True alignment provides opportunities for growth, innovation and change in your business and industry as a whole.
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As a strategic marketing partner for purpose-driven innovators, I’ve had the privilege of working with real estate professionals and proptech pioneers who are passionate about advancing our industry. But I also saw a pervasive challenge – the struggle to find true alignment between a business’s product, its values, and its customers’ needs.
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Often in the real estate and proptech landscape, we participate in a race to develop the “next big thing” – a new product or solution that is sure to revolutionize the industry. However, true, sustainable growth does not come from a solutions-first mindset, but rather from a deep understanding of our customers’ pain points and a strong commitment to addressing them.
The challenge in real estate is the controversy surrounding who the real customer is. Are you a buyer looking for your dream home? A complex roaming agent for each task? A broker-dealer? The reality is that successful real estate businesses must find a way to align their offerings with the unique needs of these stakeholders on many occasions.
The next big thing?
Simply creating the “latest and greatest” technology platform or marketing tool is not enough. Instead, we must take the time to truly listen to our customers, empathize with the daily challenges they face, and develop solutions that seamlessly integrate with their workflows and priorities. Only then can we build the kind of sustainable, trust-based relationships that drive long-term growth and profitability.
I have had the privilege of working with real estate developers who have adopted these principles of alignment. They take the time to deeply understand their customers and define a unique value proposition, and create brands and marketing strategies that speak directly to the pain points of each stakeholder group. It just takes time, and many people have lost an important aspect in building a business – patience.
At the heart of any successful real estate business is a clear, unwavering sense of who you are. Who are you as a professional? What are the key principles that guide your decision making? How are those values reflected in the way you communicate and serve your customers? If you can confidently answer these questions, you’re well on your way to creating a brand that resonates with you.
But alignment isn’t just about defining your identity – it’s about ensuring that every aspect of your business, from your marketing and sales strategies to your internal processes and team dynamics, is focused on delivering exceptional value to your customers. It’s about making decisions with an end in mind – not just the next milestone but the end vision of what success looks like for your business and our industry.
Clients deserve the best
In the context of real estate, where relationships and trust are so important, this level of alignment is essential. Your clients aren’t just buying a product or service – they’re investing in a partnership, and they need to be convinced that your values, your expertise and your commitment to their success are fully aligned with theirs.
So, as you navigate the ever-changing landscape of real estate and proptech, I challenge you to ask yourself: What does true business intelligence mean to me? How can I ensure that every aspect of my product, my operations, and my customer experience are perfectly aligned with my core values and the needs of my customers?
The answers to these questions may not be easy, but I can promise you this: When you achieve that level of organization, the opportunities for growth, innovation and change across the industry are truly limitless.
Molly McKinley, founder of Redtail Creative, Intentionalites and author of Intentional Business: A Path to Purpose & Prosperity, is an expert in connecting the dots. He is a serial entrepreneur, public relations and integrated marketing strategist with over 25 years of experience launching new products and brands.
