As a real estate agent I know that finding leads and clients are the most important thing you should do for you business. The most basic and effective marketing you can do is pass your card to a potential prospect. So that means have your cards with you at all times, not most of the time, all of the time. I am in the process of building myself a new home. I took a day off from real estate to get some things done on my new under construction home. When I left there for the day I stopped by a local covience store to pick up a few things. I ran into a friend that I hadnt seen in a few years. We started talking about what we both have been up too, and I mentioned that I have been busy trying to drum up some real estate sales. A man in front of us turned around and asked if I was a real estate agent. He said he was an investor that purchased and managed multi family projects and was looking for someone in the area to work with. I jumped right on it and told him all about what I could do for him. It was going great until he asked for my card. I was in work clothes and wasnt planning on doing any business so I didnt have my card holder with me. I was extremely embarrassed. I was able to get his number in my cell phone and give him mine, so it may still work out. i still feel like a great situation was not as effective because of the most basic rule that i chose to ignore. So Remember Always Carry Your Business Card! Thanks Aaron
Aaron Poling
Long & Foster
Aaron, I probably spend 3 times what other agents spend on cards. I have handfulls of them stashed everywhere just so this doesn't happen to me.
But it still does.
I don't disagree with you but honestly, I PREFER to get their contact info because I know I am going to follow up. I run into people regularly when I do not have a card on me, I simply grab theirs, and I follow up. It has actually worked better for me that way. You have his phone number - you can ALWAYS get him a card!
Hi Aaron, It's great to have both...but I know what you mean. It's always these times too that I run to the story quickly and not fixed up that I run into a good amount of people I know.
You are so right, my husband is always fussing at me because I forget my cards.. :)
Aaron,
The first GRI class I took years ago I was told to give out 10,000 per year. It is only 28 per day.
When I was an agent always had 50+ in the car, 50+ in my briefcase and 50+ in my pocket, never wanted to be left without and gave them out when every I could. I really wanted to come home with zero at the end of the day.
Always keep them in your car for just such a situation. I bet you will now!
Aaron, good reminder. I am trying to be better about remembering to wear my pin everywhere although I still seem to forget half the time. I must say I am good about keeping my card holder with me since it has my license in it...
Chanda panda
Business cards are the smallest and most important advertisement you have. Never leave home without them. I keep lots of business cards in the ash tray in my car since I don't smoke, so if I run out of cards in my pocket (get a metal business card case), the worst that could happen is that I'd have to walk to the car.
Hi Aaron, I think we've all been there before. I now keep a separate box of cards in my car, just in case.