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Laser-Focused Prospecting is Overrated

Reblogger Fernando Herboso - Associate Broker MD, & VA
Managing Real Estate Broker with Maxus Realty Group of Samson Properties Broker - Realtor - CEO

It is a relief for all of us to understand what Jennifer writes for all of us.

Prospecting is supposed to be fun and natural.. otherwise you will fail.

Original content by Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn

bullseye

Most prospecting training is focused on... FOCUSING. Laser-focused prospecting. Doing "it" for three hours a day, whatever "it" is, no interruptions, no excuses. Do "it" until you reach your goal of so many contacts, so many appointments, whatever. Lather, rinse, repeat. Every day.

And eventually, you might even enjoy "it." You might start to see relationships between how much of "it" you do and how many houses you sell. The more of "it," the more of the other.

Whatever your "it" of choice is - FSBO's, expireds, cold-calling, door-knocking, farming, blogging, advertising, SOI'ing, open-housing, lunch-dating - just remember the Good Old Numbers Game and do "it" more.

Fair enough.

But it occurs to me that my business never worked that way. I, frankly, didn't have any sort of formal system for prospecting and my business came from dozens of different sources.

I got business from my best friends, my good friends, and my acquaintances. I got business from open houses, sign calls and floor time. I got business from my lawn guy, my graphics gal and my insurance agent. I got business from my broker, other agents and lenders. I got business from street fairs, coffee shops and happy hours. I got business from current clients, current prospects and past clients. I got business from my website, from blogging and even one House Values lead.

See where I'm going with this?

Just because you met your last client at the coffee shop - does that mean you should only prospect at the coffee shop from now on? Or just because you listed a FSBO last week, does that mean you should only seek out FSBO's? Of course not - I hope that's obvious.

Real estate business is everywhere; it's all around us. Good prospects cross our paths every day, from a wide variety of sources.  Sometimes they cross our paths in the course of doing business, like when we hit it off with an open house visitor or have a great conversation with a walk-in. Other times, it seems much more serendipitous, like when we meet a new-home builder at a friend's wedding or share an elevator with a man who was just transferred. And even if these particular encounters don't result in immediate business, you never know who THEY know who might know who needs someone just like you.

Keeping your antenna up and a smile on your face as you go about your day really IS a tremendous prospecting strategy!

Happy New Year - Love y'all!

If You're Not Having Fun 

 

 

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Jennifer Allan, GRI

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Suzy Morris
The Morris Team - Carlsbad, CA

Great reblog- I read Jennifer's post too and couldn't agree more.  You have to love what you're doing and it will show and you will get referrals.

Dec 30, 2009 11:09 PM
Rick Hendershot
BlogEasy for Real Estate Agents - International, IT

Hi Fernando, I think Jennifer might be missing (or at least skewing) the point of focusing. Sales professionals don't focus for three hours a day (or whatever) so they can ignore "keeping your antenna up and a smile on your face" the rest of the time. They focus because keeping their antenna up is not enough. Just ask yourself, "If I hire someone to sell for me, how should their day be structured?" I think you will be tempted pretty quickly to revert to the focus model and the numbers game in one form or another.

Dec 30, 2009 11:25 PM
Sally K. & David L. Hanson
EXP Realty 414-525-0563 - Brookfield, WI
WI Real Estate Agents - Luxury - Divorce

  We have people who make the comment "You really DO love what you do !" Yes....we do ! Knowing it on the inside will let it show on the outside....the tinier the focus...the smaller the portrait of success...all the best to you in 2010 !

Dec 30, 2009 11:35 PM
Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn
Sell with Soul - Pensacola Beach, FL
Author of Sell with Soul

Rick - thanks for your comment! This blog actually started out as a Numbers Game commentary, but didn't end up where I thought it would go. I just talk to so many new agents who want to know WHAT TO DO to bring in business and they're almost always looking for ONE THING to do all day, to the exclusion of simply getting out there and meeting people. I do believe that the more people who KNOW you and LIKE you and know what you do for a living, the more real estate you will sell, so in that respect, it is a Numbers Game. But that doesn't mean you should treat your target audience like they're just a number in your game. Which is what the vast majority of focused prospecting training encourages.

 

Dec 30, 2009 11:39 PM
Fernando Herboso - Associate Broker MD, & VA
Maxus Realty Group of Samson Properties - Clarksburg, MD
301-246-0001 Serving Maryland, DC and Northern VA

Rick: You are missing the message of this post. .for reasons below

Jennifer: The reason I said it was a relief . . it is because many Realtors are putting so much pressure to do a "number" approach to this business. 

It's all about relationships created based on honesty.

I don't want to ask people How's the family?. .all well? . .now BUY FROM ME!?

 

I want to ask the people How is your family? . . and really mean it!

Dec 31, 2009 12:03 AM