Sometimes, I get an email that makes me sad.  How does this happen?  Is it bad training?  It is an improper focus on buyers?  Is the person in the wrong business?  The only solution is to give them a simple plan and see if they do it.  If done everyday and they have any people-pleasing abilities, they will be a success.  If it is not done, we know the real answer.  Here’s how it started:

Question:

Hi, Walter.  I have never emailed a coach before although I receive at least twenty to thirty emails a week from coaches and lead generating opportunity websites, but to be honest with you, they never grabbed my attention. 

Every week, I get an online newsletter and it always has one or several good articles to read.  This week, your article (What the Top 1% Do) caught my attention (great title by the way).  I honestly didn’t know how the top 1% thought or what they do so thank you for enlightening me. 

I am trying to learn everything I can in order to make a living at real estate.  I’ve only been a REALTOR® for a little bit over 2 years.  To be honest with you, I am struggling although I’m working 8 to 12 hours every single day of the week.  I try to use my time wisely but my phone isn’t ringing very much.  We don’t have floor time in our office.  There is a lead generating system in my office, but every call I get seems to be a buyer only wanting to pay $18,000 for a property that has been foreclosed on.  Plus they require financing and have bad credit so that’s not going to happen in today’s market!

I’m not trying to cry a sob story to you.  My husband works part-time at Target, which is the only job he could get and he just started 4 months ago.  We have no health insurance and together we are not making enough money to pay our house payment.  I don’t have the money to pay a coach right now, but I need some help.  I would be happy to pay for a great coach, if I was able to make some money at this!  It’s not about not wanting to pay; it’s about being able to pay.  I would gladly pay you a percentage of my sales, if I could get the closings I need. 

I am working very hard; for instance, I recently put in 16 offers within a week for an out-of-town investor.  14 of the 16 offers I submitted for him were multiple offers in which the bank rejected every one and the other 2 that did get accepted — the investor withdrew the offer as he wanted the banks to be financially responsible for some of the repairs and the banks refused.  

I have over 115 buyers that I am sending listings to and it seems like hardly any of them are buying or at least putting in offers.  Orlando is screaming right now with foreclosures, and we are 3rd in the nation when it comes to the number of foreclosures on the market.  If buyers are looking for a good deal, it doesn’t get any better than this right now!

Also I am reading a book How to Sell Anything to Anybody by Joe Girard.  It’s a very good book.  I can’t get out and walk the neighborhoods as I have very bad arthritis in my knees (bone on bone), and I am only trying to mail letters to the homes where they are in pre-foreclosure (short sale) or behind in their payments so they might want to sell their house more than other prospects.  I only have 1 listing, but I have just received another prospect that I just sent a CMA to tonight.  I am not a pushy person.  Actually I’m so shy, I haven’t been able to get the nerve to go knock on someone’s door.  I can tell you that I am ready to come out of my shell now and do what I have to do to make it!

With all of the studying I have done, I know that “listers are lasters” and I know I have to get more listings.  I just don’t quite know the technique or what to say.  I don’t know what ever made me think I could sell houses, but I have a passion for it and I love doing it.  I have had quite a few closings and that just energizes me to do more.  I want and desire to be in that top 1% which right now seems unattainable, but I have the heart. 

Maybe if you could straighten out my head, I could start making a living in real estate instead of just working.  I could really use your help, but I have no idea what will bring me business now so I can survive.  Hopefully, I can make my bills next month (even the past due bills).  I am not a deadbeat, but I am afraid we are going to get behind in our payments and lose our house.

As you can see, I don’t have any communication problems on the computer, and I type faster than I talk so I hate to waste your valuable time.  It may be a challenge, but do you think you could turn me around and help me become a success story?  I promise you — you won’t regret it.  I will be your best poster child!  Thank you so much for taking the time to read this.  Bless you and keep writing those great articles.  It gives me hope and inspiration and that’s what we all need right now!    

Answer:

I will use few words, because there is no argument or negotiation with this plan.  This is going to sound really harsh so prepare yourself — if you don’t call me and sign up for my coaching plan in 90 days then either you are not good at sales or you just did not do it.  At the end of the 90 days, you should have more listings and buyers than anyone in your office.  I know this because I’ve done this – time and time again!  My coaching clients have done this when they were trying to build their business, too.  Don’t miss a day and cancel any days off or vacations for the next 90 days. 

Step One:

• Every day, six days a week you research every expired in a 40-minute driving time radius.  Find their phone number and address.  Call each of these expireds in the morning and say, “Hi, this is (insert your name).  I noticed your property came off the market.  I would like to apply for the job of achieving your goals; however, I first would need to have you tell me your goals.”
• Leave messages if they are not home or available on their cell.
• Send them all a letter filled with value.
• Go knock on every expired door in the 40-minute radius.
• Call one more time before you go home (to the people you could not reach).
• Spend Saturday calling one more time.
• Fill your database with time-sensitive leads.

Step Two:

• When you go knocking, hit the FSBOs in the area at the same time.

Step Three:

• Block all day on the last day and first day of the month because there are more expireds during these times. 

Step Four:

• Read all the articles on my website, the newsletter archives, and blog posts.

There is no luck involved here.  It’s strictly 4-6 hours of focused dedication and hard work.  I hope to hear from you in 90 days! 

An oil and gas lease lottery millionaire by age 16, Walter S. Sanford was in massive debt by the time he was 22.  Taking his winnings, he invested in over 400 units and found that high leverage real estate can be detrimental to your financial health. 

Obtaining his real estate brokerage license during the 80s, Walter went on to become what some believe to be one of the top agents in North America.  He built his career on systems that are in demand by virtually ever major franchise and top producing agent in the world.  1995 was Walter’s best year, in the midst of a real estate depression in Southern California, where he personally closed 316 transactions. 

Walter Sanford now coaches some of the top agents and travels internationally to deliver his seminars based upon systems with velocity increased by technology.  He is the author of 10 ground-breaking books and software that assist top real estate producers in not only beating the competition but also providing lasting estates for their future.  Systems are his passion.

Walter has been buying or selling real estate for the past 35 years.  It took a long time for Walter to find balance, but today, he runs a successful coaching and training business.  He enjoys life in “small town America” with his wonderful wife and two darling daughters.

Many speakers and trainers have never been involved in real estate brokerage aspects and none have ever been involved to Walter’s extent.  If you would like to know more about Walter, please visit www.waltersanford.com.  You’ll find more information about how to hire Walter as a speaker or coach and how to obtain his ground-breaking products for your library.  Walter can also be reached at 800.792.5837 or walter@waltersanford.com.