Do you have to make cold calls to get listings?
In the latest survey we sent out asking agents: “what is the number one obstacle for them to get listings”, one of the top entries was that you don't like to make cold calls.
There is a huge misconception in the industry that is still prevalent today and that is that you need to make cold calls to get listings.
One of the questions that agents ask me before they choose to go into my private coaching program is if I am going to require them to make cold calls because that is what most coaches seem to require.
My philosophy on cold calling is different.
If you like to make cold calls- then that is great! Keep doing it! Ramp it up! If you like to make cold calls you have a great skill that many people do not have which is going to place you up front. That is a great asset for your marketing tool box.
If you hate to make cold calls- don't make them! It is not going to do you any good to make cold calls if you have a fear of cold calling or simply just don't like to make them.
When your broker or trainer or coach tells you that you need to face your fears and just make the cold calls- that is something you just don't have time for. Let me explain the psychology behind this:
When you are in a business to make profits you need to focus on and improve upon your strengths not your weaknesses. Sure it is great to face your fears but do that on another day- not on your income producing days.
When you concentrate too much on your weaknesses you never get out of the starting gate.
Let's illustrate this and see if you can relate to this in any way:
You are told to make cold calls so you decide you are going to wake up at 7 a.m to get ready to make your cold calls starting at 8 a.m. You need to make 21 cold calls before 10:00 a.m. That is your assignment. You are saying out loud to yourself that you can do this.
So then this becomes your morning:
7:00 a.m. wake up, take your shower, get dressed, etc.
8:00 a.m. make your coffee, grab breakfast – after all you were supposed to start making calls at 8:00. 🙂
8:15 a.m. oh no, you forgot to put your laundry in the dryer last night- put clothes in dryer before they smell yucky
oh dear, the doggie needs to go out for a walk again- take doggie out for a walk
8:40 a.m. you need to just really fast, really fast, check your emails
9:30 a.m. oh, better stop checking emails and returning emails and start making your cold calls
but wait- there may just be a referral waiting for you in Facebook- let's just check in- ( we all know what happens then:))
10:30 a.m. wow, how time got away from you- Facebook can do that!
but now you need to get a drink of water- then you see the kitchen is a mess and you better just put a few dishes in the dishwasher, that will only take a minute then you promise yourself you will get to the cold calls
11:00 a.m. the phone rings, it is a current client- take care of their needs- after all, that is more important, right? 🙂
11:30 a.m. time to make lunch, if you make an early lunch than you can get to those cold calls sooner:)
This cycle keeps going on and soon you look up at your clock and realize it is the end of the day and you never made the cold calls.
You can subsitute the procrastinator tasks if you are at your office or anywhere. It all is based on the same behavior- that is very natural for all of us humans.
You will avoid that which is painful for you to do as long as you can put it off.
So there is no benefit to make cold calls if you don't want to. You are wasting valuable income producing hours in the day in order to try to force yourself to do something you don't want to do.
Instead- focus on the skills you have that you love to do! If you love to write- blog away!!! Blogging will get you listings and buyers!
If you love to network in person, join BNI or another networking group in your area.
In Listing Experts Academy we will be covering how to maximize your time and tasks so that you can focus on the aspects of your business that you love to do.
Make sure you are on our first to be notified list for Listing Experts Academy. You will want to get on the email list now because we will be providing some great video content before the doors open to get you started! Click here to get on the list- Listing Experts Academy.