“The question, really, is one of perfection vs. authenticity.”
Nice try Rob, but yer still wrong. 🙂
The Notorious ROB Hahn wrote a post in which he called me out for a little discussion we had- who’s “better”- Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly, and he drew some parallels to real estate marketing. As far as who’s better- in the end, it always comes down to taste, which, as Rob clearly illustrates, there is no accounting for. But he’s young, so I’ll give him a pass for now. Rob Hahn is a smart and funny guy who likes to push the discussion forward, so I’m willing to bet he’ll take this ribbing with the good humor that’s intended, but if not, he’ll probably be blogging about it, and as for me, I love that I have a reason to post some of the finest dancing ever committed to film.
My take away from our discussion and how it relates to real estate is different from Rob’s. It isn’t one of perfection vs. authenticity, the bigger question is from whom can we learn the most and how do we apply it?
Warning: The rest of this post draws parallels between movie musicals and real estate. If that is something that will make your eyes glaze over, this would be a good time to stop reading.
Fred Astaire was famous for his quest for perfection. It was authentic to him. It’s what made Fred, Fred. You might, as Rob Hahn does, find Astaire’s perfection intimidating, but we can learn something about business from him. We can understand that practice does make perfect. That paying attention to details is extraordinarily important, and that perfection is not a bad word.
A white tie and tails in an Art Deco world may not be your thing, here in 2008. But Astaire knew his audience and he knew what he was selling. His audience, 1934, was dealing with a depression. They wanted fantasy, they wanted romance, they wanted to escape, if only for a few hours, from the reality they faced everyday. They wanted to see beautiful people in beautiful clothes, living a beautiful life. To be transported to a world so far removed from their own that they could forget their troubles for awhile. Fred’s drive for perfection delivers all that (and more) in a swoon inducing dance:
What happens next in the movie, is that Fred offers Ginger a cigarette. Oh my. Fred delivers.
Astaire was in search of excellence, but he grew up in vaudeville, so he knew how to listen to an audience. Two decades later, (that’s longevity, folks!) Fred delivers the goods again. Revamped for a different audience in a different time- still selling romance, still perfect, but in a more approachable way, and once again his efforts are successful.
A few years later, another audience, and the medium changes. This next example was for television. The embedding has been disabled, so you will have to click through to see how Fred can create romance at St. James Infirmary, but while the whole look changes drastically, the perfection is still there, as was the attention to detail, and listening to his market, and that’s why he continued to deliver the goods.
In each of these dances, Fred is selling a fantasy, and each time it’s to an audience that has different needs. What are we selling? A lifestyle? Service? Guidance with a decision that might be stressful or uncertain? Does that change a bit through the years, or with different clients, or through different mediums?
There’s something else we can learn- Fred can partner. That is, Astaire knew how to allow his partners to shine. He knew that his career depended on his being able to look good in his partner’s eyes. These dances are not about him, it’s about what is going on with the partnering. Your marketing, whether it’s traditional or social media, isn’t about you, it’s about your clients.
Regardless of the packaging or the setting, Astaire’s intense need to get things right is a driving force in each dance. Astaire delivered exactly what his audience wanted at exactly the time they needed it. That’s authentic perfection and damn good marketing of any kind. Regardless of the home or the client, we have to work tirelessly to give our clients the most seamless transaction, to create the finest marketing, to be the best possible agent we can. For me, Rob, the question isn’t perfection vs. authenticity, but how to create a real estate business in which they are not mutually exclusive.
Rob Hahn says:
Great, great post, Teri. I especially liked the observation about partnering, and how that applies to real estate. Kudos!
Now, let me point out that you and I are not that far apart, in actuality. Because you undermine your own thesis, that both Astaire and top-flight brokerage/marketing embodies “authentic perfection” with this:
But Astaire knew his audience and he knew what he was selling. His audience, 1934, was dealing with a depression. They wanted fantasy, they wanted romance, they wanted to escape, if only for a few hours, from the reality they faced everyday. They wanted to see beautiful people in beautiful clothes, living a beautiful life. To be transported to a world so far removed from their own that they could forget their troubles for awhile.
No question that Astaire knew his business, knew his audience, and knew what they wanted. But it’s hard to call the crafting of an elegant, beautiful, perfect escapist fantasy “authentic” in the same way one might say Gene Kelly’s personality positively bursts through the screen in An American in Paris. As you put it yourself, “Fred is selling a fantasy.”
That Astaire’s drive for perfection was an “authentic” part of him is irrelevant, just as the fact that Kelly sought perfection in his dance is irrelevant. I still say that Astaire achieved perfection at the cost of authenticity, while Kelly’s greatness is in his authenticity achieved at the cost of perfect lines and form.
A broker who creates the absolute perfect package marketing a home, provides all of the information, all top-tier advice, pulls of an amazing website, and all of those things is hardly “authentic” if she’s selling a fantasy home that doesn’t exist.
Thankfully, the world is a richer place for having had both a Fred Astaire and a Gene Kelly in it. 🙂
Cheers!
-rsh
December 9, 2008 — 7:32 pm
Teri Lussier says:
Rob-
This is the silliest real estate discussion I’ve ever been in- and kinda fun in a useless way. But, as close as we are, you still miss a few points, so let’s see if I can set you straight. 😉
>But it’s hard to call the crafting of an elegant, beautiful, perfect escapist fantasy “authentic” in the same way one might say Gene Kelly’s personality positively bursts through the screen in An American in Paris.
I didn’t say that.
What I said was:
>Astaire delivered exactly what his audience wanted at exactly the time they needed it. That’s authentic perfection and damn good marketing of any kind.
