Danton,


You make a lot of good points, the question I have is why do agents occasionally run into a wall.

Case in point, a close friend bought a house in the Beaches for $780,000, after she moved in she didn't sell a home for 5 months. When I asked her why she said she didn't know. Now she hasn't revamped her whole working system, but is back
making great money.

A commercial/residential agent I know had his income drop from 400k to 200k, when I asked him why he didn't know, he said he was doing the same activities as the previouse year, he looked dumb founded and very frustrated. He is now back on track flying around in his 100K Land Rover doing his same old routine of visiting poeple all day long. This guy is 60 years old and has been in the business for over 30 years and no he cannot use a COMPUTER at all but is the largest solo producer in our office by a mile. His advice to new agents is "you cant make any money sitting at home watching Opera Whinfrey, you have to be out meeting people". This guy hates his job, his clients and all the agents in Town, his nickname is "Bitchy Bob". Now if I told this guy to learn how to use a computer or go on a Joe Stump seminar he would look at me like I'm a nut case and would punch me in the stomach which he does all the time. I cant punch an older guy who is smaller than me and he knows it. Now when this guy has ten listings on the go he becomes even more angry because he cant make any sales calls due to the demands of servicing the listings he has. HE IS A VERY RICH DINOSAUR. Forgot to add he has the front desk ladies print of his e-mails and
he writes a response by hand on each one then hands them back to be typed and
sent back. He carries a stack or 3x5 cards with him, this is his entire business, in one hand. He has no mailling list, and does no advertising. The
front desk ladies hate him with a passion. His moto is "KILL FRESH MEAT DAILY"


The top agent in our office grosses a huge amount with her team working the high end, she said it also happens to them and no they don't suddenly stop what they are doing and head of on a different path. She said it happens to everybody.

My mentor knocked on 5000 doors without getting one listing, did he stop door knocking, no. He averaged 90 deals a year. When I asked him how you get out of this situation he said work twice as hard as you usually do.

I can go on with dozens of examples, when an agent hits this point they need a lot of support from friends and family.


Nobody knows why we run into walls, but it happens to the best of us and is the nature of the beast.
Mike Ferry's explanation for this ocurance is the agent has moved away from the basics, I suspect he is right.



Just sharing some ideas,

Hunter.

Hey Danton,

You raise some big questions that would take a book to answer, I'm going to use a simple example:

Let say you are single:

Option 1, stay at home watch tv on your off hours and drink
beer of course.

Option 2, we line up 100 women and you have to ask
each one if they would like to go out for a coffee with
you.

Who do you think would have a better chance of meeting a girlfriend?. (I'm aware that women like to get dressd up and go out so some of them are going to use you, but not all)

Now if this doesn't work you mention that we need to change or
risk becoming a dinosaur, good point.

Option 3, We line up 100 men and you have to ask each of them out on a date,
you never know this just might be your thing and as you say we have to try
new things.

Now If non of the above work then I'm out off options and maybe
you should stay at home living with your parents for the rest of
your life.

Hunter.


Here is a good example of adaptation.
Knock on the front door, Hello I'm Hunter with .... Real Estate.
They respond, No speek Englis.
I can tell by their beady little eyes they are lying and they think because
I do chin ups that I'm a dumb monkey.
So I say are you aware your house is on fire?.
This works every time, they suddenly remember how to speak English then
I use the hard stuff from Mad Mike "When do you plan on moving?"



You see Lucky is lucky when he see's a surname that is from a diferrent
planet he has the option of not dialing that number, me not.

Anyhoo Danton I bumped into my manager a week ago, he was looking at me kinda funny, like what the hell has happened to you? I told him I had
knocked on many, many thousands of doors and had no result and was wondering
what I was doing wrong. His response "IT HAPPENS, JUST KEEP GOING" he didn't
say come into my office there is this "Dishy Dame" called Jennifer who has
a wonderful program called "Selling with Soul" that is perfect for you.



One option I am considering is door knocking at night, but I don't know what to
do with the rest of my day apart from inpsecting homes.

OK folks - lets keep the posts 'more' to the subject and not ramble post after post as much.

Keep in mind that you are who you project yourself to be here, nothing more.

