I do think scripts are for losers, and always have. My broker advocates them, and when he tries to illustrate their use in meetings, well, let's just say my eyebrows get exhausted.

Just the idea of pre-programmed responses to handle objections is dishonest. Every client has a different situation and needs to have their concerns handled on the merits.

Typical Floyd Wickman (et al) detritus: "Mr. Buyer... I'd like to explain how you might be going about your home search in the wrong way." Translation: "Mr Buyer. Would you please just shut your damn brain off and just follow what I say so I can nail this commission down with as little trouble to myself as possible?"

Scripts are nothing more than cheap transparent manipulation and any client with 1/8 of a brain will get that negative vibe pretty much instantaeously when a script jockey breaks out of the starting gate.

It's amusing, or more accurately bemusing, that proponents of scripts frequently buffer their approach with procedural milk of magnesia by advocating not using a script exactly as it's written, but "adapting" it to a "situation" and "blending" it with one's personality. Too funny.

My advice to noobies: Just listen to the client and figure out a fair and logical way to solve their individual problem. We are, after all, paid to SOLVE PROBLEMS, not "HANDLE" OBJECTIONS. While you are wasting intellectual energy and losing focus while trying not to seem like your "integrating" your latest half-baked script, your future ex-client is desperately trying to figure out a tactful way to leave the room.

In other news: No, I do not take exclusive agency listings. I don't have to. However, if a noobie wants to play the old numbers game by signing up 20 FSBO EA's in order to make a name for himself by getting on a lot of signs and appearing in a lot of ads, so be it. It's not a terrible opening gambit because an agency is likely to sell the home before the homeowner does, so on a percentage basis, it can jump start a career. Over the long run, however, it's inefficient. You waste too much time and squander too much profit. But as a loss leader to make some impact, go for it.

I've found that the EA thing is a good closing tactic to get the listing, but that in reality the homeowners pretty much give up trying to sell it at the point that it's listed, so it's sort of a moot point.

I don't mind paying respect to the work they've already done, either. If a buyer shows back up who they originally brought through their marketing efforts... well, it's hard to see why I deserve a commission at that point.

Mostly, it's as Navarac astutely observes. I have my name on a number of signs. I have have over 2 million in listings right now. I get respect from other agents. I get respect from clients when I mention my other listings. It's not a bad thing.

And I've sold a couple of them and it has SAVED MY HAIRY WHITE BUTT! People... fellow noobs... You MUST pull some commissions. You MUST turn some deals. You cannot be too high-falutin' about this. The sooner you get down in the mud pit and start wrestling, the better your chances of staying in the business!

-jeff

I started in June and had one deal close where I was the selling agent (with another agent that I was partnered with... fortunately it was a big sale). We had some issues with the agency that we were with and decided, after we went under contract with this house, to leave once the deal closed. We waited for over a month for it to close, so we couldn't do anything in the way of prospecting during that time. It was VERY frustrating!!!! It was a big paycheck for both of us, though, and we felt obiligated to stick it out with our buyers, especially since it was the first closing for both of us!

I definitely made the right decision to join my new company. I am doing so much better there. Since joining in September(my partner went with another company, which was fine...we are still friends), I have closed on two deals (one as the selling agent and one as the listing agent) and I have 3 homes under contract that are scheduled to close this month where I am the selling agent. Knock on wood, they have run a lot more smoothly than the last two deals and it looks like there won't be any real big issues...again, knock on wood. The lender I work with is fantastic and definitely works her butt off to help make sure deals close!!! The title company I use is awesome, too.

As of now, no new prospects, but I can tell things are starting to slow for the holidays. Plus I'm going on vacation (1 year anniversary) this next week, so I haven't been prospecting much this past week. However, when I get back, I'm hitting the Expireds and FSBOs. I'm also starting to do some postcard marketing, although I don't expect any results from that for the next few months.

It has been very exciting, although the last deal closed by the skin of my teeth due to a slack selling agent his buyer's lender. What a mess...a total of 8 hours with the title company to get it closed!!! I learned a LOT though. I can't wait to get back at it after next week. It gets in your blood! From all this, I have gained new friends and hopefully lifetime clients, lots of potential leads and a few stress wrinkles! LOL! Gotta love it!!!

It's a pain in the booty, and it'll make a monkey out of you running around... but it pays well, if you are working that hard. Potentially REALLY well.

That's better than a whole lot of other jobs that are a pain in the booty and will make a monkey out of you!

-jeff

Booty.... booty... booty.... ha! It's not censoring me!

:-)

(booty)

-jeff

Have you been hitting the bottle Jeffo? Booty, Booty, Booty!

Yes, this is soooooo much better than what I did before, even though I stay up til all hours, eat at the strangest times, and only seperate with my cell phone in the shower (I had to increase my cell phone minutes to 4000 b/c 2000 wasn't enough...before I started real estate, I had 400 minutes and hardly ever used them all up).

In my "former life," I was a Quality Assurance Manager at a frozen foods plant, and I don't miss the 30 below blast freezer, wading through macaroni and collard greens up to my ankles(and I'm not exagerating), or smelling so bad after work that even the cats steer clear of me.

Nah, I'm just a goofball!

Pretty much anyway. <g>!

-jeff

I barely ever post here but I did start in RE in January, and have been reading this forum for about a year now. I had 1 deal close [I made $800.00(mobile home)] I've had 1 deal in escrow since August, have one buyer coming in from out of town, and have had 3 deals fall through after being signed around. It's been the tale of work hard not smart(I know, I know, it's suppose to be the other way around). For the love of the game!

I refuse to quit, so I will continue to work and maybe, just maybe, I'll make a living yet. Or go broke trying. Someone told me about 5 months ago, as soon as you leave the biz, your phone will start ringing. I think persistence and keeping your head up has to be at least half the fight when starting out. Good luck everyone! The market and the winter are not excuses. There are still a bunch of people doing business.