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Would You Pay $150 to Reach 10 Referrers?

By Peg Barcelo

Home Stager with Fluff My House! Home Staging Inc. 250.486.6369

May 18, 2012 04:11 AM

Would You Pay $150 to Reach 10 Referrers?

I just had a conversation with an agent who got my name from another agent.

secret She was asking my rates and how quickly I (?) can sell a house etc.

Then she said she was having guest speakers come to do presentations for her 10 person power team of Realtors at her office and would I be interested in bringing flyers for their client packages and coming on such&such date?

I was about to say yes when she dropped this bombshell: "And we expect you to buy us lunch for $150." what?

Exsqueeze me?

She continues on to say "we are starting next week and we already have some lawyers and mortgage brokers booked and they are buying us lunch for $150."

I must have been too stunned to verbalize coherently, because after a pause she said to think about it and get back to her...

Yup, I'll be thinking about it... :D

I have had in the last few days 5 Realtors ask via email for my one page info pdf to put in their client packages, because of connections I've made via Linked in, for free...

What would you do?

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Peg Barcelo

Fluff My House! Home Staging Inc. 250.486.6369 - Summerland, BC

The FlufftasticStager from Summerland, BC

Melissa, I have been rolling my eyes too since the conversation! I told her that I have done many presentations for REA's and have never had to pay to do it. (Usually it was at a weekly meeting and I took 10 - 15 minutes of it) I would offer to bring a snack, but that should be my option... I told a friend about this and her response was; shouldn't they be buying you lunch? :D

Doug, I agree, I guess that was my point too, there was no guarantee they would use my brochures at all, just to bring them. I could pay $150 for a newspaper ad and reach the whole city...

May 18, 2012 04:38 AM

Janice Ankrett

Burlington, ON

Staging Professional

Ah yes, the old lunch and learn! I did it once. I got to present staging to 35 agents. It gave me very little return.

May 18, 2012 05:33 AM

Peg Barcelo

Fluff My House! Home Staging Inc. 250.486.6369 - Summerland, BC

The FlufftasticStager from Summerland, BC

Janice, I have no problem in going and educating agents as to the value of what we do. It lets them get to know you and since I always try to make them laugh they remember me... But my time is valuable so I would think that would be enough payment...

May 18, 2012 06:06 AM

Roger D. Mucci

Shaken...with a Twist 216.633.2092 - Euclid, OH

Lets shake things up at your home today!

Do exactly what you are doing.............nothing! What a rip off BU-FU!

May 18, 2012 06:30 AM

Anna Dovger

Add Value Home Staging LLC, 281-704-6607 - The Woodlands, TX

Home Staging -The Woodlands, TX

Peg, they call you asking if you can share your tips and tricks to help them sell faster and you have to pay for it? It's like if I would call a plumber for the free estimate and say BTW can you pick up a lunch on the way here for me and my friend who happened to stop by.

May 18, 2012 08:15 AM

Peg Barcelo

Fluff My House! Home Staging Inc. 250.486.6369 - Summerland, BC

The FlufftasticStager from Summerland, BC

BU-FU, I'm still shaking my head... but what is amazing is that there are people willing to pay for the privilege of buying these 10 people lunch to tell them about their biz... unbelievable.

Anna, that is such a great comparison! LOL!

May 18, 2012 09:00 AM

Sharon Tara

Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH

Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

I am with you....they can buy their own lunch. I've done a number of office presentations and I usually bring muffins (morning meetings) but I've never been asked to pay for their lunch!

May 18, 2012 09:50 AM

Peg Barcelo

Fluff My House! Home Staging Inc. 250.486.6369 - Summerland, BC

The FlufftasticStager from Summerland, BC

Sharon, it's too funny really. I can't believe the audacity of her statement in the first place... I'm glad I got her name so I can screen her calls... lol!

On the other hand I received an email from a lady at Realty Executives Approved Suppliers today asking if I'd like to be on their preferred Supplier list that is available to all their REA's. I asked what the cost would be when she said she needed a logo, location, description and contact info, and she said it was gratis. From one extreme to another today! This information will be available to Realty Executives Agents across Canada! For free!

May 18, 2012 11:30 AM

Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging

Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR - Portland, OR

"Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"

RUN as fast as you can and as FAR away as possible from this "opportunity!"

