Prospecting – The Golden Rule: Take the Shots!

One of our favorite business expressions is, “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take!” If you apply this concept to business, it basically means you can’t be successful unless you take some risk by giving it a shot.  Agents are often amazed at how lucky other agents are when they stumble into the right person that ends up buying or selling with a quick close. In reality, it’s most likely that the “lucky” agent took a shot, and it worked!

Let’s look at some ways you can take some shots that can help you be successful.

1. You need more listings so you take the shot by knocking on doors and asking residents if they know of anybody that is thinking about moving.
2. You have a listing that isn’t selling. You take the shot by asking for a price reduction and get it. You take another shot by sending an e-blast to other agents, and another shot by conducting an open house. Every time a prospect walks into the open house, you ask if you can show them features about the home.
3. A million dollar listing expires. You take a shot by calling to ask if they’re still considering moving.
4. You take the shot by compiling a list of every listing that has expired in the past year and you cross-check and delete any that have relisted or sold and then take multiple shots by mailing numerous marketing pieces to this group until they tell you to stop or call you to come by and discuss the listing.
5. You take a shot by contacting a buyer you haven’t spoken to in months.
6. At a social gathering you have many discussions about real estate. You take a shot with each person by offering to send them market updates and asking for their email addresses.
7. Take a shot by asking your broker to pay for extra marketing material to some of your sphere.
8. Your most difficult seller asks you to cut your commission during negotiation after expensive time and effort has been made on your part. You’re not offended because you immediately recognize that your seller is just taking a shot.
9. Another seller wants you to spend a lot more money on print media that you know won’t work. You take the shot by preparing media costs and suggesting your seller pay the expense.
10. You have a database of 500-1,000 people you rarely contact. You recognize that your name must be in front of them at least twice a month or you could miss opportunities. You take the shot every couple of weeks by identifying something unique and appealing to share with your contacts.

If you can practice day in and day out living the golden rule by identifying all the different ways you can take the shots, your business will explode and you’ll never again struggle to secure your next closing. Ask yourself “how many shots did I take today and how am I going to take more shots tomorrow?”