Business is tough. It doesn’t matter if you’re in real estate, law, or any field for that matter. When it comes to being an entrepreneur and having your own business there are good times and bad times and most definitely, inconsistencies. Some months I am closing deals left and right, and other months I’m debating if I’m still good at what I do– because in sales, the next deal and client is never promised, and I’ve got to keep on meeting people, selling myself, and closing the sale. Whether it’s the first steps of starting a business or if the business has existed for 10 years–the same principles apply– following up and following through are key essentials to securing clients and keeping them from going elsewhere.

I live in a state where over 200,000 people have a real estate license. Everyone has a damn license! But why do some people do better than others? Well, my simple answer is because those that are successful never give up. Now, “never giving up” can get fuzzy because there’s a very big difference between persistence and obsessiveness. Being a nag is never attractive and at times, salespeople can cross the line and get stalkerish…and nobody likes a stalker, let alone wants to work with one. So how does the deal get done while maintaining dignity?

Timing

At times, I get close to that line. I call people, I text people, I email people. I text people after I leave a voice message to let them know I left a voice message.  I locate them on social media platforms and friend them to make sure they know I’m “normal”.  And if none of the above gets me a response….I go and I visit them… And as I am writing this, I totally see how some people may think, “Sam, you ARE a stalker…”. But in reality, I’m persistent, I’m focused, and I’m going after what I want. And when I do get that response back from whoever or whatever it is, my “tenacity” is always mentioned.

The timing of all my efforts is what makes all the difference. Even though I constantly am checking all my forms of communication (my phone, email, social media, smoke signals, etc.), not everyone else does. On top of that, as much as I want to be everyone’s priority, I’m not, and I have to accept that I may be last on the list of people to respond to. When I call, text, or email, I give people 48 hours to respond before reaching out again. A grace period between any form of communication is vital. Be “top of mind”, instead of making someone lose their mind.

Get to the Point

When I get the call, email, text, signal– I get to the point and don’t leave room for errors.

When I text, I sometimes do it right after leaving a voicemail, but I keep it very simple acknowledging I left a message and I look forward to hearing from them. When emailing someone, I keep in mind that everyone is busy and nobody likes to read a novel of an email. I get to the point and keep emails within 1-3 short paragraphs explaining (1) who I am, (2) what I want, (3) asking them the best way to connect with them (meeting them at their office/home, etc.).  Long winded messages leave much room for error to come off as needy, sales-pitchy and overly aggressive. The way I represent myself from the beginning plays a vital role in getting a response.

The Offer

The most successful people are successful because they manage their time wisely. They receive hundreds to thousands of emails, calls and texts and it becomes easy to get lost in the mix when reaching out to them. Making my message stand out is critical and I’ve found that sometimes, an offering of some sort needs to be made. Now, I don’t know if it’s because I’m Italian or because I think of what I respond well to, but the old saying “if you feed them, they will come”, works tenfold for me. With a success rate of 92% I can honestly say inviting the person I want to connect with for breakfast or lunch works. And for those that don’t have the ability to meet me? I buy them breakfast or lunch and send it to their office. Sound crazy? Well, it works, and I get the call back– every single time.  Best case, I get the meeting. Worst case, they call to say thank you and that they’re not interested. Either way, I hear back! Spend a little money and make the effort!

Never stop trying. When the message is right, the response will come. So they didn’t respond or they don’t want to meet me? Unless I receive a clear reason as to why I shouldn’t try anymore, I do not stop, but instead give people their space and try reconnecting another time. Always remember, the right relationships will continue to give back for years so stay focused, stay hungry, and keep connecting!