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Buy from me or get out of my car!

During the last buyers market (late 80's early 90's) I spent a lot of time driving people around. When I was really new.. I would take them around until they would "buy or die" (die - figuratively...)

As I was learning to take better control of my business I had the good fortune to see Steve Stewart speak and at that time he really struck a chord with me. The one thing that I really remember from his seminar though, was the round red button that said "Buy From Me or Get Out Of My Car!"

I put it on the passenger side visor and it changed my life.

A mixture of reactions followed, most were pretty accepting and it opened up the communication between the buyer and myself. The button helped communicate that while I enjoy what I do, it is my profession.

My favorite was when I was taking a couple out for the first time, a couple of blocks from the office... the husband looks up and notices the button. He started to fidget and got stone cold quiet, so after a bit I said "Oh, I see you noticed my button" He replied with a gruff "What if I don't want to buy from you?" I answered with "Could you give me a little warning so that I can get really far away from the office before you have to get out?" At which point his wife burst into laughter... broke the ice and they bought the second time out.

He mentioned at the closing that he didn't take the buttons message so well at first, but it made him look at me differently.

Personally, I just thought it was fun. I wish that I knew what happened to that button... it just disappeared one day.

Posted by Angus in Naperville IL on 11/20/2006 04:22 PM

Comments (90)

education, buyers, professional image

90 Comments on Buy from me or get out of my car!

NOV

2006

That's some primo stuff! I absolutely love it.

I like it. It got your point accross in a light hearted way. I think you should get a few made at your local print shop (some in case they disapprear again)

What about a button like:

"I'm not a chauffeur so let me know, the first mile is FREE, then you must to buy from me"

Chris - Thanks for the kudos - It's important to have some fun.

Ann & Peter - Wish I could claim credit, one of the benefits to the button was that it said "Steve Stewart Seminars" in little type on the bottom, that helps takes the edge off.

Moo

Why not be straight forward, it works more often than not.

Angus I love it. How about: Buy from me or moooooooove on.

Eric - I'm with you, but it doesn't hurt to get a little passive help!

Broker Bryant - Maybe I could start my own Bovine inspired seminar series. My concern would be the limited audience.

Angus,

I'm with you too! Maybe you should send Steve and email steve@steve-stewart.com

and see if he has any buttons. I think he has T-shirts too!

Great story. We're not tour guides!

No I Don't Know Who Mickey Mouse Really Is!...TLW...ROAR!

That is a great way to get your point across! It will cut down on time-wasters.

Angus, Moo - you hit on a way to make a hard point easier. I am good at what I do but not as good at protecting my time. To me that button and it's focus on you as professional also helps brand into people's minds that we ARE professionals. Just a thought, how do you think it would go over if I just said it instead of having a button? Just curious. Great post

Gutsy. I don't know if I could do it. But I LOVE that you do!

Wow! I don't know if I have the guts to put it on my car or not. Although, ask me just after I've worked with a buyer that went else where. Than I would do it.

I don't think I could put it out, but I love the sentiment. I am getting to the point where I'm pretty blunt in my buyer interviews and tell them that I don't make money unless they buy and that, if they decide not to buy at all, its alright, but if I ask that they don't go through another agent.

I love this type of humor!

It is obviously meant as a joke and if someone does not get that then I dont know if I want them in my car!

Jamie, just a thought: how about a 2 million dollar buyer without a humorous bone in his body?????

Steve Stewart has some really good and informative information available. Great stuff that will help anyone. Well, except for the folks working at Redfin anyway. OOPS, didnt mean to hurt anyones feelings but, his insights would not apply to them. OOPS, there I go again....SORRY! I truly do not wish to offend anyone.....Now, GET OUT OF MY CAR!

Funny! I have actaully threatened to drop non-buying buyers off far from home as a punishment for making me show them so many houses. Once had a couple that dragged me through 50 assorted houses and townhouses they came real close to having a long walk.

This is the prime cause of my discussion of buyer brokerage agreements in my Illinois pre-license classes.

Don't spend money on no returns.

Moo,

I had one of these buttons a long time ago, too. I wonder where mine disappeared to??? Hmmmm........I did have mine in the car, too, back then, but I don't think I had mine as prominently displayed as yours was. I think I was a little too chicken for that kind of display back then. Today - in a heartbeat I'd have it front and center, and I'd use humor with it as you did.

