Real Estate is a full contact sport that takes some time to perfect, like all sports. At first I was very reluctant to knock on people's doors. I hated it when people came to my door to solicit me. I was sure everyone felt the same way I did. I didn't even want to call people in the morning because I thought I was intruding on their privacy, same with the evening when they would be home. I sent letters, I walked the farm and dropped off postcards and just listed/just sold materials and would engage with anyone walking their dog, or gardening in the yard.
"Beautiful day, isn't it?" I would start. "Nice day to be out, don't you think," I might comment. I was always looking for a way not to intrude, not to be a sales guy. I hated sales guys. I still hate sales guys. Yesterday I got three calls from a company trying to sell me the local paper I am already subscribed to. I was polite enough on the first call and let the salesdweep go through a terrible script before telling them that I already receive their paper but I am not on your list because my wife and I have different last names. By the time the third call happened the salessnake was shouting over me to get through the script. I hate scripts and I hate people just continuing to talk when you ask a question.
This is the part of sales that I wanted to avoid at all costs. No scripts, no talking over people, no intruding into other peoples lives unless I was asked. And then I had an experience that changed all that. One of my letters got to someone on just the right day and had just the right message that they actually called me up. Voila, I was right, this does work, I thought to myself not doing the math to see I was around 1% effective with the way I was working. I dropped by the home and the distraught seller cried as they told me the story of the many pushy sales agents who are pestering them on the phone and knocking at their door. They felt barraged by these aggressive tactics and were repelled by the approach. I was vindicated by their words, but was not ready for their plea.
"We just wish you had called or dropped by earlier so that we could have avoided all this pain." What! Huh? I was stunned, they wanted me to knock and call. They wanted to have someone to talk to about their expired listing who actually listened and had their interests at heart. No scripts, not closing tactics, no shouting that you are the best agent, in the best agency, just real help. Well, that was the day I realized that real estate is a full contact sport and if I am going to help people I have to knock on their doors, or call them on the phone and listen. I listen for a living and I love real estate. Real estate is a full contact sport.
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