Some Real Estate Background - Setting the Stage:
Real estate is an industry that even in good times is known to have an 80% turn over of agents every 2 years. The reason there is a big turnover is that most persons find out the hard way that real estate can be very rewarding but it is difficult to earn a living. That is why we have high commissions. You have to know what you are doing to achieve success. So with that background in mind, most agents are easy prey to learn the secrets to longevity and prosperity. They simply want to find easy path to success. Spending a thousand or a few hundred dollars to learn the secrets of success on the web or how to become a social media sensation is a no brainer for those that do not have any common sense. Money is no object.
Taking Advantage:
Over the years I've been in real estate there have been many real estate gurus that have come and gone. Some of these real estate hosts and trainers even achieve a cult like following yet no one ever questions their current credentials or personal performance. They all have their own followings, and formulas. However, I believe that it is wise to ourselves... "If these speakers made so much money selling real estate why are they not selling it now?" I sometimes think there is more money made off real estate agents than the commissions we make from buying and selling homes. There is an old saying, "A fool and their money are soon parted!" I know many agents and brokers that regret the purchases of tapes, videos and coaching sessions. They're stuck with a library worth of materials that were never used or listened to.
The Attraction of Success:
The image of success begins with the appearance of success. We are carefully drawn to that image. Trade magazines, local real estate boards try to keep agents enthusiasm and confidence up by holding teaser seminars. Local boards have found that these "Free classes or events" are good for retention of agents. So these get togethers are usually free, and loaded with enough real estate hype to get the juices flowing. However if you want to learn more, you have to pay for the seminar. It is no different than watching a serial movie... to learn more...you have to "Stay tuned...!" What this means is when you attend a seminar the only way you find out more... is to buy the books and tapes. It is an elusive vicious circle that goes nowhere...except cha ching those holding the seminar. It is an easy sale! Why? Because it's human nature! Everyone wants to associate with other successful persons and achieve their own fame both in income and in the eyes of other real estate practitioners.
No Questions Asked:
For the insatiable wannabees in our industry there are seminars they can attend, tapes and books they can buy, training camps, advanced training sessions, one on one coaching for accountability and yes they even have retreats and conventions. Most agents just blindly follow these trainers yet I'm always surprised that very few ever ask has the real estate master ever sold a home? How many did they sell in their career? Did they sell the homes themselves or did a team sell the homes? When was their last sale? The reason why I say this is that the biggest thing in real estate in the last 10 years was the Internet, and now it is social media. However when you stop and think about it...many of these host and trainers never sold a home in the last decade. Terms like SEO, web placement, web strategies, hits, and clicks are thrown around loosely at these gatherings...yet the guru never sold a home in this era! Yet the seminars, tapes and training sessions are making them a fortune. The topics are always the hottest current or trends or fads in our business. Hot button topics resonate and sell! They hold seminar sessions on foreclosures, EOS, distress properties and short sales...yet when they were in the business there weren't any.
Looking for Solutions:
Underachievers in our business that are looking for solutions are instead awe struck by the apparent image of real estate success. They then follow blindly in a cult like fashion...falsely believing they will achieve similar success by association. They are dead wrong, and yet these under achievers with low self esteem belly up and buy their way to success. They are easy prey thinking they can buy their way to success. After all it will only take one good sale to pay for all the tapes, the one on one coaching and access to all the online webinars.
***This post is not about any one particular trainer, and I do not want to see names or disparaging remarks.*** Please No Names!
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