A Pillow or Hammer To Identify Opportunities From Within Your Sphere?

Top Producer and Active Rain are sponsoring a contest “Identifying Opportunities From Within Your Sphere” or CRM.  This post is my entry to the contest.  

 

The Softer Side of Kathleen Daniels

 

 

I am all about soft touches and not hard selling. My clients are raving fans. They know what I do. They know I am here for them if/when they need me. I will never ask a past client “who do you know ….” We all know how that script ends. With me, it ends before it starts. I do not call my clients and ask for business.

 

How do I know when someone is getting ready to transact? 

I know when they reach out to me and say … we are thinking of selling … can you help? That is exactly what a past client from 12 years ago emailed me last week.

 

Did I mention that they know what I do? They know how to reach me.

Back to the soft touch and the ways I stay engaged with my clients.

•   I sent a light and easy email message every three weeks. I use Happy Grasshopper.
•   I am friends with many clients on FaceBook. I comment on their posts and respond to private messages they send via FB.
•   I send hand addressed Birthday Cards – as well as wish them Happy Birthday on Facebook.
•  While not a ritual or part of my marketing plan, I may send a Thanksgiving card.
•  I send a hand addressed Christmas card.
•  I sometimes call clients just to say Hello and see how they are doing.
•  I sometimes meet with clients for coffee, breakfast or lunch.
•  Discussions are always about them. I never ask them for business. 

This works for me and my personality. I am just not a hard sell kind of gal. 

 

Hard Selling - The Hammer Approach

Do I miss opportunities choosing not to use the Hammer Approach?  

Yes, I believe I do.  I am okay with that.  It is JUST. NOT. ME. It does not fit my personality. All the training and coaching in the world is NOT GOING TO CHANGE THAT.  

The hammer approach for me means calling and hounding people asking/begging for business.  There is no doubt that people do get business with that approach. 

 

 

 

My accountant never asks me to refer him business. My dentist never asks me to refer him business. My doctors never ask me to refer them business. My electrician does not ask me for business.  My inspectors do not ask me for business. You get the idea - right?

 

I know who they are. I know what they do.  I will naturally refer people to them because they are good and I trust them.  

 

That is exactly what happens in my business. 

 

Confusing Kindness With Weakness

People may confuse my kindness with weakness.  It happens. When it does people quickly discover that I will use a hammer if I discover:

•  They are phony (not who they say they are - or do not have the skills and qualifications they proclaim to have) 

•  Have lied or otherwise have been dishonest 

•  Attempted to harm, in any way, my clients ... or me

I will fight to protect and defend against those who attempt to cause harm. This often makes me a "bitch" or "inflexible" in their eyes.  Believe me, I have been called both. I am okay with that too. I have high standards many folks just don't understand. Besides, I do not care what deceivers, scammers and incompetent people think of me. There is no room for them in my world. 

 

My name is Kathleen Daniels, Independent Broker-Owner of KD Realty in San Jose, CA and I approve this message. When you hire me you have my personal guarantee that I will not hound you begging for referrals. What you get is highly personalized and customized service designed to meet your needs and reach your goals. 

 

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Kathleen Daniels, Managing Broker-Owner of KD Realty, serving San Jose and Silicon Valley. Kathleen specializes in Probate Real Estate.

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