Keith Haring and Help-U-Sell

Bear with me; it’s not that far-out a combination!

I have great appreciation for the artist, Keith Haring.  First off, I like his art, the energy and simplicity of it.  Like the cave paintings of our ancestors, it is so iconic that it’s hard to forget.  For years I toyed with buying a real Haring and finally, in 2001, I did.  It’s from a four part series called ‘Fertility’ and I have number 66 of 100.  It measures about 4 feet, square.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.

Later I picked u p a signed poster for the first showing of his huge metal sculptures in New York.  Just today, a friend, trying to make a little wall space, gave me a smaller print.  I also have lots of Haring nicky nackies:  buttons, cups, tee shirts and so on.

The art is great, but there’s another reason I like Haring so much, and it’s his uncanny ability to market himself and his work.  The art world is pretty stuffy and rigid.  We have the image of the starving artist slaving away in a garret somewhere for a reason:  it’s very hard for a young person to be recognized, promoted and accepted into the establishment.  Most work a lifetime and die before anyone pays them any serious attention at all.  Haring hit New York in the 80s with a unique vision  and an impatience that made waiting to be discovered impossible.  He started noticing the blank inserts that were put up  over old advertisements in subway stations.These black velum-like paper coverings occupied the ad frames between messages.  He started riding the subway with a bag of chalk, and when he saw one of the black blanks, he’d hop off and, in ten minutes or so, craft one of his icons:  radiant baby, dancing dog, UFO and Pyramid.  It didn’t take long before millions of New Yorkers had seen his work and because it was iconic and memorable,  they looked for more.  Within a year he was being shown in galleries in the city and soon around the world.

Do you see what he did?  Faced with a fossilized status quo with lots of rules and indignation over anything new and different, he simply leap-frogged over them, went straight to the consumer — who he defined not as an intellectual snob, but as the man in the street — used guerrilla marketing techniques to build top of mind awareness and never looked back.  The Status Quo was forced to reckon with him and they quickly opened up to him.  He’s now in major museums throughout the world.  I saw a huge retrospective at the Whitney in New York a few years ago that was stunning.

One more Haring thing before I try to tie in Help-U-Sell.  After breaking through, Keith once again earned the raised eyebrow of the art establishment when he started mass producing his work on tee shirts and skateboards and backpacks and marketing them in his Pop Shop in New York and Tokyo.  The prices were affordable and suddenly common everyday people could own a little of his work.  Again:  he took a risk to make his high quality product affordable for the average person.

Help-U-Sell operates in a similar environment.  We are faced with a rigid status quo — the real estate industry — that has lots of unspoken, and sometimes spoken, rules designed to preserve things just as they are.  It’s very hard to innovate or take a different path without incurring the hostility of  this huge entity.  With a unique vision, Help-U-Sell goes into the marketplace using guerrilla marketing techniques to establish top of mind awareness.  We go directly to the consumer and obsess on how we can provide high quality real estate services that are affordable for the average person.   Sound Familiar?  It’s the same story.  We even have our own icon, the Help-U-Sell logo, brilliantly crafted and carefully designed to be memorable and recognizable from blocks away.

As for leap-frogging over the industry?  Every poll, every survey I’ve seen solidly states that the consumer wants exactly what we have.  All we have to do is let enough of them know that we have it.  Keith Haring used blank subway advertisement placards.  I’m not sure what our equivalent is, but I’m leaning toward Facebook.  If that statement baffles you, tune in next Tuesday to Tech Time (11 am Pacific, 2 pm Eastern) for the second of Tami Patzers 4 part series on building your client base using Facebook.  Then tell me if you think we’ve found our medium.

Gurus

Ours is an industry that loves experts.  We also love motivational speakers (even if they’re not experts).  We love to combine the expert and the motivational speaker and put them in front of a room full of brokers and agents to do their thing, strut their stuff, and present, present, present.  Having been in the biz since the eviction of Adam and Eve from the Garden, I’ve seen and met quite a few.  Here are some of my favorites:

Tom Hopkins.  Almost single handedly turned my new career around.  I failed miserably as a salesperson for six months.  Then I borrowed a set of his real estate tapes (it was 1976 and he hadn’t yet expanded to other industries) and listened to them until his words became mine.  As soon as the dialogs became automatic I started to fire on all cylinders, so to speak and the rest is history.  I had the honor of having breakfast with him one morning in the early ’80s as I prepared to introduce him to a big group.  It was like meeting a rock star.

