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What are your hot buttons? What are your needs?

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with Renegade Concepts, Inc.

How do I get your attention?

 

How Do I Get Your Attention?

This is a question to the expertise of the group.  The question is a serious one and is not intended to be snide in any way.  Maybe it is the way I write...no matter how hard I try to express real feelings in my writings...somebody gets mad at me.  If I offend someone, I apologize, and know that you will get over it. (smile)

We are all professionals and we are all busy.  All of us are bombarded with marketing messages each day.  But there is a problem in the real estate industry. 

All data suggests that as a group of sales professionals, Realtors pay is pretty low.  Well, I should correct myself.  Some earn HUGE commissions, while the vast majority cannot even afford to operate as a profitable business. 

When I came into this market from the medical device industry my expectation was quite high.  My expectation remains quite high.  Let me explain...

Do we not all agree that there is a problem in the market right now?  All of you work on straight commission right?  Does anyone really think that basic rules of sales and marketing do not apply in real estate? 

I have a great deal of sales and marketing experience in other industries.  In the medical industry (for example) we are hunters.  We are very active in pursuing new opportunities for service to our clients.  That means sales..that means big bucks.   What I see often in real estate is a much more passive approach to finding new business opportunities.  Was selling real estate during the boom really that easy?  Did customers really just walk through the door, call on your cell or drop you an email?  If so, I relly missed the boat, huh?

Most of what I see (referrals, ads, flyers, etc.) are all passive.  When a leads are generated, I do not see aggressive action to get buyers motivated to act quickly and decisively.  I rarely see real sales and marketing plans, written goals with progress toward those goals and forecasts.  You cannot improve what you cannot measure. 

So as not to make this a long article...but a brief post...let me fast forward.  There are people out here that are dedicated to YOUR success.  How do we best get through the armour to reach you?  What hot buttons should I focus on?  What needs are not being addressed from a sales and marketing situation.  How does someone like me simply get one of you to sit still, drop your guard and just mastermind? 

Do I assume correctly that you even WANT assistance?  It seems that there have been many in this profession that have been burned somehow.  I don't see that correlate well to other sales professionals as much.  What I do know is this.  The more I know about YOUR challenges, needs, obstacles, etc. the more I can be of service. 

I have great empathy for the situation of many of you.  Most Realtors are having really tough times right now.  I respect that.  Some are having huge success due to bank owned properties, etc.  So a cold call from a pretty direct guy like me is the last thing you want...or do you?  Here is the frustration.  There is a barrier up from this industry.  Any indication that you might not have all the answers is cause for an immediate...blow off.  Wow!  What if I had information that could truly help you?  How do you want this?  Mail, email, fax, phone call? 

This is a rather basic question, but a question that I think is prudent to at least ask.  The worst that could happen is NO response to this post.  A positive or negative response will at least educate me on how to do better.  Isn't that what all of us want?

You and I should both get paid very well for what we do.  This is a great opportunity for huge success stories in real estate.  How can a sales and marketing support strategy help you make more money in 2009 than you ever dreamed possible?

There are great opportunities for all of us.  I am grateful for the opportunity to work with this group of professionals...the Realtors and Brokers!  What you can imagine...can be achieved!

Comments (4)
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Joan Snodgrass
Midamerica Referral Network - Kimberling City, MO

My first question would be why did you leave medical sales?  I understand they are quite profitable.

Second question - what are you selling or trying to sell me.  Based on my '08 commissions, I can't afford you in my small market.

Dec 28, 2008 05:18 PM
Karen Anne Stone
New Home Hunters of Fort Worth and Tarrant County - Fort Worth, TX
Fort Worth Real Estate

David:  Yes... why did you leave medical sales ?  Ok... now... you have been on Active Rain since July 2008.  You have written three blog posts.  You have made exactly ZERO comments on the posts other Active Rainers have written.  As someone who appears to be trying to sell "us" something... you have put about as much distance between yourself and the rest of Active Rain as you could have. 

I suggest you read as many posts as you can.  And then, make insightful comments whenever you can... if the post is something that warrants a comment.

Get to know the Active Rainers here.  This forum is here to build relationships, help us build our businesses, to learn what we can, and share what we can.  How much of this have you done so far?  I am suggesting that there is more than a little bit of putting the cart before the horse going on here.  I would suggest jumping on board here and getting to know us, and letting us get to know you.

What is my hot button ?  Building relationships.  I do not see any possibility of anything that would focus on my hot button.  I wish you the best... take care... 

Dec 28, 2008 05:40 PM
Anonymous
David Costa, Regegade Concepts, Inc.