What a rip-off!!

May 18, 2012 12:16 PM

Peg Barcelo

Fluff My House! Home Staging Inc. 250.486.6369 - Summerland, BC

The FlufftasticStager from Summerland, BC

LOL! I'm detecting a recurrent theme in your commnets! ;D Thanx Maureen, A rip off is a good way to describe it, although it's hard to believe that some professionals are falling for it...

May 18, 2012 01:33 PM

Lloyd Binen

Certified Realty Services - Saratoga, CA

Silicon Valley Realtor since 1976; 408-373-4411

Hi Peg, If I asked my stager to do an educational presentation to my office, I would buy her lunch. After all, she's spending her time educating us. But, if you asked to do a marketing presentation (where your goal is to solicit staging business) to a group then a dozen bagels and cream cheese is justified.

There is a cost to getting new business of course, but that situation does not seem like a good bang for the buck. Er, loon.

May 18, 2012 03:09 PM

Peg Barcelo

Fluff My House! Home Staging Inc. 250.486.6369 - Summerland, BC

The FlufftasticStager from Summerland, BC

LLoyd, I'm thinking perhaps she was a bit of a loon... I really wonder how many professionals she really had that agreed to this extortion...

May 18, 2012 04:05 PM

Sharon Tara

Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH

Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Now that's a good deal! Glad you got that offer to offset the other!

May 18, 2012 10:14 PM

Peg Barcelo

Fluff My House! Home Staging Inc. 250.486.6369 - Summerland, BC

The FlufftasticStager from Summerland, BC

I thought so too Sharon! I have sent off my data and am crossing my digits!

May 18, 2012 11:35 PM

Belinda Spillman

Aspen Lane Real Estate Colorful Colorado - Aurora, CO

Colorado Living!

Peg, I think you did the right thing by not jumping at the chance to spend $150 on them. Who knows what the rate of return would be on that $150. Must be a heck of a lunch.

May 18, 2012 11:57 PM

Peg Barcelo

Fluff My House! Home Staging Inc. 250.486.6369 - Summerland, BC

The FlufftasticStager from Summerland, BC

BB, that was my thought too. There was no guarantee of ROI in this situation, and spending $15 on each of them might not seem like a lot when you break it down, but I didn't even know what I was buying...

May 19, 2012 03:26 AM

Gayle Rich-Boxman Fishhawk Lake Real Estate

John L Scott Market Center - Birkenfeld, OR

"Your Local Expert!" 503-739-3843

OH, Peg, SOOOOO ANNOYING! I have now got my BS monitor in full swing when I hear people wanting to USE ME for free or for my payment--uh, NOOOOOOOOO! I realize that with a burgeoning biz, you have to pay to play so-to-speak, but even then, YOU PICK AND CHOOSE and you use your intuitive self to weed out the LOSERS, BEGGARS, LEECHES AND CREEPS.

You're on your way, you don't need these people. And how many lunches can you eat when SEVERAL people are paying $150 EACH?? (kidding, sorta, but you get my point).

May 20, 2012 03:25 PM

Peg Barcelo

Fluff My House! Home Staging Inc. 250.486.6369 - Summerland, BC

The FlufftasticStager from Summerland, BC

LOL Gaylefriend*snap*! At first I was thinking it was like BNI where if you don't sign up they will find your competition to play ball with, but I've been invited to those meetings too, and they seem too expensive and too much work for any ROI. I wish this agent luck, but I'm not that desperate!

May 20, 2012 07:53 PM

Nick T Pappas

Assoc. Broker ABR, CRS, SFR, e-Pro, @Homes Realty Group, Broker/Providence Property Mgmnt, LLC Huntsville AL - Huntsville, AL

Madison & Huntsville Alabama Real Estate Resource

Peg, "What would I do"? Well it sounds like a no brainer to me and "NO" being the operative word!

May 22, 2012 09:28 AM

Peg Barcelo

Fluff My House! Home Staging Inc. 250.486.6369 - Summerland, BC

The FlufftasticStager from Summerland, BC

Nick! Thanx! lol, I find it amusing all of the near outrage at the suggestion this woman made! Everyone I tell this story to feels the same way!

May 22, 2012 02:05 PM