The Part Time Associate

I found a Broker who would take me on as a part time Associate.

We agreed that I would work a couple of hours everyday on weekdays, after my work at the library (my day ended at four-thirty); and all day, if necessary, on Saturdays. I would be an Independent Contractor, not a salaried person. I would work on commissions.
No Benefits.
No guarantees.

I had a family conference with my husband and the girls, alerting them that I would be working extra and everyone had to pitch-in doing some housework. 

I went into the office, not really knowing what to expect.
My broker showed me a somewhat beat-up desk and a small wooden chair, which I would share with another associate. Then he gave me the telephone directory and said, 
"Get to work."

I looked at him, totally lost.

I felt absolutely dumb, because I did not know what he expected me to do. 

Turn out that I was to make Cold Calls. I was to pick out some names in the telephone directory. Then, I was to ask if they would like to sell their houses.  

There were the Four questions to ask:
Do you want to buy a house?
Do you want to sell a house ?
Do you know anyone who wants to buy a house?
Do you know anyone who wants to sell a house?

Use any version of the four questions!

Simple. Right?

NO, not to me!

I had not the faintest idea of how to make Cold Calls!
Where do I start?
They did not teach me about Selling in the Real Estate Class!

HELP!

I needed lessons on Selling 101!

After being totally humiliated for a while, I got up enough courage to ask my Broker questions. 

Soon, I started reading books on How to Become a Salesman and I went to Classes learning how to sell and so on. 
I read about all the Greatest salesmen. 
I read books about the many successful businessmen, including Donald Trump. 
I read books on Business.
I read books on self help. 
I read books on financing . ..

Then, of course, there was the problem - I had never approached total strangers, let alone asking them personal questions.

I had so much to learn!
My Broker was patient with me.
And bit by bit I learned.
I had to overcome being shy (Oh yes, believe me, I was rather shy at that time - especially with strangers).
Then there was the big hurdle of overcoming the Fear of Rejection!
Yes, you will be told "No" nine out of ten times! May be fourteen out of fifteen times. One out of fifteen! That was the average.

My broker said that if I would make three Calls a day, every day; eventually, I will succeed. 
Do you know, it is true with Painting, too. If you do a small painting everyday, after a thousand paintings, you will be reasonably good even if you have no talent.

I guess, it applies to anything you do.

We should teach This Theory to all the kids in grade school. Shouldn't we?

Another one of My problem was, all my life, I hated Pushy sales people. Here I am. Am I suppose to become one?
No Way! 

Eventually, I figured out if I had a piece of good property to sell, and if I provided good Service to my Clients, they would be happy to buy, and I would be paid. Fit the Client to the property, or the property to the client. 
It's a "Match Game!"
It took me a while to put this into practice though. 

Of course, first of all, you have to Prove Yourself! 

Then Build up Trust!

You also have to know psychology. Read human beings! Figure out who was the boss - the wife? or the husband? What they say is not what they mean - Beware!

Before all that, I still had many things to learn, miles to go. 
First, I needed to learn to know my way around town.
Then, I needed to learn about the different areas.
Then, I needed to learn about the town I am living in and the small communities around us.
I needed to learn how to present myself well.
I needed to learn about what we had to sell.
I needed to know about financing.
I needed to know the Bankers, the Mortgage Brokers, the Appraisers, the Surveyors . . . even the handymen.
The list went on and on.

With some luck and a whole lot of hard work, I worked well with my part time job - I made more money the first three months selling real estate than what I made working as a secretary all year.  And I loved helping my clients!

My Broker talked me into quitting my job at the University.

Let me tell you, Selling Real Estate is Not a part time job!