It is tough enough to compete with the 1.4 million licensees for buyers and sellers, but add the proliferation of discount brokerage houses, and online options, today's true professional has a challenge to differentiate their services.

Discount services have a place in business today. If you seek a 5 star dining experience you won't be checking out the fast food establishments. The same applies to our real estate services. But the questions are: How valuable are your services to the consumer today and how can you communicate that differentiation in a crowded, agent centric marketplace?

If the consumer is looking for low cost services, and unaware of the many issues that can complicate a sales transaction, they will surely get what they pay for. On the other hand, for an informed consumer, the risks that can accompany a botched transaction far outweigh the costs, and value over price will win every time. This has a better chance of happening if the consumer is presented the full spectrum of services and credentials that allows them to make an informed choice as to what they will choose to have or not have.

The challenge for dedicated, professionals with superior expertise and service models have today is differentiating themselves from the crowd. Just how can you set yourself apart from the low cost, minimal care and short service providers?

Marketing might be the first answer. Consumer centric, stealth marketing is proving to be more highly effective than the traditional gazillion dollar producer ads with glamour shots and nifty little slogans. Reaching a smaller more concentrated target market communicates expertise and specialization. If Starbucks can revolutionize the coffee shop model, you can do it in your marketplace as well.

The historically sound strategy for agents with a glistening track record is personal referrals. Yet a staggering high percentage of agents neglect the past client relationship or provide spotty and inconsistent after the sale systems to keep the client for life. We must implement turn key Client Relationship Management systems that keep our services in the mind of our customers after the sale to secure more repeat business and an endless stream of referrals.

The fact is our industry is changing, but the needs and wants of the consumer have been eternally steadfast: Expertise, superior care and communication with high integrity professionalism is what just about everybody would want when making such a critical personal or professional property acquisition decision. No matter how the market changes, people will seek out those services where trust is more important than dollars. Specialization and true experts are rare and pursued in every field, and the successful survivors of this transition will be the expert real estate professional. Our challenge is to redesign our service model, present deep and compelling "opening ceremonies" to inform the consumer of the value of our services and provide the strategic marketing to help them find us.