Investing Trends

I truly find it comical when I hear about people using Dietary Supplements and complaining or calling consumer reports stating that the product is a scam and it does not work. It seems that they cannot understand how when they took several minutes to pry open the container, get the cotton out, then franticly digest the product that they were not instantaneously transformed into a body supreme. I really don't mean to be callous or crass, but seriously...this scenario manifests itself in many different areas of our lives. It's the simple (and silly) belief that we can actually get amazing results without putting out any effort other than taking a pill or making "that" phone call or...you get the idea. We've all been guilty of it in some way at some point in our lives.

I see this scenario all the time with salespeople working real estate leads. Where's the effort? How many times do we have to see it before we acknowledge it for what it is?

On just about every Dietary Supplement on the market there is a very clear statement, worded in different ways, but with the universal message: For best results combine this Dietary Supplement with an intense workout and nutritional program. Further complaints seem to arise when the individual does 5 push ups and eats a bagel instead of a donut figuring that should be good enough. At this point either denial kicks in and the product is dismissed as another 'scam,' or common sense takes over and the individual realizes he/she might have to work harder for the desired results.

Hmmm....I guess if I get real estate leads I probably should call them to see what I can do for them.

When I put real estate leads in a 'bottle' (pipeline) for real estate professionals, the back of the bottle clearly states: For best results please combine this lead with an immediate phone call and a very aggressive follow up system. I don't expect any effort I didn't put forth myself as a real estate professional. That's how I did it. That's how every savvy real estate professional does it.

The comedy/tragedy ensues as the agents receiving real estate leads immediately complain about the lead because they made two attempts to contact with no reply, one via email and another leaving a message on an old answering machine where the recording sounded like the teacher from the 'Peanuts' cartoon. Now these real estate professionals are immediately beside themselves, fuming that the real estate leads are bogus. They immediately want to stop the money going into that lead generation source whether it be Internet, Sunday Paper, Open Houses or whatever because they feel it is not working.

These are the agents who drive by a house 4 months later...a house with a For Sale sign in the front yard...the very house they determined was a 'bogus lead' after only 2 email attempts. They cannot believe their eyes as they try and rummage through month old notes to clarify that, indeed, was the same house that showed up in their real estate leads.

Now see how quickly they begin to believe that lead generation tool again.

Real estate leads are endless, just like dietary supplements and, also like dietary supplements, they're not a substitute for effort and your "body" of real estate leads must be nurtured to receive the maximum "nutritional" value. You just have to be willing to put in the effort to achieve the best results. Work your real estate leads thoroughly, and you will see results!