by Grant Wakelin
Internet entrepreneur
Anti-authority
Anti-USA
Anti-government
Larger than life
Controversial, opinionated, flamboyant
Like him or loath him Kim Dotcom knows how to get attention. He is superb at generating news by being different and opinionated. By being interesting. He has created the "Cult of Kim" and often uses events to get his news out or create interest. Be they a twitter promoted "swim at Kim’s” or a barbecue in his enormous back yard. They don't always work, for example the failed launch of his political party around a music event (cancelled because it contravened political election laws) - but they do create publicity.
We can learn from this. Take the ‘swim at Kim's’, an event directed at technology opinion leaders by using a specific communication channel - in this case Twitter. Kim sent out a personal invite to swim in his pool, have a chat and good time. Of course live tweeted pics and one-liners all the while. He got to chat directly with them and used their networks to get his message out to a wider audience.
The primary ‘event’ when selling your house is the Open Home. Why not do something different with your Open Home rather than competing with every other property on Saturday and Sunday. What about a Wednesday viewing - try a lunch time 12.30pm start time and see what happens? Or if you live in an area with lots of young families try prior to, or just after, school pickup time. A twilight event at drive time. Get those people travelling home from a day at the office, finishing just prior to sunset. You might be surprised how often the buyer of a home already lives very close to it - maybe even next door. Just perfect for an “exclusive” neighbours only viewing. Its a great time to get all the locals around, put some wine and nibbles out and have a social! Feeling cheeky? The Guerrilla Open Home is for you! The house down the road is having an Open Home, or maybe there are even several on. Take advantage of any promotion they have done. Make it obvious to any visitor to the area that your home available for viewing at the same time.
Part of the reason Kim Dotcom is well know is he is controversial. He seems to operate at the edge of the law and in past times over the edge of legality. The result, some well publicised run-ins with the authorities. Armed police storming your home is frightening. Shutting down of your business and confiscation of your assets pretty damn scary. Long, expensive, time consuming legal battles draining and distracting. The police say he broke the law, Kim Dotcom says he didn’t - time will tell. But, in many respects legal battles are emotional and financial prisons while they are underway.
The lesson of course is we don’t want to go there. While you’re unlikely to be stormed by armed police after selling your home, an emotionally and financially expensive legal issue (and there are no cheap ones) is to be avoided. Disclosure is your friend, your way to stay out of trouble. If there are issues, fix them or disclose them. If work has been done that was not consented - get it rectified before you sell. If there are problems with mould or moisture coming in - fix or disclose. It is just not worth hiding issues these days. A problem that costs $1 to fix up front could cost you $10 to fix at the time of a contract or a $100 if discovered afterwards. The days of buyer beware have gone - we operate today in an environment of owner declare. But to be honest - it is better that way. Just ask any owner that has been sued after they sold their home.
The only winners are the lawyers - probably the same for Kim.
Picture by Peter Harrison, via Wikimedia Commons
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