Kevin Ray Ward argues that real estate success depends on relationships and client advocacy, not competing with technology platforms like Zillow. He acknowledges technology's utility but emphasizes agents should focus on building loyal client relationships (he cites "100 relationships" as an example) and delivering superior representation, negotiation, and care—advantages platforms cannot provide.
Chapters
Foreign. Wake up, realtors. Hello. Wake up real estate agents. Hello. Hello. It's not about technology. It is not about, about Zillow. I am seeing this everywhere. I'm seeing this all over social media, all over YouTube. I'm seeing all over the Internet. I'm seeing it all over the real estate agent conversations. Real estate agents are obsessed with technology right now. And I get it. I get, I get the obsession with technology and I love it. I mean, I think technology is freaking awesome. Do you realize that on iPhone 7. On the iPhone 7 and this is actually not mine. This is. Kevin Russo is my videographer. It's his iPhone because he's using mine right now. But the iPhone 7 has more technology in my hand right now than the entire Apollo 13 mission. Isn't that crazy? It's amazing how much. And I love it. I love technology. If I lost my phone, I'd rather have my wallet, my credit card, I'd rather be know assaulted and have my wallet stolen than to lose my cell phone. Don't take away my cell phone. I get it. I know we love technology, but it's not about technology. It's not about Zillow. It's not about Redfin. It's not about any of that stuff. It's the people. Now think about it. I just. This, this is, it gets to me because it is about buyers and sellers. It's about the people that you work for, the people that you, you represent. And we're all out there like, and I'm seeing this, I'm seeing all kinds of real estate trainers and coaches out there who are marketing and they're going like, beat Zillow at their own game. Look, I'm going to tell you something, guys. If you think your job is to beat Zillow at their own game, you're in the wrong game. Your job is not to be, is not to be the technology guru. Your job is to help a seller get the best result. Your job is to help a buyer get, get the best result. Now technology, awesome tool. Love it. Great. Awesome. But stop the obsession with technology because you can be a technological guru and suck as a real estate agent. If you don't specialize in people, if you don't specialize in relationships, if you don't specialize in caring, if you don't specialize in representing the people that you serve, that is where the magic is that I'm going to tell you right now, that's the future of real estate. You're never going to beat Zillow at their Game. Why? Because they are the best in the world at it. And they have hundreds of millions of dollars to compete against you. You already beat. You cannot compete on their platform if you're competing for eyeballs. If you're competing for attention. Zillow is. Is already beat us. Okay? Just. That's just reality. Now, can you. Can you still get business from the Internet and from. Of course I'm not. And I'm not against that. I think it's awesome. But it's the people you see. Here's the difference between Zillow and a great agent. Here's the. And it's huge. So pay attention to this, because this is. There is nothing that is more profound than the advantage that you will always have over Zillow, and that's this. Zillow is great at capturing eyeballs. They just can't capture the heart. They can't capture loyalty, and they can't serve a client's best interest. That will never happen. It's not their job. It's not their place. They don't pretend to do that. They don't act like they can do that. They are a technology platform that is great at getting attention and stealing eyeballs away from you. But see, you don't need 100,000 eyeballs, my friend. You need hearts. You need relationships. You need clients that want you to serve and represent them and that they will use you and they will refer you. That's all you need. If you had 100 people, if you had 100 loyal hearts that saw you and looked at you and said, that is the best agent I know. And I know that agent is going to always take great care of me and is going to take care of the people I know. You have a hundred of those. You would never have to worry about paying your bills and having the lifestyle of your dreams. You just wouldn't have to worry about it. 100 relationships. 100 relationships. I know agents who have 100 core relationships that make them millions of dollars a year. What do you want? What do you need? Right? You don't need to have 100,000 people seeing your face or see. You don't need that. You don't need to be a household name for millions of people. It's all about relationships. Here's what Zillow is great at, capturing eyeballs. Not great at capturing the heart. That's what you do. Here's what wins for you in real estate relationships. Here's the edge. Here's the unclosable gap between you and Zillow. What Zillow can never catch you on is caring that you can care about the people that you serve and represent that you are someone in their corner. You see, that's what seller. If a seller is selling their home, what they need, what they want is someone in their corner that is going to get a result for them that's better than anyone else can get. That's what they want. A buyer wants someone in the corner. They want an advocate, they want a guide. They want a champion who will go to battle for them. That's what you can do better than anyone else, better than technology is you can go to battle for, for people. Now, how you look, use technology. It's great. Use it to get people and connect with people, to get relationships going. But once you connect with people, build the relationships, focus on the client, focus on representing them. Because Zillow can never beat you at that game. It's time for you to change the game. Stop trying to compete and think technology is the answer. Technology is a fabulous tool. Use it. I love it. I think it's awesome. But. But it's the people. And when you master connecting with people, building those relationships, positioning yourself as their best solution to help them get the best result, and then you get out there and you serve them and you represent them and you go to battle for them and you fight for them. And I don't mean just when I say fight for them. I'm not talking about how hard you work. I'm talking about how good can you deliver a result for them that you know how to help somebody find the best house and negotiate the best terms and price for them. If they're your buyer that you know how to sell, if you've got a seller, you know how to sell their home for top dollar and get them the best results, when you know that and you position yourself there in relationships with people, they will use you, they will love you and they will tell people about you. And that, my friend, is unbeatable. And Zillow will never be able to capture the heart of a loyal client that knows that, that you're going to give them the best result. And everybody else that they know, win with the people, love technology, use it. But it's the people. And when you do that, you'll always play to win. You can always expect yes. And understand that your responsibility is to be the best and Zillow cannot touch you.
