Page 80 - Social Media Marketing

60 Walk Like a Giant, Sell Like a Madman

Most people who have a disability don't want to be treated any
differently from anyone else. You may need to make some special
accommodations, so you can provide the person with the same
quality service you offer your other clients, but you cannot fix the
situation the person is in, so don't try, and don't pity them. Adapt to
their needs. Every time you do, you open yourself to a new valuable
relationship and a host of new opportunities.

Green Is the Only Color You Should See

About 10 years ago, I was working with a minority couple to help
them find a home-a pair of young professionals, both of whom
had solid incomes. They were excellent, highly qualified buyers,
whom any seller should have felt fortunate to find.

When one of my buyer's agents took them to the first showing
of one particular house, the garage door was locked, and the owner
wouldn't allow them access to one of the bedrooms or the basement.

They looked at other houses, but couldn't find anything that fit
their needs as well as the house that they were blocked from touring
completely. They wanted to see the rest of the house. We scheduled a
second showing. My buyer's agent, the couple, and the wife's father
went to look at the house again. This time, the seller wouldn't even
let them inside. The seller told them, "You kind of people don't
want to be in this neighborhood."

Somewhat shaken, the couple sought legal advice and soon
learned that the seller had broken several equal opportunity
statutes. Under the law, they were clearly entitled to relief or dam-
ages for the way they had been treated.

As soon as he learned what had happened, the listing broker
immediately released the seller from the listing agreement. A real
estate agent can lose his license for assisting people he knows have
broken equal opportunity laws.

The couple was getting ready to take the seller to court and there
was a good chance that the seller would lose his house in the dispute.
At this point, I intervened. I convinced the seller that he had been