Like many realtors, my friend is not a historian, nor is
she a researcher in this area – nor, frankly, does she have the time to spend
with her town clerk, public librarian, or register of deeds to find the
information she needed.
And yet, she KNEW that being able to tell the story of
this house, its early residents, and the development of the neighborhood, and
the house’s connection to town history would help her make a sale. The house is
not in stellar condition, but we all know that people fall in love with old
houses every day – and it’s the story that can push them over the edge.
(Luckily, she called me for help.)
This is one way realtors can use history to achieve
business goals – once they find someone who can do the research and present
them with usable information! – and there are others ways.
Beyond house stories
I am all for businesses becoming involved in local history
beyond just writing a check. There needs to be a win-win, mutually strategic
investment of time and money between a business and a historical organization,
project, or event for this to work well.
Some ideas for you realtors:
• You could co-sponsor a lecture or walking tour on houses
in your community – old, modern, restored, whimsical, famous – with your museum
or historical society. You share the marketing, co-introduce the event, and as
a result you receive attention, attract customers, and increase your stature in
the community.
• You could support a local historic preservation project
by serving on the committee. People in historical communities do care about
preserving their irreplaceable historical treasures. You will be a hero!
• You could partner with your museum or historical society
on a display, exhibit, talk, or publication on issues of “home” in your
community. What was home life like in the 17th century? The 18th?
19th? 20th? Compared to today? How did people buy homes
then and now? These are big questions, and you could actually turn this into an
annual signature event or a series of events.
Emotional connection
Realtors are already well on their way to establishing
what marketers call an “emotional connection” with clients just by
People are also emotionally attached to the history of
their home, neighborhood, and community, so when you become involved in local
history what you do and what people care about meshes perfectly.
Not only that, but by becoming involved in local history
you are able to connect with people because of a shared interest and NOT
through direct sales – which, as we know, people either ignore or flee from.
Telling the stories of “your” houses is one way to use history to benefit your business, but some of these other methods will make many more people pay attention. You will gain credibility, stature – and customers!
________________
2010 © Bonnie Hurd Smith
History Smiths works with service-oriented businesses to use history — their own and their community's — to achieve customer loyalty, referrals, and high status. Subscribe (above, right) to our free Ezine, Connections, where we share ideas and examples of businesses embracing history to achieve business goals.