There is a common myth in the real estate world. The myth seems to work this way; If I do things the same way as everyone else, I will be fine. This is why you can Google real estate education and find thousands of courses that will supposedly make you millions in ‘x’ number of years.
Out in the real estate world, agents are craving solid and innovative information. In their quest they discover the low-hanging fruit--the companies out there that want to offer you complete success in just 10 easy steps. Or how about this one, “buy this book and sell 10 homes, guaranteed!” What? “100 Days to Greatness!” Sounds like a religious experience, huh?
To be fair I will tell you that there are tidbits of information within these courses that are good. I just think more often then not they oversell and don’t live up to the hype. Most all of these courses lead to more services that you need to acquire to succeed like paying for your daily coaching, more books, more training on the same topics etc. At best, these programs are new agent training with entertainment. Call it infotainment if you wish. This ‘real estate agent in a box’ mentality is hurting the industry.
I’ll be the first to tell you that every agent needs to know and practice the basics when marketing oneself or a property. Send out postcards, make your phone calls, follow up with thank you notes, contact everyone regularly, use multiple photos, be personable so on and so on. The basics are important. They need to be learned and used but it’s time to move past a discussion of the basics so real estate can become a better industry.
Real estate agent’s should learn from agents like Laurel Strand of Montclair, California. Her innovative and leading marketing ideas have catapulted her business. Her business model was created from lessons she collected from leading agents. When asked what three words represent the secret to real estate she answered
“Vision, creativity and tenacity.” Wow! Those are three words you just don’t hear enough of. They are three words that are found within most of the Fortune 500 companies and it’s time we start using them in real estate.
Vision-Vision is the ability to be able to see past the immediate. It is also about staying focused and planning out your goals and how you plan on accomplishing them. No more flying by the seat of your pants.
Creativity-The attempt to swim upstream. Get a hold of every possible way in which agents market themselves and create a message that is truly unique. Harriet Shaw of Dallas markets herself to an art and business savvy prospect. She uses “You’ve heard of the art of the deal, now meet the artist.” She could have easily said “for all of your real estate needs, call me,” but what is enticing about that?
Tenacity-You will not win every battle out there. Tenacity is just as much about consistency.
Break out of the box and start doing things your way. Customize them for your business and the location of your business and realize that you already have these great ideas. Search through blogs like Inman News and Active Rain that offer advice in real estate. Look outside of real estate to find out what other industries are doing to promote their brand. Many of these ideas can be used for your business. Get out of the mentality that you need to pay someone to coach you every day. Instead, ask around your office to see if you can find a successful agent and choose them to become your mentor. By doing this you can redirect the thousands of dollars you were going to spend directly into your marketing.
Matthew S. Gosselin is the author of
My Blue Goose, Exploiting The Wow Factor In Real Estate Marketing. The book can be purchased on
MyBlueGoose.com or
Amazon. Stay tuned for more information about his new book, "
Stand Out, Stick and Stay. Transforming Real Estate Marketing"
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54 Comments on Real Estate Agent In A Box, Brian Buffini May Be A Waste Of Your Money
I think Brian's courses are good, but of course his main motivation is to sell his packages which I think are a waste of money. Everyone has a quick fix, which, incidentially costs about $500 and then off to the next quick fix.
The answer to real estate? Work hard and be scrupulously honest. Pregnant pauses in negotiation and a pleasant attitude when working with someone, (whether a client or another agent) always pay off. Know your properties strenght and weaknesses, and disregard "normal working hours". IMHO!
Buffini has never sold a program of quick fixes. 100 days to greatness is supposed to weed out the pretenders and start the people who are serious on a path to build a referral business that takes time....like a crockpot not a microwave.
Brian is the first to tell people to get out if they do not have what it takes. He even makes the funny but probably true comment that to be an NAR member you should have to at least sell one house per year.
Matt, I think poking a stick at one program and then offering to sell your program is wierd if not telling.
Ok, here's my issue with this post.You go on to discuss an agent who learned how to be successful from other experienced successful agents.
