Summer’s here and in my house that means Jr. Lifeguards daily, tons of sand and sunscreen, loads of pool time and family barbeques, complete with ice cream.
The other night my sons and I were enjoying one of those classic ice cream treats called “Drumsticks”. You know the ones … Peanut pieces on top of vanilla ice cream, swirled with chocolate in an old fashion sugarcone. (I forgot how good they were …!!!)
So as Michael, Steven and I were enjoying our final bites, my youngest Steven piped up and said, “Daddy, you know why I love eating these Drumsticks?”
To which I replied, “Tell me …”
My little dessert connoisseur said, “Because they taste really good, but my favorite part in the bottom. In your final bite, you get that big piece of chocolate. That’s why I like them … for that final bite!!”
He went on to say, “In no other treat is my favorite bite the last bite. Doughnuts get hot and sticky, lollipops get gloopy, and M & Ms melt by the time you get to the last few in the bag … Drumsticks are the only desert that has that perfect last bite. That’s why I ask Mom to buy them for us!”
I walked away from the conversation thinking about my favorite “final bite” and then (ofcourse) to real estate … the lasting impressions that we as sales people make. Are we great to the client all of the way through the transaction and top off their experience with delight … or do we come on strong and then fizzle, leaving them with less than “perfect Drumstick” satisfaction?
Now stay with me here …
We should all commit to be more like the Drumstick and less like the doughnut!
Sometimes I hear consumers talk about their real estate agent experience and they complain … why? They tell me how great the agent was in the beginning as they were working to get the listing agreement signed, but then towards the end, the agent became distant and not so ‘sweet’. The consumer walks away, dissatisfied and disappointed. That’s no way to end a relationship!
During these Summer months I challenge you to start thinking about the impressions and the client experience you’re giving to the people who have trusted you with their biggest investment. Commit to being that agent who gives these customers 110% and allows them to walk-away from the transaction as happy and content as Steven was the other night!
Here’s to being a Drumstick … (or just a really committed real estate agent!!!)
Take a few moments to watch this video from me … where I take you through step-by-step how to answer a client or potential client when they ask you the all-too-familiar question … “So, how’s the market?”
This script is working for a lot of my clients … try it out and let me hear how it works for you.
Have you been hearing about Twitter, Facebook, ActiveRain, blogs and other social media tools??? But as a busy agent, you’re not quite sure how to use these tools effectively and allow them to help you earn more money, right now? Then this exciting, live event is just for you!
At this event you’ll learn how to grow your farm and your database, find new prospects that want to list and sell and turn your past clients into loyal fans … securing yourself more deals! These new solutions are fun, easy and simple to implement directly into your business!
CLICK HEREto register for July 22nd in Orange County
Join us at to learn:
Surefire Ways to Get Buyers into Action
7 Ways to Become Relevant in Your Market Using Social Media
5 Strategies to Expand Your Brand and Reach
3 Things to Do this Week to Generate More Business Using Social Media
This event is NOT to be missed … and offered 100% at no cost to you. So … what are you waiting for? It only takes 30 seconds to register online!
The 4th of July is a time for the “Red, White and Blue”, picnics, parades and marching bands … and I bet some great houses will get listed and sold this weekend!
Everyone at Tom Ferry-yourcoach wanted to reach out and wish you and your family a very festive and fun July 4th Weekend! (And here’s to a very happy 233rd birthday America!!) Whatever your plans for this holiday weekend include, we hope they’re filled with excitement, fun and lots of fireworks! Thank you for being a great client.
Each year as July 4th rolls around, the heat truly gets “turned up here” as the countdown begins for our Success Summit! Remember, we will be back in Palm Desert August 11-14. Are you registered yet? If not, please call the office and do so.
By the way, since we’re talking about the Success Summit … have you checked our new webpage yet? There’s an audio interview I just did with Gary that you must listen to this weekend! (It’s on the left hand side of the page.) Also, there are tons of other videos/details about the event I think you will enjoy. Check it out this weekend, after the fireworks! http://summit.yourcoach.com/home/
Remember, now more than ever … Strategy Matters and Passion Rules!
First things first … have you checked out my Facebook profile yet? If not … do so today: www.facebook.com/tomferry This is a place where a lot of real estate agents and other professionals are connecting and sharing some really great info! (If you tweet, find me @coachtomferry on Twitter.)
So, yesterday I posed the following statement there on Facebook and Twitter:
What are your thoughts on this idea … A real estate transaction is a social transaction.
Who would have guessed that statement would get so much heat and addtional comments!!! This seems to be a topic you all have an opinion on for sure! And guess what???? I love that! The conversation diverted a bit and switched to something more on the topic of using social media to sell more homes and grow a business.
As you may know, just one of the exciting features at this year’s 2009 Success Summit is we’re having Gary Vaynerchuk come speak to the audience on building your brand and business using social media! I cannot tell you how excited I am for you each to hear’s Gary’s passion on this topic. He will crush it for sure!
I want to hear from you any convserations, questions, comments, thoughts you have on intergrating more social media into your business! Send me an email at asktom@yourcoach.com or just comment on this blog. Your thoughts are very important to me as we shape the conversations for the Summit!
As you may know, I spend a lot of time of the road … traveling to seminars and events to meet great agents like yourself. As someone constantly “on the go”, I notice interesting hotel marketing ideas. I just finished up reading an article about Hyatt Hotel’s new summer initiative and I thought that a lot of us could think about this idea for our business and life.
Hyatt’s CEO announced that in the days ahead, managers and employees of the Hyatt chain will be doing favors for some of their customers. These favors will be different: they will be called “random acts of generosity,” like unexpectedly picking up the tab for your hotel-bar drinks or hotel-spa massage. Their whole concept is that by making them unexpected, the gifts will leave the customer not just pleased, but also grateful … and in turn, continue to do more business on the property.
Gratitude is a really powerful emotion. An emotion that can move people very quickly in your direction!
A soon to be published paper by Robert Palmatier in the Journal of Marketing addresses this very subject. Building on past research on the role of gratitude in human relationships, it argues that a customer who is made to feel grateful most likely becomes loyal as a result. Gratitude, as the paper states, can “increase purchase intentions, sales growth and share of wallet.”
So a few questions to throw your way …
· In your business right now, how are you showing gratitude to your past clients and sphere on influence?
· What are you actively doing to let these important people in your life know that you value them as people and their business?
· What more could you do to extend this goodwill?
Take a few moments to think about this idea and comment back to me. I want to hear what you will implement!
