Now that I'm back at Keller Williams, can you believe I'm "stuck" on ordering business cards?
The main issue I have is whether or not I should put a picture on the card or not...
I've heard arguments on both sides; "Pictures look cheesy" ... "You real estate agents think you're movie stars!"... "Why don't you update your photo? When was the last time you took a picture, Gatos? High School?"
LOL...
Then I hear from the "other side of the camp"... "Your picture is your Identification"... "You need a picture as a way to 'brand' your business'... (what happens when my hair gets grayer faster than I can have the 'portraits' made?).. "You should have your picture in your card as a way for people to 'associate' your face with your name; they'll remember you better.. "People who don't know you personally will 'warm up' to you with your picture", and of course, my favorite...
"Everyone does it"...
"Everyone does it".. Hmmmm..
I want to be different...
That's why I'm posting about the woes of deciding what to do with my impending card...
That I'm going to get a card; there's NO doubt about that... I need one for new clients. I need one to mail to "out of area" owners.. although I doubt they really care if I look 4 years older in person than what they get in their hands.
Let's get real. Some of these business cards REEK with "cheesiness.." I swear, if these folks look so good, why are they in real estate? They should be making movies with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie..
The cost of putting a picture is minimal, so THAT'S NOT the issue.. I want someone to hold on to my card; if not for me, then maybe 'cause they at least like the card... The trash can's a lonely place to be...
The closest I've found to interesting cards is two companies; Moo cards and Overnight Prints. The interesting thing about Moo cards in particular that I like is that every card is different. I would customize each card with individualized pictures. Again, like I'm saying, it's NOT the cost I'm concerned about. If I spent 3 or 4 times what it currently costs me and people thought it was a cool idea, and actually hung on to the cards and actually used them, the cost would be well worth it...
Plus it would be a lot morefun...
I'm really hoping I'll get some good response here, but if I don't get it, I suppose I'll have to go with my gut feeling. I'd rather get feedback. I want to hear from you... Agents, past clients, everyone, I'd like to hear from. Let's have it. I'm taking THIS one public! Consider this a poll of sorts!...
"Cause I can't wait much longer. I'm placing an order as soon as I can.
Maybe even Friday or Saturday...
Then you can call or email me.. If I can't come over due to the storm, at least I'll send you a card...
I am So excited to begin offering you new features and I am going to start with a great presentation that you can watch at your leisure and pace. Your First Home, written by one of the "head honcho's" at Keller Williams" is an easy to read, comprehensive book on home buying in what is probably one of the best, if not the best, buying environments ever in the history of this country. "Information that makes sense" is what I like to call it.
So, here is the presentation, enjoy...If you want the book, I'll either get you a copy or, depending upon where you are, I'll get an agent that covers your area to get you a copy.
This week, I left my Coldwell Banker office in Worcester to return to the Keller Williams office in Westborough, the first Keller Williams office in New England. The Keller Williams office I first joined back in 2004.
Coldwell Banker Worcester - Park Ave is a great office. everyone in that office are all super and they are true professionals. Having been both a Coldwell Banker and a Keller Williams agent, I wasn't intentionally comparing, but that's what happened. I just had to go back to Keller Williams.
What it is for me is philosophy. With Keller Williams, my business is mine, not the company's.
I couldn't take the feeling of "corporate" anymore...
I was affiliated with Coldwell Banker from 1997 through 2004, and then I changed to Keller Williams. I was with both the Westborough and Worcester office through 2006, changing back to Coldwell Banker in April 2006. I suppose you may say I've "been around"...
Keller Williams is THE MOST AGENT CENTRIC COMPANY I've ever seen. It's all about the agent, not the company. The agent is the one communicating with the buyers and sellers. The agent is the one doing all the running around, the driving, the work. The agent is the one taking care of the business.
The Keller Williams model understands that real estate is a local, people to people business. National ads don't matter to me. My clients are all local. I do my best to service them, not my company.
