All the great leaders and business people throughout history
have said if your not pissing someone off with your efforts your not working
hard enough. I know I am paraphrasing a bit but you get the idea right?
Recently I created a 3-step direct mail campaign
specifically for a targeted list of potential sellers. These potential sellers
all-own in a particular building and bought at a particular time at a
particular price point. The building these potential sellers live in has had a
bulk sale of developer units take place within the last couple of months. This bulk sale could potentially effect
the owners of units in this building down the road. Hence the 3-step direct
mail campaign.
In each letter I breakdown facts about the building and
potential risks that can effect owners units down the line. All in all a great
mail out since I did get a listing and several leads. Heck the entire campaign
had a 7.5% response rate and a 25% conversion rate. Not to shabby.
Well I guess a couple of people did not take to kindly to my
letters and contacted the agent who they used to purchase in the building to
express a concern of a massive sell off by other owners due to my letter.
Really?
So I got a call from an agent who attempted to act as if she
was a potential seller of a unit who got 1 of my letters. As the conversation
progressed it became clear this woman was not a seller. The conversation got to
a point where a question would be asked to me, I attempt to respond then I
would get cut off and told why I was wrong. This back an forth did not last
very long since I have no tolerance for this type of behavior.
Finally the truth came out. The Agent came clean as to why
she was really calling. Supposedly she called to voice a concern for one of her
past clients who she helped buy a unit in the building I was mail to carefully
selected potential sellers. This person who the agent was calling for felt that
my letters would create a massive sell off from unit owners.
The agent contacting me claimed that my letter was
“steering” which it absolutely isn’t in a way shape or form. After we discussed
the concerns of this agent’s past client I thought this episode would be in my
rear view. Yea right?
About a week after I spoke with the first agent I got
another call from a different agent I have had a few run inns in the past with.
Just to give you the background on this guy, he was caught posting slandering
material online about my wife, he was caught stealing my wife’s CL ad headlines
and to top it off he attempted to bully my wife over the phone when she
confronted him about his actions.
Now that you understand a little bit about how this second
agent conducts himself let me proceed with the story.
Apparently this unscrupulous dude had a past client of his
who has the same concerns as the first agents past client I mentioned earlier
on. Wow what a coincidence. O I forgot to mention both agents work out of the
same office.
Anyways, I let this guy say what he had to say then I told
him he was basically full of S#*!. I was gentle in my communication and
expression of why I felt he was full of big brown S#*! . Of course staying true
to his ways he attempted to over talk and bully me over the phone. That’s something
I flat out will not deal with or except. I ended the call and we went our ways.
The point of this whole story is two fold.
Point #1:
Don’t take BS from anyone. If there are people who don’t
like what your doing and feel the need to tell you they don’t like it, listen
to them and then politely tell them to go pound sand. If people are not trying
to bring you down because of your
efforts then you need to work harder. Plan and simple.
Point #2:
I just got to vent. You all reading this have become my
therapist. Thanks J
In all seriousness you need to be able to have thick skin in
our business because there is always going to be someone who will try to stop
you from progressing or get in the way of your future. How you deal with these
situations/people will shape and mold you into the business person you are. Don’t
be afraid to be different and don’t be afraid of what others will say or do to
you when you are different.
Until next time, stay passionate focused and honest, the
world is your’s.
