Are You a Newbie at a Real Estate Club?
by Bill Bronchick
Having run a real estate club since 1994 with 650 members and having attended 50
or more other clubs around the country to speak at, I have a few observations
and insights. If you want to get the most out of a real estate club, follow
these 5 rules...
Get What You Can From Every Speaker
Real estate clubs are often under-funded and not-for-profit. As such, they
cannot afford to pay professional speakers a fee to speak, so most speakers who
volunteer to do so have something to sell. In many cases, it is a book, tape
set, mentoring or boot camp. Some people are "offended" that speakers are
selling something, insisting that the speaker reveal everything he knows about a
topic in a 90-minute meeting.
Understand that everyone has something to sell, whether it is a guru selling a
course or a minister selling the "the word", while passing around the collection
basket. Everyone who speaks at a group has an "agenda", otherwise he or she
would not be standing on the stage speaking. Even the most hardcore "pitchmen"
do offer some great ideas during their presentations, so you need to get past
the "I'm not here to be sold" attitude and get what you can from the speaker. A
speaker cannot reveal everything he knows in 90 minutes, otherwise he or she
isn't qualified to take the stage. So, you should expect a certain amount of
stories, jokes, anecdotes and yes, a sales pitch for something. Listen
carefully, however, you might also learn something!
Respect Other People's Time
Many newbies always expect they can take a veteran investor out to lunch to
learn the business. Most veteran investors won't do this, unless they are fairly
certain you will bring them deals. And, the "teach me the business and I'll
bring you deals" attitude doesn't work. If a veteran investor teaches you
everything he knows and you do nothing (or you do invest and don't bring him
deals), he's wasting his time. I know this from personal experience, having
taught dozens of newbies the business for free, thinking they would come bring
me deals. At one point, I woke up to reality - people who don't pay for their
education rarely uses it! Many people know that I charge for mentoring and I
charge quite a bit. And yet the more I charge, the more people appreciate the
advice and use it.
Be willing to pay people money for other people's time. You wouldn't expect a
doctor to let you take him out to lunch for a consultation, so why is an
investor's time any different? Keep in mind that most investors have paid
thousands of dollars over the years for seminars and courses. Many feel that
sharing information with others for free is simply unfair in that respect. And,
most importantly, don't waste other investors' time trying to learn the basics.
Undoubtedly, you have seen dozens of unanswered posts on investors sites from
people asking general questions that can be found in a $15 book. Go to the
bookstore and buy 10 paperback books and read them. If you are not willing to
spend $150 and the time to read 10 basic books, you aren't ready to be an
investor - period!
Let People Know Why You Are There
If you sit in the corner drinking coffee, you aren't networking and marketing
your most valuable asset... yourself! If your club does not have big name tags,
make yourself one. Make it big and colorful. Have a statement about what you do
and what you are looking for. There's one guy at our club whose nametag reads,
"The Mobile Home Guy." Everyone knows him. Everyone calls him when they need to
sell a mobile. Be creative and aggressive. Ask your club leader if it is
permissible to pass out flyers - bring big, colorful flyers that read "I Have
Houses To Wholesale - Call Me" or "I Am Looking For Rehab Properties On the West
Side - Call Me."
Get yourself a fancy business card and hand it out to everyone. And, don't use
the cheap computer-printed garbage, go spend $50 and get some nice double-sided
cards that explain who you are and what you do. In short, if you show other
investors you are serious about taking action, you will get their cooperation.
Join Membership Immediately
It amazes me how many people hesitate to join membership in their local real
estate associations. For a few hundred bucks, you get access to one of the best
resources you can find - other investors. Why spend all your time looking for
the "right" mortgage broker when you can ask other people in the club? Why run
ads in the paper for your wholesale deals when you can send an email to a dozen
other investors you met at the club? Heck, even the fact that you are a member
of the club will give people a reason to do business with you versus someone who
isn't a member.
I've been running a real estate club for 9 years and I can honestly tell you
that I always go to the membership roll whenever I need a deal, a partner, a
recommendation or money to borrow. Also, volunteer to assist with the meeting.
Volunteers often get on the "inside track" to becoming a board member, which
gives you a lot of influence in the club. Offer to write articles for the
newsletter on your own area of expertise that may be related to real estate. If
you are an experienced investor, offer to teach a beginner's class or host a
breakfast meeting.
Respect The Rules
Be considerate others at the meetings. Every club has rules, so be mindful of
them. Show up early so you don't disrupt the meeting. Don't pass out flyers
without asking permission. Don't stand in the back of the room and yack while
the speaker is onstage. Don't shout out questions to the speaker without raising
your hand. Close the door to the room quietly when you go to the restroom. And,
for Pete's sake, turn off your cell phone!
Bio:
William Bronchick, CEO of Legalwiz Publications, is a Nationally-known attorney,
author, entrepreneur and speaker. Mr. Bronchick has been practicing law and real
estate since 1990, having been involved in over 600 transactions. He has
appeared as a guest on numerous radio and television talk shows including CNBC
Power Lunch. He has been featured in Who's Who in American Business, Money
Magazine, the Los Angeles Times and the Denver Business Journal. William
Bronchick has served as President of the Colorado Association of Real Estate
Investors since 1996.