Page 16 - NBIZ MAGAZINE December 2021

One’s

Holiday

Gifts

By Leanne Hoagland-Smith, M.S.

R emember looking under the the room that we were in the business process. My 90-hour real estate

licensing instructor was stuck in
Christmas tree for that toy
of marketing not selling. Again, I
delivered by Santa Claus?
thinking about the whole process.
ing this instructor’s mind was an effort
Maybe one attempted to look stayed quiet because I realized chang- the first phase -marketing instead of
through all the wrapped presents and/ in futility.
or shook a few in an attempt to guess After five-plus decades in sales, The First Gift
what was inside? not counting when I was a young Within the marketing phase,
Fast forward to the future where child selling penny candy in my fa- having clarity about your brand is
as a professional, you invest an hour ther’s store, I am still amazed by the essential. Seth Godin years ago, wrote,
of your time to listen to another number of people who believe that the “A brand (noun) is the set of expecta-
expert give you a new tip, a “present”, word sales is a five-letter dirty word. tions, memories, stories, and relation-
to help you gain additional success in Why does this one word continue to ships that, taken together, account for
your role or your industry. This hap- leave a foul taste in many people’s a consumer’s decision to choose one
pened to me just before Thanksgiv- mouths? And, more importantly, how product or service over another. If the
ing. I listened to a real estate broker does this feeling affect one’s ability to consumer (whether it’s a business, a
who is also a sales trainer. She shared see those wrapped “presents” he/she buyer, a voter, or a donor) doesn’t pay
several knowledge and skills “pres- encounters daily? a premium, make a selection, and/or
ents” with me. For me, those presents Years ago, I remember businesses spread the word, then no brand value
were empty but for others, they were changing the names of their sales exists for that consumer.”
filled with met expectations. force from customer service repre- Boiling Godin’s words down to
During this hour-long presentation, sentative to consultant to business their essence for me means that
the sales trainer said the word sales development. The word sales was branding (a verb) is the authentic ac-
was a dirty word because those in real avoided at all costs. tions to connect to those expectations.
estate are in the service industry. My My belief then, which continues to These questions may help you unwrap
immediate internal reaction was one of this day, is that if one does not have this first holiday “gift”.
common sense. If one is in any service absolute clarity about one’s role, then The first question is what expecta-
business, one must be paid unless one securing the desired results will be tions do my customers or clients have
enjoys working for free. very difficult. regarding my products or solutions?
Her comment returned me to my Beyond the word sales being The second question looks to the
90-hour real estate licensing course considered dirty, there is also a lack firm’s collective behaviors, which
where the instructor told everyone in of understanding about the sales is also called culture. Is the firm’s

16 NBIZ ■ December 2021