How not to network

Question

A lot of people try to connect with me on BP, usually to get some information on out of state investing. I'm fine with that and try to share my knowledge when I can. However the inboxes below (redacted for privacy) is a classic example of how NOT to network. If I offer to spend my time helping you after you reached out to me, telling me you are too busy for a whole month to talk is not the way to get me to be interested in helping you! This not to embarrass the person who sent this to me but to point out to new investors that if you are going to reach out to experienced people on this site for free information show some commitment on your side to make me feel  its worth me spending my time helping you!

Hi Anish,

I am a new real estate investor based in ..... . I am currently researching the idea of investing out of state, more specifically with a turnkey company. I have been looking into the Indy and Dallas markets. Iâ??d love to connect and share information. I know right now it is pretty one sided since I am still learning everything I can, but I hope to bring value to the table when I can.

I heard your podcast with ..... and it was very inspirational. It sounds like you have had some great success in the Indy market. What are your thoughts on .... and his turnkey operation in Indy, as well as the PM he uses?

Hi ....

Indy has been reasonably good. Especially now the portfolio has reached critical mass and is stabilized. I did have issues including one major disaster tenant and one mildly bad one, both being evicted. But these were both inherited tenants. Of the tenants placed by my PM, I have had no issues.Happy to share my experience with you over the phone sometime  if you like.Hi Anish,Thanks for your thoughts. I would love to talk over the phone sometime, but I am very busy at work right now. I should have more free time during March. I will send you a message around that time so we can set something up.I look forward to it,

Indy has been reasonably good. Especially now the portfolio has reached critical mass and is stabilized. I did have issues including one major disaster tenant and one mildly bad one, both being evicted. But these were both inherited tenants. Of the tenants placed by my PM, I have had no issues.

Happy to share my experience with you over the phone sometime  if you like.

Hi Anish,Thanks for your thoughts. I would love to talk over the phone sometime, but I am very busy at work right now. I should have more free time during March. I will send you a message around that time so we can set something up.I look forward to it,

Thanks for your thoughts. I would love to talk over the phone sometime, but I am very busy at work right now. I should have more free time during March. I will send you a message around that time so we can set something up.

I look forward to it,

Curt Davis · Answer

thought I agree that is not the way to network, I also don't think in my opinion you should call someone out and embarrass them in an open forum. Thought you didn't use their name, if that person reads your comments you might make someone if they are a new I vestor very hesitant to contact others or even you in the future.  Also since they were just looking for your thoughts and not buying anything from you, it shouldn't matter how long it takes for them to get back with you. You should be more thoughtful next time, we are all  at different levels in this business.

Jean Bolger · Answer

Well, I can see that being annoying! Especially if you are fielding a lot of inquiries.

My personal pet peeve right now is the guy who asked to be a colleague and then shared my email (along with about 400 other CC'd email addresses) with apparently every two-bit wholesaler and turnkey operator in Georgia. I don't invest in Georgia, and I don't plan to. Annoyed.

Account Closed · Answer

If the moderator feels that posting the inbox (even after stripping all personal details) is inappropriate, please feel free to delete the post. I was just trying to make point to the newbies. Thanks

Account Closed · Answer

@Joe Villeneuve Maybe thats because you are trying to SELL something and I am not!

Account Closed · Answer

@Curt Davis I am not trying to embarrass anyone and hence any personal information has been redacted. However it is an instructional since there are many people reaching out to me (and others I'm sure) for help and advice. And contrary to your point, the very fact that this person wants my knowledge (and time) for FREE makes it more incumbent upon them to consider that. If indeed they were buying something from me, they would be the CUSTOMER and I would have to be more respectful of their time and convenience. If they were SELLING to me, I would never bother calling them again.

And this is not the only such case. Several people contact me, I offer to talk with them and then they drop off the map without any further words. Its a pet peeve I guess. Of course there are  others who do follow through and I hope I have helped some of them.

Its not a big deal in the scheme of things but then most posts on here are not :-)

Joe Villeneuve · Answer

Or, maybe that's because I am genuine...and NOT trying to sell something.  Could it be that I actually enjoy helping others ?

Shaun Reilly · Answer

Meh.......

Not perfect since I suppose a full on go getter would try to make it work to talk ASAP.

Would not really have ruffled my feathers at all.  I mean if he asked to call you and then you offered to do it and he said maybe in a month that would be different.

I mean you more or less gave him the snapshot of what he asked already.

BTW I do commend you if you actually make an offer to talk on the phone with everyone that gets in touch with you.  While I am more than happy to answer PMs and email questions, and am very active on the forums, if I offered to call everyone that got in touch with me on BP, Facebook, Twitter, some random business card I gave out as a REIA or something etc. I'd pretty much spend every waking hour on 15min calls with all these people!

Chad U. · Answer

@Jean Bolger

I feel your frustration.  I think that was a poor web/data scraping exercise by someone who does not know how to BCC or use a mass email marketing program.  I even connected that particular individual with a legit wholesaler in the area, but not even one thank you in return.  very annoying!

Brandon Hicks · Answer

I had a guy PM me here and ask if I could take a look a deal to see what I thought of the cash flow. I agreed.

He sent me an address.

Just an address.....

Joe Villeneuve · Answer

@ANISH TOLIA Personally, I have no problem with any of the comment you called attention to as being "not the way to network".  If any of those people who he "called out" would like to network, just connect with me and I'll answer you questions the best I can.

How not to network

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