Ed Note: At the end of each year we here at VanEd determine which of the hundreds of previous posts have impact beyond any one year or any one issue. We select these posts to Rewind, republish and reflect upon. They touch on the concept of generosity and the unwavering spirit our authors, partners, affiliates, students, staff and most of all our families and friends. We share these posts as a reminder of how the most successful people in the industry reach out every day, and hope they give you ideas on how to implement the concepts into your practice in the coming year.
One day in mid-2010, three different people suggested I read The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann. It wasn’t the first time I’d heard that, but on this particular day, I heard it three times.
I took it as a sign, fired up the Kindle and forked over the $18.99 for immediate upload to my digital reader. Since I was traveling, I was able to dive right in to find out what all the fuss was about.
Wow.
If you haven’t read The Go-Giver, or the sequel, Go-Givers Sell More…well, do! But in case you haven’t yet had the pleasure, the basic premise of the Go-Giver philosophy is that, in order to be successful in a sales career (or any career, really, or truthfully, in life itself!), you’ll be far better off putting other people’s needs, wants and desires ahead of your own. Not just because it’s the polite thing to do (that good ol’ Golden Rule and all), but because it’s simply a smart way to live and love. And yes, succeed.
The authors, Mr. Mann and Mr. Burg, focus primarily on salespeople perhaps because traditional sales training and wisdom teaches its practitioners just the opposite—what one might call a Go-TAKER philosophy. That it’s all about the salesperson—her wants, needs and desires—and how she can best convince her target/prospect/victim that he wants what she, the salesperson, wants him to want!
But Misters Mann and Burg turn that paradigm on its head. They insist (brilliantly and persuasively) that when you make your approach all about the other person, when you truly and sincerely put their needs, wants and desires above your own, you’re pretty darned likely to come out ahead. Not ahead of the other person, mind you, but ahead of where you’d be if you’d made it all about you.
Here’s the thing. When you are self-employed, you are dependent on the good will, trust and support of other people who inhabit the planet with you. You can’t be a successful entrepreneur all by yourself; you need customers, who are in all likelihood going to be human beings. ;-].
Therefore, it only makes sense that you’d want to behave in ways that will make those other human beings like and trust you—which is best accomplished, not with aggressive sales pitches, but by treating them the way they want to be treated.
In other words, “It’s not about you, it’s about them.”
So, how can we apply Go-Giver principles to a real estate business?
We’re can create a message and delivery of that message that will be welcomed by others… instead of assaulting others with sales pitches they’d rather not be assaulted by.
We can take the time to prove ourselves deserving of a new buyer’s commitment… instead of pressuring them to agree to an exclusive arrangement before they’re ready.
We can provide a clear, coherent and persuasive explanation of our commission structure to sellers… instead of defensively rebuffing their reasonable requests to justify our fees.
We can approach For Sale By Owners with a sincere desire to help… instead of insulting their intelligence with an arsenal of intimidating material intended to make them feel stupid.
We can inspire our friends to refer to us because we’re the best real estate agents they know… instead of repeatedly pestering them for business and referrals.
We can inspire open house visitors to want us to have their contact information… instead of tricking them into providing it.
We can help our buyers decide if now is the right time, for them, to buy a home… instead of looking for ways to push them off the fence…
Treating others the way you’d like to be treated IS a viable business strategy, and the Go-Giver books demonstrate that philosophy beautifully. Seriously, it’s good stuff. Career-changing stuff. Which makes it life-changing stuff...
Guest Author Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn has authored five books and multiple courses designed to teach agents her Sell with Soul philosophy that centers on four interrelated principles:
Respect, Competence, Confidence and Enthusiasm.
Love all Jennifer's techniques of being the best agent to can be!
Posted by: Evie | December 30, 2016 at 11:25 AM