It appears some of our Mods have taken a sabbatical, some longer then others. Let's all be reminded of the rules we all agreed to abide by when we signed up.

Hunter - please feel free to post in other subjects or start new ones and please do your best to keep on topic. There is also a section called 'shoot the breeze' that appears to be a good fit for your style. Hunter, How many posts in this thread are yours, and how many times do you have successive posts? Hey, we all do it sometimes

Pine,

You are right, it appears I'm just talking to myself, last week there were 96000 views on this thread, I wanted to see it hit 100,000. It's now 103,000. I'm happy and hopefully finished with this, must focus on the needs of the people on these little 3 x 5 cards (leads) in front of me as apposed to spending time on this site. I'm often tempted to share some local agent
success stories but If I do in time they will figure out it's me. So, best
to keep quite. (Perky mentioned on the Froy thread that she was sure the
Cold Call thread would die and the Hate on Froy thread would eclipse it, so
I thought no way, not until it reaches 100, 000.00 so at this point I don't
care.)


The sad thing with this thread is the number of people that contribute something
as apposed those those who come to view it. It reminds me of the circus in the old days, they always had a guy with two or three heads attached to his shoulders, this attracted people to the show, Lucky is like the weird monster
that people want to have a peak at.

The 60 year old guy in the Super Charged Range Rover story is true, he drives around seeing people till 6 or 7 pm and then does paper work till 11pm, he
lives 125 meters from me and he was in the office first thing this morning
handing in a new listing for $3.9 million.

The point of this guy is: If you drive around seeing people from 9am till 6 or
7pm you will do good business.

The story about the guy that looks like a potato is also true, he's making
huge money and deserves every cent.

The point of this guy was: he did open houses in one area for 10 years consistantly and did okay, when he started his just listed/ just sold campaign in the same area he took off like a rocket, granted he laid out the ground work for 10 years.


Monday Sep 20th, best day in quite a while:

Attempts = 127 (doors)

Contacts = 51

Leads = 3 (last week was brutal for leads, Me not firing on
all cylinders could have been the problem)

Appointments = 1

Follow up calls = 3

Chin Ups = o (wife and I have a cold)


And of all the people that have spoken here there is only Rah, Estate, Lucky,
Danton and myself that are making calls on a regular basis. Don, why don't you join our dysfunctional family, worst thing that can happen is you get a good lead and all the people on this site will hate you.

Couple months ago I sold a property to a past client of mine. They expressed interest in purchasing more on that same street.I door knocked & flyered about 25 homes with "I have a buyer script.". I double ended the the one serious call back I received for $17,000 commission plus sold my seller now buyer a home for an adittion $7,000 commish. I door knocked & flyered the same 25-30 homes again...." I just sold, blah, blah, blah, I have a buyer etc" I just listed the neighbor's house and am typing my own offer plus have a buyer's agency contract signed....value approx another $25,000 commissions if all goes well.

Just sharing prospecting that works.

Well regardless of everyone going back and forth if you hit your prospecting hard enough and are willing to do what others are not then you will do well.

I started cold calling in my backyard January of this year fairly consistently, just to see what would happen (idea came from Lucky's posts in December) . The best client so far was a double ender ($19k commission) , then the same client bought a another property ($13k commission). This client was kind enough to let me keep my sold sign on the property until the closing date...so a neighbor called me off of the sign to interview along with 3 other agents, I got the listing, now negotiating multiple offers on that one (should work out to about $16K commission). When I got the original listing, I cold called around it, had good repoire with one guy who said he was 2 years away from doing anything, I got his email address only because of the great repoire and emailed him my monthly market reports that I send to my SOI, he called me last week because of changing circumstances and said he has to sell very soon, but he was also going to interview 2 other agents, he said he picked me to list it(no paperwork signed yet, so we'll see, I'm 99% sure I got it,though)

It takes a while to get going, need tons of patience, some really frustrating moments because of the learning curve, but it's pretty amazing how a domino effect can develope from just one good lead.

My biggest challenge right now is staying focused on the consistent prospecting that got me this business ... the distractions from clients grow exponentially once you get even a little bit busy.

