17 Oct The Book of Jeb.
The Book of Jeb.
Jeb Blount, to be precise.
And his new book, Virtual Selling.
I've never been a big fan of the transactional methodology. I wrote about Jeb in one of my earliest posts, People Tell Me No, What Do I Say? But there's just something about Jeb that makes him stand out. More on that later.
I came across his latest book whilst listening to the ever insightful The Marketing Book Podcast with Douglas Burdett.
Early in the conversation, Jeb brings up the topic of emotions.
Not something I usually hear from trainers in the world of estate agency/ real estate.
They're too busy advocating sales scripts to overcome objections, "Stacking The Cool" and trial closes, to bother about emotional intelligence.
But in my world of relationships, emotions take pride of place.
"Make me care" - said Andrew Stanton, in his Ted Talk, Clues to a Great Story.
Make me love you, make me hate you, but don't make me indifferent.
The clip about emotions focused on how vendors perceive you when you meet.
"They're asking 5 questions of you.
Do I Like you?
Do you listen to me?
Do you make me feel important/understood?
Do you get Me and my problems?
Do I trust and believe you?"
Do I Like You?
The $64,000 question.
Why should I like you?
Do you provide me enough reasons to do so? Over every other realtor that is after my money?
If it's a stranger knocking on the door, hoping to convince and convert in the space of 60 minutes, they stand as much chance of that as Alec Baldwin ever voting for Trump!
If I don't know you, the resistance is up. I'm looking for ways to disprove, or find fault, with everything you say.
You're an estate agent/realtor, after all!
My liking you isn't an impossible task. It's fairly basic.
All I need is transparency.
Not with what you do, or how brilliantly you do it, but in WHO you are.
I'm a skeptic. Until others open up, just enough, I'm curious.
Curious enough to wonder why and, what they're trying to hide.
I see it everywhere, all the time, in real estate.
Bragging, promising and manipulation.
It's what they have been trained to do.
Be the 'best'. Over-deliver. Add more value. Outwork everyone else.
All the time alienating the very people they seek to serve.
Nobody likes the 'sales pitch'. Nobody likes the ads that we haven't asked to see.
And we shouldn't have to put up with it. It's impertinent.
Instead, try transparency. Who are you? What do you believe? What do you most value?
That's a start.
From there, there is a possibility of finding affinity with others.
Which is how I came to write this post about Jeb Blount.
Turns out he plays golf. Is a regular patron at The Masters.
Lives not too far from Augusta, Georgia.
He quotes from Mark McCormack "All things being equal, people are going to buy from someone they like."
And that "Relationship is the future of selling" - WOW, You don't say!
I played golf at one time. I visited The Masters, just the once, way back in 1993. Felt like I'd died and gone to Heaven. Listening to Jeb, my initial reaction was that his verbal style reminded me of my favorite golfer, US Master Champion 2018, Patrick Reed. I admire Patrick for reasons other than his golf - but that's another story.
Looking at their photos, I can see similarities, although personality-wise, there may be none.
I spent a lot of time in Albany and Atlanta, Georgia. Love the State nearly as much as South Carolina.
I too often use that quote from Mark McCormack which ends: "All things not being so equal, people will still buy from someone they like."
"Relationship is the future of selling." It's also the past and the present.
Some are slower to get onboard with that, than others.
But either way, that train is leaving. With or without them.
That's why I now have time for Jeb. Not because of his overwhelming competence and success, but because I now have just a tiny glimpse into his character and beliefs. Beliefs that did not previously resonate - but now do.
No different in real estate.
Tell Me Something I Don't Know About You and there's a chance we might begin a relationship.
Hide, behind the mask and it's almost certain we won't and you continue to hustle for your worth.
My love of personal brand, Persona Insights as I now refer to it since the former has become so confusing a term, centers on finding the story that no others can tell.
That's what makes you different - if different is what you truly seek.
Thanks, as always, for reading. Drop me a D.M if you have any comments or questions. I love to hear from you, good or bad.
Chris.
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