Selling Soulfully with Jennifer Allan

I have an SOI Business Plan (that is, a plan for how often I contact the people I know) that includes a couple of personal phone calls every week. Before I continue, let me stress that I never ever ever attempt to prospect to my SOI during these calls - I'd hate to train the people I know to "let me go to voicemail!"

Anyway, I admit that I struggle with the personal phone calls. Don't know why it's so hard, but it is. I guess it's because I really don't like to talk on the phone myself, so it's hard for me to impose my voice on others! But whenever I do get brave and make the call, I almost always feel good that I did.

(Except I've noticed that if I call a fellow introvert, who probably doesn't like talking on the phone any more than I do, it can be a bit awkward. So, unless I have a real good reason to make that call - I don't. My introverted friends get an email.)

If you also have trouble picking up that 300 pound telephone, try this. Before you make your SOI phone calls, make a few purely "business" calls to warm up. Like - schedule a dentist appointment... call your credit card company to protest a charge... if you've moved recently, make a few phone calls updating your address. Once I've have a few successful phone calls under my belt, it's much easier for me to make the personal, or even difficult ones. (Like calling your seller to explain why you haven't had any showings this week).

If you've recently gone to lunch/coffee/happy hour with a friend, make a note in your planner about something you talked about that you can call next week to check up on. For example, last week I went out with my friend Catherine who is getting a puppy (named Ben) this weekend. So, I wrote down in my planner to call her on Monday or Tuesday to see how Ben (I made sure to write down his name) is doing and invite myself over to meet him! Maybe I'll even bring my video camera!

Just remember, don't call your friends looking for business. Don't even mention real estate unless you have a darn good reason to. If you truly can't think of anything interesting or non-salesy to talk to someone about, don't make that call!

www.sellwithsoul.com

In early 2007, I held my first teleseminar entitled "The Seduction of Your SOI."

Notice I didn't call the seminar "Successfully Marketing to Your SOI"or "Mastering the Art of SOI‑Marketing." In fact, I refuse to even use the term "marketing" in conjunction with the concept of pursuing business from the people who know you and know that you sell real estate.

Why? Because no one wants to be marketed to. I mean, c'mon, when was the last time you heard someone say "boy, I sure do like my accountant, he markets to me all the time"? When you "market" to someone, do they feel special? Do they feel loved? Do they have warm fuzzy feelings about you? No, in fact, they might feel irritated or even used. Best case, they feel nothing toward you and toss your "marketing" into the trash.

I think most agents know this, deep inside. That's why they have a hard time committing to and implementing their own SOI business plan. They DON'T want to market to their friends. They DON'T want to pester people they know and risk their friendships. Besides, when they've reluctantly put these tactics into play, they haven't worked real well anyway.

And that's because they think that pursuing business from their SOI is essentially the same thing as pursuing business from strangers. They think they are supposed to cold call their friends, to remind them that they sell real estate. That they're supposed to send out newsletters screaming their own praises and bragging about their listings and closings. And it doesn't work. So they abandon the whole notion of SOI business and return to their cold‑calling and open‑housing.

But there is a big difference between ASKING PEOPLE YOU KNOW for business and GETTING BUSINESS FROM PEOPLE YOU KNOW.

So, how do you GET business from people you know? With Seduction? Read more here!

www.SellwithSoul.com

A major fear of beginning an SOI* Seduction campaign is that your targets (that is, the people who know you) will see right through your attempts at friendship and know that you're trying to "seduce" them.

So, let's talk about Seduction for a moment. 

Even when I'm aware I'm being seduced, I certainly enjoy the ride. I mean, if my man were to come home tonight and outright announce he was expecting some action, I might be put off by his approach. I might feel a little used. However, if he came home with roses, gave me a big hug and kiss, helped me clear the table and then took out the trash, his chances of getting lucky would dramatically increase, wouldn't they?

So what if I know what he's up to?

Or imagine a young man takes a young woman out on a date. If he were to ask her up front if he's going to get lucky that night, she would probably be offended, even though it's likely she realizes it's in the back of his mind. So, the smart young man takes a different approach. He is charming. He is friendly. He is appreciative. He is attentive. He is complimentary. He is respectful. In short, he's good company and makes her feel special. He's fun to be around.

Will his seduction efforts pay off? Who knows? But he's sure a whole lot closer than if he had just announced his intentions up front. Again, the young woman probably knows she's being "seduced" but she's enjoying it.

So, let's compare a romantic seduction to the process of seducing your SOI. Fact is you want something from your SOI. You want their business and referrals. You want to be invited to their parties. You want to be their favorite real estate agent, don't you?

Well, you could always call up everyone you know and tell them, couldn't you? Remind them on the first Monday of each month that You {Heart} Referrals? Ask them if they know of anyone buying or selling real estate? Maybe even ask them for an invitation to their next social gathering?

But do you think they'd look forward to hearing from you? Do you think they'd appreciate your approach? Probably not; in fact, they might start avoiding your calls.

What if you were to call up your friends every month or two and ask how they're doing and really listen? Maybe even offer to help or send out periodic informative e-mails or newsletters of interest to them instead of all about you. What if you invited your friends to your Super Bowl party or sent them a postcard from your vacation in Cancun?

Would your friends realize you want their business and referrals? Maybe, but they won't care - you are making them feel special and cared about. Besides that, you're fun to be around! 

Seduction works in a romantic arena; it also works in a prospecting one. If we are charming, friendly, appreciative, attentive, complimentary, respectful and fun to be around (and also reliable and competent), we'll get our friends' business and referrals. We don't have to beg for it; we really don't even need to ask for it.

Give it some thought.

*SOI Seduction = Sphere of Influence = To generate business and referrals from the people who know you.