When it comes to personal branding, real estate professionals walk a fine line. On one hand, agents need to differentiate themselves from a sea of competitors. On the other hand, they don’t want to do something that might alienate any potential client. The result is a lot of agents who play it safe, selling themselves with worn-out cliches.
[People are] afraid to be authentic…If you don’t want to be criticized, you pretty much have to be Wonder Bread, and be so bland that there’s nothing about you to criticize.
— LEIGH BROWN
For Leigh Brown, however, enough is enough. A fifteen-year veteran with one of the most successful real estate teams in the country, Leigh looked around and saw few trainers or coaches who were willing to get real with agents about how to build a successful business. Leigh founded No Fluff Training in 2009 to inspire real estate agents to discover their authentic personal brand, all while learning the fundamentals of a solid real estate business.
“[People are] afraid to be authentic, they’re afraid to be real,” Leigh told us. Unfortunately, that fear keeps many real estate agents from taking risks that will get them noticed. “If you don’t want to be criticized, you pretty much have to be Wonder Bread, and be so bland that there’s nothing about you to criticize.”
As an active agent, Leigh understands why many agents don’t seem to realize that they need help. “When people get a license…the industry turns them loose and says, ‘Hey, go train on the back of the consumer,’” Leigh explained. “And the agent is scared, because they don’t know what the hell they’re doing…And then they accidentally sell a house, they sell two, they sell three. They get to six months in the business, and they say, ‘Got this, I don’t need anymore training. I know what I’m doing.’”
Many agents turn to technology to give their business a boost. As Leigh points out, however, software is no substitute for the work of building relationships. “Gadgets and technology are distractions,” Leigh suggested. “The gadgets don’t help you get to the kitchen table, it’s the personal connections that do.”
A celebrated author and speaker, Leigh approaches her craft with a no-nonsense attitude that has made her a fan favorite among conference goers and students alike. In this interview, Leigh explains why it’s so important for real estate professionals to be real with themselves and their prospects, and how technology distracts agents from the real work of building a successful business.
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