
Do You Know Ze’ Monkey?
Are you familiar with The 100th Monkey Effect? The notion that you and I, yours, mine and humankind, we are all connected by a flexing delicate web of unseen subconscious energy and the universal collective knowledge of our species.
The 100th Monkey Effect Experienced
You’ve seen The 100th Monkey Effect in simultaneous scientific gee-whiz discoveries like Calculus, Sunspots, Typewriting and the freaking Telephone. Malcom Gladwell wrote on the subject in his New Yorker article titled, “IN THE AIR – Who says big ideas are rare?“. Wikipedia outlines the pros, cons and WTHs HERE.
You’ve personally experienced the effect too. For example, white plate plain, a house languishes longtime unshown. Shazam, on the same day, not one, but three offers roll in.
Want another example? Ok.
You’re booked on the 6:07pm flight to Vegas. Your business is responsibly zipped up and cooled out. At 3:07pm you toss your bags in back and head for the airport. Smiling like tomorrow’s lottery winner, you board. Surprisingly, phone calls from perviously MIA buyers and sellers begin to roll in, “We want to buy now. We must list tomorrow!” Happens all the time right?
Friends, this is the 100th Monkey Effect in action.
The 100th Monkey Effect & Surveys
The subject of surveys is buzzing, flexing and blooming. I’m speaking about using Consumer Surveys to identify your strengths, opportunities, challenges and triumphs. Using surveys to provide current and prospective clients with transparent analysis, feedback and evaluation. Using surveys as the garden path to follow-up, reengage and request referrals.
Check out these recent Survey Story sightings. All share smart insight, approach and consideration.
1000Watt Consulting guru Marc Davidson wrote a blog post titled “What If You Recieved This In Your Inbox?”
Redfin CEO, Greg Kelman shares his Consumer Survey sentiment with his post titled “A Call To Arms.”
Brandie Young – Marketing savant and AgentGenius.com contributor, penned this, “Get Word Of Mouth – FAST”
SurveyMonkey.com
SurveyMonkey.com is a super simple way to create professional, fast surveys . Online anytime, create, send, collect and analyze your results. No postage costs, no dead trees. Small surveys are FREE. Splash out creatively and exponentially for less than 20 bucks a month. As a Sales Manager, I use Survey Monkey with my Icon Team Members. It’s easy – here’s a recent SAMPLE Survey.
If I were a high flying, aspirational real estate agent like you, I would send at least two surveys to my buying and selling clients. One during the transaction and one after the transaction. I’d jazz my contact and conversation by polling, quizzing and engaging my sphere of influence at least four times a year.
What types of questions should you ask? Great examples and approaches are outlined in the three posts above. My personal opinion, the type of questions you ask is not as important as the asking. Don’t agonize over the questions, agonize over inaction. Take action, create, send and follow-up. Today would be nice.
There’s power is in the action of sending the survey, it shows you care. Beauty and prosperity building occurs when you follow-up and engage in On-Purpose, In-Person Conversation.
I hear this all the time, “I know I need to talk to people but I don’t know what to say, I don’t know what to talk about.” This is simple, send the Survey, call and ask if they received it. Call and ask if there are any questions that should be added. Call and thank them for positive comments. Call and recover by addressing and correcting un-positive feedback. Call, call, call.
Should you mail a survey too? Sure, why not? Get to it.
Seven Pointers:
Short is best. Long is worst.
Ask Questions that invite written answers.
Write questions in your own voice, not stuffy, corporate BS style ad speak.
Don’t sit on your butt and think about it, do it. Do it today!
Don’t send a survey, then do nothing.
Do send the survey, follow-up In-Person and On-Purpose.
Remember, it takes Personal Contact to Write Contracts. Get to it:-)
What Survey Questions Work Best?
Marc Davidson, Greg Kelman and Brandie Young share keen examples and inspirational angles of approach in their blog posts (included above). I know you have some savvy thoughts on the subject, share the questions you would ask….or, maybe you’re asking them now. Share them in the comments and we’ll all WIN, so will our clients.
Thanks – Rock on!
Chris Lengquist
January 16, 2008 at 9:50 pm
LOL. Or were you being funny?
Automate all you want. I used tax software until I got to the point that I realized my situation was too complex for a 3 question answer period.
Sure, some real estate may be replaced by automation, internet, whatever. But if you want expertise, real expertise and experience, you are going to have to go old school and talk to a human being.
I know, it’s a nightmare.
Athol Kay
January 17, 2008 at 10:13 am
I am likely overstating the case to make a point, but I’ll stand by my thought that if all you bring to the table is “fill in the blanks” expertise, then that will likely be a trouble spot for you.
CPA’s for example aren’t likely to be overly worried by TurboTax for example.
That being said, once upon a time chess programs were said to be workable at best but would never hope to beat Grandmasters. They simply lack the expertise, creativity and flair of a real live human. Now they are a hair better than the World Champion.
We live in a world where ER doctors are Googling symptoms for difficult cases. So I think the lines of expertise and software are starting to blur somewhat.
Most agents for example, would be all but incapable of doing a formal CMA without their CMA software. Even then, the only thing that the software doesn’t do is select the comps in the CMA. I wonder if that step was left purposely unprogrammed.
Benn Rosales
January 17, 2008 at 11:06 am
Athol,can you say it was google without question?
Athol Kay
January 17, 2008 at 11:48 am
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=415562&in_page_id=1770
Benn Rosales
January 17, 2008 at 12:34 pm
You know, I asked because about a year ago there was a face/face conversation I had with a DR where the DR basically said they were safe from disintermediation- I’m beginning to wonder if maybe that just is not the case. Sure, if you’re having surgery you’ll not want your mom cutting into your chest, but I would imagine this will be the first real impact on clinic use and cost of diagnosis.
My parents were both in the medical field so I take a personal interest in this sort of stuff. thanks for the link…
Athol Kay
January 17, 2008 at 1:00 pm
I think being a doctor is currently one of the worst jobs in the whole country. The workload is extreme. I can see how different aspects of their job could be reduced eventually with technology. But I do agree that in essence “doctors” are basically safe. This after all is still fantasy.
That being said, real estate is still behind the times compared to many other professions. There will eventually be a catch up though.
Will the entire profession be disintermediated? No. Will some of what we do be disintermediated? Yes. Just gotta work out what real estate bits will and won’t get shafted.
Glenn
February 12, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Your post is something that real estate agents can truly be worried about and could occur. Someone pointed out how difficult it was at one point to use a tax software program. But for someone familiar with income taxes does not have a problem using it and knowing how to do the research and understand the terminology used within the IRS code.
The example of the surgeon is an excellent example of a physician that has a higher level of training and something that can not be replaced by your “Mom”.
We as real estate agents do in fact only fill in the blanks or add clauses that are pre-written by the attorneys, as suggested by real estate agents.
IMHO – we as real estate agents have to raise our knowledge and analytical skills in order to continue to practice real estate. If we don’t change, we will go the way of the travel agents!