It is about a very successful friend of ours (named Hunter) who is also a fierce competitor in our Bay Area market.
Recipe For Success
I am blogging about a competitor for two reasons: (1) I have watched him follow a “recipe for success” for years, and it fascinates me how some recipes always seem to work; and (2) It’s a big pond – point #1 below.
I have known Hunter for over ten years and we have watched him succeed primarily by following principles from his coaching program called The Core. The Core is a very aggressive program for both real estate agents and loan officers that is not for everyone, but it is great for anyone needing a shot of accountability and discipline, and a recipe.
The “tips” I list below are taken from Hunter’s blogs and conversations and are NOT the usual sales/success tips that we see all the time.
TIP #1: It’s A Big Pond – Fierce But Friendly Competition.
This is the tip that sparked this blog, as I run into “unfriendly competitors” all the time and I always wonder “why?” Hunter meets, interacts and shares intel with us all the time (and we reciprocate) because, to quote Hunter, “it’s a big pond” – meaning that there is always ample business to go around for everyone with the right attitude. Further, such interactions are necessary for success for a variety of reasons. I am always amused to meet competitors at events who are all too serious and likely to treat our interaction like a UFC stare-down contest. It is no coincidence that our most successful competitors are also the ones who are the most friendly with us, despite being insanely competitive.
TIP #2: “It’s Your Fault.”
I stole this from Hunter’s blog years ago, and it is an invaluable and key reminder from his coaching program. “EVERYTHING IS YOUR FAULT”…for better and for worse. If you have the wrong team, if you have the wrong attitudes, if you are short-staffed, disorganized, frustrated, hot-tempered with your folks, overly emotional, critical, fear-based, angry, grumpy, and negative…it’s all your fault.” This reminder was a game-changer for me personally, as I used to get resentful when things weren’t going well until I was reminded that it was all my fault.
TIP #3: “People Remember How You Make Them Feel, Not What We Say.”
This was another great reminder from Hunter’s blog, as I am all too often in “convince mode” as opposed to “engage mode.” But just sharing info and convincing someone is never enough. Clients of course need to like us and feel like we are friendly experts who are always available with their best interests in mind.
TIP #4: “No Does Not Mean No.”
Hunter often shares stories in his blogs about building relationships with agents AFTER they have told him they do not want to meet with him four or five times. All too many salespeople give up after one “no.”
TIP #5: “Proactive Communication.”
Hunter told a story about a flight he was on with his family that experienced extreme turbulence. While aboard the plane, the pilot was aware that the plane ahead had made it through the turbulence just fine, but the pilot failed to share this info with the panicked passengers. This would have comforted all of the passengers IF he had shared the info as soon as the turbulence hit. Hunter’s point was to prepare everyone for bad news as soon as we know about it instead of just hoping things might improve. People endure “turbulence” much better if they are prepared for it.
TIP #6: Extreme Accountability.
This is a primary tenet of his coaching program and of many other podcasters/life advisors such as Jocko Willink. If you say you’re going to do something, whether it is doing 10 pushups, running a marathon or closing a thousand transactions, share your goals with a friend, mentor or coach who will hold you accountable for achieving those goals – no matter what.
TIP #7: Getting Coached.
Hunter has been relentlessly coached pretty much forever, while it was something I personally resisted for all too long and JVM suffered as result. I am now a huge advocate of coaching for every agent and loan officer, as it is necessary for key industry insights, competitive edges and accountability (see above).
TIP #8: Coaching Others.
Hunter also coaches many others despite his extremely busy schedule. I can readily think of three benefits from coaching: (1) it is a great way to just “give back;” (2) nothing cements concepts like teaching them to others; and (3) holding others accountable forces us to be far more accountable ourselves (to maintain credibility).
TIP #9: Set Your Priorities.
Hunter reminds his students to sit down and write out and truly think about their priorities to make sure their priorities are aligned with their goals. Priorities can include family, friends, religion, and business success of course. If one’s priority is “family,” for example, but his goal is to build a large business that will require 80 hours of work every week, his priorities are not aligned.
TIP #10: Use Your Emergency Brake On Steep Hills/Don’t Share Personal Stories With Jay.
Hunter no doubt regrets sharing this with me, but when he was in high school, he drove his new Jeep to his girlfriend’s home to meet her Mom for the first time at their home on a steep hillside. When he parked, he left the Jeep in gear but failed to use the emergency brake. While he was getting introduced to “Mom,” he saw his Jeep rolling down the hill, so he “heroically” jumped into the Jeep to save it only to roll off the hillside with the Jeep. Hunter was fine (until his Dad found out) but the Jeep was totaled. I share this story because it is actually a good reminder and also because the visual of his girlfriend’s Mom’s reaction makes me laugh every time I think about it (“Mom” was none too impressed 😊).
There are many other aspects behind Hunter’s success, including lead tracking, systems and team-building, employing dialers, cultivating culture, and numerous “selling 101” tips, but the above are the keys I find most compelling, useful and interesting.
Sign up to receive our blog daily
