by Brian Brady
Commercial Real Estate Finance Expert
Structured Debt and Equity
Licensed Real Estate Broker in AL, CA, and FL
I’m a Dan Kennedy disciple, a card-carrying member of the Glazer-Kennedy Inner Circle. I read his book, The Ultimate Marketing Plan, six years ago, and was hooked. Gene Simmons is one of the keynote speakers at the GKIC Super Conference, this April. I listened to an interview with Gene Simmons today about his message for this April’s Super Conference. Oh, if you’re wondering why I listen when a 70’s rock and roller talks, it’s because he’s a marketer; a damned fine one. Here are some snippets from the interview. I think it may give you a glimpse to why I think the way I do about marketing.
1-You only get the respect you demand.
Gene tells a story about his advice to a fifteen-year old girl. He advised her to get over the idea that people’s perception of you somehow defines you. He continued by saying that you are only as important as you believe you are; how you perceive yourself is eventually how others behold you.
Does your marketing message convey that? I’m not talking about ego. Do you truly believe that you are an expert agent or originator? This isn’t about “act, as if”, it’s about demonstrated expertise. Can you deliver the goods? If your self- perception is less than expert, correct the flaws that hold you back.
2- Originality is overrated.
I don’t think I could agree more. To the doers come the riches, not the thinkers. Anyone can have a great idea; it’s the implementers, the innovators, the action-based people who change the world. Gene Simmons called KISS a pastiche; part rock and roll, part comic book, and part horror show. A great example of pastiche,in theater, is Quentin Tarantino. Neither Gene Simmons nor Quentin Tarantino “created”, they innovated.
Are you constantly planning or constantly doing? I talk to agents and originators, daily, about their customer acquisition systems Sadly, most explanations are long on ideas and short on action.
3- Marketing is the most important thing you can do. If the market is crowded, move the market.
Gene Simmons told the story of the Citrus Growers of America. They crafted a message that the first thing you should do, upon wakening, is to drink a glass of orange juice, to “jolt” your body. Let’s face it, food doesn’t really need to be marketed, right? Neither does shelter nor making that shelter affordable. I don’t want to be a loan originator, I want to be America’s #1 Mortgage Broker. I define my offering as “not your average loan hack” because my expertise demands I market with evangelical zeal.
Fabulous advice from an extraordinary marketer.
Mike Farmer says:
Thanks, Brian, there are some inspirational points here — especially the call for action, the doing it.
One of the most simple, powerful messages is the Nike ad — Just do it!
February 21, 2008 — 6:11 pm
Shell Brodnax says:
Brian,
Love this message and love the fact you used Gene Simmons as an example. He is one of my marketing HEROS. I was a born “marketer” and love his thoughts and actions.
I am the CEO of the Real Estate Staging Association and we came up with a staging competition called Stager Idol. We currenlty just announced our top ten finalists and I couldnt be happier with the marketing exposure this has generated. We have public involvement, celebrity judges, cash and prizes, a following, and even better each contestant has a HUGE marketing opportunity by using the fact they are in our contest.
I work on marketing more than full time and sometimes I can’t even shut off the ideas. I do work from 9am to 9 pm every day but since I love what I do, it’s just FUN.
thanks for the blog!
Shell
February 21, 2008 — 6:44 pm
Brian Brady says:
Shell,
Want to see me make you sleep less? Click the first link (GKIC). Those ideas will take you far beyond the 9PM hour.
PS- Love the Stager Idol idea; you’ve integrated MSM with the 2.0 message beautifully.
February 21, 2008 — 6:51 pm
Zeliem says:
“2- Originality is overrated.”
A balance between innovation and implementation is a must!
February 21, 2008 — 8:16 pm
Doug Quance says:
10-4, Brian.
Gene is a gene-ious… I mean he took that sorry band of his to heights it never deserved…
😆
I didn’t catch it, but didn’t Trump give him his walking papers early in the recent series? I figured there would be some head-butting going on…
February 21, 2008 — 9:40 pm
Brian Brady says:
“I didn’t catch it, but didn’t Trump give him his walking papers early in the recent series?”
Gene fell on a sword. Trump didn’t want to fire him but was given no choice. I watch little television but I’m a Celebrity Apprentice groupie. There are some talented folks on that show and I particularly thought Gene Simmons was brilliant…arrogant..but brilliant.
KISS might not have been the best band but they are pop culture icons. The merchandising rights, that Simmons controlled from Day One, have earned him enough money to buy an undeveloped state.
Gene Simmons has done the best job at marketing Gene Simmons. Before someone criticizes that as ego-centric, they should watch the old Trump Apprentice shows; Gene’s got game.
February 22, 2008 — 12:31 am
Robert D. Ashby says:
Brian – Too funny. I was listening to that exact CD in the car and was thinking the same thing, Gene Simmons rocks in marketing. A lot can be learned from him.
And GKIC, it is a must in my opinion.
February 22, 2008 — 6:42 am
Vance Shutes says:
Brian – Likewise, I’ve read all of Dan Kennedy’s books. And, I’m one of the many who is longer on ideas than on actions. I’m always reminded of rowboat on a lake – one oar is for “ideas”, one oar is for “work”. If you pull on only one oar, you go around in circles. It takes pulling on both oars to actually go somewhere.
February 22, 2008 — 9:25 am
Jim Boyer says:
very inspiring Brian. I think that if you presieve yourself as more important, you will tend to put off a kind of glow that people will pick up on and also will think you are more important and good things are more likely to happen.
February 22, 2008 — 9:49 am
Greg Swann says:
> I’m always reminded of rowboat on a lake – one oar is for “ideas”, one oar is for “work”. If you pull on only one oar, you go around in circles. It takes pulling on both oars to actually go somewhere.
Oh, excellent. I have the same problem, much easier to come up with ideas than to carry them out. This is a sage analogy.
February 22, 2008 — 9:54 am
Shell Brodnax says:
I am also an apprentice junky. That is the ONE show I would kick butt on!!
Gene did get booted and I was so dissapointed but I get why he did what he did and I respect it. Trump wanted someone fired Gene did not agree and Gene refused to bring her back for firing and brought two other people.
He is also a great “manager”, he went to bat for one of his people and stood up for them. I have been in managemetn for 20 yrs and I am the type of manager that runs around trying to find people doign a great job and reward those people as opposed to the managers that run around trying to find someone messsing up and then belittle them for it.
I can’t get enough of Gene or Donald Trump. Goes back to that saying:, “If you keep doing what you are doing you are going to keep getting what you are getting.” You have to ACT and make it happen.
February 22, 2008 — 10:12 am
Chris Johnson says:
Was this pre or post Sex tape gene?
February 22, 2008 — 3:30 pm
Shell Brodnax says:
LOL at least he had the sense enough to buy the rights to the sex tape years ago. Now that it was re-released he can squash it.
February 22, 2008 — 8:12 pm
The Shef says:
I was at the GKIC in Nashville the other weekend. Gene was beyond fabulous. In this day of instant gratification and instant celebrity (American Idol); Gene reminds us that the foundation of any success is hard work. Kudos!
Shef
April 14, 2008 — 7:06 pm
Brian Brady says:
I’m envious, Shef. I followed the conference on YouTube.
Why are you, a trainer, reading a real estate marketing article? Oh, that’s right. Our businesses aren’t different.
Signed,
Gold Luxury
April 14, 2008 — 7:40 pm