Brian Buffini is just such an agent, albeit a "ex"-agent. There's no reinventing the wheel with real estate sales. You can find your brand, your "uniqueness" but the nuts and bolts of it remain the same. The reason so many of these programs fail is not because what's laid out in them is bad, flawed or unrealistic, it's the same reason 80% of agents (or something like that) will never renew their licenses the first time. They either refuse to be or are incapable of being disciplined They won't work a system....any system. Coaches, mentors, trainers and Brokers who offer agents a proven system for success should not have aspersions cast upon them for trying to share their way to success.
And this does seem slightly disingenuous coming from someone who is authoring a book to help real estate agents become more successful.
And no, I'm not in Buffini coaching.
I could not agree more. I get at least 10 emails a day from the 'gurus' and wonder what really makes them different. They make a lot more money than I do selling to a more gullible customer.
Thank you all so much for your comments on this post. It is truly hearing all spectrums of opinions and yet another great reason why Active Rain is an outstanding platform.
I have a couple of regrets with this post. The first is featuring Brian Buffini's picture. It makes this post look like an attack on him. It certainly is no attack on him personally, he is a great guy. It's also not an attack on his course which I thought I explained adequately in this post but some may have missed it. His course is great for some, especially those who may have never been in sales before. However, there are some people that go into these types of courses thinking it is going to change their life and most of the time it does not. The post in so many ways is about being real about our business. I think Greg Fox who commented on this post really understood that well. Colleen F. I an truly sorry if you found this post to be offensive or attacking. This was certainly not the intention.
For those who felt this post was a contradicition because I am an author. I am in no way selling coaching services, or s 'system.' You can choose to buy my book or just sit down with it at a Barnes and Noble and never buy it. Much of the same info is on my blog. I do not get rich by selling books, it is simply an avenue to share information.
Dennis Lubrano--thanks for sharing your comment and success with the Buffini program. As I said before it is a fantastic fit for some people and it sounds like it has worked very well for you.
Here's my point. If I could sum up the main point of this posting it would be do not be fooled into believing that you do not posess much of the information already to make your business as successful as possible. There is no one system, one book (including my own) that will give you all of your answers. Be a student in real estate for your entire career.
My favorite marketing offer is you give us a zillion$ up-front and then you can cancel at any time after we have all of your money! Of course, most of these courses are nowhere close to what they promise.
The people selling those courses are super salesmen. Most of us need to find out what works for us. Great post. Thanks.
Who wants to be in a box anyway! It's amazing how much great free info there is out there if you just go get it!
Matthew, I didn't think it was offensive or attacking. It just didn't sit well. I've been thinking about this topic for awhile now so it's ironic you posted on this topic. Over the years I've looked down on many of these programs, gurus etc only to find some agents find tremendous success with them. I truly believe it's like weight loss programs "results are not typical" not because the program/coach/guru is flawed, but because the individual is flawed. Either way, I appreciate the debate.
You've got to be kidding.
This isn't an attack on buffini, people who don't agree with you 'didn't get your post' and your book is simply an 'avenue to share information'? Naturally you are donating all proceeds to charity...
C'mon...be honest, you write the press releases for the Bush administration right?
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-B
There are many coaching programs out there, many with only a few good ideas, if any. On the other hand, I have found many useful ideas with By Referral Only and truly enjoy the information I obtain from Brett Noel, who actually practices what he teaches.
People seem to either love "Buffy" or not so much.
It always amazes me that people are so willing to give huge amounts of money for something they can do themselves. Say you pay the $1400 a year for the 'Buffy Box". After a year....what is in that box that you can't do yourself? Nothing that I have seen.
I couldn't agree more. Sometimes I feel like certain "coaches" have a cult following, it's creepy. Don't get me wrong, I believe in lifelong learning. But it annoys me that every "coach" tries to sell you something...Buffini is no different. They want you to buy CD's, notecards, items of value. Let's face it, they make money by preying on the fears of others. People feel like there is some magic bullet that will get them more business when the truth is, we all know what we should be doing anyway, we don't need to pay someone to tell us the obvious.
I was a member of Buffini's program for a year and received some great benefit. There were other things that I was less-than-enthused about. Everything has pros and cons. It is more about the "fit" between the individual and the system. What works for one, doesn't work for all....
Matthew,
In the past I've always enjoyed your posts and your samples of creative ideas and how to differentiate yourself from the million other licensees out there. I truly believe you are one of the trainers out there that do make a difference in what you teach.
