Promise Less, Do More—The Secret to Creating Raving Fans
A major trap agents face during their listing appointments is promising more than they can deliver. In most cases, the agent has every intention of providing the services they promised. The problem is life gets in the way—their child becomes ill, they have a flat tire, or there’s a problem in a transaction that must be handled, etc. The excuse doesn’t matter, however. They still broke their promise to the seller.
Here’s a simple way to avoid falling into this trap: promise less, do more. For example, if you feel you can have the marketing package for a new listing lead finished by 5:00 p.m. this afternoon, instead of
promising the sellers the plan today, promise you will have it to them tomorrow by 5:00 p.m.
The secret of this approach is to create a reserve of time. That way, if there is an emergency, an offer, or some other issue you must address, you have enough time to cope with the other situation while still delivering what you promised on time.
If you are able to deliver the deliver the marketing plan a full day earlier, you look extremely efficient.
As a general guideline, promise the seller about 75-80 percent of what you think you can actually deliver. When you do more than you promise, you look great. When you don’t, the seller’s trust in you is diminished. As a result, negotiations, price reductions, and referrals are much less likely to occur
If you want to create more raving fans for your business, promise less, do more, and you’ll have plenty of happy clients singing your praises.
Three Client Questions You Should Never Answer
It’s common when you’re showing property for your clients to ask about the condition of various aspects of the property. Some common examples include:
- The roof looks terrible. Do you think we would have to replace it?
- Is that wall located on the property line?
- Is that a water stain on the ceiling?
For each of these questions, there is only one right answer: “I don’t know. Would you like the name of a specialist who can give you an answer?” 
To be more specific:
- Roof: “I don’t know. Would you like the names of three roofers you could contact about inspecting the roof?”
- Property Line: “I don’t know. Would like the names of three surveyors who could determine the exact location of the property line?”
- Brown stain on the ceiling: “I don’t know. Would you like the name of a roofer or an inspection service to determine the nature of the problem?”
In case you’re wondering what that brown spot could be other than water, I’ve seen several houses with brown spots on the ceiling that were the result of bee hives in the attic.
It Worked Again and It Can Work for YOU!
Two weeks ago, I wrote the following here:
Two themes we have consistently covered in this newsletter are the importance of eliminating tolerations (all those annoyances that are like paper cuts that pull you off focus) plus the Law of Attraction that says that if you want to attract more business you must have the space for it to occur. 
Since I’m working on three major contracts, I decided this was a great weekend to create space by doing a major cleanout in my office, two walk-in closets, plus donating a lot of clothes that I’m not using or no longer fit. I also decided to get rid of all my electronic recycling that has been accumulating for several years. I’m now eagerly awaiting to see what shows up.
Today, the result of my “mondo-cleanout,” has been beyond any expectations I’ve ever had. The opportunities have been pouring in and continue to do so. So, as I recommended two weeks ago:
Clean your closet, clean your office, clean your garage, etc. and see what shows up in your business!
Grab Your Phone: It’s the Best Time of Year to Take Photos and Videos
Fall selling season is here. It’s time to get out there with your phone or camera and get those photos of the leaves changing, as well as all those great photo ops at Halloween and Thanksgiving. 
Let’s face it, most places don’t look very good in the winter, especially when there are no leaves, flowers, or greenery. Take advantage of this time of year to get great exterior photos that you can use all winter long.
This is also a great time of year to update your listing photos for any properties that have been on the market for over two months. A simple way to do this is to use BoxBrownie.com. Check it out. You can create twilight photos, “remove” items from cluttered rooms, and much more. Freshen up that listing, especially if you get a price reduction.
Create Space to Attract More Business
Two themes we have consistently covered in this newsletter are the importance of eliminating tolerations (all those annoyances that are like paper cuts that pull you off focus) plus the Law of Attraction that says that if you want to attract more business you must have the space for it to occur. Consequently, clean your closet, clean your office, clean your garage, etc. 
Since I’m working on three major contracts, I decided this was a great weekend to create space by doing a major cleanout in my office, two walk-in closets, plus donating a lot of clothes that I’m not using or no longer fit. I also decided to get rid of all my electronic recycling that has been accumulating for several years.
I worked at it for 12 hours yesterday and probably have another half-day of work to get it all cleared out plus dropping off the charity and electronic recycling items.
This morning, it was great to see all the space in my office walk-in closet plus, the contents of my drawers and cabinets all neatly organized. I’m now eagerly awaiting to see what shows up.
In the meantime, if you haven’t tried this approach, it has always worked for me. I’m certain it can work for you—check it out!