A few years ago I was living in Tuscany, Italy. I opened my laptop to draft a message to the list of real estate contacts that took me ten years to build.
I didn’t know what to say, so I said nothing. Feeling lost and disconnected, I closed the virtual window and never formally wrote to my list again. What happened to my connection? Would people even miss not hearing from me?
What I now know is that if I had made an attempt to write something authentic that day, things would be different now. I’m re-building what took me years to build over the course of my nearly 20 years in real estate. I should have reached out in some way that was authentic at the time. I should have kept the window open…
It’s Never Too Late to Open a Window
Yes, all Realtors have a network. Big or small, if they didn’t have a network they wouldn’t have a business. Some Top Agents like Tere Foster have developed a large network because they are masters of connection.
Our lives have certainly changed a great deal this year but we still need to find ways to authentically connect with our coworkers, family, friends, fellow professionals, clients or customers, personal acquaintances, and people we see virtually in church, the gym, or other local community centers.
Many years ago when I first got my real estate license it was important for me to do my best to build meaningful relationships. I continue to build (and rebuild) my list today. TAP is my commitment to taking the connection one step further. I currently spend much of my workday focusing on helping others build their network.
One of the most influential real estate books I read after I received my real estate license over many years ago was Gary Keller‘s book The Millionaire Real Estate Agent: It’s Not About the Money It’s About Being the Best You Can Be. One of the main take-aways in the book for me is that building and growing a business boils down to three things; leads, listings, and leverage.
Even leveraging a small network will make a big impact on getting more leads and listings. Sometimes, it’s not about the size of your network, but the depth of its relationships. Every name on my list or your list is there for a reason. It’s up to us to keep the window open.
