‘The Great One’, Wayne Gretsky, Hall of Fame NHL hockey player once said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”.
With the release of pent-up buyer demand and pent-up seller demand, every agent must ask themselves the questions; “Am I taking the shots?”
On the seller side, according to the National Association of Realtors, approximately 19% of homeowners may be considering listing their homes and moving. On the buyer side, most markets have begun to see prices leveling off, prompting many buyers to look more seriously at purchasing a home now. Both the pent-up buyer demand and seller Shadow Inventory may play a major role in the sales volumes for agents who market aggressively.
Exploit these tremendous opportunities by prospecting using the sources we’ve been discussing all year.
Specifically, ask yourself:
1. How can I have more Face to Face discussions about Real Estate? Ask everyone you come into contact with “How’s business?” and then tell them about your business.
2. Who can I call on the telephone to talk about Real Estate? Calling everyone you know and asking them; “Who do you know that’s thinking about moving?” can prompt a positive response.
3. What can I mail to my buyers, sellers, and Sphere of Influence? Even a letter letting your Sphere of Influence know that; “I’m growing my business and I need you help” will lead to business.
4. Am I getting email addresses and what can I send via email? Once again, ask the question in either #2 or #3 above.
5. Have I leveraged my Social Networks to the fullest extent? “Am I sharing information about open house and new listings on Facebook? Am I cutting and pasting information from Cup o’ Joes and using that information to blog?
The “Take the Shot” strategy should also be applied to contract negotiations, listing extensions, and price reductions. Even when you’re afraid of the outcome, make the call. Go after the opportunity. There’s still plenty of opportunity left to make money in 2011 if you “TAKE THE SHOTS”.