By Jeff Beals
For some reason, certain companies have a prestigious feel to them. There’s just something about their brands that catches your interest and makes you pay close attention.
I’ve always considered athletic shoe companies to be prestigious and desirable. Nike, Under Armour and Adidas – those brands really grab my attention. As a kid, I was obsessed with athletic shoes. I still think those products are cool to this day.
Perhaps that’s why a story I heard recently peaked my interest.
I was watching an educational video program produced by the Lipsey Company that was designed to teach real estate brokers how to be more effective salespersons. During the program, the speaker told a story about a big-time corporate lease negotiation for space in a class-A office building.
A real estate broker represented a high-rise office building in Atlanta’s affluent Buckhead district. The broker’s job was to market the space for lease and negotiate lease terms with prospective office tenants on behalf of the owner.
One day the listing broker received a call from a competing broker who represented Adidas.
Hearing that a prestigious multinational company like Adidas is considering your office building is music to a listing broker’s ears.
The listing broker, the building manager and the owner of the building all wanted Adidas bad, but several other office buildings were being considered. The competition for Adidas would be fierce. To win the business and land Adidas as a tenant, the team marketing the Buckhead building would have to pull out all the stops.
They did just that.
When the Adidas team arrived at the Buckhead building, they found a professionally produced sign reserving the closest parking stall for them. As soon as they got out of their car, they were greeted by seven people representing the building – the broker, property managers, owner representatives, building engineers, etc.
Guess what — All seven of them were wearing brand-new Adidas tennis shoes!
The lead broker greeted the Adidas team and said, “First of all, we love your products. Secondly, we would love to have you in our building.”
The extra care and attention paid off. A short time later, the broker learned that Adidas chose the Buckhead Building. A full-floor lease in a high-rent office district translated into a hefty commission check!
Whether you are trying to make an impression on Adidas, or a lesser known person/company, a little extra effort can really pay dividends.
Jeff Beals is a professional speaker and award-winning author, who helps professionals enjoy greater success through effective sales, marketing and personal branding techniques. He delivers energetic and humorous keynote speeches and workshops to audiences worldwide. To discuss booking a presentation, go to JeffBeals.com or email at info@jeffbeals.com or call us at (402) 637-9300.
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