Daily Real Estate News  |  November 9, 2008  |   Zig When Others Are Zagging
Economic downturns are opportunities to be bold and prove that you’re not like the rest, said innovation expert and author Daniel Pink.

“This is the time to become more flexible and creative—and not to retrench,” said Pink, Saturday’s Entrepreneurial Excellence Series speaker at the 2008 REALTORSŪ Conference in Orlando. “We should be zigging when everyone else is zagging.”

Pink predicts that during this time of economic uncertainty, there will be big breakthroughs in areas like the Internet, health care, and energy. “Keep in mind that the iPod was introduced to the world six weeks after the 9/11 attacks,” he said.

For generations, conventional wisdom held that left-brain skills—logical, linear and analytical thinking—were the basis of professional success. These were the qualities of accomplished lawyers, engineers, and accountants, among others.

But the fast-changing world of work has forced us to rethink what success entails, he said. Many jobs relying on the old paradigm have moved offshore, while computers have eliminated other jobs completely.

To be relevant these days, it’s crucial to develop right-brain attributes that were once devalued by society. People who have creative-thinking skills will move forward, while those who don’t will stay behind, Pink said.

He extolled the importance of understanding context and seeing the big picture, along with having the ability to synthesize disparate pieces of information.

Pink shared wonderful examples of how real estate practitioners can use these right-brain skills to become a success:

• Focus on design. Keep a small design notebook with you at all times and write down examples of good and bad design that will help inspire you in crafting your own marketing and business activities—such as your logo or your office set-up. Everything you do from going to the doctor, to buying a cup of coffee has a design decision embedded in it.

• Tell stories. Facts, without context, have no emotional impact. To communicate in a more powerful way, put the facts into a story. Rather than send a postcard with the selling price of your listing, let people know the special details of how you got that listing or how you sold it. Blogging is a good way to share stories and reach prospects who are trolling the Internet.

• Be empathetic. Look at everything from your customers’ perspective. Think in terms of “being there with them” throughout the buying or selling process. Study peoples’ facial expressions to understand their emotional state.

—Wendy Cole