Ann

i need one of those! my favorite CE instructor is always reminding us not to be 'haulin' and hopin' since it doesn't pay the bills. =) he refers to those glory days in the late 70s early 80s when having a living body in your car was a status symbol....

Humor and sarcasim can really DRIVE home the point. (Pardon the pun,)

Angus,

I love that button!

It should be pined to the dash right above an electrical switch that says ejection seat.

For many years we kept a large boat at a local (Boulder City, NV) marina, on the back of a boat, a finger (part of the dock) ahead of us floated a go fast type boat. The boat was labeled "Sin or Swim"! I wouldn't let my daughter near him, but there is something to say about establishing ground rules.

Bill

William J Archambault Jr

The Real Estate Investment Institute

http://www.reii.org

That is a great story, time for you to get another button.

Angela, we got to put our heads together and come up with one!!!

If anyone does print up these buttons, I want to order a box full! Actually, if the market gets too slow, maybe there's a way to make it pay.

"Tour charges incurred after fourth showing: $250/hour"
"1st four showings free. Each Additional $75.00"

Angus- Cute story !! I need a pin like that !!

Ok guys. I actually have at least one of those buttons in a drawer in my office. I almost ran into the office tonight to see if I have more than one. I guarantee button #2 will go to Angus if I find extra. The rest of the story.....tomorrow.

Should we see if we can get an AR volume discount!

Angus, you have a way to make me laugh.

No guts, no glory!

Go for the glory!

Thanks for the laugh.

Great post. I can't tell you how many people I have met who think I work for free!!!

At first I thought it was Craig's nose again - that thing is following us everywhere!

Great button - I LOVE it! and also like William's idea of "ejection seat" switch.

I love it! I'm going to get a button like that. I took a girl from Ca. around all day, even bought her lunch and towards the end of the day she began getting calls from ANOTHER AGENT! I turned around a took her back. Since she decided that she wanted to keep talking to that agent.

haha, I think Floyd Wickman said something similar when he was younger and before he became successful in real estate. Everyone in his office called him the "undertaker"

Oh Man Angus - I was going to say something funny but everyone took my lines and I have nothing funny to say now. I did notice that TLW was sooo way off topic - did you?

Michael Mackey: You cant post that....it is copyrighted information from Redfin!

Sorry....again

FYI-Redfin is NOT in our market area. But, they will be by "summer of 2006" they say!

joanne - Thanks - I sent him a note when I did the post (just in case he isn't reading AR)

Kaushik - Not as a rule... but sometimes I pretend...

TLW - Can you point out his mansion and say how many bathrooms he has?

Jennifer - At the very least, it gets them thinking

Carole - I think the key is to hit the right balance of humor... or else the whole thing could backfire. I would be concerned that if I said it that I would have difficulty keeping an edge from my voice. Much better to give the raised eyebrow and the goofy smile (in my case)

Was thinking I could say something like: ok we have had a nice tour of the City; how about a tour of my office to write an offer?

: - )

How important is that preliminary buyer interview?!! The button would be great as a reminder afterwards! How do I install an ejection seat in my car??

Damn.... late to the party. But I gues spending 4 hours on my most current blog definately took some time away from my evening.

But Angus.... great story. And I loved Bryant's comment...... in regards to any other thoughts, my mind is spent big time. sorry....

Lisa - I am a reckless soul!

Cynthia - They wouldn't dare!

Chris - Counseling up front is very important. I've got to put on my list to get better at that so that I don't have to lower myself to such skullduggery!

Jamie - I'm with you on the humor!

Carole - Don't be mean... What's a 2 million dollar buyer look like?

Christopher - I must have missed the Redfin thing... Can I ask them to get out of my car?

Teresa - I think you might do it too!

Angela - How about "would you like some points with that super sized loan?"

David - Get those folks properly trained, maybe some of us old guys will fall in line too!

Ann - We've just got to find our buttons!

Leigh - Steve ought to sell the buttons!

Craig - you daring wordsmith, you.

Bill - I love that ! Sin or swim! There's got to be a way to adapt that story to my business (one that won't get me in trouble)

George - it is so true... I am button deprived! Kind of you to think of me like that. :)

Michael - Oh, so that's what Christopher was talking about. There is definitely room for different buttons

Lauren - it is truly a phenomenon!

Linda - ooooh... holding my breath... fingers crossed... legs crossed (oh well... that's because I've sitting here too long)

Maureen - If I can add some laughter to your day, then it's been an awesome day!