I guess prospecting works.

Alright...I have been firing on all 8 Cylinders this week. It's wednesday...Everyday I have had 2 Transactions (Buyers) for a Total of 6 signed around transactions this week alone. This should result to about $45,000 in commission just from these 3 days. Before you asked me why I am working with buyers...I typically much prefer sellers but our market is a down market and buyers are actually okay if they are easy to work with

On a good note, my side business has picked up as well. Went on a listing appointment this week...should get it and double end it as a buyer sale in one of my communities too. In addition this week I have had about 310 seller flyers so far...no response.

I have resolved that if a week goes by and no action on listings, I must ask seller to reduce price. The problem is when one waits too long and the listing lingers. Also...I seem to do better with 4x6 lead cards than Internet software. My wife enters all my leads in software but the 4x6 is where the money is. I have my top 15 leads...and "tickle" them each day...they are with me, in car, office, and home and man...it WORKS.

On a side note...Some buyers are really strange. I email them...no response...email again nothing...same for 3-4 other times...then finally just as I am about to give up on them they call and it goes: "Hey Danton, can you represent us on this offer...or "Can you show us these 3 properties? We need to sign for a home this week" What the heck right? So now my lead follow-up is about 6-7 touches before I throw a lead away. Again Mike Ferry says 3 times, but the 6-7 times is working well for me, so I'll keep doing it.

RAH....maybe I can help with the consistency issue. You need to find the connection between your prospecting and your goals results. For me...I know I have averaged 16,000 contacts per year for the last few years (100 contacts per prospecting day) this has cosistently produced my current results of $4-500k income. I want growth....so since I came back from the Superstar retreat I decided to experiment and challenge myself and double my prospecting to 200 per day to experience some kind of measurable growth. (Douling my production would be awsome). Once you find this connection and you don't want your income to decline, you will treat your prospecting as a very important critical appointment which cannot accept any distractions. Set your mindsetand a goal to create an experiment in consistency and growth in income. Say you currently average 1000 contacts per month (50 per day-20 days a month), challenge yourself to see what happens at 75 contacts per day or 1500 per month. For consistency you must know weeekly, monthly, yearly minimum standard totals which you will not go below or your income suffers.
Make it a game...a very serious game. Pretend you are an athelete like tiger woods with mimimum standards.
Hope this helps.

1

That makes sense, thanks! This is really what I need to get into my head: "treat your prospecting as a very important critical appointment which cannot accept any distractions."
While I'm prospecting, a client calls/emails, an agent calls with an offer,etc.,then my mind changes focus to the client's little problem(because I want to give great customer service)or the agent has a better counter offer on one of my listings(so I rush to read the offer, call my client,forward the offer,etc..)..then, start to worry about something, and when the dust finally settles, I have to focus again on the # of contacts I did today and still need to do for the day...can get stressful at times.

I know, I know, I need to time block the prospecting and shut everything off around me during that period of time... and know that even if I get back to my client 2 hours later, it's still good customer service.

It was easier focusing doing the # of contacts per day when business was slow because that's all there was to focus on.

It's one big workout for the mind.

Hi Hunter,

What information do you include in your door knocking newsletter?
And how often do you update it?
I'm just starting my door knocking campaign, and I'm not 100% sure what type of information would homeowners be most interested in.

thanks

Hello Boo,


I have a printing company do a layout for me, top part is a banner "Real Estate Update" my photo and company name.

Left side is a photo of one of the listings I sold or just listed. Bellow that is a list of homes I have just sold.

Main article Is from an economist who says that wages have
not kept pace with housing prices, by a guy call Benjamin Tal
CIBC World Markets.

I collect other peoples newsletters and keep a file on them to
borrow ideas. Main article can be renovations with the best
resale value.

I never have too much print,just a little, people dont' have time
to read a book.

I have had success with a simple map, shows the average price for
different areas, wealthy middle class and entry, very simple, like
for a kid.

When I had no money I printed of the "Market Watch from Treb"
and put my name on them. This is along time ago. Your Real Esate
Board Will Do a Market report, Photo copy it with your name on it.


