When I first became interested in what the Tomato was doing, there was something that just didn't sit right with me.
Jim was saying (and I knew he was right I mean the guy comes ranked very highly for "blogging advice" on the big G that arguing with him is fruitless, lol) that blogging helps your potential customers to get to know YOU and that brings relationships that ultimately turns into a huge following of loyal friends who will need your help selling or buying from time to time. It's the humanization, so to speak, of the Realtor. (is that a word?)
They want to get to know me? Isn't that against all prevailing wisdom? Don't I have to pretend that I'm someone I'm not, keep myself on the shelf to gain their trust so they perceive that I'm a professional truly concerned about their best interests? I always thought that the last thing people wanted to do was talk to a Realtor much less get to know one unless they already did.
From a strictly sales perspective, I was into mirroring and matching, scripts and dialogues, NLP, "The Psychology of Persuasion" by Kevin Hogan, cold calling, calling expireds, yada, yada, yada. All worthwhile sales activities yet somehow archaic. (I know that's a word!)
So blogging means that all I have to do is to talk about my sock drawer today, I have a really nice sock drawer by the way, and this helps the readership to see what kind of guy I am THEN they'll feel comfortable enough to do business with me? Doesn't this sound like Agent .05? Is there any love in the room? Can a brother get an "AMEN"?!
Talk about a radical shift in my thinking. Does this mean I can go to my listing appointments in flip flops and a t-shirt? Let's not get carried away but I would wear my fanciest pair of socks!
Then I came across this book, "The Little Red Book of Selling" by Jeffery Gitomer. On one of the first pages, Jeff says
"If they like you, and they believe you and they trust you and they have confidence in you then they MAY buy from you." Can all of this be done in a blog before they meet you in person?
Liking you, according to Jeff, is the #1 reason people will buy from you. I always thought that if I called them, presented an argument that appealed to their sense of logic then they got to like me, I was in. Seems like, and please correct me if I'm wrong here, that blogging skips a step. Am I to understand that I no longer have to sell them on meeting with me then get them to like me?
And what about "How To Win Friends and Influencing People" by Dale Carnegie? Focus on others, be sincere and above all LISTEN! This blogging thing seems to alter if not outright change the sales process and, to some extent, all that I've studied about it. I'm starting to think that a paradigm shift is in order. (maybe it's already occurring!)
Does blogging change the dynamic of the sales process? Is it a sales process at all? Have the rules of the game been changed while I busy being self absorbed?
What do you think?
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