Feature Article by Brian Hilliard
Step #1: Create a "Hit List" of friends and family
How extensive should this list be in terms of the number of people, and how far back should they go? Start with an 18 to 24 month window, and write down any friends or colleagues they've had a relationship with over the past 1.5 to 2 years. Obviously family members are excluded from this criteria since presumably, you've known them longer than that. But for people you met in the Garden Club or from a past Professional Association, I'd say 2 years is the maximum amount of time where I'd feel comfortable calling up someone to let them know what I'm doing.
And as far as an ideal number of people is concerned, that really depends on what you did before your new career. But don't worry, whether your list is 5 people or 50, just focus on the folks who you think would be interested in helping you out, and we'll take it from there.
Step #2: Schedule some time in the day and start making your calls. Ideally, you'd like to knock out your calls in the shortest time possible, but with so many other things going on, that might not be feasible. Try starting off with an hour a day, say between 8:30 and 9:30 am if you're calling people at work, or 8 and 9 pm for family or calling folks at home.
You figure about 10 calls per hour, about half of which you'll need to leave a message, and that should get you through the list at a pretty fast clip.
In terms of the exact conversation itself, that really does depend on how well you know this person, when was the last time you talked, and things like that. So a hard and fast "script" is nearly impossible for me to provide. However, here are some things to keep in mind:
Re-introduce yourself, tell them where you know them from, and see if they have a minute to talk.
Let them know that things have really been busy lately and you're sorry that it's taken so long to catch up.
Ask what's been going on in their life since the last time you spoke.
Listen for ways where you might be able to help them.
Tell them a little bit about what you've been doing, and how you've taken up a career in real estate.
Ask who they know that is interested in buying or selling real estate. Ask if they wouldn't mind being included in your online newsletter, where they can get "tips and tricks for buying and selling their home." (Don't worry if you don't have an online newsletter yet)
Thank them for their time and promise to keep in touch.
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