A Piece of Advice for Real Estate Agents, Stop SUCKING!

If I could offer just one piece of advice for REALTORs, it would be to Stop Sucking all the value out of every conversation and instead learn how to ADD value.

I’ve mentioned in past posts that social media is changing marketing and the first thing you need to understand is that No One Cares About You.  If you’re still working in that old school marketing mentality you’re doomed to fail online.

Everything you do online should have a clear value proposition for your network.  If you want people to listen you have to say something worth listening to.  If all you’re doing is advertising prepare to be tuned out.

Why am I writing this?

To help you STOP being lame.  Yesterday I posted a “Conversation Starter” on the Real Estate Referral Group which gave agents a chance to shine (if they said the right thing.)

Here’s how this works…  I post the question and the Fans of the page give answers in the comments section.  Pretty simple right?  What you have to keep in mind is the more replies we get the more people on Facebook will see this.  For those of you not in the “know,” that’s the real power os social media…Conversation.

Commenting on this thread does two things:

  1. Gets the “thread” in front of more people.
  2. Showcases a bunch of smart answers that homebuyers can use.
  3. Gives REALTORs a chance to advertise (without advertising) <—more on that in another post

Here’s an example of Doing it Right:

Those are two solid pieces of advice that any buyer would be happy to read.  Now here’s an example of Doing it Wrong:

The one in the middle is good, however the ones directly above and below are LAME.  Please allow me to explain WHY these comments SUCK!

While the two comments on the first photos are adding value to the conversation the two comments on the second photos are SUCKING value from the conversation.  Do you think buyers will want to work with people who always TAKE or always GIVE?

Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

  • katnimmons

    Hi! I missed the first post because of a very busy day in real estate. But I'm glad to see you followed up so I could catch. I agree, I get more clients/customers because I give answers that really get them thinking. When they begin to realize the pitfalls of not having representation, their mind is made up, then and there. There are so many traps a seller or buyer could fall into without proper guidance. Simply saying call me, doesn't even begin to engage. Good advice!

  • You're on point Kat, people have to believe in the value you bring to the table BEFORE they do business with you.

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  • I'm with you Jonathan. We have to stand out from the rest of the crowd. I know here in Houston there are somewhere around 26,000 REALTORs. “Call me” just doesn't work! People are tired of hearing the same old lines. I try to get people on my side quickly by responding with unique answers. Think twice and speak once. They see me as a “real” person, whether they have met me personally, or just online on Facebook. A little “different” will take you a LONG way! Thank you for your thought provoking posts!

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  • WOW, I can't believe you guys have that many REALTORs. No doubt there are a bunch of part timers in the mix too. I love that “think twice and speak once.”

    These tools we've got available are amazing as long as we use them correctly.

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  • It seems like the agents who broadcast “Call me!” are feeling a little desperate in this economy. Networking in any form takes an incredible amount of patience and committment which a lot of people lack. It reminds me of the old term “Commission Breath” when people in any business are so pushy. Taking your time and building relationships is so important to longevity in this business.

  • There's no doubt that those agents running around saying “Call Me” have a hint of desperation. Social Media is the new way of marketing, but ya gotta take some to to learn how to use it properly.

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  • Jonathan, I just started reading “No, The Only Negotiating System You Need for Work and Home” by Jim Camp. The chapter I am reading now is on neediness. The points he is making and the examples are excellent. Where you have used “desperation” he would use “neediness”. Different words but same result.

  • We're “raised” to be a very self serving group. Even our sales meetings boast who has new listings, who sold the most, who is the top agent, etc. Then we have awards ceremonies for the same garbage. Every one knows who the top agents are and the reverse child psychology used is demeaning for those of us with half a brain. The true top agents will avoid this kind of office publicity. Try posting something or mention that you've done a great public service such as volunteering on the fire department, reading for children at the public library or raised a ton of money for a cause such as Relay or Memory Walk and see how far that goes. Even better, try mentioning in your office meeting that you've helped an upside down Client save their home and was able to turn the listing away because it wasn't necessary and see how much recognition you get. The latter is what the public wants to see. True, they want to know that the REALTOR they choose is assertive and has a good track record but they really want to know what we do in our spare time and that we have some human qualities, utlimately knowing that we are going to do what is best for them. Walk into a furniture store or car dealer, most of us will walk away from the pushy, flashy, arrogant sales people. The fact is we are NOT sales people, we are (especially now) working with people who are in financial trouble and need the compassion and knowledge to get them through a stressful and difficult time. Wow, I'm glad I got that off my chest…. and YES I took yesterday off to have some fun.

  • Wow John, well said. We're in the business of People Helping People. Thanks for sharing that here, and I couldn't agree with you more.

  • Joanne

    I'm a Realtor and I cant agree with you more!

  • We're “raised” to be a very self serving group. Even our sales meetings boast who has new listings, who sold the most, who is the top agent, etc. Then we have awards ceremonies for the same garbage. Every one knows who the top agents are and the reverse child psychology used is demeaning for those of us with half a brain. The true top agents will avoid this kind of office publicity. Try posting something or mention that you've done a great public service such as volunteering on the fire department, reading for children at the public library or raised a ton of money for a cause such as Relay or Memory Walk and see how far that goes. Even better, try mentioning in your office meeting that you've helped an upside down Client save their home and was able to turn the listing away because it wasn't necessary and see how much recognition you get. The latter is what the public wants to see. True, they want to know that the REALTOR they choose is assertive and has a good track record but they really want to know what we do in our spare time and that we have some human qualities, utlimately knowing that we are going to do what is best for them. Walk into a furniture store or car dealer, most of us will walk away from the pushy, flashy, arrogant sales people. The fact is we are NOT sales people, we are (especially now) working with people who are in financial trouble and need the compassion and knowledge to get them through a stressful and difficult time. Wow, I'm glad I got that off my chest…. and YES I took yesterday off to have some fun.