When you establish a layout with the printer it's just a matter
of inserting the stuff, single page, one side, two colour.
Because its glossy it will not put ink on you clothes, you hands
will get sweaty either from heat of from fear, more than likely
FEAR.

Some guys put in a cooking recipe (many people actually try them, for me way
to girly), a quote from George Patton, the local
politiciam also send them out now, they have good communituy info
and or ideas you can copy, steal ideas from them, they are all thieves
themselves.

We have a simple little comunity news paper, I called the newspaper and agreed to distribute them myself, they showed
up with a a truck and a 5000 thousand of them, It was huge. My manager called
me and said the main entrance is jammed with piles of newspapers get the hell over here and get rid of these things, they thought I was a little crazy.
I walked around door knockng with these things, I got INK all
over my hands and dress shirts. I didn't do it again, they are
heavy.

Most of my door knocking friends I know feel safer/better with a hand out of some sort, it's like a crutch or a safety blanket. "Their thinking is how dare
you go door knocking without GIVING something, that's baloney you don't really need anything if you cant afford it, just a note
pad and a pen. I ask these guys are you out door knocking and they say no I'm
working on my newsletter or waiting for the stuff from the printers, always an
excuse not to door knock.

You asked about frequentcy, I walked through 4 times a year, 4000 newsletters
four times a year, I should have sent out just listed/sold cards, but the 4000 always got me enough business.

I think I paid 300 bucks for 4000 which includes art work and folding. Hope
this helps.

Boo, when you are out there door kocking don't say "BOO" to the poeple, you will scare them.

Hunter.

Hey Rah,

Like you I prospect with wonderfully regularity when I have no business and then drop it when I get busy. My delusional thought is if I work hard for these clients then they will refer me and I will never have to prospect again. Well it doesn't work that way and I never learn, ever.

When you are busy servicing clients you get stressed, you have a list of things to do, which as a realtor you are not used to. So you say to yourself Gees I'm real busy, hope I can get all these things done, let alone even think about prospecting. My mom used to say just try and do a little bit maybe an hour, no way, totally impossible you tell yourself. Maybe if you look at your day as
9am to 9pm there will be some room for a few calls, but this becomes hard work,
not fun anymore.



"Kiss of Death" Mindset

These clients are paying me thousands of dollars to sell their home and I must give all my time to this file. Like a chicken sitting on her egg, must keep it warm and watch it all the time. The odd Mike Ferry guy I know thinks we are retarded and makes fun of us chickens, well I'm a stong F.. chicken and will punch their lights out, so they are careful around me, they watch what they say. (Mike Ferry insists that these jokers or metrosexuals have their nails manecured every month, so they can look at their pretty fingers as they dial their numbers, me, I have callasus on my knuckles,not pretty I agree) These cool guys pay Mad Mike to yell at them, "If you dont make you calls you will have to work at Mcdonalds", they pay to be abused. Well there are lots of pretty girls working at Macdonals, couldn't be all that bad and maybe you could become a manager, never know.


Rah, use your brain for a brief moment imagine if the corner store lawyer only worked on one file at a time he would not be able to pay for his lease and secretary let alone drive around in a fancy car, same rule should apply to us, now I'm not implying that we are creepy monsters like lawyers, but that maybe we can handle TWO files without having a nervouse breakdown. Some guys even have two girlfriends, not me, my brain is way too small to handle that let alone the cost.


Got rear ended, hospital says brain should start working again in three days as long as I don't read or watch TV, so Vermont you are going to have to be my Englis teecher. Might be a good thing if my brain is permanently broken, wake up in the morning and go out and talk to people,not this constant torture of WHICH STREET, HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE I'VE BEEN THERE, MUST REMEMBER THE HOUSE WERE THE GUY WENT MENTAL ON ME, AM I SAYING THE RIGHT THING, DID I GIVE THE RIGHT PRICE ON THAT LISTING PRESENTATION, AM I TOO HANDSOME/CLEVER FOR THIS JOB............. maybe being a dummy will be a good thing for business.



Just rambling of topic as usual,


Hunter.

Yikes, just to clarify for the Americans, "REAR ENDED" means a car crashed into the back of my CAR. Got nervous how some of you
might interpret the above.