That it was a fantasy is irrelevant to our purposes, because here, in this post, I’m saying that Fred did an perfect job of marketing to his audience- by paying attention, by committing to perfection, and by being flexible enough to change in order to serve his audience. All important skills for real estate agents.
Do we see Gene’s personality? We see a personality burst forth, absolutely! Is it Gene’s authentic personality? Maybe, or maybe he’s a great actor.
The thing we know about Fred Astaire, the thing that is authentic and constant in each of these dances, is his perfection. You may not relate to the characters, or the settings, just like each client might not care for this home or that home, or want this or that from us, but it is vital that our clients know that regardless of the property, they will get the same attention to detail, the same commitment to excellence- the consistency- that our other clients received. That’s both authentic and perfection and our clients deserve, and should demand that from us.
That makes sense, doesn’t it?
>Thankfully, the world is a richer place for having had both a Fred Astaire and a Gene Kelly in it.
I do so agree with that. And thanks for indulging me. 🙂
December 9, 2008 — 8:20 pm
Rob Hahn says:
Teri –
This might be silly, but it is also the most FUN I’ve had talking about real estate. 🙂 Plus, we get to see some incredible videos! That’s gotta be worth something.
And consider this my concession — you’re absolutely right about Astaire understanding what his audience wanted. If I could do ‘traditional marketing’ the way Astaire danced, I’d be running GM out of bankruptcy right now.
As it is, I can hardly move my arms in time with my feet, so….
🙂
-rsh
December 10, 2008 — 8:05 am
Carolyn Gjerde-Tu says:
I didn’t read Rob’s original post (but I will) this is a very interesting discussion. I’ve read some unrelated discussions comparing Astaire with Kelly, the differences in style runs through their core. What I’m gathering is that the original (real estate) discussion was that Astaire was too polished and lost authenticity but I’m agreeing with Teri that they are both authentic in their own way. To bring it back to real estate, do you create a very polished (Astaire) image or are you more of an everyman/woman (Kelly) type of business. I think it depends on the individual and as long as you are true to yourself and to your business you will be sucessful. When a company/agent does not know what they want and sends out mixed messages, is not authentic, they are more likely to experience a flop at the box office.
December 10, 2008 — 2:05 pm
Steve says:
My wife has been in real estate business in Massachusetts for over 25 years. So, especially in the current state of the economy, I understand the marketing challenges you’re referring to. In the same way Fred was able to transport his audience into another world not skimping on any details, it would seem that a real estate client needs to be transported into envisioning themselves in a particular listing. Your marketing material needs to make that a visual reality for them. That material needs to bridge any mental gap that exists in their imagination and the devil is in the details.
I dare say that if GM paid this much attention to the market and their image, they would not be pursuing a bailout! The concepts you’re discussing are transferable to so many other businesses.
Thanks for an extremely interesting discussion and the classic videos.
December 10, 2008 — 2:42 pm
Leon Belenky-One Bal Harbour Condo Expert says:
I have had the best time reading your banter on Fred and Gene! I have to say I love them both (Singing In The Rain and Royal Wedding are both just delightful) BUT I will say that by virtue of the fact that Fred could change with the times, was flexible and evolved with the audience, I have to agree with Teri. Sorry Rob. 🙂
December 10, 2008 — 10:15 pm
Sean Purcell says:
Teri,
but we can learn something about business from him. We can understand that practice does make perfect
A great coach once told me: “Practice does not make perfect. Practice makes habit. Perfect practice… makes perfect.” The difference, I believe, is staggering.
Hmmm, this feels like a post…
December 10, 2008 — 10:49 pm
Teri Lussier says:
Hi Rob-
I so enjoyed this discussion. It’s always fun to talk with you, even when you’re wrong. 😉
Carolyn, Steve, Leon-
I’m glad you all enjoyed the post and got something out of it. I’m such a huge fan of musicals, and that’s what the original discussion was about. Rob made the creative leap to real estate, but since he was ill-informed 😉 , I couldn’t let his post go without a response.
Hi Sean-
Not the best wording, I agree, and the minute I hit the “publish” button I knew someone would call me on it.
But you inspired me to go off in search of some quotes about the subject and I found some great information that gives some insight into Astaire’s working/rehearsal style from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Astaire:
“For her part, Rogers described Astaire’s uncompromising standards extending to the whole production, “Sometimes he’ll think of a new line of dialogue or a new angle for the story…they never know what time of night he’ll call up and start ranting enthusiastically about a fresh idea…No loafing on the job on an Astaire picture, and no cutting corners.” ”
And ” “His perfectionism was legendary; however, his relentless insistence on rehearsals and retakes was a burden to some. When time approached for the shooting of a number, Astaire would rehearse for another two weeks, and record the singing and music. With all the preparation completed, the actual shooting would go quickly, conserving costs. Astaire agonized during the entire process, frequently asking colleagues for acceptance for his work, as Vincente Minnelli stated, “He lacks confidence to the most enormous degree of all the people in the world. He will not even go to see his rushes…He always thinks he is no good.”[32] As Astaire himself observed, “I’ve never yet got anything 100% right. Still it’s never as bad as I think it is.”[32]”
And some insight into Ginger Rogers:
“According to Astaire, “Ginger had never danced with a partner before. She faked it an awful lot. She couldn’t tap and she couldn’t do this and that … but Ginger had style and talent and improved as she went along. She got so that after a while everyone else who danced with me looked wrong.”[31] ”
Practice makes perfect, perfect practice makes perfect… I’ll leave that discussion to you. 🙂
December 11, 2008 — 5:14 am