Relationship Marketing for real estate investors

This is an expansion on a post that I made earlier.  I feel that this topic is important enough to rewrite and expand on that that idea. 

So what is relationship marketing?

Simply put relationship marketing is the act of marketing to people who you have a relationship with.  Simple enough in concept.  

Where relationship marketing really important in MLM or multi level marketing.  I highly suggest you find an MLM that you like and get started learning this technique. 

So how does relationship marketing work?  At it's core, you run your mouth to everyone that you have a relationship with, and I do mean everyone.  When I am depositing checks at the bank, I make sure that the teller knows that I buy houses, ugly houses, nice houses, all houses.  Same with the waitress who brings me lunch or dinner.  I want everyone in my area to know how I make money, and how to get in contact with me if they trip upon something were I can help.  That is another important distinction, I try, whenever possible to explain what I do in terms of helping people. That is really what I do.  I help people who can't sell a house and I help people who can't buy a house.  I am all about helping, and I get paid well for being a beacon of help.

Now traditional relationship marketing is built around friends and family, but I want you to expand your thinking to the real world.  You have a lot more relationships that just your family and close friends.  Who did you go t school with, at any level.  Who are your neighbors?  Look at the friends of your family members and the family members of your friends, they should all know what you do.  Each and every one of them should be a lead funnel for your real estate business.   I touched on this earlier but you also want to run your mouth to anyone who you interact with during your day.  If you speak with them, then you have a relationship, and that sudden relationship can be very valuable.  

I can literally hear some of you saying silly stuff like "I don't want to tell my coworkers about my real estate business, I will wait until I am successful"; well that attitude sucks.  You are allowing your fear of success, and subsequent public ridicule to prevent you from taking the steps necessary to be successful.  Screw your fear, jump off the cliff, commit to your real estate business.   I want you to make a pledge to me, a pledge that you will start with the most uncomfortable conversation you can find, and tell that person about your real estate business.  It might be your parents, it might be your jerk off neighbor, it might be your mother, I don't really care who it is, I want you to go out and get rejected.  That may sound cruel or scary but once you face your worst rejection conversation from that super negative person in your life, everyone else will be a walk in the park.  remember the goal of relationship marketing and really any marketing is to let everyone know what you do and what you are looking for.  For those of you with jobs, there is one exception to this rule, you might not want to tell your boss about your plan to escape the 9-5 job world.  

No marketing article would be complete without some action steps, so here they are.  Go out and find an MLM that you like.  Focus on a product or service that fits you.  I have several that I make good money with.  Then join that MLM business, not to get rich quickly, none of them get you rich quickly, the good ones make you a residual income and build wealth slowly, but choose your MLM to get their training on relationship marketing.  I don't know of a better training program for relational marketing than those produced by successful MLM companies.  That is quite literally all that they do.  So my real estate friends, I urge you to seek out knowledge and apply it to your real estate business.  

To your success

Josh