After starting a successful heavy equipment repair business, Arnold Hickey decided to make a change. He wondered how he could become successful in real estate business.
In 2000, he decided to get into the real estate business in his native Edmonton, Alberta. In order to escape from the cold Canadian winters, Arnold eventually made the move to Phoenix, Arizona. Arnold has operated 2 brokerages and a mortgage lending company where he has hired and trained nearly 100 licensed real estate agents.
Sometimes the Past Needs to Stay There
With 20 years of experience (and seeing a ton of industry changes), Arnold is confident that times do change. Strategies that may have paid off at one time no longer have the same impacts. In his business he has noticed that the following strategies don’t work like they used to:
Cold Calling
- What is it: Cold calling is the process of making an unsolicited call in an attempt to sell goods or services. Arnold built his business on calling expired listings.
- Why it doesn’t work anymore: From the do-not-call list, to changes in MLS (where the phone number of a seller used to be public), Arnold feels that his time is better spent building relationships with people instead of chasing them.
Door Knocking
- What is it: Door knocking is a face-to-face way to start generating seller leads fast. Arnold built his business by going door-to-door in his community looking for leads.
- Why it doesn’t work anymore: People are living busy lifestyles. With most families having two income earners in their home, they are not home often. People are also very wary of strangers coming to their door. Arnold feels his time is better spent by connecting with people instead of searching for them.
Network Marketing Events
- What is it: Network marketing events are conferences that allow agents to network and discover new industry trends.
- Why it doesn’t work anymore: With so many events and conferences it can be difficult for an agent to pick one that relates to their personal real estate strategies. Oftentimes the quality of the event can be lacking, or the potential clients attending aren’t the right fit for the agent. It can also be a very overwhelming scenario. Arnold found that these types of events highlighted his anxieties and didn’t allow his true self to shine.
Arnold was a seasoned vet, but he was ready to set aside traditional tactics and try something new.
Enter Parkbench.
Parkbench is a real estate lead and referral-generating platform that gives both new and seasoned real estate agents the tools they need to leverage connections in their community. Parkbench helps agents turn those connections into loyal and happy buyers and sellers.
Arnold Hickey Said Hello to a New Way to Connect
After signing up with Parkbench, Arnold faced the reality that basing your business on referrals requires a mindset shift. And he was ready for the challenge. Working with a unique platform like Parkbench has highlighted the following important features:
- Connecting with business owners gives you many connections: Business owners live in houses. Arnold discovered that making one stop at a business for an interview can make connections with 10 people at once (owners, employees, contractors). If he knocked on 10 doors, he would get 9 door slams and 1 potential client. Arnold realized that he had something of value for business owners by making it all about them and their business.
- Parkbench gives you the chance to control your calendar: Connecting with business owners and community members happens on your time, not theirs. You often have people reaching out at the wrong time, but because you need those leads, you respond immediately. With Parkbench, you book interviews at a time that works best for you. This allows you to control your calendar and feel like you are in control of your business.
- Building relationships is the key to longevity: Building relationships takes work. But if you are focused only on leads, you will continue to chase them. If you put your focus on solid relationship building, you will earn trust, which in turn will earn you referrals. Those long-term clients who trust you will send referrals your way.
“Parkbench took me back to my grassroots: building relationships.”
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