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Competition in today’s real estate industry is intense, with a record 1.6 million Realtors battling for their share of the market. While you can’t change how many competing agents you’re up against, you can stack the odds in your favor by showing prospective clients what makes you a better choice for them.
This is called your unique value proposition or UVP, and it’s all about defining what makes you uniquely qualified to serve the needs of your ideal client.
But this doesn’t mean simply pounding your chest and telling the world that you’re the best. That’s hollow and meaningless. It means explaining to a very specific demographic exactly what you do for them, and why you do it. And this message needs to be powerful, authentic, and concise in order to have an impact.
Fortunately, there is a process you can follow to create the perfect unique value proposition for you that clearly demonstrates your value to prospective clients, and that’s what we’re going to unpack in this article.
Choose a laser-focused niche
Have you ever met someone who does a little bit of everything?
Maybe they’re a Realtor, but they also sell health supplements on the side, freelance as a writer at night, and do fitness coaching on the weekends. We all can immediately see that as a crazy way to operate, but it’s almost as crazy when an agent tries to handle all different types of real estate, too.
There’s a reason people say, “The riches are in the niches,” and that reason is because it’s true.
This tends to scare most Realtors because on the surface it can seem limiting. After all, why turn down a listing or buyer ever?
Well, when you focus on a very specific subset of the real estate industry, not only do you become more knowledgeable, efficient, and effective—you also become known as the go-to agent for that type of real estate. That means other agents will refer that type to you, buyers and sellers will specifically seek you out, and media outlets will be more likely to cite you for your expertise. This all leads to more money for you.
And you can choose one niche from a virtually unlimited number of options, such as:
- Waterfront property
- First-time homebuyers
- Mobile homes
- New construction
- Tiny homes
- Luxury homes
- Log cabins
- Active duty military
- Transitioning veterans
- Green homes
- Downsizing seniors
- Modern homes
- Historical homes
I could go on all day, but I think you get the idea.
Choose a laser-focused niche, begin working to become an absolute expert in it, and tailor everything you do around serving clients in that niche.
Explain exactly what you do and who you do it for
Once you’ve chosen your niche, you next need to explain exactly what you do and who you do it for within that niche.
This is more complex than it may sound at first because it’s bigger than just the obvious and literal answer. Yes, you sell real estate. But you have to go deeper to trigger an emotional response that gets people interested and engaged, so you’ll also have to explain the benefits that someone can expect to receive from working with you.
This is the “value” in your unique value proposition.
Let’s break down a hypothetical scenario of a Realtor who has chosen to focus on the niche of listing homes for active-duty military members. And let’s call him Tom.
*Note: About two-thirds of active duty service members live off-base, making this a viable niche in many areas of the country.
So what benefits can homeowners expect to receive by working with Tom?
Well, let’s assume he is, in fact, a legitimate expert in this niche, in which case, he understands the unique challenges that service members face. Their long and unpredictable schedules, communication blackouts, and compressed timelines can all play a significant role in how a real estate transaction goes, and this requires a Realtor who understands these challenges and how they impact the transaction, as well as how to prepare for and adapt to them.
This makes Tom a superior agent compared to others who aren’t already prepared for these challenges,
The key is to articulate the fact that you understand the challenges your ideal client faces and are uniquely qualified to solve those challenges for your clients.
You can start by listing all of the challenges that are unique to your niche, and then sort them in order of significance—both from the perspective of impact and frequency. Next, list the attributes of the people who are buying and selling real estate in the niche you’re serving. Who exactly are they? What motivates them? What scares them?
Distill it all into one concise statement
We’re almost there. You now have all of the elements you need, and all that’s left to do is arrange and distill them into a concise statement that clearly positions you as the only logical choice for clients.
Continuing with Tom’s example, let’s distill all of the elements into a powerful unique value proposition.
He’s working with active duty military, who have long and unpredictable schedules, communication blackouts, and compressed timelines. They value commitment to mission, and also have an incredibly important job and can’t afford distractions. Something you may not realize about the military is that they put mission above all else, which often means putting their own needs last.
So in this scenario, Tom’s unique value proposition could be:
I help active duty service members buy and sell homes in Jacksonville, North Carolina, and I’m here to work around the unique demands of your job so you can stay focused on your mission to serve and protect our nation.
This explains exactly what you do and who you do it for in a way that highlights the value you bring from your potential client’s perspective. More importantly, it highlights exactly why Tom is a superior choice for active duty service members compared to most other agents.
Your unique value proposition is more than just a catchy slogan — it’s a powerful way to differentiate yourself from your competitors, and in this increasingly challenging market, you need every advantage you can create.
Jeremy Knauff is the founder of Spartan Media, a speaker, author and Marine Corps veteran.
