"HA HA HA HA" D. DEVIL: So, fool. You see that absolutely no one was willing to run the gauntlet. THERE WAS NOT ONE COMMENT TO YOUR POST--FEEL like a loser? HA HA, HA This may only prove that there is indeed nothing new under the sun or your cadre of angels really believes it's not worth even trying. After all, most are in search of the "Holy Grail of Real Estate." Therein are the secrets to instant success... ANGEL AGENT NUMERO UNO : You're dead wrong hot head. I've come to take up the challenge and run your gauntlet of fire. So turn up the heat!! The challenge was to reveal ONE thing that's new under the sun, that would be a determining factor for people doing business with me rather than Joe and Jane Blow in the real estate office down the road. Well, I'm here to tell you I have it. Before I tell you, let me share with you what led me to the discovery of a "Bleeding Edge" technology. First, I've finally realized, I can't serve two masters. This realization actually separates me instantly from the bulk of the Angel Agent crowd. When I am able to focus my energy on PEOPLE and not the MONEY, I am on the path to serving the greatest good for my clients-to-be. I am on the path to be immediately perceived as different than the rest of the agent angels. I don't have to fear that people will question my commission, and look at me like some some slippery fish. --And guess what oh hot one, my way allows be to be rewarded--I get paid, too! D.DEVIL: OK, so what is it? ANGEL AGENT NUMERO UNO: Chill...I know that's really hard for you!... and let me explain: You see, the real estate business is only about ONE thing. It's not generating leads, or getting a bunch of listings or attracting buyers or showing homes. --It boils down to this-- --Respect people by serving them as they want to be served. Then, the money will follow. As I sow, so shall I reap. Most of what is taught to agents these days is this: you must use all the technology and tools, strategies, and tactics to sell people, so you get what YOU want. A lot of times, the people who are sold don't feel really good about it. They do things like complain about you, or withdraw their business, and sometimes they say bad things about you to others. D. DEVIL: Boy! are you a windbag or what? Get to the point! ANGEL AGENT NUMERO UNO: Alright! What I discovered is that people don't want to be sold; they don't like to be sold. It's doing something to them, to get something from them, rather than helping them to see what's best for them. D. DEVIL: I am losing my patience with you! OK, OK-- the second thing that goes along with the number one thing, has to do with something I do--well it's more of an attitude--I respect people as the divinely designed creatures they are: D. DEVIL: You'll surely make me BARF! What a Bleeding heart you are! ANGEL AGENT NUMERO UNO:: Let me finish! I ask them the right questions and listen--intently-- to the answers they give me. Then, I ask more questions to make sure I fully understand what they want and need. D. DEVIL: So, big deal! How can that qualify as anything really "NEW under the Sun?" What it tells me is that you're not closing the sale. You're not listing to last. You are a doomed angel, soon to fall! ANGEL AGENT NUMERO UNO: To the contrary oh hot one. You see, The questions I ask actually help people hear what they're thinking--and sometimes, what they're thinking is dangerous-- and not the ultimate best for them. So, for example, before I meet a prospect they are already defensive, thinking, my services are too expensive and that I don't bring any other value, accept putting their listing on the MLS--they're thinking: "Ten Thousand Dollars for THAT?." They already have preconceived notions about the value I bring to the table--which to them is "not much." By asking the right questions, they can actually hear and see the value I bring and my worth-- although there may be this silent questioning of my value in their minds, their preconceived misconceptions can turn around. How? by asking the RIGHT questions. D.DEVIL: Bull-Pukey! ANGEL AGENT NUMERO UNO: You sir, are rude--may I finish my thought? THIS questioning allows them to come to a conclusion and make decisions that are most often, best from them. You see, I don't make their decisions for them. So, I am in the asking questions business D. DEVIL: I don't understand ANGEL AGENT NUMERO UNO: I know this is hard for you Big D... -- but think about the medical profession-- Good doctors ASK QUESTIONS to find out where it hurts and offer medicine to soothe the pain. Does the doctor sell the patient on taking the medicine? Does he say: " Why I have the finest pain killers, just look at the box it comes it-why it will cure you in a FLASH--GUARANTEED! If your doctor did that to you--you'd be out the door--PRESTO. No, patients know they need to take their medicine. So, good agent angels are like that. And, guess what? I am part of the solution--a big part--but, I don't have to sell them on that. D.DEVIL: Now, are you finished? I am not impressed at all. ANGEL AGENT NUMERO UNO: OK, that brings me to point # 3 which is a part of respecting people, asking questions and listening. By doing this I actually discover what THEY really WANT --and then --HEL-LO00000000000--I give it to them. And THEN, I get paid for doing just that!! D.DEVIL: Are you done NOW? YES! so here it is, my TOP SECRET, Bleeding Edge Tactic: And, it is NEW UNDER THE SUN, For ME! --to my knowledge, not one else is doing this-- --here it is I am listening to SOCRATES! And sometimes I talk to him. It is he who has given me this technology, which I am applying to real estate today...Socratic Questions! Thank you, you old SOC!  D. DEVIL: SOCRATES? HA HA HA HA HA--You fool--He's an Ancient and He's dead! You listen and talk to dead people? You are a NUT CASE. How can THAT qualify as anything NEW under the Sun? What can he do for YOU? ANGEL AGENT NUMERO UNO: Now rest your mouth hot head...this is what's new under the sun--for ME 1- Like Socrates, I want to cultivate the questioning habit. Most are "talkers, not questioners who listen fully and completely." The goal of Socratic interrogation, is to help individuals to achieve genuine self-knowledge, even if it often turns out to be negative--it is the truth for them. - 2-Like Socrates, I want to cultivate and hone a devotion to truth: the truth about me and the truth about the people I want to serve.
