Episode 73: Cameron Nicholls – Setting up and succeeding in a competitive market

“On the wall in my office is ‘Personalise, not franchise’. So everything we’re doing has to be personalised, has to be consumer-focused; we hear that term a lot, but it’s on the wall. So it’s a constant reminder that if we’re not personalising things, we’re not communicating effectively.”

One of the questions we get asked most at Elite Agent is about how much it costs to go into business in real estate on your own, Cameron Nicholls of Nicholls and Co did just that about four years ago, at the age of 27. Although he’s had his ups and downs along the way, Cameron has carved himself a niche in the area, along with a tribe of exceptionally loyal clients.

As a member of the Australian Touch Football Mixed team, his ‘hit and stick’ philosophy is a great one for the market right now. Here he talks more about that, along with other strategies for wowing buyers, how he has learned to provide clients quality content cost-effectively and why it’s important to always do you. Enjoy the podcast.

SHOW NOTES / LINKS

02:04    Cameron’s ‘Hit and Stick’ philosophy in working with buyers
02:34    The balancing act between professional sportsperson, young family and business owner
03:27    Why Cameron set up Nicholls and Co almost four years ago
04:44    “You do run into some emotional brick walls”
05:42    The need to multi-task when you’re in start-up mode
06:15    “With any brand it needs to be fully aligned with the person behind it”
07:02    Why Cameron’s brand is constantly evolving
07:48    Technology choices when setting up
09:16    Standing out from the crowd as a start-up on a small budget
10:13    The need to communicate effectively through personalisation
11:13    How Cameron approaches 1:1 communication, from brochures to vendor reports and more – including a digital magazine for every property
12:14    “It provides the consumer with information that’s easy to consume and it places your property back at the top of the pile after looking at half a dozen others”
13:05    Cameron’s secret weapon for low cost, high-quality content marketing
14:34    Not every video has to be professional – Cameron’s tip’s on creating video with GoPro Quik to have it out within one hour
19:03    The setup capital Cameron worked with when he shifted into his own brand
20:27    Who should and shouldn’t go into business for themselves
20:43    “That adrenaline will wear off at some point. You really do need to steel yourself for moments, and you really need to be able to call your wife or parents or your partner and have them tell you-you’re going to be fine”
22:02    What Cameron would change if he started all over again today (knowing what he knows now!)
23:16    “We do have control over the listing, and how hard we’re going to work for it”
26:16    How to stay in touch without being ‘a pest’ – by doing what’s right for the client and providing valuable information
28:01    Cameron’s growth goals for 2019.