Rock, Paper, Scissors

Posted on 14. Sep, 2007 by Jay OHare in Competition, Differentiation, Marketing

Steamboat was recently home to a regional Rock, Paper, Scissors tournament. Who knew there was such a thing? The nature of the game got me thinking about real estate companies. In Rock, Paper, Scissors is there really any strategy in picking one “device” over another? Not really. Often we end up picking a device for our throw that makes us feel good not because it has any greater chance of beating the other player. I tend to pick a rock because it “feels” like it has a better chance of winning but in reality, it doesn’t.

Is the same thing true for real estate companies?

If one takes a close look at Re/Max, Century 21 and Prudential are there really any concrete easily identifiable differences that a typical home buyer or seller will notice and more importantly value?

If one takes a close look at Re/Max, Century 21 and Prudential are there really any concrete easily identifiable differences that a typical home buyer or seller will notice and more importantly value? I don’t see them. They each have a slightly different message and slightly different position but I’m not sure consumers can really tell the difference. I could see how in a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors where Re/Max, Century 21, and Prudential are substituted we’d be faced with the same dilemma. Which to pick because each has about the same value? Which company has the resources and people to sell my home within my time frame and for the highest price? I know the differences between Schwab and Merrill or Mercedes and Kia or even Lowes Hotels and Hilton and I’ll make my decision based on my understanding of those differences.

Does the Re/Max balloon, a marketing idea hatched in 1978, really convey anything to the consumer today?

I see huge opportunities for small real estate companies not saddled by national marketing and branding to create new value by engineering their business in providing superior differences and value compared to the big guys. Does the gold jacket really matter to the consumer today? Does the Re/Max balloon, a marketing idea hatched in 1978, really convey anything to the consumer today? No & No.

So I say to the small real estate company – GET BUSY! You have a huge opportunity while the big lumbering real estate companies stumble around.

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