However, on this one, using Buffini as the headline to your title and throwing in that it might be a waste of your money is clearly a headline attention grabber to just get people to read your post. There are literally dozens of other people/programs you could have used that truly are a waste of money but you chose Buffini for your own self interests which is surprising to me that you would choose this route. (Being too creative can also work in negative ways.)
AS I KNOW YOU ARE TRULY AWARE of what Buffini teaches and his program (to not know in your position would be absolutely ludicrous to suggest) is a system taught in multiple businesses across the business world in harnessing the power of customer/client relationships -- by far the most effective means to run any business. Brian has just tailored it to the real estate business and that's it. (Unlike the multiple "motivation" seminars out there.)
I'm assuming you used Brian's name in the headline/title of your post as a creative form to get people to read this post and in that regard, you've accomplished what you intended to do.
However, it's very irresponsible to specifically use Brian's name for the multiple real estate agents that will read this and do not know what he teaches --- which are merely the fundamental concepts you'll find any successful business doing.
As for me, my wife is a real estate trainer that's worked for multiple franchises so we've been exposed to most of the programs out there and know which ones are a waste of money, which companies are training their agents for the quick buck for their own self interest, etc.. The Buffini Program is not one of them. (Yes, she was a Buffini Mentor when we were with a franchise Broker/Owner that supported the system.)
You've made it pretty clear in your reply to the comments that you are not attacking Buffini -- what you did not make clear is the power of a headline and why you specifically used a name that you knew would certainly make some eyes widen for people that do know the program.
(FOR those readers out there that do not know the program, it is not a get rich quick scheme that should not even be associated with "Real Estate Agent In the Box" programs.)
I certainly understand why you are using Brian's name in your title/headline -- many people don't and IMO, it is WAY too self serving for you to have to resort to.
Just a suggestion... you don't need to do that in future posts.. your previous work speaks volumes of your insight which I have always appreciated in the past.
Hey, Matt, another good article on Brian Buffini. I am reading all your Brian Buffini articles. Thanks.
I came across this blog in a recent search. I wish my comment had been more timely, but I am a 'new arrival' to AR.
I've participated in many seminars and heard from various orators on various systems and tools to enhance productivity. I've ALWAYS kept an OPEN MIND and often took away something useful.
I have to agree with Bryce #34 & Ted #36. The post seemed self-serving while bashing programs that DO work and offer effective means for success.
Thanks for your comment Mike. This is a post from the archive but I still stand by it. I think the title is more harsh that the post itself. Not in your case but it appears to me that some people only read the title and make their case based on it. I mention in the post that these types of courses do offer some great takeaways just as you mention. Brian is an incredible speaker. He is a great motivator. If you go for that, you will surely come out with something. If you go to hear the very basic sales tips, I would be cautious. I have a believe that if you are in a sales force you should already know that you should do "pop by's", you should call them and you should write to your prospects.
Is the post self serving? Absolutely. I write this blog so I can get my ideas across. Most of my information is free, unfortunately the book is not. It sold very well but as a warning it is a pretty basic message in the book, kind of like Brian's overall message. It is a book for agents who may not a ton of experience in real estate. Unless you are a John Grisham, most author's will tell you that they didn't write a book to become a millionaire, it just doesn't happen. In my self serving defense though, I will tell you that I gave out 40% of my inventory for free.
I really do appreciate everyone's feedback. I see a lot you on the road and it's great to have you here online as well. Best of skill to you out there!
After 3 incredible years of real estate I changed offices. The first thing they offered me was "100 days to greatness". I took the course (I'm a course junkie!) and have started to implement many of his ideas. My clients and sphere (who often forget I'm in real estate) now know I am the go to person for real estate advice. 80% of my business has always been referrals but the one thing I will never do is ASK for a referral. People often call me and say...can I pass your name on to my friend? It's the ultimate compliment!
Buffini does not cost that much. It works for some and not for others. Some people need the daily structure that his system provides. If that helps them be succesful, that's great. In addition to the monthly materials, you also get in free to his live events and monthly webinars.
It's understandable that some don't like the guru systems, but some of them are legit and helpful. If you use the systems consistantly they will work, if not they won't. Some people have better time management than others and can structure their daily business successfully on their own.