Danielle Kennedy.  I saw her speak many times, but what I really remember is her book:  ‘How to List and Sell Real Estate’.  It’s been awhile since I scanned through it, but for years I swore it was the best book ever written about how to have a successful real estate career.  Like Tom, Danni was above all practical.  She gave you things to DO, today, that would make a difference.

Floyd Wickman.  Floyd was fantastic.  A great mix of solid strategy and humor.  I think his answer to any question a prospective seller might ask on the phone – ‘I don’t know, I gotta see the house first’ — should be carved into his headstone when he gets called to that great listing appointment in the sky.  My favorite Floyd moment came in the early ’90s when I was head of training at Century 21.  We had taken a philosophical right turn from the rest of the industry by jumping feet first into Consultative Selling.  We were abandoning the slick scripts and the heavy techniques that were popular at the time in favor of just knowing your stuff and doing a good job for people.  We had an unspoken moratorium for awhile on speakers as we tried to establish the new culture, and many were pretty hostile to our new direction (‘What?? You’re going to give out the address on the phone??? Are you crazy?!?).  Floyd was the first to step up and say he thought we were on the right track and he’d support what we were doing.  I met him at Caesars in Vegas and cemented the relationship over a few too many glasses of bourbon.  Mrs. Woodjakowski, indeed!

Charlie ‘Tremendous’ Jones.  Most real estate people don’t know Charlie because he was big mostly in Insurance circles.  I saw him several times though and once was manhandled by him on stage.  He was a big guy, probably 6’5″ tall and a little heavy.  He was on stage ranting on about people who didn’t make it because they lacked COMMITTMENT!! (he’d growl that word).  Next thing I knew, he was down in the audience, grabbed me by the arm and led me to the stage where he essentially put me in a headlock and dragged me around from one side to the other, addressing the top of my head with:  ‘Do you know what separates the greats from the not so greats?  COMMITTMENT!!  Do you know what makes the do-ers DO and the don’t-ers DON”T?  COMMITTMENT!!’  and on and on.  My friends in the audience told me afterward I looked like a rag doll being mauled by a pit bull.

Steven Covey.  I saw him once and loved how he related to the audience.  There were probably 2,000 people in the room and he took the stage with just an idea about what he wanted to communicate and what he’d like to accomplish. It was clear he was not speaking from a rehearsed script.  But he had an assistant backstage at a computer who had all of his slides and knew exactly where they were.  Covey would talk a bit and he seemed to make personal contact with everyone in the room (including me and I was at the back of the balcony) and then he’d say ‘Put up that pie chart slide’ and a moment later there it’d be. He bounced around like that for an hour and a half, letting the audience dictate the direction.  I swear:  it was the most beautifully organized, spontaneous, un-canned and involving talk I’ve ever seen.

Rick O’ Neil.  How could I not include our own former leader?  Rick was remarkable.  He didn’t do much visible prep work before he’d talk to a group — I think all the prep was going on in his head — but he always had the perfect message in the perfect order to move his audience.  I never saw anybody take a room full of people and literally change their collective minds and get a commitment from them  the way he could.  And he did it over and over.  I remember him showing up early the first day of one of our Help-U-Sell Universities.  I asked him if he’d like to say a few words.  ‘Oh, I don’t know,’ he replied, ‘I can, if you want.’  So I introduced him and what came out of his mouth was an elegant, eloquent and moving speech about honor, courage and commitment.  It got a standing O and should have been recorded for all posterity.

There are so many others and some I’m going to kick myself for not remembering (like Wayne Dyer) but that’s my short list for this Thursday.  Who are your gurus?

Just Silly Stuff

The Alaotra Grebe, a small diving bird native to Madagascar has been officially classified extinct.  I think the 6% real estate commission may be next.

I heard the funniest thing in my yoga class this morning.  It’s not a ‘seniors’ class on purpose, but most of us are 50+.  We’re all working hard to stay limber and not fossilize.  Today, my matt was between Dick’s (he’s 77) and Joe’s (he’s 63) .

Our instructor, Robert, was demo-ing an arm stretch that involved reaching over the shoulder with one arm and up the back with the other.

