A Fresh Approach to Real Estate Rookie-hood with Jennifer Allan: March 2010

Back in 2007, I wrote one of my most popular (and deservedly so, she says modestly) blogs ever. In fact, this one blog has brought more real estate agents to my website than any other, and continues to attract new souls to my midst on an almost daily basis.

I'm referring, of course, to the classic "Let's Do Away with the Dorky Announcement Letter." In this blog, I sternly advise new real estate agents to Think Before They Write to their spheres of influence, BEFORE they announce their venture into real estate as if it's the most exciting news since... oh, I don't know what.

I followed up that blog with the Dorky Series - The Dorky Active Rain Profile, The Dorky Business Card and The Dorky Blog (which NAR brilliantly paraphrased here). I even created a sweet little product called "Dorky Announcement Letters - DEDorked!" where I provide several editable examples of non-dorky letters that can be used to connect or reconnect with one's sphere of influence.

But, alas, the Dorky-ness continues. The other day, I got a nice email from a brand new agent asking if I had a sample of a form letter she could use to announce her new career to her friends and family (no, I don't). Today, I got an inquiry from an agent who apparently found that form letter the other new agent was looking for, sent it out to his SOI and is wondering why no one responded.

I get that a lot. Agents writing to me in frustration that they ARE communicating with their Spheres of Influence ("just like you told me to, Jennifer!") but nothing is happening. No one seems to care about them and their real estate business. But... when I ask for details on what they're sending out to their spheres, they proudly send over their Dorky letters, monthly recipe postcards and boilerplate newsletters.

Sigh.

My friends, I get it. I KNOW that you're busy; I know that it sounds overwhelming to create new material on a regular basis. And since you can easily buy pre-created material, what is wrong with just using that? It's better than nothing, isn't it?

NO. NO. NO.

Sending boring, boilerplate, templated stuff to your sphere of influence won't cut it. I'm really really sorry, but that's the truth. I wish it would - then I could just create my own line of Dorky Letters, Postcards and Newsletters and sell ‘em to you myself! (Hmmmmmm... if you can't beat ‘em join ‘em? Nah).

I'll be discussing this topic at the next freeee SWS Teleseminar entitled "Don't be Dorky, Be YOU!" on April 24th. Join us? Here are the details: www.sellwithsoul.com/dorky.

Hope to see you there!

REGISTER FOR DON'T BE DORKY, BE YOU!
Saturday morning, April 24th
(It's Free)

In January, I posted a blog about a phone call interview I had with REALTOR Magazine about "Cold-Calling in the Age of the Do Not Call list." I thought I had some wise things to say, but truly didn't think any of it would be printed since I'm pretty much clueless about anything to do with cold-calling (except there ain't no way I'm gonna do it).

Well, knock me over with a feather... yesterday I stumbled onto a featured blog by REALTOR Magazine and noticed that the graphic on the blog was the cover of the magazine my interview was meant for... Having nothing more pressing to do at the moment, I clicked on the link and what do I see? I got my own article! Not just a throwaway line in an article about Do-Not-Calling, but a whole headline and everything!

Now, I have to wonder... how come none of y'all mentioned this to me? Don't you read your REALTOR Magazine?

Anyway, here's the link. http://www.realtor.org/rmosales_and_marketing/articles/2010/1004_selling_donotcalllist. I doubt I'll change any die-hard cold-caller's mind about the practice, but maybe those of you who don't wanna cold-call can take comfort that there ARE alternatives!

Happy Friday, my friends!