Narrow and Deep or Wide and Shallow

by | Feb 25, 2026

Building awareness one person at a time is a lot of work.

Is there a shortcut? Yes. It’s called an employment brand.

When we buy something, a consumer brand quickly answers the basic questions of awareness.

I’ve heard of you. I like what you provide.

Employment brands are intended to produce the same response.

I like your company. I can imagine what it is like to work there.

By nature, employment brands are shallow, but they can quickly touch many people.

Building awareness through personal connections leads to deeper connections, but you can only reach a few individuals.

Both methodologies work.

Smaller organizations (i.e., single offices, teams) are usually more successful with the narrow and deep strategy.

Personal energy and grit pay off.

Larger organizations (i.e., multi-office brokerages) can leverage a wide and shallow strategy.

Effective systems and reliable execution make the difference.

 

The Simple Psychology of Real Estate Recruiting [2nd Edition]

Unlock the secrets of effective real estate recruiting. Revised to include actionable frameworks for sharper execution and to help you turn psychological theory into a repeatable recruiting system.

To Scale:  Recruiting Must Be Your #1 Focus

To Scale: Recruiting Must Be Your #1 Focus

The purpose of adding great people to your team is to multiply your efforts. It’s the most productive work you can be doing. Any time you’re pulled away from this work, you’re giving up your opportunity to multiply, and it reduces your long-term effectiveness and ability to grow.