  • Wow John, well said. We're in the business of People Helping People. Thanks for sharing that here, and I couldn't agree with you more.

  • Joanne

    I'm a Realtor and I cant agree with you more!

  • Ehempler

    Good call my friend

  • Great post…thanks for the clear example of both types of response…but also for the conversation starter!

  • You know what they say Darcie- “Conversations are Markets” so the best way to get business online—-keep em talking.

  • Great Post – it’s the “call me” statements that link us to Used Car Salesmen. People who add value are the ones that will survive the tough times – and get more out of it personally.

  • Andrew Mease

    26,000 compared to 4,000,000 people isn’t so bad. In Naples Florida we have 5,000+ realtors with only 50,000 population. It is very difficult to compete here as a new agent. Everyone already knows at least one agent, so you have to show them you have something else to bring to the table… if they even give you a chance

  • Thanks Cynthia — now more than ever transparency is the key ingredient to our survival. People can see right through us — and if not directly, in just a few clicks. So those “used car” sales people will be found out very quickly.

    Social Media Marketing is no different than any other investment- you get out what you put into it. Thanks for reading the post- hope you’ll check out some more of the goodies we have in here 😉

  • That’s the advantage we have today Andrew- Social Media allows us to bring a personality to our marketing—- and people naturally want to do business with other people they like.

  • Isn’t this true for the entire world…our entire social media saturated world…where advertising imposes on our every moment! I want to thank you for this post, because if the media and our government–therefore the sadly suffering public schools–aren’t going to educate our people, it is up to those of us who are educated to pass on our knowledge to those who are willing and ready to receive it! Value is always more productive than ego!

  • WOW- thanks for the huge compliment. I agree, it’s up to us to teach and share what we know so we can all grow together. Value is always rewarded in the end.

  • Amen! Nice job. There are still too many realtors out there who suck. Over the last few years we’ve seen a good portion of them weaned out. They hurt the industry. Here’s something I do to help direct the customer and improve the industry. After spending quality time with a potential client, and I find them being hesitant to sign an agency agreement (required here in Utah and generally a smart idea), I say, “my recommendation for you is to find the very best agent you can, and commit to them. Even if it’s not me you choose, they will save you time, money and heartache.” For myself, I know I’m one of the good ones, but if it’s a different personality they want, so be it. I usually gain higher commitment from them at that time. If they walk away, that’s good too. We don’t want to be wasting peoples time. Be personable, authentic, real, passionate… all the above. No one cares what you know until the know how much you care. Period! Social networking, or any kind of interaction for that matter, should be about genuine relationship building.

  • That’s POWERFUL advice Phil.

    Letting them know they have a choice is so great- plus it filters out the people that would otherwise waste your time. I really really really like this approach- hard sell is for used car salesman, not real estate agents.

  • Thomas Morgan CCIM

    It seems that all fb and twitter is about “me” and what “I” am doing…… No one cares…. All those posts about food, pets and kids are now removed from my feed. Sorry. If you say something relevant and interesting I will read your feed and converse all day long with you.

    Nice post…. Good advice to realtors. By the way, I am one 😉

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  • I agree wholeheartedly. If finding a home just meant picking the best priced property, Realtors wouldn’t have any work and no value either. Qualified Realtors add value by recognizing the RISKS each property presents and by COMMUNICATING those risks to their clients. People who don’t use Realtors, and no matter what, there will be some not-so-smart people who insist doing it themselves, will be doing SURGERY on their own hardearned investment dollars.

    Yes, like the commercial, trying to do something that you’re not a trained professional in is like trying to do surgery on yourself (yep, it’s possible – just ask the kid who lost his arm in Utah because he didn’t tell anyone where he was going and got stuck rock climbing). Some homebuyers are doing that right now – cutting off their arm to save the rest of their body.

    Get an agent that’s worth his/her grain of salt. Degreed agents with designations offer the most value since, IMHO, they have the academic knowledge and the street smarts. Add a few personal purchases and you’ve got an agent who’s put their own money on the table. Consider, too, the agent that’s “tiled their own floor”, “built the deck or addition”, or “added windows and doors” and you’ve got an agent who recognizes when the work is “value added” or a cosmetic addition on the verge of failure. There are differences between agents and finding the right one takes time and effort, but the only thing worse is going alone.

  • I like your description of a good agent in that last paragraph Bill. Especially the part about a few personal purchases, it’s hard for me to understand how an agent who never bought a property really gets it. Thanks!

  • Ryan

    I just like this as a statement alone.

    For some crazy reason I thought real estate agents would lead the charge on applying technology to their business because there are so many application to put to use!

    Good thing I didn’t be on it back then, but c’mon what happened?

  • Gcpropertymanagement

    It’s about respect for your field and for your readers. Great discussion.

  • Anonymous

    I’m here to provide a service for you! If for any reason, you can’t find an answer to your real estate needs, contact me directly and I will follow-up promptly to get you the information you need. I am your one-stop resource for all real estate related information.
    here..

    Salt Lake City Realtor: Anya Ouchakova
    14403 South Lapis Dr. Draper Utah 84020
    801-252-6947

    Salt Lake City Realtor

  • Good Realtors do add value! I think that both buyers and sellers don’t actually realize the danger of trying to go about buying/selling on their own. Its not just a paperwork issue. I hear lots of sellers say that they know a friend that can help them with the ‘paperwork.’ Real estate agents know how to get the job done. Now, that being said, I am only talking about full time agents that do a minimum of 4 deals a month. Part timers know just enough to be dangerous!