When a Vendor Crosses the Line!

whoaaaa - WAY wrong!! Hope the bad word gets out about her practice in case others have had the same problem.

Must give the vendor credit for being so creative..but I would find it very upsetting it if happened to me.  That is so wrong...in so many ways.  Basically blackmailing you to advertise in their publication. 

Are you kidding me? First of all I would have told that vendor to pound sand. Secondly, I would have advised her that not only will I not publish anything with her but due to her strong-arm tactics I would now be sending a mass email to every single agent I know warning them of how unprofessional she was. 

Oh that is a horrible story!  Who would ever do business with someone like that! Of course sometimes the pushiest people get results--but this was threatening!

Definitely might want to send a note to your board so they can share that information with the other agents in your association. Or, if you have a local agent facebook group, share it there so they will all know to be on the lookout. 

I would continue that conversation by email so it can be documented. Then take it public to her employer, your office associates, and local association board. 

You could possibly have another conversation with your seller indicating that an unethical vendor is hounding you and that you'd like to see if they have any input or information about them.  This will allow you to get your client's view of the vendor and to let your client know that this practice is wrong.  Following that, you could share statistics regarding how clients overwhelmingly come from internet sources not print publications.  I would also pass this along to your local realtor board, your broker, the publisher of whatever magazing and anyone who may have had a similar experience.

Hello Paula ...

Wonderful write, great comments and congrats on the Gold Star 

Paula, Not only crossed the line but double-crossed it.  Ballsy? Unprofessional and no way to either get or win business.  I’d have they head on a plate and serve it in the lions den.

Unbelievable and I hope you called and told her NO!

What a bag of slime!  Put the word out to your association members and see how much this impacts the business!

This is something new to me, it hasn't happened in our area yet, I guess at listing maybe we need to let client there may be some desperate advertisers who may call with these tactics

Woah very uncool behavior she's holding you hostage and that's not right.

Paula, this is a really low approach in my opinion. The very idea that a vendor would try to contact your seller directly is low, low low!

Better Business Bureau comes to mind. And she is playing on the vulnerabilities of a Seller to get a property sold. I don't play in the sandbox very well with bullies. I would take her to task.

And I would very sweetly and gently explain to the seller that you are the real estate professional, these are all the places you advertise for him, but you'd prefer not to do business with people who only have their own interests in mind.

Wow that is sleazy.  I bet if you did a little research you would find her publication is not that great.  If it was she would not handle herself that way.  If the client starts getting pushy suggest they pay for or at least share the cost.  

With 96% of buyers starting their home search online, I would say "No" thank you. And yes, that is wrong, in fact vary wrong and we don't do business with anybody but 1st class vendors and this is not one. Besides if the publication worked, you would seek them out. So no way.

This is the type of vendor none of us needs. I recently had an experience that I'd like to share. I got a phone call from an out of state number. When I answered the salesperson said his publication was going to feature me as the exclusive agent working with members of local private golf clubs in the area. And my fee for the exclusive ad was going to be $1,000. The salesperson said they had the mailing list for the clubs in the area. What a deal!

I called my brother who was past president for one of the clubs in the salesperson's pitch. My brother told me that they do not share the club mailing list with vendors. The salesperson called the next day to continue the pitch which miraculously was reduced to $500. I told him about my conversation with my brother.The salesperson changed the pitch by saying he meant the publication did not send directly to the individual member but rather sent a few boxes to each club..

Bottom line...........most of these publications are brazen liars and should be treated as such. If they call you hang up.

I once launched an email campaign about "How An IRA Can Buy Real Estate" and how knowledge about this subject could benefits Realtors®.

A commercial Broker took umbtage and castigated me. I took it in stride until the commercial Broker stated "Commercial Brokers" don't need my advice as they were the all knowing Gods of the Real Estate Universe and residential Realtors® were but minions, worthless part time peons. I advised the smug Broker that my email list of Realtors® was 40,000 stronbgh and how we he like it if I quoted him word for word in my next email along with his email address.  Twenty seconds later I received an apology.

Great post.  I have heard some strong words from some of the large portals when I decided to cancel my account, but nothing even approaches that!