Realtors are an interesting breed. We willingly or not so willingly spend lots of time and money chasing down strangers, expired listings, For Sale By Owners, and canvassing, and yet 70% or more of our business comes from people that we already know as in friends and past buyers and sellers.

When asked if we systematically contact our friends, we usually sheepishly admit that we don’t, and it’s because we don’t want to abuse the friendship.

So instead, we attend seminars to learn the latest “scripts” and effective techniques to use with strangers. We see “Mega-Producer’s” showcased and we learn how they do it. We are taught how to create teams, marketing campaigns, telemarketing and email campaigns and how to create and design a billboard, postcard and a personal brochure. We’ll work 50 to 60 hours a week trying to get ourselves noticed by strangers and we create serious strains in our relationships and family life. It’s all great stuff and by the way, it works and most of us will never do it.

In my 30+ years as a California Real Estate Broker and manager, and more specifically, in my last 17 years as a Senior instructor for the Council of Residential Specialists, I’ve asked myself “Why not” and maybe more importantly, why am I teaching something that most people will never do. I think that it’s because I thought it was the only path to eventual success. I’ve found out that it isn’t.

In 1999 I was introduced to a concept called “Ninja Selling”, a way of working developed and perfected by The Group, Inc., in Northern Colorado. With four offices and 150 “partners”, they hold the distinction of being among the most productive Real Estate companies in the country, if not the most productive. They average 43+ transactions per year per agent and as a philosophy and culture, work almost exclusively with people that they already know. They also work an average of 25 to 30 hours a week. They have chosen to go down a different path. The “Ninja” path.

As you compare the differences, ask yourself which path you’re on.

• The Industry calls the customer a “Unit” - says the real customer is the agent.

  The Ninja says that the real customer is the buyer or the seller. They talk customer service.

• The Industry wants dialog’s and new techniques.

  The Ninja asks: “How can I add value?”

• The Industry stresses contests, market share, win/lose.

  The Ninja stresses cooperation.

• The Industry wants to win. They’ll take a listing that won’t sell.

  The Ninja wants success.

• The Industry is into personal promotion.

  The Ninja is into personal service.

• The Industry is into personal assistants.

  The Ninja is into personal contact.

• The Industry works it all.

  The Ninja only works the 20% that produces the 80%.

• The Industry says, "More is better. I’ll work more hours, hire more staff, run more ads, spend more money."

  The Ninja says, "To make more, I’ll just get better."

• The Industry is concerned with sales volume.

  The Ninja is concerned with profit.

• The Industry strives for high income.

  The Ninja strives for high income per hour.

• The Industry wants to be famous.

  The Ninja wants to be rich.

The Ninja’s greatest challenge is to stay focused and they are committed to helping each other stay on track. They take the time to identify their three most important values and priorities, along with their three favorite hobbies, and they remove everything from their office that doesn’t support these six things, so they stay focused.

They feel that money worries will cause loss of focus. The company has created systems to assist the agents in creating personal wealth by automatically with-holding an agreed on amount for taxes, profit sharing, investing and so on. They also encourage their partners to live below their means and invest the rest.

Compared to complex mission statements, theirs is easy to understand and to focus on:

“Have fun, making money, taking care of people.”

Published: December 7, 2001

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