Scheduling is easy; keeping yourself to the schedule is not. A daily dose of 20 calls I am finding difficult, I am averaging 15 and a majority of these calls are to answering machines. The people I do actually get to speak with are mostly open to talking about their needs, but wary of any pushiness. I have been walking neighborhoods a bit at a time each week, but not knocking on doors. Firstly I find that offensive when a salesman at the door interrupts my day, and secondly it will be different when the personal meeting is not the first time any of these people see or hear about me. I really don’t think being the most aggressive person is going to get you more of what you want. Anyone I meet I speak with, but I don’t push the person. One man I met on the street this weekend getting out of his car looked at me warily as I approached him with a big smile. His question to me was, “Are you running for office?” I told him no that I was a step above a politician and could actually help him with his real estate needs. He smiled I smiled and he took my postcard. To me this is a good first encounter. He has a card with my picture, he knows who I am, and I left him with a smile. I will get back to him with more value again and this time it will be warmer. My goal is to have a client for life and not to be a characature of the average real estate agent.
I 
doubt I will ever use that tired real estate line of, “Are you considering buying or selling a home in the next 30 to 60 days.” This hackneyed overused mantra is usually followed by, “Well, if not you, do you have a friend or family member who is considering a move in the next 30 to 60 days?” I guess when these lines were first used they were fresh, not so any longer. The objective is to engage the person in a conversation about real estate, why not ask a specific question about their home or neighborhood? For instance, “I noticed there are several houses up for sale on your block, how does that affect you?” A more personal, less formulaic approach allows your personality show through. To this end I have a phrase I am using when I meet people. As I approach the first thing I say is, “I made the craziest new years eve resolution this year.” And then I wait for a reaction; I want to see if I have them engaged. When they smile or cock their head I go on, “As a Lake Highlands real estate specialist I promised myself I would get out and meet every single home owner,” and then I smile and reach my hand forward to finish, “can I cross you off the list. I am Larry Lawfer?” In each and every encounter so far I get a smile a name and a conversation. I truly am meeting everyone in my farm area. I leave them with a smile, the knowledge of what I do and a way to be in touch with me. I think this is a powerful way to make a first impression, what do you think?
TALE OF THE TAPE, Day 49 of 90
I feel I need to pump up my production. In this learning phase I find at the end of the day I have not accomplished all the tasks on my to do list. I spend a lot of time thinking about what I haven’t done and very little time celebrating the immense efforts I am getting completed. The calls are taking too long to complete, partly because I take a lot of notes with each encounter. The postcard deliveries are slower because of the weather—I won’t go out on bad days I think it just looks a little too needy to be delivering postcards on a bad day. I probably spend a bit too much time on the web and with various Marketing duties, but that is part of my job. I spend a good bit of time responding to people reaching out to me through the social media tools. Walter Sanford is partly right no real estate transaction gets completed through the internet, but this guru who started his career before the days of social media isn’t aware of the juice you can get long term through a strong internet presence, especially since that is where it is all starting these days. Adapt and survive, no succeed.
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