How do u make the seller confident in your services??
I have a good amount of sales and customer service skills, i know i can use those to my advantage, but when i am talking about something that i recently just got into, it is hard to make yourself look reputable and knowledgeable. i am curious to hear some stories and/or approaches to a seller who is occasionally going to want some credentials from u. What did u do when you first started??
Thanks!
Trying to look reputable :silly
Abel
So far, I have had only one seller question my credentials. She wanted to know what company I was with. I said that I was an independent and was working for myself. Turns out, that was important to her. I wasn’t incorporated at the time. When I called her to follow up on my offer she told me that she went with Homevestors (damn that crazy caveman). Anyway, I asked her how much they were going to pay her. It turns out they were going to pay her 2K less than what I offered. I was shocked. Stuttering, I asked her why she went with them when they were paying less. She replied that she went with them because they were a “national company.” Grrrr. Can you believe that? The only difference between them and me is that they are dumb enough to pay royalties. (okay, not dumb. they do get more advertising exposure as a result of their royalties, but i was p-o’d so let me call them dumb) Moral of the story is that the next day I went out and incorporated. National Real Estate Solutions, LLC was born. Next time I run in to that lady maybe she will do business with me because I am a national company. :banghead
regarding Brandon’s comment, does having an LLC make you a national company legally?
I think brandon’s case does support my theory that branding is important in this biz – Branding is all about creating trust/credibility. and often, instantly.
Despite some other folk on the forum who responded to my earlier post about branding who just can’t imagine that anything speaks louder to sellers than money.
The thing Bradon’s seller seemed to demonstrate is that she didn’t have time to take a risk with someone who she felt less comfortable with from a trust issue than a national company. That’s very common with consumers. It’s one reason why McDonalds has fulll parking lots when the local burger joint across the street serving an even better product at the same price doesn’t.
You want instant credibility from a complete stranger who is going to trust you with the biggest financial investment in her life, esp. in situations where every guy with a “I buy houses for
CA$H!!” biz card in a 50 mile radius is breathing down her neck?
I say create a credible brand. Start with your biz card design…heck for $100 or less you can get a logo created that will look better than 99% of the hideous logos of your competitors just by googling “cheap logo design”; then get it printed on nice card stock google “cheap four color printing”;
In Brandon’s case, it may have made his seller assume he’s national versus his competition. Or at least more credible. I’ll say it again, “Smart brands create instant trust.”
The beauty of this business is because of its direct marketing approach, you seldom have to compete for brand awareness equtiy like you would with Mcdonalds. People have seen Mc’D’s ads since they were old enough to watch Sat. morning cartoons. The brand is burned into their minds.
IN this biz, rarely do they have any brand awareness of any re investors til they need them. Make sense?
Will a brand be the cure-all solution? Of course not. You have to have the knowledge and relationship skills to do the rest. But it will get the doors to open if you do it right.
good luck.
Thanks guys…makes sense!
AE