Ep #98 – Tom Hopkins Returns – Tom is recognized as the world’s leading authority on selling techniques and salesmanship. Don’t miss this episode which is PACKED with valuable content to help you improve your sales skills!
Here’s some of what you will learn:
- The first and most important thing to learn to improve your sales skills.
- How to use The Chamber of Commerce as a resource.
- Selling is not what most people think it is.
- The 2 extremes in personalities and temperaments.
- The traits of the best sales people.
- The greatest investment a person can make.
- The importance of Practice.
- Practice, practice, practice, (lessons learned from watching Tiger Woods practice golf.)
- Repetition is the mother of skill.
- The importance of using scripts and elevator pitches.
- How to overcome your fear of sales.
- Using rituals to improve your confidence.
- What is a shower card?
- The importance of gratitude – count your blessings every day.
- People will say yes to your enthusiasm and excitement before they do your technical skills.
- Consider doing 2 things at once.
- The steps to truly master the art of selling.
- How to get started in selling for absolutely nothing.
- The basics of negotiation.
- What is the difference between an objection and a negotiation point?
- “5 Words to Live by, Do What You Fear Most. It’s what most Top Producers Do!”- Tom Hopkins
- We all have 86,400 seconds in a day. Do the most productive thing possible at every given moment.
- Focus and set priorities – don’t waste time.
- “Work harder on yourself than you do on your job to become a person people like and trust and want to listen to.” – Tom Hopkins
- Love people and use money. Never love money and use people and you will make all the money you could ever spend.” – Tom Hopkins
- “You’re in the people business, work on the skill of getting along with people.”
– Tom Hopkins - The things that have made the biggest difference in Tom’s life.
- Book recommendation: How to Master the Art of Selling, by Tom Hopkins
- Connect with me on Facebook at: Rod Khleif
- Text ROD to 41411 or visit RodKhleif.com for a FREE copy of my book, “How to Create Lifetime Cash Flow Through Multifamily Properties.”
Our Guest
You can learn more about Tom Hopkins and browse a free resource sales library at:
Full Transcript Below:
Ep #98 – Tom Hopkins Returns – Tom is recognized as the world’s leading authority on selling…
Welcome. This is the Lifetime Cash Flow Through Real Estate Investing Podcast. This is where you’ll learn strategies to help you achieve lifetime financial freedom through real estate investment. Your host, Rod Khleif, has owned over 2,000 homes and apartments. And he brings experts in all aspects of real estate investment and management on to the show. Now, here’s your host, Rod Khleif.
Rod Khleif: I wanna tell you guys, my new website is finally up. It’s rodkhleif.com. That’s R-O-D-K-H-L-E-I-F dot com. And I’ve got a ton of videos on there that I know you’ll enjoy. And if you haven’t gotten my book yet, it’s titled “How to Create Lifetime Cash Flow Through Multifamily Properties”.
There’s a direct download for the book on my website. Now, at some point, I’m gonna be putting it on Amazon, and charging for it but you can get it for free right now via my website. Again, that’s rodkhleif.com. K-H-L-E-I-F dot com.Alright, let’s get to it.
Welcome to another edition of How to Build Lifetime Cash Flow Through Real Estate Investing. I’m Rod Khleif and I’m thrilled you’re here. And we are so blessed and lucky to have Tom Hopkins back on the show.
Now let me take a second to tell you about Tom if you didn’t listen to the initial episode. When I first got in real estate, Tom was the number one sales trainer for real estate professionals back then. I actually saw him speak personally at two events.
Tom’s actually spoken in front of four million people. And I know he’s known as the builder of sales champions. His authored 14 books including the runaway bestseller “How to Master the Art of Selling” and all of his books are fantastic. And today over 35,000 corporations and millions of professional sales people throughout the world use Tom’s professional sales technology literally every day.
Tom, I’m thrilled you’re here, buddy. Thanks for coming back on the show.
Tom Hopkins: Well, thank you, Rod. I’m so excited to talk to people about cash flow real estate investments because that really was the foundation of my, I would say, overall career and good fortune financially was to be taught how and to invest in properties myself. So, excited to be with you.
Rod Khleif: Oh, thank you. Well, I’ll tell you. Those of you listening, thinking, well, how is somebody that’s a sales expert gonna help me? Well, I want you to think about something. Who are you selling every single day in your life? You’re selling yourself. You have to be able to sell yourself to… I mean, even your children for that matter, your spouse for that matter but, of course, in the business environment you got to sell yourself to brokers, sellers, lenders, investors.
This session is very important for those of you listening, particularly those of you that are analytical that struggle with sales and communication. So, those of you that are in that bucket, make sure you listen very carefully today.
So, Tom, let’s dig right in if you don’t mind. My first question to you is what are the most important things someone that has a difficult time starting in the sales environment, a listeners that’s wanting to get into multifamily real estate, they’re great at the analytics, they’re great at the book study but they’re still little intimidated by sales, what would you suggest the most important thing that they start learning?