‘It took me 15 years to get to the point where I could get my hands to touch,’ he said.

Dick,  looked up and said, ‘I haven’t got that much time!’

And, Oh by the way:  yesterday’s Tech Tuesday was excellent.  Tami Patzer took us through the first of four sessions on how to use Facebook to build your client base.  It’s not at all what you might think.  There are lots of little tips and tricks that make it work.  If you missed the live session, the recording is in the Download Library under Technology Training/Facebook + Social Networking.  The series continues next Tuesday, so put it in your calendar.  It’s not to be missed.

Don’t Miss This

Tech Time Tuesday goes Facebook for a month, starting today!  Each of the next four Tech Tuesday webinars will focus on this amazing tool and how you can use it to build your business.  I’ve talked with offices that are averaging a closing a month just from the network they’re building on Facebook and I believe that’s just the beginning of what could be a very profitable source of business.  It’s not an automatic, though.  Facebook, like so many other lead generation systems, must be worked.  It’s not hard, but there are a lot of tips and tricks to make your experience easier and more effective.

The sessions will be one hour each and will occur each of the next four Tuesdays (including today) at 11 am Pacific Time (2pm, Eastern).

Check you Help-U-Sell email and look for a message sent yesterday, May, 24, from Robert Stevens.  The subject line will be:  ‘Tech Time Tuesdays – Facebook and new Broker Website Implementation.’  It has the link you can use to sign up for this important series.  If you can’t find the email, call anyone at corporate or send a message to support@helpusell.com.

See you online!

Congratulations! Your House Didn’t Sell!

That’s the first line of an Expired Listing card John’s been playing with.  The second line, or the back of the card, would say something like:  ‘Now you can really sell your house and save a lot of money! ‘  Let us Help-U-Sell-A-Brate!  Ok; I added that last bit.  But I can see this whole campaign taking shape.  You know, it’s like:  ‘Wheewwww!  Thank goodness  your house didn’t sell!  Now you can save some serious cash!’

It gets down to one of the great truths of Help-U-Sell:  if sellers see our program, they almost always list with us.  An Expired lisitng — or a FSBO — or a property listed with another broker — is probably a seller who didn’t know we existed, didn’t know what we do, or didn’t realize we were in the local market.  In all three cases, it’s a marketing challenge.

Think of it this way:  There are no traditional sellers;  it’s just that some sellers haven’t met Help-U-Sell . . . yet.

Remember the three messages at the heart of all Help-U-Sell marketing:  That Help-U-Sell is HERE and represents savings, people use us, and it works.

We say we’re here with blitz signs and car wraps, with seller held open houses (featuring many, many signs in the local area).  We also say we’re here with a strong web presence and office websites that can easily be customized, optimized and localized so that homeowners in the area can find us.  We say we’re here by putting our logo on everything.

We say people use us by featuring pictures and descriptions of homes for sale on almost all of our advertising.  We also establish that message every time we send out a Just Listed, Just Sold or Open House card.

And we say IT WORKS! by making sure 1/3 of the homes in our advertising include a ‘Sold and Saved’ banner across the edge.  We also lean heavily on satisfied client testimonials for this message.

Back in the Pleistocene Era when I was a Traditional Real Estate Broker, I would never have included testimonials or ‘Sold and Saved’ listings in my advertising.  No way I’d be giving up that expensive marketing space to something I couldn’t sell!  I wouldn’t have wrapped my vehicle either because, well, it’s gaudy.  And Blitz Signs?  Forget it!  I wouldn’t want to tick off all my friends at the Board!

Of course, most of what was around in the Pleistocene Era (including many Traditional Real Estate Brokers) is extinct.  So much for playing by the rules your competitors set for you!

If you haven’t figured it out, this is a pep talk.  My message is to get out there and tell people who you are.  Do it all day, every day.  Do it with paid marketing and low cost/no cost marketing.  Do it with conversation and personal notes and door knocking and just being friendly.  Do it by wearing your name badge and responding when people ask, ‘What do you do?’

NAR was nearly ecstatic today announcing that sales of existing homes were up 7.5% in April.  Things are slowing turning.  It’s time to stand up and be proud!  Don’t stay locked in the real estate closet!  You’ve got a story to tell!  And people surely DO want to hear from you.

 

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