THE MORE THINGS CHANGE

By Mike Pallin, Master Trainer and President of The Floyd Wickman Team

“THE MORE THINGS CHANGE, THE MORE THEY STAY THE SAME.”

–Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Kerr, French philosopher

“JUST BECAUSE EVERYTHING’S DIFFERENT, DOESN’T MEAN ANYTHING HAS CHANGED.”

-Irene Peter, American writer

“THE CHANGE IN THE BUSINESS IS NOT HERE TODAY. EVERYTHING’S STILL THE SAME AS IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN. THE CHANGE IS IN THE FUTURE. THE QUESTION IS, CAN YOU GET TO THE FUTURE?”

– Floyd Wickman, North American life changer

You hear a common belief expressed these days that technology has changed everything about the real estate business.

Certainly technology has changed how we advertise and promote inventory, but we still advertise and promote inventory.

Technology has changed how buyers search for homes, but buyers still search for homes.

Technology has changed how we communicate and interact with our sphere of influence, but we still have to communicate and interact with our sphere of influence.

Technology has changed how we get signatures, but we still have to get signatures.

Technology has changed how we organize and follow up with our prospects, but we still have to organize and follow up with our prospects.

Technology has changed how we do listing presentations and present offers, but we still have to do listing presentations and present offers.

Technology has changed how we leave messages for each other, but we still leave messages for each other.

Could this be what Floyd is getting at with that quote?

I think so, because here are a few critical things technology hasn’t changed. Not one iota.

Productivity, for one thing, hasn’t changed. A tiny minority of the agents still does the vast majority of the production. It has always been that way, and it is today.

On average, over 80% of the agent population is in the “bottom half of production.”

Turnover, for another thing, hasn’t changed.

One out of every ten agents enjoys the production and income they sought and expected from real estate. Two out of every ten get by. And seven out of every ten leave the business before they come close to the income they need or want. That was the case in 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010 and it is still the sad state of affairs today.

Most of the people who get into this business have stars in their eyes and hope in their hearts, and leave the business with a bad taste in their mouth and dust on their feet.

Floyd has always kept his training program current, from the introduction of calculators and voice mail – to today’s latest social media trend and mobile app. But he also understands that technology is nothing more or less than a tool. Some tools are game changers, and some turn out to be a monumental waste of time. (People used to play solitaire with actual pasteboards. LOL!)

What technology hasn’t changed is the need for the selling skills that can convert an inquiry into a closing - the need for the confidence that comes from the reflexive use of dialogue that handle objections, stalls and hesitations – and the need for the encouragement that comes from making measurable progress toward a specific goal.

Who do you know who needs more skill, more confidence and some encouragement? You know, those things you can’t get from an app or a website? Let’s get them trained before they lose hope and leave the business.

You may be eligible for a free, three hour introductory workshop and seminar, exclusively for your company, delivered by a Floyd Wickman Trainer. It won’t cost you a nickel to inquire. CLICK HERE to be contacted.