Hello Karen Ann,

Thanks for your response!  I appreciate it.  I sense some annoyance in your response, no need for that.  There is no edge in my question and it is an honest set of statements designed to do exactly what you proposed in your response. 

Let me respond to you as you suggested that I do. 

I am still consulting with clients in the aviation community and themedical device industry and do quite a bit of work in patient safety.  Hence my comparison.  There really is a difference, but I am really trying to learn about YOU the real estate professional.  I meet with Realtors and brokers all the time and ask the same questions.  

I work directly, one on one.  I am not convinced (yet) that this social marketing is the best strategy for that.  (It is too passive).  Nothing beats two people sitting across a table, (preferably in Starbucks), right?  Maybe I have been doing this too long, so my judgement may be clouded.  I work 12 hour days, and my preference is always personal contact. 

So you are absolutely correct.  I have NOT spent time deep into blog posting in the six months since I have been in the real estate business.  But we have been building a strong foundation of services, and spending our efforts with our current clients that deserve all we can do for them.  It is now time to expand what we do, so I figured I would put my opinion aside and try ActiveRain to test the effectiveness of this kind of networking. 

Karen Anne, I am taking your advice and giving this a shot.  I don't think that I put the cart before the horse.  My first priority has been direct operations in the Greater Reno market.  I won't bore you with those details.  I have been reading a number of the posts on this forum for the six months I have been here.  There is a huge time investment in these kind of conversations.  I am curious to learn if those of you on this forum have seen your sales increase and your income increase from this format.  I believe that success leaves traces.  So I am really eager to learn more...all the time!

You mentioned your hot button was "building relationships".  How do you build relationships with your prospects?  That is very interesting to me.  So I appreciate you responding to my question.  That is helpful to me. 

How is your market doing in Fort Worth?  Any projections for the new year? 

Have a Happy New Year!

 

Dec 29, 2008 02:20 AM
#3
Anonymous
David Costa, Regegade Concepts, Inc.

Hello Joan!

Thanks for your response.  (Hey by the way...question for the group...Am I responding to these posts in the correct fashion?  I am posting back under "Leave a Response".  If that is not correct...please advise.)

Medical sales...I answered that in the last response.  No need to re-hash it.  Regarding profitable?  That is up for debate.  Depends on the sales rep.  Sales is sales.  The process is the same and the Pareto Principle still applies.  20% of the reps do 80% of the revenue.  I was at an
EXIT meeting where that number was quite a bit different in real estate.  It was (excuse me if I get my numbers wrong here)...something like 94% of agents make less than $60K per year. 

Medical device reps get paid cushy salaries, company cars, etc.  That seems great, but although the mediocre performers probably fair better than most agents, the top earning potential is limited and there are much more demands on their time. 

I have a ton of respect for agents (and brokers).  You are business owners.  You have tons more potential but also tons more responsibility and work to get your business successful.  Do you think that you get all the training and support that you need to start, grow and build your business?  I see a ton of great people in real estate that struggle....they are kind of left to the "school of hard knocks".  That is a shame. 

Now to the BIG question.  What am I trying to sell you (or trying to sell you <grin>). 

Absolutely NOTHING!

I don't sell.  I work with people that have a need that I can address.  So all I do is sort.  (Just like in selling).  As a professional sales person let me state very clearly that I would welcome your business.  I aggressively seek your business.  BUT, I have not earned the right to accept your business until a couple of things happen. 

We need to establish rapport.  We need to build trust between both parties.  We both make a selection you select who you work with and so do I.  We both want to be valuable to others, we both want to help others. (That is always my assumption going in to any selling situation).  There is abundance, and I look for clients that understand that in order to truly win...all parties must benefit from a relationship. 

We both need to understand each other. 

Me, I need to understand you needs.  If sales were not good for you in 08, why?  What did you try?  What worked, what did not work?  What goals did you set for yourself?  What specific challenges caused you to miss those goals?  (At this point, I simply need to LISTEN to YOU).  How could any salesperson offer a solution when you don't know anything about the client?

When a client deals with me there is no doubt in their mind that I am actively seeking to earn their business.  That said, I will sit together with clients for hours on end and simply mastermind together, without any expectation of a "sale"!

Modern professional selling is not about a game or me convincing anybody about anything.  If I listen well and bring you exactly what it is that you need.  The ball is in your court.  You decide to implement or not. 

So my question in my first post remains.....IF you are a realtor that is having "issues", lack of sales, lack of profits, or having great success and wanting even more!...what is the best way to get your attention for nothing more than a "sit down".  Nothing more than a "mastermind session" between two professionals?  ....simple question...tough one to answer.  :-)

THANK YOU, Joan for responding to me.  I appreciate it!  Have a great 2009!

Dec 29, 2008 02:50 AM
#4
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