Prior to January 2014, Bob Lucido had three goals for his 30 team members and 10 employees: (1) To be the most respected real estate team in his market and the industry, synonymous with service-oriented brands such as Nordstrom, Lexus and the Ritz Carlton; (2) To have a great work environment where everyone on the team has fun; and (3) For everyone to make money.
The #1 team in Maryland now has a fourth goal. “We want to integrate the Keller Williams systems and processes into our entire team in a significant way,” said Lucido in an interview last week. “We want to live and breathe the system and the culture!”
When all of this happens, the real estate powerhouse believes they will be able to achieve their ultimate vision, which is to become #1 in the country and #1 in the world.
“You’re either alive and growing or dead and dying,” he said. “We need to be in proactive growth mode and we need to continue to be who are for our clients and our people.”
Less Fees, More Growth
That kind of progress is partly why Lucido and his wife and business partner Tracy Lucido chose Keller Williams Realty after years with RE/MAX. “We wanted to be with a company that truly supported the team growth model.” Lucido is referring to the fees associated with his former brokerage – one of which amounted to $400 for his team members to hang their license with RE/MAX.
“We’re a big team. We attract people who find themselves in stagnant jobs – the bars, the beach, the streets – and build up their raw talent with education, training and accountability. It just didn’t feel right for people to have to pay to go to work and all of the fees turned out to be a financial hardship.”
Dollars Out, Dollars In
The Lucido Team has worked hard to create a brand that gains the trust and mind share of their Maryland clientele. They don’t shy away from admitting that they spend a significant amount of money on marketing.
But under RE/MAX, Lucido felt he was shelling out money for additional branding that benefited the parent franchise – not his team’s brands. “I got the balloon and the brand and it just felt like after that, there was substance missing.”
Now those fees go back into the marketing and branding for his team to generate more business – not back to the brokerage. “Keller Williams’ agent-first mentality and culture of rewarding the agent and putting them first has been a fantastic fit for our team and our model. People are loyal to us – not the balloon – because we’ve created our own brand and are visible in the papers and on television.”
Lucido’s team has gotten pretty creative in their marketing strategy over the years. “We have a commercial that plays at the largest movie theater in town,” he says. They also have moving trucks wrapped in their branding. The difference between Lucido and other agents with moving trucks is his strategic approach which includes placing them in major thoroughfares around the city. “We’ll park them at popular restaurants during peak traffic periods,” he explained. Even their “just listed” and “just sold” cards aren’t your run-of-the-mill marketing; they choose jumbo and high gloss every time. The also send out a glossy newsletter to targeted areas. “We want people to keep the newsletter around and use it on a regular basis.”
And if you thought newspaper advertisements were dead – think again. “We have a 3 x 5 inch jewel box in the bottom left-hand corner of the front page. Whether it’s my face, a new listing or a just sold, the Lucido brand is always there.”
Change is Good
Lucido’s transition to Keller Williams is in full swing and he is thankful the support he’s received on a local and national level. “Everyone is jumping in. It’s like a SWAT team helping, which has made the move absolutely seamless,” he says. He’s particularly grateful for Seth Campbell, regional director of Maryland and D.C., the regional and Ellicott City market center staffs as well as mega agents Joe Rothchild (Signature market center), Mark Spain (Atlanta – North Fulton market center), Keller Williams CEO Mark Willis and Co-Founder and Chairman Gary Keller, who sent Lucido a personal note when he joined.
“Joe has a big team and truly understands what it takes to make a transition at this level. He spent two days on the phone with me and even offered to fly up and help,” Lucido says.
That kind of culture is just one more reason Lucido is thrilled
For the 55-year old business owner, coming to Keller Williams represents a winning alignment, one that he is certain will only help The Lucido team propel to even more success.
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