The YourPlaceForHomes.com history of the concept
Get me out of these golden handcuffs!
Yes, the golden handcuffs are the nice looking set of tools your broker provides you with for seemingly small fee. However, these tools are also designed to keep you put. Of course when we search for a brokerage to hang our hat we consider things like our commission structure, costs, support and tools offered. What if you only had to consider the commission structure and support? Would you feel like you would be able to put a little more of your hard earned money in your pocket and not feel like it would be too much of challenge to ever hang your hat elsewhere where they have a better commission program? We think so.
Once, upon a time one of the contributing creators of YourPlaceForHomes.com was faced with a dilemma. That dilemma was the broker they had been working with was no longer with the brokerage. Changes were on the horizon and many agents in the office were trying to determine whether or not they would jump ship before the changes in the brokerage happened. Many agents moved on to other brokerages and others were sitting on the fence determining if they could live without the broker provided tools they have become dependant on for branding, advertising, web site and more. Some determined it would not be worth the hassle. Our member decided that if they did make a change that they would do things different this time. How so?
"I will not be dependant on the broker provided tools to operate my business." That's how, so after developing the tools to have greater control over their business it was only natural that the concept would be popular and those agents who decided to stay at the brokerage would not have if they were not wearing the "golden handcuffs" the brokerage had so kindly provided. So a few agents were shown the tools developed and the reactions were exciting. The feel of greater control over your business is liberating. We began to develop a bigger and better set of tools for agents. Keeping in mind a few key aspects, first being to remove the golden handcuffs and secondly to provide a better marketing tool for self branding and simplifying their marketing.
Throughout the development of the tools we compared what we created to other agent tools. Those which brokers provide and tools such as web sites, individual property web sites, blogs, referral networks and social media. What we determined is that we can offer similar services, but with one big difference. We will do it all in one place and much cheaper. Greater control, greater exposure without a set broker handcuffs preventing you from growing your business on your terms. Some agents that we "beta tested" with used certain features of YourPlaceForHomes and chose not to use others, in fact we believe that agents will see vastly different approaches on incorporating different pieces of our tools. That's fine, use what you want, it has been designed by agents for agents. There are many possibilities on how to use these tools and services and many have not even been thought of yet. The tools allow you to be creative and develop your own marketing if you wish. The online desktop allows you to control your business anywhere with an internet connection.
We also began with the approach that while these tools should be open to everyone, the only way it could be a truly powerful marketing tool for the agents who participate is exclusivity. Each city/town will only have one representative, that areas expert. On your brokers site they may have a roster of agents and if a potential client happens to stumble upon the brokers site looking for an agent how many will they find? How many brokerage offices are there in your city/town? What are the chances they would contact you?
What if you represented your city/town and only you? What kind of budget would you set for marketing yourself? What if a 20 agents from different areas (to avoid direct competition) pooled their monthly advertising budget together and developed an advertising system to where each individual agent would benefit? What if we pooled together the resources from 100 agents? Do you see where this is going?
You may think, but my brokerage has national tv ads. Yes, however when a potential client decides to go to that brokers site what are the chances they will actually find you? They would have to look awful hard to find you wouldn't they? What if when they went to YourPlaceForHomes.com and looked for you? Not to mention, if you ever changed offices for say a better commission structure, your marketing would not miss a beat. If you have ever changed offices before your email, your web site and your tools disappear as quick as can be leaving your clients thinking you fell off the face of the earth. With YourPlaceForHomes your transitions are seamless, your web site, marketing and email don't miss a beat.
We also realize that since we are agents and these tools are designed for agents that if you want to use the tools for your business but your city/town is already represented (or you choose not to represent an area) you can too. We offer the tools to agents on a non-area exclusive basis also.
Hello YourPlaceForHomes and goodbye golden handcuffs...
