Well. Dalton left. But before he went, I think he shipped all of his frustration to me in a box. And clearly, a delicate flower such as myself can’t handle that kind of pressure. So forgive me for a minute here, but this needs to be said.
If you’re not an agent, I don’t want to hear about how your favorite new shiny thing creates closings.
If you don’t actually sell real estate, you can’t really tell me how it’s done.
Period.
Regale me with your theories – that’s what they are. Theory. Trot out testimonials from those you’ve helped. Show me how your SEO methods worked – give me numbers, if you’ve got ’em – but only for the agents that actually use the thing.
Unless you’ve got the buns of buyers and sellers in seats in front of you on a regular basis, it’s all just your theory. And if you’re after a national audience to sell your shiny new thing to agents, your experience using it has absolutely no relation to me trying to get a local audience of buyers and sellers.
Teach me what you know. I’m open. I’m interested. Heck, it may actually work. But don’t ever – ever – tell me it gets closings, when that’s not your experience.
Whew. I feel better now. Don’t you?
Jonathan Dalton
April 21, 2009 at 1:13 pm
My frustration didn’t arrive postage due, did it?
Brad Coy
April 21, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Your healthy skepticism is like a breath of fresh air. Taking it in does make me feel better. 🙂
BawldGuy
April 21, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Seriously, I’m flabbergasted those who know you even a bit haven’t mentioned anything about the ‘delicate flower’ description. But since we’re both such sensitive souls, I’ll let it go. 🙂
I can’t add anything of quality to what you’ve said so well — so I’ll just add my heartiest endorsement.
Vendors are to real estate pros what college/university professors are to business in general. They’re positive what they teach is money in the bank. Yet they (professors) opt for lives of theory without practice — criticizing from the cheap seats of lifetime tenured security.
Meanwhile the delicate flowers in the trenches of real life keep figuring out ways to make things happen — most of which have little if anything to do with what they learned from so many cocksure theorists.
You put a smile on my face today, Kelley.
Vicki Moore
April 21, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Yes, I do feel better. I totally agree. As long as they are those who will buy…
Ines Hegedus-Garcia
April 21, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Can I smell your flower? no really….I want the friggin’ flower already!
Brandie Young
April 21, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Hi Kelley – I love that nobody will ever accuse you of not being clear and direct!
Don’t hate me because I’m not an agent!
Nor am I trying to sell products or services to agents (not my target client audience).
That said, I like to think that my sharing my marketing experience/expertise and sometime contrarian views could help an agent.
I agree with you, I can’t tell you how it’s done. (Although I did observe my father as both an agent, then a broker/owner of his own business for 30+ years, nothing outside of actual experience gives you experience.)
All that said, I hope that you (and others reading this) will be open to us outsiders that are just trying to pass on a tidbit every now and again in a sincere “pay it forward” spirit.
xo
Brandie
Kelley Koehler
April 21, 2009 at 4:09 pm
Brandie – I was mostly just pissed at the heading for a story. To suggest what works to sell someone’s education nationally will work to sell real estate locally… that don’t fly.
I’m all for sharing. I’m all for suggesting how it could be applied to real estate. I want to hear what’s worked and what hasn’t, DESPERATELY. I want to try all kind of other ideas that people use in other industries, see if they work for me or not. Just don’t tell me it works for real estate when that’s not a valid conclusion… yet.
I absolutely think all of your marketing experience is incredible, and I’d love to hear about it. And I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t walk up to me and say, hey, Kelley – do this and you’ll get 4 closings. 🙂 Tell me your client got 4 closings – great! Tell me how well it worked for you in your target market – sweet! I wanna learn. I could just do without the smoke being blown up my a** at the same time. I am a delicate flower, ya know.
Brandie Young
April 21, 2009 at 4:34 pm
I hear you. Fair. Thanks.
p.s. I’m a delicate flower, too. Ask anyone!
Doug Francis
April 21, 2009 at 6:00 pm
Agents are always hoping that next “thing” will be the silver bullet that will propel them to super sales. I was skeptical when the the guys from San Diego came to my association convention and gave a presentation on the inter-web thing, getting an e-mail account, and registering my name as my domain (I already used aol). I had used e-mail at my old job so I understood how important it could be. But DougFrancis.com was like pretending to be Steve Case or something.
So I bit and spent twenty bucks… who knew?
Stay objective, don’t criticize everything immediately, and keep sharing ideas.
Got to go, Idol is on!
Bill Lublin
April 22, 2009 at 12:06 pm
I didn’t realize that anyone other than Jeff Brown was a delicate flower – though he has blossomed substantially 😉
Kelley – awesome post – point well made
Jim Rake
April 23, 2009 at 6:31 am
Kelley – You mean, “Talk is Cheap”? Appreciate the point.
Missy Caulk
April 24, 2009 at 8:49 pm
ahh a breath of fresh air. We all want to learn but stick to what you know and have a track record to share.
One of my pet peeves, good bloggers but no business to speak of.