Marketing Your City/Neighborhood (aka Area of Expertise), and More on Local Experts

The other day I saw a Century 21 commercial on television. It was one of the “Smarter. Bolder. Faster.” iterations, though I can’t remember specifically which one (shows how memorable it was, right?).

That got me thinking…

What does “Smarter. Bolder. Faster.” mean — to the buyer or seller? Do they really care? Do any of those three words explain why or how a Century 21 agent is going to help them transact, or be different than their friend Joe who lives down the street and has been the local agent for 10 years?

Instead, why isn’t Century 21 showcasing the cities, towns, and neighborhoods they serve?

Agents have an inherent bias, and everyone knows it. They want you to move to their city/town so that you will transact with them, and they’ll get their commission.

If you want to really convince someone of the greatness of your area, my guess is you’ll send them independent, “unbiased” sources talking about all the great things about your city or neighborhood. Sites like StreetAdvisor, which ranks cities like Austin, Cleveland, Miami, Philadelphia, and Seattle across the country (and yes, I’m biased because I consult with them). Your local newspaper. Time’s Best Places to Live. Walk Score. Northwest Magazine. New York Times. You get the picture. Sources that don’t have an inherent bias to sell a home to someone.

Related to showcasing cities, is the “365 things to do in X” movement (I still think of Dale) still alive and well? Or has that been played out already? Is there someplace you can look up any city in the country and find the 365 things to do resource dedicated to that city? If not, some franchise should create it.

Being viewed as the local expert is not talking non stop about how great your area is. It’s about marketing the people, businesses, and things to do that make it great — or marketing those marketing those aspects of the area already.

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