The statistics are coming, but I want share something with you. Something I hope you found as insightful as I did.
Many times I try to relate a useful story to you, one that will encourage you to always let people know you are a realtor. Often I wonder if the story is true, but it does send a good message. This week, West De Young, our South Pasadena branch manager, related a story that actually happened to him. Sometimes the real stories are better than what anyone can make up. Read, enjoy, and emulate.
Coaches Corner—Taking the “IF” Initiative (by West)
In my last article “The Power of ‘IF’”, I spoke of how it all starts with “IF”…not the passive “What If” but just plain “IF”.
The other day at the laundromat I experienced someone who practiced the Power of “IF”. While I was busy fluffing and folding, doing my best to be a “secret agent”, a gentleman who was also fluffing and folding laundry with his wife asked me, “Is that your truck outside?”. (West has a monster truck) “Why yes, it is”, came my somewhat startled reply. “Are you by any chance a contractor”, he queried. “No, I’m actually a realtor…” “THAT’S EVEN BETTER!” he exclaimed, motioning me to come over to his fluff and fold table.
Now at this juncture, I started to get excited, thinking I was about to gain a client and I hadn’t done a proactive measure in the slightest. However, to my chagrin, he said, “I’m a hardwood floor contractor and I do amazing things with wood that no one else does”. He proceeded to pull up photos on his iPhone (winning me over even more being a fellow Appleite) and thumbed through spectacular photo after spectacular photo of beautiful intricately inlaid hardwood floors that he had installed. Donny continued to enthusiastically inform me of home after home that he had beautifully done and the different realtors he had worked with and encouraged me to contact them to verify the quality of his work.
Not only that, but Donny asked for my card, permission to contact me and send photos of his best work for my future reference should I have client that might benefit from his services. So why do I tell this story, why spill out such a happenstance brief conversation in explicit detail, and how does this relate to “The Power of ‘IF’”?
Think about it, here is a man who owns his own business, that was looking for a conversation point to be able to promote his business. Something as small as, “Is that your truck?” He also clearly believed strongly in his abilities to do better work than any competitor. You could say that without knowing what he was doing he was practicing a principle that I strive to teach to those I manage and coach – a powerful life lesson I learned and wholeheartedly subscribe to from Dilbeck’s business and life coach, Stella Balasanian.
That principle is that you need to come to a place in your life where you earnestly believe that it is your moral and ethical responsibility to share your business and services with as many people as possible. It is then, and only then, that you will experience success at the highest level. That is where Donny is at in his business…he was enthusiastic about sharing with me the benefits of utilizing his expertise. He did not hesitate to strike up a conversation with a stranger with the sole purpose of promoting the fact that he was the best in his business.
We can all benefit from this mindset, from taking the “IF” initiative and being enthusiastic about promoting our business. By not hesitating to strike up conversations with strangers to find a common ground in order to share what we do for a livelihood.
So, change your perspective, stop saying “What If?”, start believing “IF”.
You see, it all starts with “IF”… because “if” becomes “when”… “when” becomes “now”…”now” becomes “how”…”how” becomes…WOW!
Thanks, West.