Two earlier posts I made last week, covered ideas I have used, for providing no distribution cost, of real estate marketing materials. This third and last post in my series, will be no different. However, I wish to cover how life sometimes creates circumstances we need to overcome, but in the end can be a blessing.
In the 1990s, I went through several years where I wasn’t in the best health. In addition, during that time, Sacramento endured three military base closures. This put our city into significant recession. Fortunately, in my previous 10 years as a Realtor, I had saved money. That savings carried me through for a while. However, one April morning, I realized I needed to find a way to try and retrieve my health - both physically and financially. Because, I realized we were experiencing much more than a usual market down cycle. I decided to pay Kelly Temp Services a visit.
Kelly Services dispatched me out to the research and development center of an international software development company, in nearby El Dorado Hills. It was only supposed to be a 3 month assignment. My position was front desk Receptionist/Administrative Assistant. I sat in the middle of this amazing building, which had won many architectural design awards. It was uplifting, just being there. I quickly made friends with many software developers working there. And, I found myself selling and listing homes for them. In addition, the company had a gym, where I could work out a little before work in the morning. My physical and financial health began to improve.
About two months into my three month assignment with the company, I became a permanent employee. I worked at that software company for over 8 years. After work, and on weekends, I would take fellow employees to view and buy homes, or I would list theirs. I never had difficulty finding these clients to sign documents, etc., because during the day, they were only a few steps away. And, when I had marketing materials to provide, I simply put them in their company mailboxes. No postage required.
The point of my telling you this story, is to remind that most Realtors understand the real estate market is cyclic. It can be brutally cyclic at times. But, you can circumvent financial disaster, by taking a temp job. Doing so, can provide an opportunity to make new acquaintances, and those relationships can quickly become part of your client base.
After leaving the software company in 2005, I found that I missed the gym at the company. So, I joined California Family Fitness near my home. I began swimming laps. I will sometimes go inside the gym to work on the torture machines, but I really prefer being outdoors in the pool, and especially the spa. Before I retired after 40 years as a Realtor, someone joked that I had fished more clients out of that spa, than they could count. Again, there was no cost to dispensing marketing materials. All that was needed was a gym membership.
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