Simply put, the Keller Williams model is the only one that I'm aware of that an agent can enter into and come closest to running their own business without actually opening their own business, and STILL have the support of a major real estate franchise behind them. I'm sure their are other models; I either am unaware of them or my opinion may beg to differ.
I can run my business MY way, without having a "corporate" shadow behind me. That alone was a problem for me. There is a feeling of "togetherness" with Keller Williams I haven't seen elsewhere. It really is unique. Of course, there are restrictions everywhere you look, and Keller Williams is a corporation, too. For someone like me, who's been in real estate for over 26 years, I prefer an environment where I am allowed to be more of a business owner. I'm talking "the little things" here.. More flexibility to design and buy business cards. An ACTUAL Website (Not Webpage), with Keller Williams, with an IDX from Wolfnet. Wolfnet is a great IDX. These "little" things make a big deal to me. Even when I bought my signs, they were MY signs; my phone number. Price? Around $240 or so for 5 signs, with a couple of riders. Less than $50 a house.. Reusable...
"Revelation" in the sense if it's "corporate", that doesn't necessarily mean it's right. "Revelation" in the sense that "corporate" at times may tend to think a little bit much too much of themselves.
Of course, this is MY opinion. Everyone's entitled to theirs...
The books are open at any Keller Williams office, The agents really do have a stake in the success of the company. I couldn't grasp that concept at first. It was just a mind boggling concept that I couldn't get into and had to leave and come back to appreciate. Knowing you are business partners with the agency you're affiliated with can have the potential to "bring:" you to a new level. The agents actually have a say in the management, the everyday operations, and the general direction of the company. Profit sharing may be available and although it shouldn't be depended on, it's a nice potential bonus. When agents recruit agents, they do it from their heart. When some agents take turns running training classes, they do it from their heart. At least they're supposed to. At least I always did.
Of course, "corporate" isn't normally keen on that...
I am an independent contractor. I like to "feel" that way. "Corporate" and "Independent Contractor" seem like a contradiction to me. They can't mix well, at least for me...
The support services from Keller Williams are the best I can find. Every company has it's unique features. So does Keller Willams. The training," oh my God!" At Keller Williams, there is SO much training available. On a daily basis. Free. Sure, you can also get advanced stuff like coaching and materials you may pay for, but believe me, most of it is free. In a market like this, training and support are necessities, not luxuries. Repetition is the key to success in learning. That's Keller Williams' strongest asset. The best way to learn and master a topic is by teaching it. I used to love public speaking, and I REALLY missed it. Nobody likes to be "muzzled" after a while.
How about the client's needs? Well, if you know me personally, you know how fanatical I can be about that.
The internet is the portal to market homes today. With "KWLS", a listing is added in all the important websites; ie., Googlebase, Trulia, Zillow, etc...
I get an "instant notification" via email from any website anywhere, including my website and other websites via my smart phone.
My own signs. All the calls go to me.
In March, Openhouse.com, owned by Realogy, will allow any agent or company to DIRECTLY input listings for open houses. Right now, it can be done, through an "FTP". The system will be infinitely easier in March. It costs the agents NOTHING. Zip, Nada. Not a flat penny..
I haven't read any other book or been able to even find another book that comes even close to what this book does.
This book helped me because as a real estate agent in tough times, I needed a guidebook on what to know. For my clients, it explains to me and gives me the information I need to provide data to buyers and sellers about what they should know about today's market. You have NO idea how I felt after reading this book. This book was 100% information. I met Gary Keller and Dave Jenks a couple of years ago and I can tell you, they both are two of the most "down to earth" guys out there; they seem to truly care about their agents concerns and are only interested in helping everyone succeed. They left a lasting impression on THIS guy.
What else can I say? I want my past clients to know that I'm always there for them; that I will never change improving or "tweaking" what I can, and through my return to Keller Williams I am looking forward to providing the very best I can of myself. I am in the Westborough office at 276 Turnpike Road.
