"Consult
The Coach" Archives
Stuart Kaufman, MS, MBA
“The Real Estate Coach”
October
2007 - Volume 7, Issue 4
Q.
Dear Coach:
How
do I talk about my Real Estate business with my friends
so they don’t think I am just after their business
AND so I don’t jeopardize our friendship?
Signed,
Afraid
of Losing Friends
A.
Dear “Afraid of Losing Friends”,
This
is an important question since your friends know you,
like you, and trust you, which makes them a critical
part of your Sphere of Influence.
Don Joseph, a Coldwell Banker agent in Burien, Washington
is a great example of an agent who comfortably combines
friends and his real estate business. When talking
with his friends he will bring up an interesting transaction
or a unique house he recently previewed. “When
meeting or talking with friends, Real Estate always
comes up”, says Don. When the Street of Dreams
houses were open for touring, he took friends to preview
them. When a friend makes a referral, Don invites
the friend to tour houses with them. This way his
friends have a clear idea of what Don does as a Real
Estate agent. When it comes to asking his friends
for referrals, Don isn’t shy. He just asks them
if they know of anyone who is looking to buy or sell
a home. “The more times you ask for referrals,
the more comfortable it gets” says Don.
Here are some additional ideas:
-
When you meet with friends, or talk with them on
the phone, it is very likely that during the conversation
they will ask you how you are doing or how
your Real Estate business is going. When
this happens, it is your opportunity to talk about
the local Real Estate market and trends; and to
show up as the Real Estate expert, which you are.
-
When beginning to discuss a Real Estate related
topic with a friend, you could say “I would
like to put on my Real Estate hat for a moment and
share some interesting information. Is that OK?”
When you are done sharing, you can then say “I
am taking my Real Estate hat off now.” This
approach communicates to your friends that being
a Real Estate agent is separate and apart from being
their friend.
- During
these conversations, you can position yourself as
a “Real Estate Resource Person”.
You can accomplish this by inviting your friends
and family to feel free to contact you when they
have a Real Estate related question or concern,
and that you would be happy to help them. An example
would be if they are looking for a plumber or electrician
– rather than looking in the phone book, you
can refer them to someone you know and trust. This
is providing value – it is giving, not taking.
-
Finally, be honest and tell your friends and family
that your business is based on referrals (if in
fact it is). Be up front and ask them if they are
comfortable referring people to you. If they say
yes, great! If they say no, that is OK too. Respect
their wishes and they will respect you.
In
summary, share your interesting experiences as an
agent, offer to be of service, and be OK if some of
your friends or family choose not to use you as their
agent. There are plenty who will.
About
the Author:
Stuart Kaufman, MS, MBA, is a Real Estate Coach who
specializes in helping Real Estate agents earn a 6-figure
income working 40 hours or less per week. He resides
in Washington State and is a regular contributor to
numerous Real Estate publications nationwide. Got
a question for the coach? Contact Stuart at coach@stuartkaufman.com
or 206-725-1584.
©
Copyright 2007, Metamorphosis Coaching. All Rights
Reserved.
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