For the real estate agents among us, well you guys are used to selling things. I think the act of selling is undervalued in our culture. When you sell something, you are convincing another person that, whether it’s your service or a house, that you have something of value, and that they should part with some of their hard earned cash to pay for it.
There’s something very honorable about the exchange. No one puts a gun to anyone’s head. No one takes by force. One human being is convinced or persuaded that, yes, that home, or that real estate agent’s services are worth the price asked. And a deal happens.
For all of my life, I’ve been a salaried employee. A guy who worked in an office and was paid for his work. And that’s fine too.
But let me tell you, that when I made my first “sale” this week – meaning, a human being hired me as a lawyer to represent him on a matter – there was something particularly exhilarating about it. Of course, it’s going to take a few more clients like this to hire me, but, with my private practice barely three weeks old, and a bunch of leads in the pipeline, it’s pretty nice to make a sale.
So let me say, to all you real estate agents who have been selling homes to live in for all these years, why didn’t you tell me earlier how fun it could be to sell something to someone, and to add value to their lives.
Ashlee says:
I still remember when I did my first real estate deal and it is def. a great feeling! They only get better as more and more come along!
October 21, 2009 — 6:05 pm
Don Reedy says:
“…why didn’t you tell me earlier how fun it could be to sell something to someone, and to add value to their lives.”
Damon, it’s because, like real estate agents, lawyers have a reputation for forgetting what you so wonderfully added to the end of your sentence above.
…..to add value to their lives.
It’s great that you’re sharing, sharing here on this platform, since in fact good lawyers and good real estate practitioners really do have much in common. Continue to keep us informed, about you, things you see, ideas, problems and points of view.
Oh, and yeah, this really is fun!!
October 21, 2009 — 7:23 pm
Dan Nappi says:
Hey Damon congrats, that is very cool and only in 3 weeks. The first one is always the toughest so it will be smooth sailing from here on in. (well for the most part)
Good luck in your new practice!
October 21, 2009 — 8:24 pm
Teri Lussier says:
>…why didn’t you tell me earlier how fun it could be to sell something to someone, and to add value to their lives.
But then everyone would want to do it. 😉
October 22, 2009 — 6:22 am
Greg Swann says:
Bravo. Good on ya. Selling belly-to-belly is too hard for many people. They get eaten up by the rejection — by the anticipatory fear of being rejected. The higher you are on the food chain of values, the easier the sell. Who really puts the screws to a heart surgeon? But that doesn’t mean that professionals cannot substantially improve their conversion rates (and the average wealth of their clients) by learning how to sell:
* How to identify the true objective.
* How to determine who are the actual decision-makers.
* How to isolate and take away objections.
* How to close on the transaction – today.
I’m betting they didn’t teach any of this stuff in law school, but I expect you learned a lot of it back in your foundation days. It will be fun to see how you work this out.
October 22, 2009 — 8:04 am