Jitterbug & iPhone: Analogy for Real Estate Companies

I was struck by the huge contrast of two ads in the New York Times for cellular phones. Both ads were on the back pages of inserts in the newspaper. The first was for a basic, feature-less phone called the Jitterbug. The compelling differentiator for this product is that it is simple and does nothing except make phone calls. Nothing else. The ad copy for this phone was wordy and busy with lots of fine print and explanations. The cost of this phone is very inexpensive.

The other ad was for the new iPhone from Apple. It is not only a phone, but also a music player, internet browser, text messenger, camera, and perhaps other things that I am unaware of. This is a very expensive phone. The ad copy was clean, compelling, and attractive. The iPhone ad contained only 17 words. The FIRST LINE of the other ad contained more words than the iPhone's entire ad.

If I was in the market for a simple phone like the Jitterbug, the ad would make me turn away from it...there are too many asterisks, conditions and explanations that keep me from believing its simplicity.

The iPhone ad elegantly shows the product being used, and assumes that I want a product that doesn't need to explain itself. It also even challenges me to try the iPhone, and once I do, I will be a believer in it.

We see these two ends of the marketing spectrum in many industries, including real estate brokerages. Customers are bombarded with ads for "do it yourself" brokerages that overwhelm the consumer with disclaimers, conditions and explanations. Our company's goal is to show our customers straight-forward, compelling messages that offer multiple choices and features, and charge a fair price for them.

I compare the great majority of real estate agents to the Jitterbug: only able to do a limited number of functions, talking too much, confusing the customer with overwhelming data. I compare our Realty Executives to the iPhone: professionally offering its features and benefits, allowing the customer to actually experience the service and understand and appreciate the value received.

There will always be a market for the inexpensive, do-it-yourself customer, but in my 32 years of real estate experience, the great majority of customers want a professional to help them through the process at a fair price.