This is mentioned here, and it resonates with me. For example, I recently posted an "expireds" letter for your criticism and said that hand-delivering it was not really an option since it's a very rural area and people just don't door-knock. Which got me thinking... what if I DID hand deliver it??

Anyway, I would LOVE to hear about the things you all do to go "above and beyond" and generate business for yourselves. Preferably things that don't cost a lot!

-jeff

SOI is a big part of my buisness. It sounds simple, and it is cheap. If you do this it is a good way to start, and stay going.

I once read, and never forgot:

"Successful people do what unsuccessful people think is a waste of time."

You won't know until you try.

Forgive my ignorance, but what is SOI?

(you guys lose me with the acronyms sometimes...)

-jeff

Sphere Of Influence -- the people you know and contact anyway, friends, family and so on.

Oh. Geez. I actually knew that one... now that you mention it.

D'oh!

-jeff

Try it Jeff. Hand-delivering expired package (resume, testimonials, my ads, etc) and a letter to expireds worked really well for me.

Face to face is always better for the client. It just comes down to you and how much time you have.

I more complicated than that. Time, I have. It's that most rural properties in this area are set back from the road with a fence and a gate, usually a dog too. People really do not knock on doors here. I could count on one hand in 15 years it's happened on our land and two of them were Mormons trying to bring me to the light!

So the mechanics of it are problematic. Do I park outside the gate and honk like the UPS man would? THAT seems invasive. But what else could I do??

I know my wife says she would be ****ED if some real estate agent came on our land and knocked on the door; it would scare the hell out of her.

-jeff

Ha! So you can't say the word "****", eh? How about ****, ****, or *******? Or even ***-****, ********, *******, or ***********? Not even ******!?! Aw, come on man!

:-)

Well, just so ya'll are wondering what my wife would be, because those four ****'s could be interpreted several ways, she be urine-ed.

-jeff

pi.ssed

Hey look at it this way... You can type in "hell" but not ****ed.... Go figure...

If you're really ballsy take a yard sign with a "SOLD" sign on it when you deliver your letter. Just stick the sign up beside the porch and then ring the door bell or knock.

I guarantee a reaction; may be good, may tell you to get lost, but you'll make an impression.

Some guy used to have his expired letters hand delivered in a large, red painted paper tube with a white yarn 'fuse' attached to the end. Inside his letter said something like; "BANG! Your listing has just blown up, now I can......"

Probably not a good idea anymore unless you enjoy talk to the FBI and Jack Bauer.

"Rural area" can be code words for people for whom property rights and privacy are hotly defended, and any solicitors are not welcome.

We do business in a similar area, and even when looking at potential rural listings, we can be met with armed persons from adjacent properties, or followed. Pure fact. Realtors have been shot at.

Stick close to "town"!

"BANG! Your listing is dead"
That was Walter Sanford from Long Beach, CA - who BTW still sells the firecrackers on his website.

He got in trouble when he left the firecracker on a front porch and a homeowner called the bomb squad.

Where are you; Iraq???

I live in rural east Tennessee near the cockfighting, moonshining, and marijuana growing sections and I've never been shot at or threatened by any of the local bad boys.

duediligence - are you from Vermont??? LOL My broker is from NY&NJ, and she is simply stunned by some of her 'encounters' up here. We went out this dirt road to locate a new listing and she just could not believe that those were Bullet Holes in the road signs! VT is a free to carry state, so we are met with hostile homwoners all the time. Never heard of one getting shot though...... lawyers, sure, but not realtors..... *G*

It's not like Iraq around here; a little rednecky but whatever- after 16 years out here I'm a little rednecky myself with my pickup truck and safe full of guns. But I'm talking more about the general sense of how things are done, and not wanting to upset people ESPECIALLY the person most likely to be there when I came by, who would statistically be a woman. If you live out in the sticks it can be creepy having someone come down your driveway.

So I guess I don't see how I could hand-deliver them. I don't THINK I'm copping out... it honestly seems just contrary to local custom. Like I'd do more harm than good.

-jeff

sheesh some people just won't let others earn a buck

I went out of my comfort zone today no firecrackers or anything, but I didn't have a package all pre made up instead I knocked on a FSBO door introduced myself and handed my card and asked to preview. I was invited in.....the saga continues