a consistent quality – then you have to sweat the small stuff. It takes a passionate attention to detail and a devotion to maintain consistency with all the small things. It is within the small details where a brand is defined – especially when it comes to marketing and sales. The “sweating of the small stuff” consumes 95% of my daily work, and is a major part of our DNA.
2. “Failure is not an option”
Actually – failure is not only an option, but a necessary part of the development of any successful company. If you try enough innovative initiatives, you are destined to fail at one of them. It is a necessary component of growth. Back in 2008, when I realized the sales market was in a slump, I opened up a rental business. This was a mistake, because CORE is not a rental company. We are a sales and marketing company (that handles selective rentals for our clients). When I realized that this initiative was going to change our brand, I stopped it, and moved on with our plan to continue to build the best boutique marketing and sales company in the city. Not a company that would be all things to everyone. Recognizing this mistake helped us further solidify our direction and place in the market.
3. “Don’t judge a book by its cover”
You only have one time to make a first impression. Especially in sales. Your first impression is more powerful than any other part of the sales and communication experience, because if you don’t make the right first impression – you won’t get the opportunity to make a second one. Simple.