You get what you speak... + other thoughts

Today will have a bit of a different format: three quick insights from the week, as opposed to the longer format, deep dive.

1) Outsourcing you is probably a bad idea. 

While listening to speakers and attendees at a small real estate conference this week, I was again left with the following thought: Why are people hiring you?

But before they hire you, they often have to know who you are. If you are using AI to write your copy, send your newsletters, and respond to inquiries, then how do they know who they are hiring?

“Oh,” you say, “but I have trained AI to be me.”

Maybe. So far, I haven’t seen AI replicate a specific human too well. However, putting that aside for a moment: What is the point of having your newsletters and other “flow” pieces generated for you? 

It saves time, yes, I know. But how do people know who you are? What do you stand for? What do you believe is important for people to know? 

If AI is doing all the work for you, what does the client need you for?

Additionally, consider that you are outsourcing the critical thinking you need to be sharp, pay attention, and be clear about the key challenges at any given time in the market. So, not only are you losing the authenticity of you, but you are also losing the thinking that keeps you sharp and being a professional worth hiring.

2) You get exactly what you say and speak.

Said another way, if you keep saying (to yourself and others) that you like challenges (including challenging clients), you will keep getting challenging clients.

In a session this week, a very experienced and skilled agent said at the beginning of the workshop, “I need this session as a therapeutic intervention!” 

When we got into role plays and situations, she gave me three real situations in a row where my answer was, “I wouldn’t work with those people.” She replied that, 1) She was skilled enough to work them; 2) They are the only clients available in “this” market.

What appeared obvious to everyone in the room - except for her - was that she was literally seeking out difficult and uncooperative people. Moreover, she had a limiting belief that these were the “only” type of people available to work with.

Now, I am not saying she should turn business away. I am not saying she shouldn’t work with any of those clients. I am saying working with them the way she is working with them is NOT working! 

What got vocalized in the room after the role plays was that this woman’s clients did not trust the agent and were uncooperative and distrustful. 

Authentic trust must be created. It starts by acknowledging when trust isn’t present. The person most unwilling to acknowledge this was the agent. For most people, including myself, this was not something I was initially aware of when I got into real estate. It is an awareness and skillset I developed over time (One might even say still being developed...)

3) Random but still relevant: Made-from-scratch breakfast burritos

After a hike yesterday, my wife and I went to breakfast at a small town independent coffee and breakfast shop. As we ordered our food and drink, the woman behind the counter asked me, “What would you like in your breakfast burrito?”

Huh? Mostly, at these shops, they are already pre-made.

I told her what I wanted and went outside to drink my coffee and wait for the burrito. My wife was eating her biscuits, and after seven or eight minutes, I went inside to check on my burrito. The woman said that she (the chef) was just finishing preparing the food and was just laying out the tortilla. 

I waited at the counter for a few moments, and the chef came out and handed me the burrito with a warm smile that said, “I made this just for you, enjoy!”

Best breakfast burrito ever. I mean, maybe not ever. On the other hand, it was incredibly satisfying in the moment. I was “profoundly” satisfied. I felt taken care. I felt like there was special attention put into my order. And the way it was communicated to me, I felt appreciated.

That is a weird response to eating a breakfast burrito.

But... That was my experience!

My point today: why not look for ways to be profoundly satisfied in your life? Conversely, where can you create more profound satisfaction for your clients? 

Note: while service is great, service is not the only place care is delivered. Consider that, as real estate professionals, the care behind the guidance we give can also be a difference-maker for our clients.