Notorious R.O.B.

Conversations about the real estate industry, marketing, technology, and public policy

Real Estate Insurgency, Part 2: Organizing the Cell

We can build on this! We can build on this!

We can build on this! We can build on this!

In part 1 of this series, I discussed the First Principle of real estate insurgency: Never Fight on Their Turf.  The extension of that principle meant that insurgents have to figure out how to outmaneuver then neutralize the primary advantage of Big Brands: breadth of brand (aka, brand recognition).

So let’s suppose you’re an insurgent and you have managed to outmaneuver and neutralize the Big Brand advantage.  Now what?  Since I’ve been watching some NBA Playoffs the last few days, I’m afraid you’re in for a lot of basketball analogies people. :)

Read the rest of this entry »

Real Estate Insurgency Manual, Part 1: Outmaneuver and Neutralize

Vive La Resistance!

Vive La Resistance! (Members of French Underground, WWII)

In my past writings, I’ve written about the seismic shift going on in the real estate brokerage industry from the perspective of Big Brokers and Big Brands.  You can find those writings here (and the parts linked there), here, here, and here.  At the same time, I’ve always wanted to write the other side of the debate, because the victory of Big Brands is so reliant on a major assumption: that they embrace major change, including putting new blood into the top executive positions, and changing the culture of the organization.  This is never easy, but nearly impossible while senior management is preaching the message of, “Batten down the hatches and get back to basics!” whatever that means.

While the Big Brands are struggling to figure out a strategy for moving forward, however, the Kristian Soldiers are hard at work trying all manner of new things, new strategies, new thinking, and changing the face of the industry.  They are winning far too many battles today, and may ultimately win the war.

This, then, is a series of thoughts on how the Real Estate Insurgency can out-maneuver, out-innovate, and ultimately defeat Big Brands.

Read the rest of this entry »