Kristal - as you say - might as well put it all out there and look for the people that like you... they are way more fun to work with.

Heather - Sometimes we do work free, that's why we are so well paid at other times.... the key is to minimize it! If I were loaded with buttons I would surely share one with you!

Ines - I loved Bill's idea too. He's loaded with them, that's why people pay so much to hear him talk. Bill rocks.

Rob - All I've got say is "ouch"

Craig - I've always loved Floyd's Undertaker story. Floyd relates so well to people because he understands what we go through and see's the humor in it.

Christine - TLW took a side trip down the "I'm not a tour guide" road - scary thing is that I completely understood what was happening.

Christopher - OK... I'm catching on now.

Carole - How very gentle of you... I would be putty.

Carl - We need some specialty mechanics around here... the type that know how to keep their mouths shut.

Jeff - it seems that this blogging stuff can get in the way so easily...

NOV

2006

He bites! I love it Angus, I think I'm going with an "Enoch bites those that don't buy from us" pin.

Of course, he's not that good at selling himself as fierce...

I like the response of getting as far from the office as possible. Great ice breaker.

If they can't take a joke they need to be poked.

Good thing he had a sense of humour.

Fantastic - that's a classic!

If you ever mass-produce the buttons, put me on the list!

Our family team varies in personality.

Son Rob could get away with telling a client that, they'd laugh and love him for it (he's named a client who left us and came back "grovel" and the client even signs his e-mail that way now). He has a way with humor.

Daughter Tami would never say that to a client. Maybe she could use the button as an intermediary.

I haven't left a client along the street, but I have terminated our showings and driven them straight back to their home or hotel (no alternate dropoff allowed).

"Moo"...Great minds think alike you know!...:0)...To your first question...No, but I would be more than happy to point you to the nearest shuttle bus heading in that direction. The bus driver will provide the details of the house...:0)...TLW...ROAR!

Gabriel - Enoch is adorable...er... for a mean, fierce dog

Randy - If not, it would have been good to find out early. But I do have a story about one that got away...hmm I better get into Writely and start that blog...before I forget about it...

Marc - Steve should sell them on the side, but I would attend another one of his seminars just to get one! (Ok, also for the seminar... but I want the button)

Sharon - You are right that this would be style specific... I have no problem envisioning you uncerimoniously dropping a bad buyer off back at their hotel. I know that I wouldn't mess with you! Just thinking about it brings a smile to my face... :)

Caron - Now you're talking!

TLW - I told someone once - "Great minds think alike!" and he replied "No, great minds think for themselves" to which I responded: "How would you know?"

A month later he confessed to using "GMTA" in the hopes that someone would say what he did....

Moo the Naperville Real Estate guy

put a copy of your license up with the phrase "this ain't a hack license"

Angus - I love it. Great post. Would love to have some of those buttons.

You really sparked something Angus. Good job!

ROTFL...TLW...ROAR!

Angus, I love it... all of it... the post, the comments! More of us should be courageous enough to put such a button on the passenger side visor!

Hoezabout a straightforward Buyer Broker Exclusive Employment Agreement? That says - "Buy from me - I get paid, Buy from anyone else - I still get paid - by YOU!"

Upfront non-refundable retainers credited against commission at close of escrow work wonders as well! Nothing like having some skin in the game to keep one honest.

You know, everyone needs something that will push them over the top of other agents. You know that will make the difference that they will do referrals.

Hilarious! I would definitely do that if I could get my hands on a button. I think it's great to remind buyers that we are not just taking them on a ride for fun; we're working. Maybe I'll see if I can get my hands on a taxi meter on eBay, set it up in my car and put a sticker that says "charges paid at settlement.". =o)

Great post Angus. Keeping control of buyers is one the most important lessons a new agent can learn.

Buttons

Looky Looky what I found! One is on the way to you ANGUS!!

Linda, I want one pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeese.

I know I think about that saying all the time. I don't thing I'd have the gaul to pull a button out like that, though.

Angus

I had one of those buttons in 1989 until just after one of my buyers bought a house. She was at the last initial and refused to do it unless I gave her the button!

Here's Steve now-a-days:

LOL Ok George! You can have the very last one. Please email me your mailing address. I still owe you a book too.

Joanne & Chichi - You need to get together and start a "We are Not a Taxi" franchise operation!

Judy - I would think there is some opportunity for Steve here.

Christopher - Thanks! This is fun.

Leanne - That's high praise coming from you! Thanks!

