“Jonathan?”
“That’s me.”
“Are you, uh, still, uh, working real estate in the, uh, Glendale area?”
“Arrowhead Ranch and all the rest, yes I am.”
“Okay, hold on. I have someone who wants to talk to you.”
Here we go, kids!
“How are you today?”
“Doin’ great (and so happy to be bothered by a telemarketer pushing useless leads.)”
“That’s good. So let me ask you, would you like to be working with more buyers and sellers?”
Of course not. Clients are for chumps. “Sure would, but not if I have to pay for the leads.”
“(giggle)Oh … well, if I told you it was a monthly subscription would that matter.”
Oh, well if it’s a MONTHLY subscription. “Not whatsoever.”
“Okay, have a nice day.”
Adios, lead generation scum.
On a not-whatsoever-related note, check out Doug Quance’s post – especially the YouTube clip at the bottom. Sums up my feelings about Trulia Voices and those who fall all over themselves to provide answers to those unwilling to pay for expertise.
Jonathan Dalton is a Realtor with RE/MAX Desert Showcase in Peoria, Arizona and is the author of the All Phoenix Real Estate blog as well as a half-dozen neighborhood sites. His partner, Tobey, is a somewhat rotund beagle who sleeps 21 hours a day.
Benn Rosales
November 28, 2007 at 1:11 pm
Word.
Chris Johnson
November 28, 2007 at 1:42 pm
Oh, I have astory about this.
Charleston real estate blog
November 28, 2007 at 3:05 pm
Jonathan, I used to get bugged, now I have fun.
After the quick pitch …
“I thought you wanted to buy some real estate but it turns out you want to sell me something.”
Click.
Mariana
November 28, 2007 at 3:12 pm
I like telemarketers. They provide hours of entertainment for me when I have been drinking. I know that is awful, but I really don’t care…
And re: Trulia Voices? I just logged on and answered a few questions … where I learned that (for the most part) the only other agents trying to impress the other agents out there.
Gordon Corsie
November 28, 2007 at 3:47 pm
Right on, if what they were selling worked, then agents who bought into their program should be dominating their local market right?
Ask the sale agent that question and listen to the tapdance you get!
Lani Anglin
November 28, 2007 at 5:03 pm
Oh, I love the phone call to the OFFICE, “are you the lady of the house?”
I was taught improperly at a young age to be ugly to telemarketers. As a joke, dad would hand the phone over and have us say “my daddy’s busy with the crack pipes, can he call you when his mouf isn’t numb?” or when older, “father says I am to be beaten if I cannot properly screen calls” and such.
Now, before the pitch I just immediately say “please remove this phone number from your list, never call back and have a nice day”… click. Ugh- phone spam!
Teresa Boardman
November 28, 2007 at 6:34 pm
ah yes those stilted scripted calls. One thing I like to do is when they ask if I would like more buyer leads I say “please no more, absolutely not!”
They can never overcome that objection. 🙂
What I really get a kick out of is the email asking me if I would like to be number one in the search engines. If they did their homework they would see that I already am.
Norm Fisher
November 28, 2007 at 7:17 pm
Can you imagine having to make a living selling such a useless service?
Teresa, your thoughts reminded me of an exchange which one of my agents shared with me.
Ring, ring.
Hello, Charles speaking.
This is so and so from such and such … and we have a service which will put you on the first page of a Google search for only x dollars a month!
Mmmm. How much does it cost to be on the fifth page of Google?
Why would you want to be on the fifth page?
Because I’m so busy I don’t have time to get around to all the leads that I have coming in now.
Oh, well we don’t offer that service.
Oh well, thanks for calling. Bye. 🙂
Does anyone ever get the math question wrong?
Athol Kay
November 29, 2007 at 6:21 pm
OMG I’m getitng confused. I was reading this post in my feed reader and thought “wow I have to write about this on agent genuis”.
That video is awesome.
Benn Rosales
November 29, 2007 at 6:27 pm
Norm, I’ve not had anyone say they have, although Kris Berg did say she only comments here to practice her math…