My address is as follows;
Keller Williams Jim Gatos, Agent Partner 276 Turnpike Road Suite 221 Westborough, MA 01581 508-365-3581
Primarily, I am at the Westborough office because through Westborough, I can be accessible to my Metrowest clientele through Route 9 and 495. I can be accessible to my Millbury - Grafton clientele through Route 20. I can go to Worcester through Route 9. Clinton through Route 135 to I-290 or "the back roads"... Hudson-Marlborough, and even Sterling - Lancaster are within driving distance. Of course, Auburn and Oxford - Webster - Dudley, Leicester, and Spencer are accessible too. The location is an added "plus"...
The services both the Worcester & Westborough offices give to their agents are top notch; I spoke to both the Worcester and the Westborough office but for my needs, Westborough won out. Both offices are great. Both have "super" "Team Leaders" and I can say from experience Kathleen Goneau, the Team Leader (manager and trainer) at my office is UNBELIEVABLE! I don't have the 5 plus hours of typing I need now to type how great she is! Maybe another time...
Through this blog, I will be showcasing in the forthcoming posts the many great features of Keller Williams and what I can do to better service my clientele. I welcome any and all questions, as always.
Here's a video from Keller Williams Realty concerning the "Shift" book I was talking about. If you're interested in obtaining any of Gary's Books, including "Flip!" and "The MIllionaire Real Estate Investor", let me know... Contact me Here...
I had an odd call last week, which I've had before, anyway......
A woman called me inquiring about a listing on a certain street. She knew the address and wanted a couple of details on the property. "No problem", I said. "Let me ask you a question?", I asked. "Where did you get my name to call me on THAT specific property?"...
The reason I asked was because I know that my listing, once it hits the MLSPIN system, no longer is MY information, for the most part. Listing information gets aggregated ALL OVER the internet, and "my" listing could show up anywhere on any number of sites, with or WITHOUT my name as listing agent. Same thing happens to other's listings and vice versa. Of course, I don't agree with this but I'm just a "little" guy, having pretty much no say in the matter. They should pay us listing agents royalties for our "intellectual property"; they make money and get traffic driven to their sites due to OUR hard work!
Oh well... That's just the way it is...
However, I ask, as ANY good real estate agent should, to keep track of what works and what doesn't in the "wild" world of the internet. Helps me explain to my clients what they should expect to be more productive and what may be an eventual waste.
The lady didn't know that info. That's fine. Then I asked her a couple of "qualifying" questions, explaining to her I was NOT the listing agent and a quick rundown of buyer agency. She explained she ONLY wanted to talk to the listing agent.
I explained to her that's no problem; there's probably no benefit to it. What will most likely wind up happening is you'll get NO representation.
I've been through this kind of thing before. What's going through these people's mind?
For one thing, they think they will have a chance to get a break on the price.
Secondly, they think they can "get" more information from the listing agent.
In both instances, they're mostly likely VERY wrong!
Firstly, if the listing agent gets an offer, and they "get" a "double dip", on the comission, who's to say ANYONE gets a break? The listing agent gets the whole thing; the buyer gets NO representation (unless the buyer and seller agree to "disclosed dual agency", which may be treading on "dangerous" waters.
Secondly, and even more importantly, if the agent gives anyone a break, it will probably be the seller, not the buyer. The listing agent is legally and contractorally obligated to represent the seller's best interests. It HAS to be disclosed that the listing agent gives a "kickback" to anyone, and it may be a conflict or a legal problem if that happens, anyway. If anyone gets a kickback, it will probably be the seller.
Guess who keeps the extra money?
Every case is different, but it's generally a very bad idea NOT to have a buyer's agent on your side. The listing agent's job is to get you to pay the absolute highest possible. As an "ethical" buyer's agent, I do my best to save my client money. You have to understand, however, that commission is not part of the negotiating.
