Silos are great. At maintaining the status quo. At being predictable.

Silos hold grain. Get emptied. Get refilled with more grain.

Over and over and over. A very predictable pattern.

Silos suck if you are focused on growth. Sure, you can build more of them. But each one will be exactly the same as the last one in both efficiency and volume.

Unless you figure out how to build a better silo.

If you’re reading this blog, you likely work in the real estate vertical. You probably run your own business, either as an agent or broker. You’re probably smart.

Don’t make the classic mistake of operating your business in a silo. If everything you do is based on what you’ve seen and heard within the real estate industry, you’re missing the boat. In a big, big way. Unfortunately, too many business owners operate in your own tiny silo.

You talk to the same customers and partners. Run the same ads. Try the same marketing gimmicks. Buy from the same suppliers/vendors. Listen to the same “gurus”. Charge the same prices. Shoot for the same revenue targets.

Month after month. Year after year.

The result? Every year, you do just enough to make ends meet. The cycle starts all over next year.

Come January, you’ll be right back at square 1. And repeat the whole process over.

Getting outside of your own industry is something I’ve written about before. Make it a priority for 2012.

The focus should be on building a better silo by applying learnings from all different verticals.

[Photo via http://ctbworld.com]