For the last couple of months, the "Do Not Call" list has been a hot topic. Though the litigation continues, the national "Do Not Call" list would forbid you from cold calling those who have signed up. Agents everywhere seem to be petrified that their ability to generate business has been snatched away from them. In reality, the "Do Not Call" list is the best thing that could have ever happened for real estate.

A Blessing in Disguise

For those of you who didn't faint after that last sentence, keep reading and I'll explain myself. The way I see it, "Do Not Call" lists provide all the more incentive to change the way you do business while making it a violation for you to do what you shouldn't have been doing anyway. If you're no longer allowed to make cold calls, the question then becomes how do you get people to call you? (Wouldn't you rather have that anyway?) Well, that's what personal marketing is all about.

A powerful personal marketing campaign relieves you of making those painstaking calls each week and attracts business to you. There is a better way to do business, and the "Do Not Call" lists laws are forcing your hand to choose those preferred methods.

A Mark of Quality

An additional benefit of the "Do Not Call" list is the spike in perceived quality real estate as a whole will receive from stopping cold calling. Think about it -- what do you feel like when you get that call from someone asking you to change long-distance companies or the carpet cleaning company offering their latest special? If you're like me, you hate those calls and end up with a negative perception of the businesses who utilize those business generation techniques.

That's the beauty of personal marketing. Your personal marketing campaign creates positive feelings in people and inspires them to call you based on a common ground. Where cold calling repels people, personal marketing attracts.

The Cost of Calling

I can hear you now. "Well, yes, personal marketing is better from that standpoint, but I just cannot afford to make that kind of investment." Agents tell me all the time that they prefer cold calling because it doesn't cost them anything. However, more than anything, cold calling costs precious time. Time takes its toll in many forms, from sacrificing the quality of your image to sacrificing quality of life. Agents are so fearful of spending money but always willing to spend their time.

Now, with the advent of "Do Not Call" lists, there's finally something to slow you down. So how do you build your business? Just like a business in any other industry would. You market. You build brand awareness. And before you know it, consumers in your market will know your name just like you know the name of that hamburger place with the golden arches.

Follow a Proven Business Model

Yes, as much as we may not want to admit it, we all occasionally find ourselves in the drive-thru at McDonald's.

Is it because of the great-tasting, high-quality beef they use and the incredible service they provide throughout your meal? No, it's because of marketing. The people at McDonald's are fantastic marketers, taking a fast-food restaurant and making it a quintessential American experience. Notice that they've built their brand through advertising and marketing, not cold calling. When's the last time McDonald's called you and asked if you were planning on eating fast food anytime in the next six months?

Along those same lines, look down at your feet. When's the last time you got that cold call from Nike inquiring about the status of your tennis shoes? When's the last time your phone rang from the people at Kleenex reminding you that their brand of facial tissue is somehow superior to the competition? And I'm sure the reason you bought your Lexus, Cadillac or Mercedes is because the salesman called you at home to tell you what a great car they had, right?

Change Your Ways, Change Your Life

I hope this demonstrates to you that there is a better way to do business, and if anything, the "Do Not Call" list provides the impetus to get out of the dark ages and choose a smarter way of doing business. You will prefer it, your family will prefer it and most of all, those people you used to call will prefer it. Stop calling now and change your business (and life) for the better.

Published: November 11, 2003

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Co-founder of Hobbs/Herder Advertising and Hobbs/Herder Training, Greg Herder is recognized as the real estate industry's foremost authority on residential real estate marketing and agent productivity training. Herder is also a licensed Certified Residential Broker (CRB) and owner of MegaAgent Realty, and co-owner of JDG investments, a real estate investment company. Herder is a featured columnist on real estate marketing and training issues for Realty Times, Real Estate Executive Magazine, Savvy Executive Profiles, and, as well as a contributor to a variety of other industry publications, including Realtor® Magazine and Real Estate Business Magazine. He also authored the innovative how-to book “Satisfaction Guaranteed - 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed or Your Money Back," which ushered this unique concept into the world of real estate service. Greg has conducted over 1500 one, two or three day seminars over the past 17 years for the real estate industry and is a professional member of the National Speakers Association (NSA). He graduated cum laude from California State University with a BA in psychology and is currently working on getting his PhD in Organization Behavior.