A couple I worked with wanted to offer a certain amount. Sensing an opportunity with an inexperienced agent and the comparable market analysis, I was able to save my clients over $6,000. That amount was FAR better than the amount they would have gotten back on a "kickback" with another company. I am the one who initiated the conversation; I am the one who took the steps.
I cannot say due to confidentiality who, when, and where, and also because I can't remember all the precise details, but I can tell you, when I was able to sense an opportunity to save them money, or net them more than they expected, I took the opportunity, without "blowing the deal"..
It's not MY decision to "blow" the deal. That is for my client(s) to decide.
Back to the lady in this post, now. I didn't argue with her. I let her go. I don't know what "mickey mouse" real estate blog or website she went and got her information, but I can tell you, she inspired THIS post!..
My reputation and my diligent work mean more to me than anything. In the next week, I will post further articles to articulate this. At least, in having THIS BLOG, I hope I get my point across.
Last thought; Look at ALL sides of an issue when considering to call a listing agent directly. Please read THIS post. Thanks.
When I went to vote for a new president this past November, there was also a state referendum on the ballot about whether or not being in possession of less than an ounce of the weed, yup, you got it, man, THAT weed, marijuana, can be a civil fine.
Guess who won?
Know what this means?
It means carrying, smoking, eating, whatever, less than an ounce of marijuana as of yesterday is now NO LONGER a "biggie". If you get caught with the weed, the worst that will happen to you is you'll get a $100 civil fine. You can fight it in court. You can appeal. It is NOT a crime anymore. You can't be tested for it before you secure a job. You can't be discriminated about this when you apply for work. Actually, you could probably even show up for work with a joint hanging out of your lower lip...
What a life..., eh?
What's even funnier? Well, get this whiff"...; The new law lacks a provision to compel someone to identify themselves when a police officer approaches you. I could be smoking a joint outside City Hall, a cop could ask me for my name, and I could politely tell the officer to "buzz off". and, the beauty of this is, (drum roll, please?), the cop can't do a damned thing about this.
I'll bet some of my childhood "acquaintances" <cough, cough>...would be happy to hear this news.... Maybe not, on second thought. Maybe some of them "kicked the weed", and changed their habits...maybe..
As for me, the same rules apply. Please don't smoke when I'm showing you the property. When we get out of the house, do anything you want. Smoke a joint if that's what you want. Knock yourself out if it'll help you decide to buy or sell the property.... Just please don't do it near me; I don't want the smell on my clothes.. I have enough problems as it is...
You're offering me a "drag"...?
Thank you but I think I'll pass. I'm all set, thank you. But don't let ME stop you.
I don't know. Most police officers seem to think it will be an unenforceable law. I'm still confused about a state where you can get arrested for having an open can of beer in a sidewalk (not so in other parts of the country, or states, for that matter) but if you light up a joint you stand to pick up a maximum of a $100 fine. No criminal repercussions or nothing...
Now, I have a couple of questions, but I'm all in a haze (pun intended) concerning the act of selling marijuana. What's the verdict there? Is THAT still against the law? Will you be able to buy the weed off the street or can you go to the local convenience store?
The potential headaches I see here (no pun intended) are mind staggering. Will a police officer NOT be able to do anything if he suspects you are smoking marijuana laced with cocaine? With hashish? How 'bout just straight hashish? The way the law is, they can't arrest you if you resist providing the information. Is that really how if will work?
What about minors? Do the same rules apply? Can you only imagine the mess we may have?
Personally I don't care what you do as long as you think of me as your real estate agent of choice. Like I said, this is a personal choice, but the irresponsibility of some of our citizens is what I'm concerned about. Bless my cotton socks it's still against the law to be under the influence of marijuana when driving.
Just make sure you don't smoke in the house before showings and make sure you get rid of the smell. If you're selling your home, please realize some potential buyers may take offense of the smell if they're non smokers; marijuana or otherwise...
Recent Comments