Tony & Suzanne - That would take all of the fun and excitement out of it!

Susan - I agree we want to set ourselves apart from the competition.

blankman - Thanks for the comments. New agents need all the help that they can get!

"buy from me or get out of my car" this is honest yet effective. People sure as heck dont like to waste their time so why should they waste yours. After all time is money. Great blog cant wait for the next.

Let's Party! Linda!

You are much too cool! WooHoo! I can't wait...

Thank you! Thank you!

Moo

George - Excellent begging - I am very impressed! Good job!

Tracy - It's not a one size fits all kind of thing. But I was a littlenervous about it the first time... :)

Dave - I would have given her the button too - especially when you then have the opportunity to tell the story... But you need to replace it so that you can pass the story on to the next buyer when they ask about the button.

Linda - you are a good sport!

Eddy - Thanks for the comments!

How do you know it's not a blank woman? LOL...TLW...ROAR!

Great idea. I love the answer how far can you get from the office. I just have them sign a buyers broker agreement before I take them out.

I had to laugh - I can just picture the man! A good way to make the point - it seems almost mean - but then you gotta love it!

TLW - You got me there! OK, Blank Person!

Christine - Thanks for the comments - we were doing this prior to Buyer Agency. But even today, in Illinois very few people get BA agreements signed. Buyer Agency is organic here, Buyer's are represented unless there is a different agreement in writing. I lose such a small percentage of people that it just hasn't seemed necessary.

Deb - I promise, I wasn't mean... I try to keep it light... of course there is potential that I will have the mischievous smile mistaken for a malevolent one...

NOV

2006

Once again...LOL...SEE...:0)...TLW...ROAR!

NOV

2006

Great story Angus, my wife has a button making machine, think I'll ask her to make up a few for me. Also loved your response to the husband, and his wifes response. This also made me remember the bumper sticker from the 60's or 70's: Gas, Grass, or A**, nobody rides for free.

NOV

2006

Hey Angus,

I've always loved that saying! My husband and I joke about it now and then as we are both full time Realtors that sometimes get pretty well frustrated sometimes. But to actually say it to someone! Well, I'd say you found the perfect way to utilize it with humor. Good job!

Best,

Lisa & Bob Hammerstein

NOV

2006

TLW - Always have to get the last word in..eh?

Michael - Hitch-hiking was certainly interesting back then... :)

Thanks Lisa (and Bob) - you can get away with a lot if you smile the right way when you say it! (although it's best to avoid the evil grin with bad news)

Why, yes. I am a Lady. Having the last word is my job!! Were you expecting something different? :0)...TLW...ROAR!

NOV

2006

TLW _ I am perfectly content for you to have the last word... not many people end their posts with a ROAR!

Moo!

DEC

2006

That is great! I love the idea and what a good ice breaker to get a chuckle out of the buyer(s) or maybe a way to get rid of the tire kickers.

DEC

2006

Thanks for the comments Leo, Linda Davis had a spare button that she sent me and here is the story:

http://activerain.com/blogsview/24615/I-ve-been-Active

Moo

MAR

2007

I have a cartoon with that in my buyers book that I give every buyer before we go out together for the first time.

Todd

MAR

2007

Angus,

This is a cool story, and funny, thanks for the laugh!!

Good Day!! have a cup of java and a smile on me :)

MAR

2007

Angus,

Gee didn't want to tell you I have the red button! :) Very funny but makes a point loud and clear! Loved it.

Great story! I can see that... It puts everything in perspective.

I just made an update to this post here

Todd - Thanks for the comment.. it's always great to set the stage for your client.

Duane - It's always good to get our laughs in...

Roberta - My original one was red.. but my new one is blue... amazingly they seem to work the same way.

Matthew - In perspective.. with a grin (hopefully) of course it is sometimes disappointing when they don't even notice the button!

MAR

2007

Great post and one we all should consider using

AUG

2007

Thank you very much for sharing, I need to pass this idea on.

NOV

2008

Hi Angus

I guess it was a good post 88 replies. I haven't said anything in advance of a trip. At the end I have said "you are guilty of realtor abuse I also will turn to my wife and so loudly enough to be heard It's getting dark. Won't they ever go home? It's funny but it doesn't get me anywhere. Thank you for reminding me my time is important

Kieran

JUL

Great story, Angus and I love the button...LOL

Hey Angus...I really need one of those buttons!

Have a great day,

Anne Rains

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