By Melissa Dittmann Tracey
QUICK SKIM
If you’re not one of those people who naturally oozes charisma, communications expert Mark Wiskup has good news: Being likeable is learnable. In his book, The It Factor: Be the One People Like, Listen to, and Remember (AMACOM, 2007) Wiskup doles out advice for perfecting your elevator pitch, mastering small talk, giving good compliments, and steering clear of annoying patronizing patter. The advice may not be groundbreaking, but this quick read’s practical scripts and sample scenarios are great refreshers before any client meeting, party, or networking event. Buy the Book
FROM THE BOOK: 5 WAYS TO BE MORE LIKABLE
In real estate, being a “people person” is core to your job. You must forge relationships quickly and earn the trust of those you meet. Say the wrong thing, and you can kiss that first impression goodbye. Wiskup offers these ideas for boosting your likeability factor in almost any situation:
1. Be specific with compliments. Vague, lackluster praise (“I’m really happy to meet with you today”) comes across as insincere, insensitive, and can even leave the other person feeling resentful. Make your compliments stick by being descriptive and showing that you did your homework. Instead of: “Great job on the marketing report. Keep up the good work,” try “Good job on the marketing report. The third-quarter demographic stuff really helped me focus on where the money is for us. I was really impressed with your analysis of the competition.” Continue reading »
Here are the latest top selling real estate books about sales from Amazon.com:
1. How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Redesign, Redecorating, & Home Staging Business, By Mary Larsen and Teri B. Clark
2. Confessions of a Real Estate Entrepreneur: What It Takes to Win in High-Stakes Commercial Real Estate, By James A. Randel
3. Success as a Real Estate Agent For Dummies , By Dirk Zeller
4. FLIP: How to Find, Fix, and Sell Houses for Profit , By Rick Villani and Clay Davis
5. Your First Year in Real Estate: Making the Transition from Total Novice to Successful Professional, By Dirk Zeller
6. Real Estate License Exams For Dummies, By Drei John A. Yoegel
7. The Complete Guide to Buying and Selling Apartment Buildings, By Steve Berges
8. Multi-Family Millions: How Anyone Can Reposition Apartments for Big Profits, By David Lindahl
9. How to Succeed in Commercial Real Estate, By John L. Bowman
10. The Consultative Real Estate Agent: Building Relationships That Create Loyal Clients, Get More Referrals, and Increase Your Sales, By Kelle Sparta
Gary Keller
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey
Gary Keller, best-selling author and founder of Keller Williams Realty International, responds to your questions about the real estate market and his new book, Your First Home (McGraw-Hill, 2008), which he cowrote with Dave Jenks and Jay Papasan.
Why did you decide to write a book targeted specifically to first-time home buyers?
KELLER: I launched my career helping first-time home buyers and even called on newlyweds I found in the local paper’s wedding announcements to generate business. So, I have a soft spot in my heart for this special class of buyers.
We also wanted to focus on a group of buyers who represent the economic foundation of our industry. In any year, first-time home buyers constitute about a third of the real estate market. As they make their purchases, sellers are able to trade up, triggering more sales — building momentum from the ground floor up. First-time home buyers are an important catalyst for a healthy real estate market. Continue reading »
Let us know which of these books you would like to see featured next on The Weekly Book Scan. Or, use the comment section to recommend another book!
Best-selling author Gary Keller will be stopping by The Weekly Book Scan to answer your real estate and book questions. Keller is the founder of Keller Williams Realty International, one of the largest real estate companies in North America. Continue reading »
Recent Comments