Marilyn Katz asks:

Does anyone know anything about a company called Relocation Advisors of
America?  I received an e-mail from them. Says it is a new service,
launching in Jan' 07.
No referral fees, no per lead fees and only $75 (will go to $99) to join.
Prospects are given agent info and they contact agent, directly.

Sounds better than the typical pay-for-leads rip offs.  What am I missing?

Mark Jay offers:

What you are missing is that it is STILL a pay-for-leads rip off.  It is
just less expensive than others you have heard of.

On the other hand, what could it hurt?  It's only $75.  But better hurry
before you have to pay $99.... You certainly don't want to loose out on
saving money, do you?

And remember-- because it is a NEW service; their lead harvesting and
development will be PARTICULARLY effective.... right?  Why not get in on
the ground floor-- and with your $75--  help this entity develop into the
cash flow dynamo it's promoters are dreaming of?

....I'm sitting in a small Midwestern city and a perfect stranger calls me
on the telephone representing some company I've never heard of from some
other small city in the Southwest offering to sell me all the leads they
obtain from MY zip code TWO THOUSAND MILES away from where I am-- for only
$5 per month.  I listen for a moment and then I hang up embarrassed with
myself for listening as long as I did to something THAT preposterous.

As a salesman I'm an optimist and a risk taker.  Clever people who market
to me have me completely figured out.  I'll take a big chance for a big
reward-- that's in my nature.  I'll view things in the best possible light
when shown that warm glowing light.  If today was rough tomorrow will be
better-- that's in my nature too.

The hardest part of our work is the emotional part-- the rejection.  What a
blessing it would be if everyone you meet that needs to sell lists with you
and everyone you meet that needs or wants to buy a property buys with you--
every time-- NO rejection-- ever.  Just like the kid at McDonald's.
Everyone who walks up buys some fast food.  Nobody has to "think about it".
Nobody has to talk to some other kid in a paper hat at some other fast food
swill hut.  They walk up and they buy!  No rejection.  Wouldn't it be nice
if real estate sales were like working at McDonalds?

But that's NOT the way it is-- is it?  Along comes someone-- a perfect
stranger thousands of miles away from you-- and offers to lessen or even
eliminate the rejection if you'll pay them a little money.  The stranger
tells you that if you pay him he'll take away the pain of that rejection
and; you so want to believe that, you pay.

And then you've paid and instead of these people you've paid the stranger
for falling into your arms moaning 'yes, yes, sell me your services and
then sell me another property' you find that the e-mail addy is dead and
your bought and paid for guaranteed qualified lead, Mr. Lion, has a
telephone number that rings at the zoo and when you call the number and ask
the receptionist for Mr. Lion she tells you he's busy eating the last
salesman who called and hangs up on you....

Last week I met a prospect at an open house.  He liked but he wasn't sure.
He wanted to shop and compare.  During the week, I sent him sheets.  He
sent back the ones he wanted to see-- there were TEN.  I spent a few hours
setting the appointments.  I spent around six further hours showing the
ten.  It snowed heavily the day before the showings.  Some of the
properties weren't shoveled.  Off with shoes, on with shoes-- after
stepping into the ice cold puddles at the doorway where the shoes were.
Stumbled over a few snow banks-- both of us-- and we laughed together.
Back to my listing to see how much better a buy it was compared to the
others-- it WAS-- just as I had said.  We laughed again!  Buyer needs one
more look the next day with the wife.... and the kid.  The kid picks out
her bedroom.  More smiles and laughter!  Let's talk tomorrow?  Great!

Then?  Then....  Then nothing.  No answer to e-mail.  No answer to the cell
phone.  No return call from the message left.  Nothing!  THAT is why real
estate commissions are what they are.  THAT is why we get paid the kind of
money we get paid for.  All the rest of it-- the filling out of the forms
is all $12 per hour stuff-- okay, $15 per hour stuff.  The money is in the
handling of the rejection involved in the searching for the buyer who will
close and/or the seller who will sign a listing agreement and accept an
offer-- handling all the emotional pain involved in all of that.  In my MLS
only 2/3rds of the listings sell-- that's a lot of rejection.  I have as
many as 10 co-broke showings and maybe 10 to 15 showings by appointment and
open house visitors before getting an offer; THAT'S a lot of rejection--
and if I get NO calls and NOBODY through an open house that's even WORSE.
If I cold call FSBOs and expireds I have to engage 25 to get 1 and out of
the ones I get TWENTY percent expire....

How unrealistic is it to think that some stranger can eliminate the most
difficult, painful and highest paying part of our task set for $75?  Or $5
per month per zip code?  Or some other set of numbers?  Imagine-- every
buyer closes-- every seller lists-- no listings ever expire.  All you have
to do is pay the stranger from a far a few dollars....

Mark Jay
414-771-7713 Voice
mailto:Mark@MarkJayRealty.com
http://MarkJayRealty.com
24 hour Fax number upon request
Serving the entire Seven County
Southeastern Wisconsin Area