Which option is right for you?

Leaders of REALTOR associations and MLSs have 3 options and it’s time to pick one.

Over the holidays, I read “Flash Foresight” by Daniel Burrus, which I highly recommend. Burrus says, “predicting the future is easy … but predicting it accurately is hard”. Can you relate? He goes on to say that we are generally too focused on our current challenges (the housing market, difficult transactions, challenges in lending, etc.). Instead, he recommends that you think about the challenges and problems you are ABOUT to have next.  If that is difficult, think about the problems your customers are going to have next. Then (and this is the hard part), SKIP your biggest current challenge, since there isn’t much you can do about it or it may be too late anyway. You should know that Burrus is a futurist and a planner like me, and in my opinion, his message is solid.

What do you know right now — for certain?  I submit that you have three high-level options for the future of your association or MLS.  In fact, this may also apply to your brokerage and other businesses in 2012.  Rather than trying to predict the future, now is the time to prepare for it by picking the best option for you and your future.  You can:

1. Stay the course and manage your decline (at least that’s what I call it)
2. Merge your organization with others to increase your buying power and staying power
3. Partner with others through shared services, deliver more value and be indispensable to your customers

If you could pick one, which one is right for you? There are pros and cons to each.  Grab a piece of paper and jot them down today.    What is your best survival strategy to prepare for your future?

Some will say this doesn’t apply to their organization.  For example, there are many associations and MLSs that are doing just fine.  They are less likely to decline and in fact, some will grow.  However, in my opinion, they will end up participating in some form of merger or shared service partnership as other (smaller) organizations lean toward them.  So change will touch everyone at some point.

I help leaders of REALTOR associations and MLSs just like you to prepare for the future by showing them how to increase their value and be indispensable to their paying customers.  You have the power to decide for your organization and it’s time to pick which option is right for you.  Last year, I worked with 78 organizations, many in groups ranging from 3 – 15 associations, to show them how to work together to prepare for their future and be indispensable to their members and other customers.  Here is how we did it.  The results are huge and measurable.  I’ll post some examples in my next few posts.

Daniel Burrus gives us some things to think about.  What problems are you or your customers going to have next and what are you doing right now to prepare for your future (not predict it). Regardless of what your future holds, it’s time to decide which option is right for you and move your people to action (BOD) so you are ready for whatever comes next.