Tom Hopkins: Well, the first thing I think that they need to do, if you are new and you’re really wanting to get going, is start prospecting not on for selling the product. That has to happen too but more prospecting for mentors. Meeting people that are in your industry or in your company that are highly successful. What I learned over the years, Rod, is the most successful people want to help others go and become more successful.
And that’s what happened in my real estate career. I was very fortunate to find the number one sales representative for one of the top companies in all of California. And I called and talked to her, and told her I was brand new. I was only 19. I got on a real estate and I’m scared to death. And could I maybe go on an appointment or two with her.
Well, God bless her. She had let me come on a listing appointment, showing homes with her. And I watched and listened and made notes. I attribute so much of my original success, Rod, to finding her as a mentor.
And so, I’m gonna suggest to people, look in their company, find the top producer, go on and ask if they would give you some help, and answer questions because I found that top producers normally will reach down, and really advice, and help, and get a person going. That’s what happened in my life. So again, let start step one: who in the company do you work for, or in the industry…
Rod Khleif: Or maybe not just in a company. A lot of my listeners are not in the real estate business. They have another job and they’re thinking about investing in real estate. They can certainly go to a local REIA meetings, that the Real Estate Investor club meetings, they could go to a meet up or something like that. Meetup.com and find a meeting. And we talked about this all the time on the show.
Find somebody because people love to pull other people up. Like you said, the successful people love to add value to up and comers. That’s great advice.
Tom Hopkins: Yeah, and I really believe that if you call the Chamber of Commerce and went in personally, and visit with them, and say, “I’m looking for people that I can get advice from.” They, I’m sure would have some folks and companies and so forth that would be able to say, “Hey! Here’s a hotshot in the industry and go on visit with him.”
Rod Khleif: That’s an interesting idea. I haven’t thought about that. Well, those people in the Chamber are very friendly. They’ll certainly gonna know the hitters in the investment space. Yeah, that’s a great idea. That’s never come up on the show before. That’s a great idea.
Tom Hopkins: Well, that’s one of the things I’ve always suggested because no one knows the businesses in the community more than Chamber of Commerce. Good, I’m glad we hit that one, great.
Rod Khleif: Yeah, no, that’s a good one. Yeah because they’ll know who’s developing, they’ll know who’s building.
Tom Hopkins: Sure.
Rod Khleif: They’ve got their finger on the pulse. Even if the Economic Development Office may be a solution as well. Another possibility.
What do you suggest for someone to get outside of their comfort zones in the art of selling? Something for the analytical people that are listening.
Tom Hopkins: Well, I think the first thing you have to realize is everybody in a way, as you mentioned, is in sales via your children, your spouse, your people that work for you if you’re the employer and they’re your employee. And I think if you open your mind to the fact that selling is not what most people think it is.
There are many people turned off at the thought of selling because I don’t feel they really comprehend and understand what it is we really do. So again, I think what I can do to get out of their comfort zone is to start studying, not only as a student, the art form of selling but I think they have to realize that there’s two extremes in personalities and temperaments.
There is the interesting extrovert, which is the outgoing, somewhat talkative. Normal person that thinks they’re in sales and low selling. Then the opposite, way on the opposite extreme is the interested introvert who is someone a little shy, a little afraid, a little humble.
My belief is that the analytical people that don’t think they can sell, can almost do better if they do become a trained person in selling, not just go into selling but make it as an art form and study it. And I think that analytical person can do extremely well. Because they’re the type of person that wants to listen not so much talk. They’re also the type of person that’ll give control of the conversation to the other person. And these are the traits I find in the best people in selling.
So, those listening right now that happen to lean that way, hey, this is for you. Believe me.
Rod Khleif: Awesome. Now that’s great. Yeah, you’re absolutely right. What’s that book? “How to Win Friends and Influence People.” People love listeners and it’s all about listening. Sales is about listening. You’re absolutely right. That’s great advice.
They have to go out and study it a little bit. Wouldn’t you agree? Buy one of your books on selling, and crack it. Would you suggest that?
Tom Hopkins: Oh, definitely. In fact, I think the greatest investment a person can make is to interface their mind with the knowledge about whatever they want to do.
Golf is a learned art form. And a great golfer practices more than anyone else. Well, I used to be a member out in California. This one country club where Tiger Woods was a member, he would come out, and we, of course, as average golfers, which we are, we would watch him. And we get in carts and try to follow around where he wouldn’t see us. And watch that beautiful swing with that reflex, beautiful motion. And what was so amazing is we leave to tee off at 10 and come back four and a half hours later, and Tiger Woods was still standing there with a pile of balls on the practice tee.
