Last month, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos bought a 13,000-square-foot Beverly Hills mansion.
He paid $165 million.
That’s a lot of dough for a piece of real estate. But, there’s a piece of real estate that’s far more valuable to you and I as business owners.
When you own this real estate your dream clients or customers look for YOU… they happily pay whatever fees you’re asking… and they treat you as a trusted, respected authority.
In other words, owning this real estate can transform your business and life for the better.
And the best part is, unlike the home Jeff Bezos just bought, this real estate (and all the benefits that come with it) won’t cost you a fortune.
To explain, take a trip with me to Barnes & Noble.
I love coffee. And I love reading. So Barnes & Noble is one of my favorite places on earth.
Since moving back to Kansas City in 2014, I’ve spent a lot of time reading, writing, and thinking at the local Barnes & Noble cafe. I’m usually there once or twice a week. Enough that most of the baristas know me on a first name basis.
Yesterday I was at Barnes & Noble and was chatting with the head barista as I ordered my drink.
Apparently, the head barista and the other baristas were talking about their favorite regular customers. I made the list. But, the head barista was having trouble remembering me.
That’s understandable.
The head barista works mornings and I’m usually at Barnes & Noble at night. So I only see her a couple times a year.
Anyway, the other baristas were trying to describe me to the head barista: “long hair, beard, friendly, looks like a more handsome version of Chuck Norris” (okay I added that last bit).
To which the head barista replied: “Oh, Paul! The Americano guy!”
Here’s the lesson so check this out:
In the head barista’s mind, I’m “the Americano guy”. I own that piece of mental real estate.
When she thinks Americano, she associates it with me.
And for good reason.
Because even though I only see the head barista a couple times a year now, that wasn’t always the case.
When I first moved back to Kansas City from Korea, my wife and I stayed with my parents. I didn’t have an office (or even a quiet room in the house) so I’d take my work to Barnes & Noble in the morning…
… and order an Americano from the head barista.
That was almost six years ago. But I am still, and will forever be, “the Americano guy” to the head barista.
So what does this have to do with you and your business?
Simple:
You want to own a piece of real estate in the minds of your clients and customers.
When your client thinks about whatever it is you do, you want your name and face to be the first thing to pop into her mind.
You want to become the “email marketing guy” or the “video sales letter girl” or the “heavy metals detox coach” and so on.
Forget a $165 million mansion in Beverly Hills.
Owning a piece of MENTAL REAL ESTATE is what can change your life.
Because when you own mental real estate you go from being just another vendor or business to a trusted authority.
When you own mental real estate your goods and services go from being just another commodity to a one-of-a-kind, need-it-now solution.
When you own mental real estate you no longer chase after clients and customers cap in hand, they chase after YOU.
That’s the kind of shift that can dramatically change your business and life.
So how do you make that shift? How do you claim a piece of real estate in the minds of your clients and customers?
I’ll have more on that tomorrow.
For now, I’ve gotta skedaddle cos I need to write a whole bunch of emails for my clients today.
Talk soon,
Paul “Mr. Americano” Buzan
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