As a Salem Oregon real estate agent I get solicited all of the time….
buy this super duper neon green pen to give to all of your clients who will love it so much they will refer 100 people to you…just because of this pen! It is squishy you know…people like squishy pens.
or
buy this compass embossed with your face so your consumers never forget you when they go camping. N, S, E, or W…your smile is there to remind them that you are there for them…
or
buy this custom engraved toilet seat for your buyers to welcome them to their new home. Every time they flush…Your smiling face will be there to remind them that you are there for their real estate needs.
Me…I’m not a pen giving, recipe card sending, dohickey kind of agent. I don’t like cheap junk and so I don’t give cheap junk to my clients. It clutters our landfills. I figure if you all liked me then you know how to get a hold of me.
Times have changed due to the economy and the amount of solicitation calls seems to have gone up for me lately. I can usually screen them out with my caller ID, but every so often I’m not sure so I pick up. Today was one of those days.
I received a solicitation call for one of those card sized magnifying glasses. I could have my company name and logo put in a small strip at the top of the magnifying class so that you all could see my name whenever you read something. As the solictor went on and on about all of the uses, I kept thinking I should buy gift certificates to the tattoo parlor and just require clients to inscribe my name on their forehead. I think it’s better for the environment that way…I mean no plastic in the landfills and all, but I digress…
So as she paused to take a breath and finish her plea for me to purchase this “new product” at “introductory prices” she said, ” and it’s cheap, cheap, cheap…like a bird.”
Hello? Did she really say that?
I don’t know who in the world wrote that script for her, but I just wanted to let you know that it stinks…
THEN…about 30 minutes later I got a call from someone who mumbled their company name. I still have no idea what company it was, but their introductory let’s sell Melina on this really great idea so I’m going to give her a slick opening and engaging line was…
“I’m looking for agents that aren’t doing well.”
No, “hey how’s it going, Sunshine?” or “I’m looking for top notch people to work with, is that you?” Nope..none of that. His reel them in script was the ever popular, “I’m looking for agents that aren’t doing well.” You know…he got me at hello with that line. I was ready to sign on the dotted line. What pull…
Now…anyone who has read my blog knows that I am a tad sarcastic. I know…I know…hard to believe, but it is true. Between these two callers and then an agent slacking on the job (I also had an agent that didn’t return my phone calls for the past week and a half, finally call me back today), I think Dale Carnegie should rename his book How NOT to Win Friends and Influence People.
All I know is that I was not impressed.