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

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:

WHY do want to sell real estate?

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

YOU ARE DOOMED TO FAIL

in my office for motivation!

Todd Smith
http://www.homebargainsaz.com

Todd,

In case you missed the following Postcard thread...

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

Phil

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

Todd,

Thanks for explaining more.

More toughies to follow...

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).

It's been rough for some time.
He's struggling.

The stuff about his marketing method comes across as an Excuse. As in...

"yes I know it looks silly to get into this, specially when the guy that got me interested is doing it so very tough.... but that's because he Insert Excuse Here. And I just know I can do better - even though I have not done better yet."

Nothing chews up people and spits them out as fast as real estate - and being an Agent. You've heard it. Know someone going through it. But still believe, even against your own experience, that this won't happen to you.

That determination is commendable.

Though like Gordon says... you're doomed to fail - Unless - you do things differently. And not just what you Think will work. But if you do what Actually Works.

So your mission, Todd, should you decide to accept it, is to use the Bill Myers Method. To find other people who are making a real success out if - not just claims, but genuine - and do likewise. Do As They Do.

Now to your answers...

Much higher income opportunity. Yes, and much lower income opportunity too.

Quick story. Girl on the gold coast gets into RE. Decides the money is in selling High Prices stuff. Why? Because commission is Percentage Based. Why sell a $200k place and make $5k when you can sell a $1,000,000 place and make $50k commission? After all, one sale a year and you'd doing fine.

So that's what she does and makes a Killing at 23 years of age.

I personally know a couple who've been in the game for decades. They do likewise. Concentrate on the high priced stuff. Might take four months to sell one. But can you imagine the commission on a $3 million dollar place? I think they paid $400k Tax last year.

Others I know do like most others... get into the normal housing market. And the numbers of survivors are few and far between. And there are More of those types - earning pathetic money - than earning high money. That's the reality of the income opportunity. And those lower priced houses are the only thing new home buyers can afford.

Yes. It's true. The number of Hours Put In Per House doesn't equate to the Commission Generated.

Example... agent gets listing papers signed, makes one call to person who contacted them about such a place, shows house, buyer makes offer which agent phones through. One counter offer is accepted. Contract signed and settlement takes place 30 days later.

Agent's commission around $6k. Time agent spent... a couple of phone calls, showing the place once and then final walkthrough before settlement. Also being present during building and pest inspection. Maybe five hours all up. Works out to $1,200 an hour.

Sure, that's Appealing. But it discounts the hours and hours spent trying to find people to list.

To me... the largest sales areas are... higher priced (sometimes slower sales but larger commissions) and investment properties (sold to a list of investment buyers you generate yourself - repeat sales to the same people, less hassle with first timers and their financing and repayment issues, less fastidious as they aren't moving in and will buy even if the carpet is 70s orange shag pile HA!).

Enjoying driving people around: Become a bus driver, taxi driver, tour bus driver, limo driver.

Enjoy showing homes. Approach a builder who has display homes and ask if you can work in a display home.

Self employed. Loads of other ways besides real estate.

Now. Before you get yourself into a situation where you become just more fodder to the real estate shredder, have you read Jim Straw's Real Estate work? Has sample ads to generate Leads. And one rule of thumb to always follow if you use the technique he writes about.

Anyway. More for you to consider.

But of course, if RE satisfies something Inner inside of you. Then you'll go with it even if the income is not higher. And that'd be a good thing. To be internally satisfied.

Michael Ross

Todd:

You might want to investigate this:

http://www.83homes8months.com/index.html

Bill

Originally Posted by Todd

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

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

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

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.

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