Re: Laid Off (Again)
 

Todd,

Thanks for laying it on the line.

Step # 1: Do NOT fear layoff. Easy to say. Maybe not so easy to do - but then again, yes, easy to do. You just need to think about it differently.

If you Knew you could get another job Just Like That (snap), would you fear layoff?

If the worst that would happen is, you fall behind on a payment, would you fear layoff?

Guess what? The above Is the worse that would happen, and jobs can be had Just Like That - but you mustn't have any Standards about the work. And you need to think of it differently too.

Do you want a Job or do you want to Work. The two Sound similar but they are worlds apart. If you want to Work, then the Work you do shouldn't matter too much as you will be working.

Here is where you do as Gordon suggested... call a Temp Agency and work as a Laborer - our Labor is the most basic thing we have to offer, so offer it.

Step # 2: Learn your lesson. Look... "I just don't want to get back in the same rut I've been in for several years now, content to "get by" on whatever I'm making and susceptible to layoffs at any time (this is 6 or 7 - and my third just from this company!)."

The same company has laid you off two previous times and you're back with them. Man, you need to go outside and give yourself an uppercut. After the first, you Should have been off like a shot and on to something else. Anything else.

Options: Call removal companies and ask if you can be a removalist labor. Call tree loppers and ask if you can be a laborer for ground work. Call a cleaning company and ask if they need any Night Time cleaners - will free you to do other work during the day. Call a scaffold company and ask if they need any Labor. Same with landscapers. Fencing. Precast Concrete (usually a High Turnover of Staff as they cannot Hack the work). Call the local stadium and ask who does their After Game Cleaning then call them for work. Call a car yard and ask if you can sell cars on the weekend.

Real Estate Selling and Real Estate Loan Broking have a HIGH Turnover. Massively high. Because people find, after the delusion fog lifts, it's darn Tough to make it in that game.

Wannabe salesmen draw on commissions they haven't yet earned. Then when they sell they get nothing as they'd already taken it over time. Brokers don't Process enough loans to make basic wage and quit because...

Everyone needs to put food on the table.

Consider... TWO part time jobs. As your Business - whatever It is - grows, Then you Jettison one of the PT Jobs.

Now A Question...

WHY do want to sell real estate?

Michael Ross

Here's a possibility....
 

Last years (07) a "real estate agent" friend of mine (also with a family) asked me if I knew of a way he could make some money "until the RE market comes back".

I asked him to "put yourself in the mind of someone who has just bought a home"! WHAT do these people NEED!

Well...they "need" a telephone....the "need" HEAT in their home.

Oooppps! Hold it! Stop right there! If they have gas heat, they can call the local Gas Co who has the franchise for their area HOWEVER....the "Fuel Oil Dealers" are FREE to go where they want and...in my area, there are 3 Fuel Oil Cos VYING for customers.

Well...these Fuel Oil Cos are NOT "Marketing" people. Their main way of getting New Customers is by advertising in the Yellow Pages...where none of the 3 give any "reason why" they should be called instead of their competitors.

(I call it "Tombstone Marketing"; "Here Lies Company A. We've been in business since 00 and we can fill your fuel oil needs!" Yip! Yip! Yahoo! There's some real reasons for calling them instead of a competitor. Yeah Right!)

What if someone were able to...."GET NEW ACCOUNTS FOR AN OIL COMPANY?"

Well...I took my buddy to see one of the fuel biz owners and asked him if he'd be willing to "Pay a Commission to a Salesperson who brought them New Clients!"

The fuel co. owner agreed he would. So, the deal we worked out was;
My friend would get paid $300 for each homeowner client he got for the fuel oil co.

My friend would "get a verbal from the homeowner" and the Oil Co driver would stop by and "sign up the homeowner" and fill the tank and the fuel oil co would issue a check for $300 to my friend for each new client.

So...I knew that our County Assessor's Office registered each and every home sale on the day the home sale was finalized....and...they listed these sales, along with Names, Addresses and Phones (when available)(If Not available, we could call Information and get the number....or, we found a List Co that got their list from "New Phone Hook Ups" which turned out to be a great source of "Fuel Oil Prospects")

So...we "went to work".

Remembering the days I sold Storm Windows...I just called people at random (using a Cross-Index Directory) asking 2 questions after introducing myself;
1) Do you own your home or rent?
2) Do you have Storm Windows?

If they answered "Yes" to 1 and "No! to 2...I then explained how I could save them money...etc...set an appointment, give them an estimate and close the sale.

So...with our "Fuel Oil" program I did the same thing....calling "New Phone Connects" asking them (after introducing myself)....
"Do you have Gas or Oil Heat?"

If they said, "Gas", I thanked them for their time and went to the next call.

If they said "Oil Heat"...I told them about our "Special New Client Fuel Oil Program that could LOCK IN fuel prices and save them money!"

With each one who agreed to have us deliver....we got a check for $300.

Now...before poo-pooing this idea...my friend made OVER 100 GRAND LAST YEAR with THIS program.

He sells 2 to 4 accounts a day...simply by making phone calls...$600 to $1200 a Day!

Granted....this is a "grinder on the phone" but...he LOVES it. Allows him to "work" at home and be with his family while earning GOOD money.

Now...I have NOT heard of this being done anywhere else in the country so I'm thinking a Fuel Oil Co in YOUR area would be open to this.

