Skunks in Real Estate 

July 24, 2007
Volume 2 Issue #1 

I know you are thinking Jeff has gone out of his mind or finally an expose about my competitor. Well this isn't a competitor expose, although there are probably a few agents to whom the label skunk would apply. At my last check up I came out somewhat normal So where is this going? 

The skunks in real estate were in our real estate; in fact, they moved in right under our front stoop- the kind you walk on not a reference to the owners. OK, this newsletter is usually about real estate, where is the connection? The whole process of having and finally removing our skunks is loaded with a powerful real estate message not to mention the powerful smell we dreaded. 

1 We have a problem (Your potential clients have a problem) 

2 We go to the Internet first to research the problem (Sounds like clients again) 

3 We try to get rid of the skunks on our own (We were skunk FSBOs) 

4 We find it is not as easy to get rid of the skunks as we were led to believe (Has a familiar ring?) 

5 We look for a professional (See where this is heading) 

6 We pick out 2 different companies (Both had pictures of skunks prominently displayed in their ads and the areas they covered) 

7 We call both companies (There is competition in the skunk removal business) 

8 Company number 1 calls back in a few hours, Company number 2, a day later (We choose the 1st company to call us back- Real estate statistics say over 50% choose the first agent they talk to) 

9 The Company comes over and explains how it works (We dont totally grasp all the details- sounds like real estate to me) 

10 We are frustrated because it takes longer than we think it should (Where have I heard that before) 

11 Al, the skunk guy, starts talking to us every time he checks the traps (The communication calms us down- we love Al because he makes us feel involed) 

12 We think that the traps are in the wrong place (Client is an expert in something that they don't do regularly) 

13 Finally all 9 skunks are trapped (We are happy) 

14 We are not asked to refer the skunk people to anyone else (Sounds like a mistake that is repeated often) 

So what is the message of this true and personal story? The trauma of skunks in our real estate has passed. We are ready for the next batch: Al recommended we put steel bars into the ground around the porch as an alternative to the very expensive solution his company recommended- we really like Al. Skunks 101, Real Estate 101 and Life 101 have a lot in common. 

And, just one more thing, there are no skunks on Beaver Island.* 

Monthly Tech Tip

When you are writing something for the Internet, use short sentences, use bullets and bold main points. This style of writing will match the way that many people read on the Internet. Visualize what you are writing through the eyes of your typical reader.