And so, I’ve tried my best to convince people in any industry, investing, selling, whatever it is. Find someone who is a pro and just let them give you advise. Take instructions. I know that some of the greatest golfers, they could not be who they are without their golf pro.
Rod Khleif: No question.
[00:10:00]
Rod Khleif: I wanna inject one thing there because you touched on something else. It’s really important here. That is, you just said that you ran thru a whole 18 holes of golf and Tiger is still there practicing.
And so, those of you listening, if you have a weakness maybe it’s selling, maybe it’s another weakness. Practice is what will get you through it. Repetition is the mother of skill. That’s the other piece that I didn’t wanna move past that because besides the mentor which is huge, no question, is huge. Practice, right? Would you agree, Tom?
Tom Hopkins: Exactly. Definitely. I just can’t express the importance of practicing and learning what to say.
One of the things that I’ve always tried to do is write scripts and phraseology that people can just lift and almost say, “Hey that’s my script, and I’m gonna rehearse it. I’m gonna practice it, and when I call someone on the phone. I’m gonna say this to bring down the defense barriers, and then I’m gonna do my best to get them to want to meet with me.” ‘Cause the phone is primarily designed to meet qualified people that can say yes to whatever the offering is.
Rod Khleif: Or even in person. It’s about building rapport. I’ve used scripts my entire life. In fact, elevator pitches. That’s something that you have to in this business, in the multifamily real estate business, you have to develop an elevator pitch for when you’re talking to a broker.
What you’re gonna say to a broker? When you’re talking to maybe a seller or an investor. Something that you can say in just a couple of minutes and you have to practice it. You should practice it with your spouse. You should practice it with anybody who’ll stand still long enough, because again, practice makes perfect. Repetition is the mother of skill.
You guys have heard these things before. That’s what it takes to try to do it ad hoc, I’ll tell you guys, those of you listening, whenever I’m gonna have a really important conversation even, I will script it out. I’ll sit and I’ll type it out. So that I don’t mess anything up. I’ll bullet point it.
Certainly, in a repetitive situation where you’re selling yourself to a potential investor, to a seller, to a broker, to a lender, you need to script it out like Tom just said. Great advice, Tom. I really appreciate you bringing that up.
The next question is there’s guys out there that are just frankly just terrified of sales. How would someone mentally prepare for selling? I know we’ve touched on some of these already. Find a mentor, educate yourself. Is there anything you would add to that for the mental preparation?
Tom Hopkins: Well, I think that if you’ll look at any great athlete, I don’t care what the endeavor flip ball, baseball, basketball. They have rituals that they go through to, in essence, psyche up for the event.
I remember back when I played football, in high school as a quarterback, I used to, before we go kick off, we’d all be in a locker room. And sure enough maybe some of the linemen will be smacking each other’s pads and yelling at each other to get adrenaline pumping. And then the quarterback or the halfback might just be sitting and very quietly, some in prayers, some just mentally visualizing. These are rituals and I think, all of these in life need to have a ritual of some type.
And I know for years, I have certain things that I wanted to put on my mind that morning, as soon as I got up. I had it pasted on a mirror, and I would literally stand in front of the mirror, and as I was either shaving or whatever, I would read these again as repetition practice. And I would get psyched up.
Again, I think that all of these are rituals that we have to go through. Saying things like, “I will win today. I’ll meet the right people, the right place at the right time for the betterment of all.” See, you say something like that with enthusiasm and excitement, and your adrenaline starts to pump. You get psyched up for the day.
Rod Khleif: Love it.
Tom Hopkins: I think this is a ritual. And I think, everybody listening right now might want to just say, “Hey, I’m gonna take some of the things that Tom’s gonna be saying. I’m gonna write them down and rehearse them, and psyche myself up.”
I used to do that in the shower. I used to have a thing called shower card, which was plastic card that hung in the shower. I was trying to do, Rod, two things at once.In the shower you’re not having to think. You’ve got your body washed down perfect, and so you can do two things. You could read good, stimulating, exciting things to yourself. And then of course, after a while you’ll not need to even read it, ‘cause you’ve said it, the repetition will be created to become memorized, and in your subconscious, but this is how. I think people need to psyche up.
Rod Khleif: Love it.
Tom Hopkins: And another thing. This may sound a little idealistic but I think, you also have to do a count your blessings thing everyday. I totally believe if a person analyzes how fortunate they are of the billions of people on our planet, that they ended up living in the United States, free enterprise capitalistic country. Working in a business where they can make a profit, driving a nice vehicle and living in a beautiful home. You start talking to yourself about what you have and there again you get pumped excited about the day.
And I found over the years that people will say yes. Regardless if it’s a broker or lender, whatever, they will say yes to a person’s enthusiasm and conviction, almost more than their technical, analytical skills.
Rod Khleif: I love it.
Tom Hopkins: So, I think enthusiasm and excitement have to come across. And of course, I think, you have to love what you do to get excited.