Ya never know unless ya try. And, with your "Sales Ability" and "Gift of Gab" you should do well with this.

I wish you great success,

Don Alm

This business is extremely Profitable and Unique....
 

And....I'm sorry but, to the folks who've called and emailed me, I'm not offering any more details. I simply provided the "outline" of a unique and different way of earning money. I "may someday" put this program into a Report but, I think I provided enough info for those interested to figure out how YOU can go about this.

First thing is to go talk to a Fuel Oil Co owner or manager and see if they'd be willing to pay a "commission" on any new clients you bring them...and how much they'd be willing to pay.

Then....
1) Get a List of prospects to call (I've found that even existing homeowners can be called and be "sold" on becoming a client for your Oil Co)
2) Get your "Phone Pitch" together. All you need is a "verbal OK" for the delivery guy to stop by and have them order oil and you've made your commision.
3) Start making calls. You'll "get knocked around" in the beginning but after a few "trial runs" you WILL get better.

Again....this is worth $300 per Client. 5 a week is $1500....10 a week is $3,000....just for making Phone Calls.

Don Alm

Re: Laid Off (Again)
 

Sorry Don, but there is a HUGE flaw in your idea. My family just sold our Fuel/Oil company biz.

We had the wholesale side for about 30years. Before that my Grandfather had a Service Station selling Gas, Oil, and Auto Service. That was right after WWII.

Here is the problem. No matter how you slice it there isn't enough profit in a gallon of gas or oil by the time it reaches the consumer. Trust me. I am talking PENNIES, maybe sometimes, NICKELS per gallon of fuel!

Oil is the same way. There just aren't any decent margins that far down on the selling cycle.

Only two ways to make money with fuel and oil.

Trading Commodity Future Contracts or Owning Stock in those companies that get it out of the ground.

Re: Laid Off (Again)
 

Phil,
The Mailing List thread you pulled up was exactly for this purpose, I started it to find a way to target renters. The newsletter idea I've had for some time and would still like to get that going to promote my Real Estate business as well as other side projects. BTW, I created a list from MLS and mailed 1,000 postcards some time back with no results - my broker does something similar but with WAY higher numbers so he does pull in a lead or two. I think both of those threads I started are ideas that still have merit as far as generating leads.

I like what Sandi suggested also, I found a Toastmasters group near me and will likely be attending a meeting Wednesday. Also looking into other social networking ideas.

Michael had the perfect question:
This was an opportunity that fell into my lap when a friend offered to give me leads if I would get licensed. It's been rough now for some time, so he's struggling to get enough leads for himself (with a very one dimensional marketing scheme - direct mail only).

Why do I want to pursue it?
• Much higher income opportunity
• I actually enjoy driving people around and showing homes
• For all practical purposes, I'd be self-employed
• And I really do believe that owning is much better than renting (equity, tax breaks, stability and freedom)

Thanks again for all of your input. I'll be doing all I can to meet people, market, promote myself starting immediately. And I'm posting Gordon's quote in my office for motivation!

Todd Smith
http://www.homebargainsaz.com

Excuse em waa
 

We deal with Fuel Oil Cos that DELIVER OIL TO HOMES!

We started out at $200 per NEW Account (on a ONE YEAR CONTRACT for their HOME Heating Fuel Oil) We are now up at $300 per NEW Account for a Yearly Contract.

The Fuel Oil Co does NOT pay a dime after we get the NEW accounts for him BUT...the Fuel Oil Co keeps delivering oil to the accounts we sold.

Don Alm

Re: Laid Off (Again)
 

Todd,

In case you missed the following Postcard thread...

Great ideas from David Frey...
http://www.sowpub.com/forum/showthread.php?p=19936

Phil

Re: Laid Off (Again)
 

Todd, there's a lot of good info here, but if you're looking to work in real estate, look up Craig Proctor and get on his list.
He does a pile of free teleseminars and free (I think) half day seminars all across the US.
Craig is a direct response marketer in the Dan Kennedy mode.
I'm not in that exact niche but still get a lot of value
Larry Foster

Here's another...
 

Skip Rosell (I think it's Skip) has a report where he explains how to find FSBO's and compile them into a Report that is SOLD to RE agents.

You scour the classifieds and maybe drive the streets, gathering Names & Addresses. Put these onto a sheet of paper and get Subscribers to your "FSBO Sheet".

I'm not sure what you'd charge agents, maybe Skip can tell you. Maybe a one-time setup fee and quarterly (3 mo) or 6 mo payment in advance.

This can be done in MANY communities...Saves agents TIME in hunting for these prospects.

Don Alm

Also....
 

I think it was Skip also who had a program where;

You'd sell Ads in a Pamphlet, to businesses who wanted to reach people Hunting for Houses;
Banks, Mortgage Loans, Pest Control, Carpet Cleaners, Painters, Remodelers, Heating & Cooling, Glass, Interior Decorator...etc Doctor, Dentist, Chiropractor, Massage, beauty Salon, Nails.

All these would take an Ad in a Pamphlet that was;
"HANDED TO HOUSE-HUNTERS AT OPEN HOUSES!"

You could get a pretty penny for 1,000 of these handed out over 3 mos by RE Agents.

I am hoping you find something. I live in an area of high unemployment and know a lot of people who are barely getting along...and I try to help them as much as I can.

Don Alm