2 Never Do’s

As a real estate agent I loved speaking to buyers that said that they had worked with agents before and they didn’t buy anything. I would ask them why and the answer was always one of two potential issues.

1. The agent didn’t listen (Two ears, one mouth?)
2. The agent never followed up (Mistaking Courtesy with Stupidity)

Two ears one mouth

We all know this people.

Is it hard for them to hear the church bells ring in the distance or the song on the radio? If it is, this condition can often be cured with a hearing aid. If they can hear these things now, but they cannot hear their client ask to see homes that fit a particular segment of the market, there may not be a cure. This could be a condition like being short or tall or smart or…you get the point. What is up with them not listening to the needs of the people that they serve. These people give us all a bad name. Believe me if they you are not listening (BTW, listeners read this far. Non listeners have already moved on because they are perfect. So while they are not here let’s talk about them) they are chasing their own tails and most people don’t want to follow them in circles of silliness. Blind pigs do find routs but they don’t take all the other piggies with them on their trek. Just the idea of spending time with someone who doesn’t listen is miserable. I wonder if these same people are the ones that complain at a restaurant when the server brings their burger with the wrong cheese? Griping  about the server not listening while they are clueless to their own inability to put the needs of the buyers first by listening and taking notes. Investing themselves in the client by helping them achieve their goals instead of the client helping the agent achieve their own.

Mistaking Courtesy with Stupidity

Partly because of greed and partly because I don’t like things to be unsettled, or maybe it is an OCD issue? But whatever it is if someone doesn’t want to get called several times, they shouldn’t contact me the first time. Because I will follow-up. Following up maybe from years of being single and not being not that good-looking so follow-up on all my dating leads was essential. This mind-set may be easier the older and uglier I get.

I spoke to a loan officer the other day (good-looking guy) and he was complaining about real estate leads. I asked him what his procedure was in regards to follow-up and he told me that he emails them right away and then calls them and leaves them a message telling them that he is not a high pressure guy and if they want to call him back to reach him on his cell phone. He goes the extra mile by leaving his cell number on the message…crazy good looking.

I sat there astonished that no one had told this very nice man how his system will lead to poverty and unsettle the fragile balance of the universe before it leads to a closed deal. Did none of his friends and or co-workers alert him to the fact that the world is no longer taking a horse and carriage to work? Could someone besides me have told this fellow that “he who follows up best wins” The people that he wanted to serve the most thought that he didn’t care and therefore no one had their needs met because he was too concerned about being perceived as a nuisance. DUDE…they want a house. They need a mortgage. They need YOU!

They need to feel like you care about your job and about them. You have to follow-up at least 5 times before retiring that phone number or 10 to 20 times before ditching their email. We have to adjust to the world that we now live in. When someone says “That’s how I have always done it” I want to ask them if they have ever changed shirts. Seriously if you are unwilling to change this must mean that you are wearing the same shirt that your parents gave you when you were in the 6^th grade. And if you are wearing the same shirt your parents gave you in the 6^th grade, chances are it stinks like a lost mutt and is a tad snug.

So take off the smelly thing that is keeping you from being successful and call those clients back a minimum of 5 times. Put them in drip email campaign. Always be polite, but also be there. With any message tell them that you will be following up and then to the crazy, nutty thing that most people don’t do and follow-up. You will kick the worlds collective rump and everyone will be a great deal happier.