The use of the name Unique Selling Position seems so old to me now, and I've decided to re-name this essential business building tool and call it - 'Your Essential Professional Positioning Statement', or 'YEPPS' (tm), for short!

Recently, I've visited several places on the www. where people have posted a list of real estate 'slogans' for agents to use as tag-lines, or signatures. Please don't!

Most of the 'slogans' I've seen don't provide the one essential ingredient prospects look for first. Most 'slogans' or U.S.P.s don't provide your prospects with any of the benefits of working with you. Most 'slogans' are fluff. They use a buzz word here and there hoping they sound current and will pique someone's interest.

Anyone's interest.

For instance: "The Realtor(R) With A Fresh Approach To Real Estate".

That's nice!

But, as a consumer with a pressing real estate need or concern, a problem I can't solve that keeps me awake at night and causes large lapses of concentration at work, the above slogan isn't going to cause me to sit up, take notice and pick up the phone.

What actually is a 'Fresh Approach', anyway? Does that agent bring flowers to the closing? Do they have one of those hanging pine trees in their car?

Are those compelling solutions for most consumers?

Your Essential Professional Positioning Statement' should tell your prospects and customers exactly what it is that you do, mentioning benefits and how you are different. To be the most effective, it should make them an offer and give them a guarantee of some sort.

But in order to make them an offer you have to know who they are. What's their particular pain? What causes them to stay up at night and pace the floor?

Is it their listing that hasn't sold after 7 months?

Is it their fear of not dealing with a reputable builder who uses only quality subs, quality materials and offers a real, take-it-to-the-bank warranty that they have proven that they stand behind, 100%?

Maybe it's a first time buyer with credit problems and little cash? Or, a couple in their 60's who still aren't quite sure how the '98 Tax Laws will affect them if they were to sell their family home and move into a midtown condo?

Who are your customers?

Only when you know exactly who your best customers are, and what their biggest real estate concerns are, can you write an effective and compelling 'YEPPS' (tm).

Developing your own 'YEPPS'(tm) gives you a huge competitive advantage because developing one forces you concentrate first and foremost on the needs of your customers. What can you include in your own 'YEPPS', based solely on solving the needs of your customers, that will cause them to respond to you when they are ready?

Will your positioning statement give your prospects and customers a reason for doing business with you, above all of the other choices they have?

Concentrate your focus and thinking process today on what makes you unique. Not your company. Not your broker. You.

First, complete this exercise:
  The MediaWorks 'YEPPS'-O-Meter:

• Who do you most enjoy doing business with? Which group of buyers or sellers do you enjoy spending time with the most? Are they the most profitable customers/clients you could spend your time with?
• Why?
• Which of the real estate services that you offer do you enjoy performing the most and are you the best at delivering? 
• Which of the real estate services that you provide do your customers appreciate the most? 
• Do your customers know the real value of those particular services? 
• Which of the services that you deliver cost you the least to perform? The most? 
• Within the past year, why have your customers chosen you over other agents in your area? 
• List the reasons you lost customers to other agents. 
• Where do you really outshine your competitors? 
• What are your strengths?
• Your weaknesses?
• How are you unique?
• From your customer/client's viewpoint, what is truly unique about your real estate business.
• the services you perform?
• the order in which they are performed?
• the way you deliver the services?
• the speed at which you deliver your services?
• the service Guarantee you offer?
• the way you 'bundle' your services or offer 'un-bundled' services? 
• What services are your customers requesting that you don't provide.
• Why don't you?

"But wait", they all cried at once! "I deal with so many different kinds of customers/clients. How am I going to know what each of their most pressing needs are so I can write an effective 'YEPPS'?"

KEY QUESTION & A VERY KEY POINT

If you honestly don't yet know who your best customers are, what their most pressing real estate needs, concerns and priorities are, you don't have much of a chance of writing a very compelling 'YEPPS'(tm).

I didn't want to say it, because every agent needs a compelling 'YEPPS'(tm) so your prospects and customers can tell you apart from the other agents and have an easier time finding you. But it had to be said.

And it's worth repeating: If you don't yet have a clear and specific demographic and psychographic description of who your best customers are and what their concerns are, how are you going to reach them?

• Why should you get your share of available business if you fail to offer any appealing promise, unique benefit or special service?
• Where do your best customers congregate?
• What do they read?
• Where are you going to concentrate your marketing efforts so they will have the greatest impact with the least amount of money spent?
• What are their most pressing real estate needs or concerns?
• What 'offers' can you make that will solve their problems and causes them to sit up, take notice, raise their hand and call you? 

• Prospecting is making cold calls and pounding on doors
  looking for customers. 
• Positioning is having them find you!