- 3- Like Socrates, I have a continued confidence in the power of reason, when men and women can have the chance to hear what they're thinking--it is aired--it is heard, and, then, often REASON rather than emotion can prevail.
D.DEVIL: And what, pray tell, has all of this gobbledygook have to do with REAL ESTATE? ANGEL AGENT NUMERO UNO: In real estate there are two very emotional issues: people's homes and people's money...so. one must tread softly...So, what you don't want to do is say stuff like this: "Mrs. Home Seller, if I can show you a way to sell your home in 30 days and it won't cost you any money and I come over there and show you this whiz bang listing presentation I have you'll list with me today, won't you! D.DEVIL: Oh, please, get to the point!!! ANGEL AGENT: well, in real estate, when you're selling, you create resistance. The person sitting across from you has already made up their minds--, come to often illogical conclusions, and based on emotion--but you don't know what conclusions they've already decided on until you open them up by asking the right questions--not self serving questions, but one's that are in search of the person's truth. D.DEVIL: Yeah, So what? ANGEL AGENT NUMERO UNO: In real estate emotional decisions can turn out to be bad decisions. A bad decision is when they've decided not to hire you because they can't see your value, they don't trust you and maybe they don't like you because you've been "pushing product." D.DEVIL: Pushing Product? What's that mean? ANGEL AGENT NUMERO UNO: I am GLAD you asked: Instead of searching for the clients truth--about their goals, motives and aspirations we "go for the close"--ever heard of the one minute listing presentation? Well, you can't do this business in a minute! In real estate, it helps to examine our own attitudes, motives and behavior and ask--"are these geared toward the best interests of people I serve OR ME?" Oh and one final thing--This Bleeding EDGE technology allows me to SELECT my clients. I CHOOSE who I want to work with--gone are the days, when they interview ME. What I've found is that this new tool, allows me to winnow the wheat from the chaff, to discard the unreasonable, greedy and uncharitable--some never make it to my client honor roll. It may seem like the long way around. It may seem that I am going against the grain. It is. I am. And it pays. D. DEVIL: Very well, Angel Agent, YOU WILL NEVER CONVINCE ME. And for someone who says you talk more than you listen, well...you are putting me to sleep. You see, I represent the OLD Way...and heck, I am too old to change. And quite frankly, I am sick of your logic. It's too logical for me; after all, I am in business to twist the truth. And, if we took your approach, we'd put a whole lot of folks who sell books, CD's, courses; sales workshops and such, right out of business And besides, I believe most people are lazy--they'd rather have the short cuts--use the tried and true; throw as many listings up against the wall and see what sells...You'll never change the way things are...! AND--I am D. DEVIL, and like many who'd read your drivel, I say take a hike, go to hell. I am not the least bit interested in any advice that can produce good--for you, for the clients, for the real estate community, or for the public. AGENT ANGEL NUMERO UNO: I WIN! I knew that if you agreed with anything I said, it would have no merit at all. In fact, I don't need to convince you D. DEVIL. When you're not sleeping or looking for short cuts, you have your head in the sand. When you have your head in the sand you can't ask questions, you can't hear--everyday you do the same thing--wake up and stick your head in that sand...and there's only one prominent part of your anatomy that people can see. D. DEVIL: Boo hoo hoo Boo hoo hoo AGENT ANGEL NUMERO UNO: Don't CRY , You Flamer... I have a surprise for you...You see you unwittingly used some wisdom--when you said, There is NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN..." You see you're right and here's why: People will always be people and human nature is what it is and always will be.
and Principles based on time tested truths will always prevail... Feel Better? D. DEVIL: Boo...No...Hoo... I don't AGENT ANGEL NUMERO UNO: YOU see the reason you don't feel good about being almost right is because you ALWAYS want to win and for you winning means somebody else loses, isn't the right?
D.DEVIL: Boo....now...hoo...you're talking...hooo, ANGENT ANGEL NUMERO UNO: Stop Crying red one. I just want to let you know. I am on this path, I am not there yet, never will be, but I will be relentless and I am willing to keep improving-- In fact here are my NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS: (D.Devil is sobbing quietly in the background) 1. To walk my talk 2. To learn how to ask more and better questions 3. To learn how to listen and listen more than I speak 4. To listen intently to the needs and wants of others 5. To fill the worthy needs of people I serve If I do one through five above, the money will follow ROCK ON. ANNOUNCER: "Tune in again next year for the further adventures of D.DEVIL AGENT and our SUPER HERO ANGEL AGENT NUMERO UNO:." (Source of the philosophical ideas is Socrates: See more here...Philosophical Life: http://www.philosophypages.com/) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- More on This Bleeding Edge Real Estate Technology The Socratic method is a negative method of hypotheses elimination, in that better hypotheses are found by steadily identifying and eliminating those which lead to contradictions. The method of Socrates is a search for the underlying hypotheses, assumptions, or axioms, which may subconsciously shape one's opinion, and to make them the subject of scrutiny, to determine their consistency with other beliefs. The basic form is a series of questions formulated as tests of logic and fact intended to help a person or group discover their beliefs about some topic, exploring the definitions or logoi (singular logos), seeking to characterize the general characteristics shared by various particular instances. To the extent to which this method is designed to bring out definitions implicit in the interlocutors' beliefs, or to help them further their understanding, it was called the method of maieutics. Aristotle attributed to Socrates the discovery of the method of definition and induction, which he regarded as the essence of the scientific method. Perhaps oddly, however, Aristotle also claimed that this method is not suitable for ethics. (Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socratic_method) Application in Psychotherapy And to Real Estate Interactions The Socratic method has been adapted for psychotherapy, most prominently in Classical Adlerian psychotherapy and Cognitive therapy. It can be used to clarify meaning, feeling, and consequences, as well as to gradually unfold insight, or explore alternative actions. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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