What the Iowa State Fair Can Teach Us About Commercial Real Estate
Every August, more than a million
people descend on Des Moines, Iowa, for one of the most iconic celebrations of
agriculture, tradition, and Americana: the Iowa State Fair.
You’ll find butter cows.
Deep-fried Snickers. Prize-winning pigs. And yes - this year, you’ll find us
there too.
You may be wondering, we have a
fair in Orange County, why Iowa? Well, we’re trying to see all fifty states.
What better way to visit Iowa, than the state fair we reasoned.
Now, I’ll admit - on the
surface, the Iowa State Fair has very little to do with commercial real estate.
But after years in this business, I’ve learned that the best lessons don’t
always come from lease negotiations or cap rate spreadsheets. Sometimes, they
come from places you least expect - like from livestock barns and lemonade
stands.
As I ponder our attendance, I
anticipate five surprisingly relevant lessons the Iowa State Fair has to offer
CRE professionals, property owners, and business leaders alike:
Visibility Is Power. At the fair, everyone shows up. Presidential candidates. Local
farmers. Funnel cake vendors. It’s a stage - and the people who stand out are
the ones who lean into the spotlight.
The same applies to commercial
real estate. If you want the business, you have to be visible. Post on
LinkedIn. Return your calls. Walk the industrial park. Knock on the neighbor’s
door. You never know which conversation leads to your next transaction.
Show up often enough, and
eventually you’re the broker they think of first.
Specialization Wins Blue
Ribbons. The fair isn’t about
generalists. It’s about champions - best in breed, best in show, best in pie
crust.
In commercial real estate, the
same holds true. If you’re trying to represent office tenants, retail
developers, and industrial buildings owners all at once, you’ll get lost in the
crowd. But if you’re the go-to broker for aerospace facilities or cold storage
occupants? Now you’re speaking the judge’s language.
Specialists don’t just compete -
they win.
Know Your Audience - and Entertain
Them. The Iowa State Fair majors in
audience engagement. Every booth, every announcer, every exhibitor is tuned
into one question: “How do I draw them in?”
In our business, whether you’re giving
a tour or sending a proposal, you need to ask the same thing. Are you
connecting with your audience? Are you using stories, analogies, visuals — or
just burying them in data?
The best brokers aren’t just
experts. They’re entertainers, educators, and translators.
Process Beats Flash. Behind the corn dogs and concerts is a finely tuned operation. The
fair doesn’t happen by accident - it’s a system of logistics, preparation, and
process.
The same is true of great
brokerage. A successful transaction isn’t the result of charisma alone. It
comes from structured follow-up, solid documentation, strategic planning, and
diligent execution.
Flash may get attention. Process
gets results.
Success Is Grown, Not Grabbed. At the fair, everything takes time. Blue ribbon hogs aren’t raised in
a week. The best corn isn’t grown overnight. These results are the end of a
long, consistent season of effort.
Likewise, in commercial real
estate, the big wins come from relationships planted and nurtured over time —
referrals, repeat clients, neighbors who saw the sign and remembered your name.
If you’re in it for the long
haul, you’ll build something worth exhibiting.
Final Thoughts From Des Moines.
So yes — I’m heading to the
Iowa State Fair this week. I’ll enjoy the food, the spectacle, and hopefully
the butter cow. But I’ll also be paying attention — because success leaves
clues, whether you’re watching a 4H goat show or leading a facility tour in
Anaheim.
If you’re in commercial real
estate - or any people-driven business - maybe the fair has something to teach
you, too.
And if not… well, there are
always the corndogs.
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