Sep. 28, 2005 - success

ASPIRE to be Great!

Ideas for building your Database/Contact Manager.

Who should be in your database?  A – B – C Prospects

A-   People who want to buy or sell now.  Someone calls and asks for a Right Price Analysis?  Theyre in and in forever.  When they sell, add the new buyers (yours or not) to your contact manager.  When they move, change their address.  You meet someone who is moving from Chicago at an open house, add them to your contact manager.  You get an email from a lady who saw your listing on REALTOR.com and will be moving here from Chicago, add her to your contact manager.  Everyone is good at working with NOW buyers or sellers.  You simply get their email address and attach yourself to them until they buy or sell.  Its a must.  Having them in you contact manager makes this easy.

B-    People who want to buy or sell later.  You meet Tim and Joan Johnson at a friends party.  Joan says, When our son Timmy graduates from high school, well want to move to a smaller house.  Wonderful, you say, I can help you do that, what year is Timmy in now?  Second grade, Joan exclaims gleefully.  Thats a B prospect.  Asking for their email address, you add the Johnsons to your contact manager and keep them in your loop.

C-    Everyone else!  Yes, everyone you know, have met, think you know, dont know, live around you, your listings, your sales, go to your church, your kids schools, your old school, where your spouse works, where you used to work, shop, play, and walk.  Its all about the rule of 200.  That is, that everyone has 200 people in their sphere.  So the 200 people in your conservative inner sphere know you are the best at real estate service, knowledge, personal attention, communication, overall quality, and integrity.  And they convey this fact to the 200 people in their sphere which gives you a contact sphere of 40,000 people.

But first, THEY have to know youre serious about what you do for a living!  Contact, contact, contact!  Every day, set aside time to telephone at least 10 people you know just to touch base.  Thats 200 in 20 days.  The simple rules of phone contact are:

·        Get your energy up. 

·        Speak a little faster than usual.  This lets the caller know youre in a hurry.  After a brief greeting, make a statement about real estate, something like, It seems like everyone has some interest in the real estate market today.  Its been very busy and there are lots of people on the move.  How are things with you?  Or, As you know (doesnt matter if they do or dont, theyll tell you) Ive chosen real estate as my career.  Im working for Mel Foster, a great company and things are very exciting.  How are things with you?  What ever you say, its high energy and you talk real estate first, then personal or small talk later.  If you talk real estate last, they think the only reason you called is to prospect.  Talking about them last makes them understand that you are truly interested in them.  If they inquire more about your real estate decision, tell them, I would really appreciate your help.  If you know anyone interested in buying or selling real estate, please give them my name and call or email me immediately.  By the way, what is your email address?  After you put their email in your contact manager, send them an email thanking them in advance for any referrals that they send and reiterate, Your referral would be the highest professional complement I could receive.

·        If they dont inquire further about your real estate career, dont push.  Do get their email address however.  Then simply send them a thank you note immediately after the call that says, Nice talking with you today.  You… (mention something that they talked about).  If they know of anyone interested in buying or selling, please give them my name and call or email me immediately.  Your referral would be the highest professional complement I could receive. 

·        If they ask how youre doing in real estate and youre doing great, tell them.  If you are just starting or havent hit your mark yet, say, Unbelievable!  Thats not a lie.  Never complain or tell others your problems.  Most people dont care, the rest are happy you gotem.

As you can see, its real important that you get email addresses.  Over the next couple of months, were going to develop an email marketing campaign.  Its cheap, easy, fast, and very effective.  But, if you only have a handful of email addresses, it will be of little or no value.

Other methods to get email addresses:

1. Make the 10 calls a day as suggested above.
2. Return postcard asking for birthdays and email addresses.
3. Offer specific area real estate market information only by email.
4. Have your assistant (or spouse or teen) call a list of people asking for their email address.
5. Solicit local dry cleaners, markets, bookstores, flower shops for coupons and send mailing offering coupons to all who email you at your address.
6. Free offers on your website by e-mail only
1. Home Buying First to Last
2. Home Selling 101
3. Relocation Activities Check List
4. Right Price Analysis
5. Public and Private School Information
6. Special Reports
7. Real Estate Buyers and Sellers Checklists.
7. Ask everyone you talk to for their email address.
8. If you have a PalmPilot, you can beam others with a PalmPilot and get their email address.  Its a social affair.