Snake Oil Sales and The Real Estate Guru...

It's not uncommon.  Many in the Real Estate Community are naturally distrustful of a "real estate guru."  As a matter of fact, I was recently reading a lively post in a BiggerPockets forum about why the Wholesaling Real Estate niche has so many so called "Snake Oil Salesmen."

While I'm not one to judge, I do think perhaps we may be being a bit too harsh.  A "Snake Oil Salesman" knows that what he/she teaches will not work.   The snake oil you purchased to put on your tumor didn't heal you, and you either died or the tumor never went away! 

However, when it comes to wholesaling real estate, it is often taught as an entryway into modern real estate investing.  While I disagree with this approach (I believe that it can be it's own self sustaining business model), it is nonetheless taught. 

So What Causes Failure?

Is it the Guru who acts as a showman who comes to town, preaching the "Gospel of Financial Freedom" wrapped in inspiration and an almost "revival" like atmosphere who is responsible for the success or failure of the attendants?

What role do the attendants play in their own success?  

The best way to avoid becoming disillusioned is to avoid becoming illusioned in the first place.  

What is it about the American Psyche that wants something for nothing, reward without work, pay without risk, and joy without the pain? 

Truthfully, there are those predatory amongst us who seek to taint the knowledge that was passed on to us by those who have gone before us and blazed a trail.  

There are countless teachers and mentors, both well known, and private that have helped each of us.  Their contributions are their legacy left to us.

Two Paths Two Freedom

On the journey to freedom through real estate, there are two paths in my opinion.  The path of Marketing, and the path of Sales.  

Marketing is great if you are trying to spend a lot money to build large mailing systems, telephone answering services, enormous databases, and virtual assistants to try and generate leads.

Sales however, is what happens behind the closed door. It's a long way from the kitchen table to the closing table.  It's the intricacies of actual "what to say and when to say it" that gives you the confidence you need to succeed.

The modern day "real estate guru" teaches marketing.  Again, which is great if you have the money.  However, they are unable to teach the Sales Skills for Real Estate Investors that you so desperately need to survive.

Laughing All The Way To The Bank

So what is the young, hungry entrepreneur to do?  As I sit from my comfortable chair... drinking a large glass of tea in my easy life now... I look back over the 18 years of struggle I had to go through to get to where I am now.

I think about what choices you must make.

Someone is going to be laughing all the way to the bank.  Those "that have chosen the better, will not have it taken away from them." To me, that means you need to focus on what will get you paid.  

There are two paths.  The marketing path leads to unnecessary concerns, and "what-if" scenarios.  It leads to indecision, and inaction.

The Sales Path however, is filled with heroes of old.  Names like Zig Ziglar, Mary Kay Ash, Dale Carnegie, and more have filled the halls of quality service and customer satisfaction. 

These well known names have left us a treasure trove of techniques, closing dialogues, and mindsets that allow us to modify them to our wholesale business. All we must do is learn these same basic ideas, and give them a 21st Century twist!.  

Like it or not, real estate is a customer business.  If you are a wholesaling Investor, even though you are also a consumer in the transaction, you are still in need of sales skills. 

By decisively taking action now on your dreams, and your goals, you will naturally discover that learning sales skills is an important facet to any training you would receive.

Hopefully, if you are considering a "guru" type of course, you think of this.

Mutual Responsibility

I would put forth the idea to you that it is a mutual responsibility between those who take on the mantle of leadership in the industry to train those and those who agree to be trained. 

This responsibility is to be as completely honest about the process.  Both the heartbreak, and the mountaintops.  

On the trainee's part, it is a responsibility to be able to feel comfortable to vocalize any specialized need.  

By working together, the two can accomplish great things!

I'm curious... why do you think  real estate gurus do not teach sales skills?

Have a Powerful Sales Day!