Sunday, March 30, 2008

Realtors' Rapport-Building Secrets Revealed!

It should come as no news that we're in a housing slump of historic proportions. But the never-say-die realtor industry is intent on soldiering through the bad times by stepping up its subtle sales tactics. We thought this advice column from the Ohio Association of Realtors' website was a classic bit of flimflammery. This bit of laughable boilerplate sales coaching, right out of the movie Glengarry Glen Ross, is especially telling: "Listen carefully to the key words and telling phrases they (potential customers) use -- how they speak. Then subtly build those words and phrases into your conversations." We figure if you're going to have to deal with these sharks, it pays to at least bone up on their primitive tactics, before using it against them. The best defense, after all, is a good offense.

10 Comments:

At 11:09 AM, Blogger Erin O'Brien said...

Coffee's for closers only.

 
At 2:29 PM, Blogger John Ettorre said...

Erin, I see you're a fellow Glengarry fan. Easily one of the five best movies ever. And by the way I was BLOWN AWAY by your post recalling your stint working at the restaurant frequented by mobsters. I also worked at a place like that back in the day, The Inner Circle (in the very space at La Place shopping center in Beachwoood where a Borders bookstore now sits). I was only dimly award of the wise guy element at the time, but recalling some of the scenes now, I wish I had videotaped a few hundred hours of what I saw. Some of it was right out of a bad mob movie. Bad, but good, if you get my meaning. Anyway, I hope my readers will check out your entry in question, as well as go back and keep up on your vivid writing from time to time. Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I really admire your work.

http://erin-obrien.blogspot.com/2008/03/goodfellas-redux.html

 
At 6:12 AM, Blogger Jeanne said...

John,

I have a different take on this, I look at sales people as mostly people pleasers who can be professionals with ethics or flim flam artists. It is like any profession, they rely on networking to build their business. Is that not what you support people to do?

Some of us have innate charm, as you do, mon Cher but other people need guidance to develop people skills. How to relate, how to listen, how to provide the best service to stay in business and support a family, build a good network or bring traffic to one's blog.

I loved Erin's post, thank you for recommending it.

 
At 7:44 AM, Blogger Erin O'Brien said...

Thanks so much for that, John and Jeanne.

I love telling the old Cleveland stories. I think the name of the place with the caricatures was originally Cavolli's. Then it was Pagliacci's (Frank Mars owned it then--he also owned the Iron Gate). It was called Casablanca by the time I worked there.

Marius's place was in the old Lake Shore Hotel.

I turned 43 yesterday. Was all that stuff really that long ago?

Write on, man.

Erin O'Brien

 
At 10:29 AM, Blogger John Ettorre said...

Erin, happy, happy birthday. And I'm going to try my best to make it to your speaking engagement this evening, but if it doesn't work out, do please keep us posted on your next one, will you? I think it's high time I finally put a face to your byline.

And Jeanne, how could I not agree with your gracious, heart-felt way of thinking about this? You instantly convinced me I was being too heavy handed about this. For which I thank you. I hope you'll keep coming back, and commenting as often as you like.

 
At 12:33 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I never want the steak knives; second place, first loser.

Looking through the window at snow covered mountains, Mormon church and ski shops, all during the opening of baseball season?

 
At 8:34 PM, Blogger Michelle O'Neil said...

Now I have to search my brain to see if Mary Brown was copying my bad posture and potty mouth when she sold us our house.

Hmmm.....?

 
At 11:02 PM, Blogger John Ettorre said...

Okay, Lou, enough of boasting about your travels. Just call me next time you need a valet (and remember that no man is a hero to his valet). On the other hand, it is kind of cool how you seem to be forever visiting here from remote locations. Keep coming back. And Michelle, I'm quite certain that Mary only aped your positive qualities, of which you have many.

 
At 8:07 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

If there was only time to capture the local flavor. Meetings, meetings and more meeting...it could be anywhere, but with pretty decent beer and having to join a "social club" every place that you want to try the decent beer.

 
At 2:44 PM, Blogger John Ettorre said...

Don't worry, you and Jackie will have time to go back and smell the flowers in 20 years, when the kid is in college.

 

Post a Comment

<< Home