Use Your Books In Waiting Rooms
Use Your Books in Waiting Rooms
It’s a simple fact of life: if you go into any sort of doctor’s office — or even the mechanic — you’re going to have to wait. That’s why they provide a table or shelf of easy reading materials for you to peruse while you’re there.
What if your book was sitting on one of those tables or shelves and the right person happened to pick it up?
Believe it or not, several of our members have gotten listings because someone picked up their book while they were sitting in a waiting room. This strategy is so simple and can gain you exposure to people you may not have otherwise been able to reach.
Here’s how to get your books into waiting rooms in your area and open the door to a whole host of new potential clients.
1. Identify Places You Can Leave Your Book.
Make a list of all the places in your area with waiting rooms. You can use YellowPages.com to search for businesses and offices in your area. Here are some examples of professionals and businesses that utilize waiting rooms:
2. Ask Permission to Put Your Book on the Shelf.
Once you have a list of places to leave your books, work your way down the list and contact them. Start with businesses you actually patronize because they’ll likely be more receptive to giving you permission.
You can write an email to the business explaining what your book is all about or call to ask permission. Even better, you can drop by with a copy of your book in hand and ask if you can leave it on the table. People are much less likely to reject you if you show up in person.
Here is a script you can use when you call or drop by with your book:
“Hi! My name is ________. I’m a patient/customer, and I have an unusual favor to ask. I’m not sure if you know this or not, but I work as a Realtor. You know how you leave those magazines in the lobby for people to read while they wait? I have a book about real estate that I offer to people. I wonder if you’d mind if I left my book inside your lobby with the magazines? Anyone who is waiting can read it. Would that be OK with you?”
If you deliver this script in person, hold your book in your hand as you talk. Right when you say, “my book,” reach out your hand and give your book to the person you’re speaking with.
If they say no, move onto the next office. Eventually, someone will let you leave a copy or two behind. Once you get more confident in your approach, you can get your book into waiting rooms all over your area.
3. Offer to Return the Favor.
If you’re consistently met with resistance from local businesses, you can offer them an incentive for letting you drop off your books. Here are some ideas to pique their interest:
4. Leave Your Books Behind.
You may be more inclined to simply leave a copy of your book behind the next time you visit your doctor or local mechanic. It’s very unlikely that any business will take major issue with you leaving your book on their shelf, and most probably won’t even notice.
If for any reason a business calls you to ask about the book, you can simply ask permission at that time.
Lorena’s Success Story
When Lorena obtained her first set of books, she gave them out to people who provided services — her dentist, hairdresser, nail technician, and others.
“I went to my regular visit to my dentist and he usually asks me, ‘How is the market?’”
Her dentist told his office manager about Lorena’s book.
“She said, ‘The dentist told me you have a book and that you sell houses.’ I said, ‘Yes, I do.’ ‘Well, I have a house for sale. Why don’t you come over to my house?’ We made an appointment for about three or four days later. When I arrived at her house, according to her address, I had already prepared a quick CMA, and I put in a book for her, as well.
“I was talking to her and her husband about what I do, and they happened to be the pastors of the church. So they told me they want to sell their house and the church … I opened my folder and let them know what I could do for [them], and I had an autographed book for them as well, so the pastor was very interested.”
Lorena got the $500,000 listing for the office manager’s house — a six-bedroom home in a nice neighborhood. She also agreed to co-list the church with a commercial agent and received her regular commission on the sale.
Cindy’s Success Story
Cindy, a Colorado agent with 10 years of experience, had only been a member for 6 months when she shared her success using the books.
“What I did was I dropped off books for waiting rooms at the local hospitals and car dealerships and dentist offices, that kind of thing. And I’ve received phone calls. I think I’ve gotten a total of five calls, and each one of them listed with me. I sold their house.”
She added, “Three of them were upgrading to a different house, and so I sold those houses, as well. And I’m just now getting ready to close on the second part of those and then two of them were moving out of state and I actually referred them and got a referral fee on that — or will — when they close.”People who call usually say, “I saw your book in the hospital” or wherever she left them.
“I just listen to them and listen to what they are wanting to do … and we just kind of build up a rapport with them, and in all the cases I’ve had, then they’ve just said, ‘Would you mind working with me?’”
Cindy’s husband drops off the books for her and makes sure all locations are replenished, since people tend to take the books home with them. “What it’s done for me is it’s given me something that’s working,” Cindy said. She likes that she can actively prospect without putting in any effort while she’s busy taking care of current clients. “I’m not always out trying to fill up my pipeline. I’ve got people calling me. That makes it a lot easier.”
“It’s funny because I’ll go into some place and somebody will say, ‘You look really familiar.’ Then they’ll go, ‘Oh, you’re the one that has the book!’ I can see where it will build.”
To Summarize:
Take Action:
The next time you’re sitting at your dentist’s office or waiting for the mechanic to finish your oil change, leave your book behind or ask the office manager for permission to do so. You might just get a call in a few weeks from someone who happened to peruse it while they were waiting to have their teeth cleaned.
