100 Words To Greatness
June 17, 2008
Once they sign on, my brokerage requires that all new agents enroll in a very popular real estate training program. It’s a fairly hefty charge on your credit card right out of the blocks amongst all the other initial investments a new agent must make embarking upon this career. My course was 14 weeks of sessions where we would talk as a group for about 10-15 minutes, role play a little, and then watch a DVD. I felt that I got the concept of the program within the first couple of weeks, and that if it was mostly watching DVDs, I could have done that on my own time at my own pace.
Please don’t get me wrong, I definitely feel I learned some valuable lessons in the course. I just think I could have learned them several weeks and several dollars sooner.
In the interest of saving every new agent some time and money, I have condensed the course from 100 days down to 100 words. So at the risk of upsetting fans of the program everywhere, I proudly present:
MIKE LEFEBVRE’S 100 WORDS TO GREATNESS
Make a list of everyone you know. Let them know you are now in the real estate business. Call them on a regular basis to see how they’re doing. Keep in touch. Occasionally, visit them in person. Sometimes bring a small gift on your visits. Write them handwritten notes. Gently remind them that you are in the real estate business and make your services available to their friends and family. Consistently send direct mail pieces to your friends with real estate information they may find useful. When you meet new people, add them to your list of people you know.
There it is. My “100 Words to Greatness” Real Estate Training Program. Go ahead and count the words you cynics, I know you want to. I just saved you new agents 99 days and a few hundred some odd bucks. Oh, the other thing is you have to actually DO IT consistently and be accountable. You can spend a bunch of money and ask a roomful of colleagues to hold you accountable once a week OR you can treat this like a real business and actually hold YOURSELF accountable. It’s up to you.
Please understand, I write personal notes. I’m a HUGE fan of handwritten notes. I call people in my sphere of influence (duh). I visit them as well. I don’t usually bring them useless trinkets with corny taglines on them (like sunscreen labeled with “Don’t Get Burned on Your Next Real Estate Deal”), but that’s just me. Sometimes I’ll bring them some print-outs of recent sales in their neighborhood that would potentially effect their homes value.
The ideas work. The techniques are proven. I just wish someone could have provided me with the cliff notes version when I first started.
And I’ve never, ever left a conversation only to turn back in true Baretta style and start my next line with, “Oh, by the way…”
Maybe that’s something you learn to be comfortable saying in weeks 2 through 14.
About the Author:
Mike Lefebvre, The "Uncommon Agent", is a Massachusetts licensed real estate agent with Hallmark Sotheby's International Realty in Hopkinton, MA. In addition, he is also a certified residential real estate appraiser and the owner/chief appraiser at MeetingHouse Appraisals. Mike wields a double-edged sword, combining his appraisal expertise with his sales and marketing prowess to maximize benefits and profits for both his buyer and seller clients.
A self-admitted marketing junkie, Mike loves exploring all things Web 2.0 and brings a refreshingly unique approach to real estate marketing. Last but not least, Mike is also a proud card-carrying member of Red Sox Nation.
Contact him at 617-828-4127 or 508-359-1465. You can reach Mike on the web at The "Uncommon Agent"
You can also email Mike at mike@theuncommonagent.com
Mike - I LOVE IT! As the self-proclaimed Master of All Things SOI - you’ve encapsulated much of what I preach in, yes, 100 words (although I think you left out a BIGGIE, but it would have put you over the magic 100). However, what I liked most about your post were the things you don’t do… I mean c’mon… the “Oh, By the Way” nonsense ON AN ENVELOPE STICKER? You’re kidding me, right? How phony is that? And yeah, the cheesy, gimmicky gifts… ugh. Last time I checked I was a professional real estate agent who didn’t need gimmicks or “angles” to inspire people to hire me…
Great post.
Thanks Jennifer! I’m your newest fan after the interview yesterday. Look forward to digging into your book, “Selling With Soul.” Please tell me the biggie I left out because there’s definitely some room for editing in my 100 Words to Greatness. My buddy, Matt “My Blue Goose” Gosselin posted a very similar article the same day I did about a very similar topic at http://activerain.com/blogsview/557440/Real-Estate-Agent-In. Thanks for the comment! Look forward to reading more from you as well.
-Mike
Oh, the other “biggie” I preach when pursuing an SOI strategy is that you need to be a great real estate agent who loves her job. If you suck at selling real estate (or are burned out), an SOI strategy will crash and burn pretty quickly. It takes more than a great personality to inspire your friends to happily refer to you…