Rod Khleif: No question. I hope you guys are listening, are hearing a common theme because all of these stuffs said a little differently is the stuff that is in most of the driving force tips that you listen to; about having incantations and affirmations. When I exercise, you say you do two things at once. When I exercise, I yell things out like, “I am focused”, or “I am health and energy”.
I’m looking in my office here, and I’ve got a saying on the wall that says, “God’s wealth flows through me in avalanches of abundance.” And I’m manifesting things in my life, and psyching myself up by doing it. And you’re saying exact same theme, Tom. In the shower, on the mirror, if you look on the mirror in my bathroom, you will see things that’s so powerful.
It’s so great to hear it from a legend like you, Tom because I’ve been saying it. I think sometimes people think, “Oh, that’s too foofy. I’m not gonna do that.”
Tom Hopkins: [chuckles]
Rod Khleif: But, guys, listen. Trust me, I’m telling you, it works. You’re hearing it from a legend. And then about counting your blessings. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve talked about the importance of having a little morning ritual where you literally just do gratitude.
You’re grateful for your life and then you’re grateful for the things that you want in your life. Then you just decide its going to be an awesome day. And it just takes five minutes, and it’s so powerful for setting your day off right. Great answer to the question, Tom. I really appreciate it. You’ve just really reinforced a lot of the things that I believed, and have used in my life. So, it’s great to hear that from someone like yourself.
Tom Hopkins: Well, thank you.
Rod Khleif: If someone truly wants to master the art of selling. I mean, really wants to be a master. What are some steps you’d tell them to do?
Tom Hopkins: Well, first of all I want to say that selling is a wonderful business that’s so inexpensive to get into. Meaning many companies if you wanted to get into the actual sales field, or learn your selling skills, it’s so inexpensive.
Now, I’m gonna give the folks a way to that they can really get started for absolutely nothing. What I’d like to suggest they do is go to my website tomhopkins.com, and then push free resource page. And I have a page of resources. A page of things they can get for no investment.
Rod Khleif: Awesome.
Tom Hopkins: And they can start studying that. Now, once they get into that, it’s different letters to send, thank you notes. It’s all these little ideas they can take for nothing.
Now, when they get a taste for that, hopefully they’ll say, “Hey, I want Tom to be one of my mentors.” And then I would suggest that they call my office in Scottsdale, Arizona. And they order my first book “How to Master the Art of Selling.” And for the reason I say that, I don’t need to market a book but I do believe that first of my 18 books, it’s got so much material for a brand new person.
Rod Khleif: Oh, that’s fantastic. It’s a fantastic place to start. And I absolutely have no issue with you. I have no issue with endorsing that book on the show because it absolutely helped me.
Tom Hopkins: So, that could be a way for almost nothing. They could start a real handle on the art of selling.
Rod Khleif: Fantastic.
Tom Hopkins: Of course, I would not be doing free resource page unless I wasn’t sincerely concerned with that person who’s sincere about doing what’s necessary to start building their life, their business, their success. So, there’s a couple of good ones for you, my friend.
Rod Khleif: Awesome, thank you. That’s fantastic. We mentioned the handwritten notes, and I got to tell you, Tom, is such a wonderful human being. And I got a thank you note from Tom after we did our first podcast. I was just so floored to get it.
And it’s funny after mentioning it on the show; I got a handwritten note today ‘cause I take calls from you, guys when I can. And many of you’ve sent me handwritten thank you notes. And it’s just such a classy, classy move
[00:20:00]
Rod Khleif: Anyway, I wanted to mention that, Tom ‘cause you were the impetus for that, and that it’s such a class act.
Tom Hopkins: Well, thank you.
Rod Khleif: Yeah, so let’s talk about negotiation for a minute. You are a master in the art of training negotiation. I’d like to just hear a couple of quick negotiation strategies. Because in this business negotiation is an important component when you’re talking to a seller, or a broker in selling or negotiating a price or something. Can you share a couple of quick strategies?
Tom Hopkins: Sure, in fact, I think that everybody listening, I hope will realize that everyone today– client, buyer, seller, whatever, has a desire to negotiate because we’re all trying not only to stretch our dollars, which have been tight for most folks, but also we wanna walk away from a transaction feeling we did well.
Many years ago, when I used to teach not only investing but in real estate, I would talk about the people working on a trade of properties. One of the key is, if you’re working on trade, is both people have to feel that they got the best of the negotiation. Which again makes them both walk away feeling, “Hey, I’m happy. I’m thrilled”.
Rod Khleif: Right.
Tom Hopkins: But you also have to realize this is normal. Also, I think, we have to recognize the difference between an objection, and negotiation point. Now, let me explain. With objections or concerns, people usually haven’t made a decision yet, about whether or not the product, whatever it is, the investment will serve their needs.
An objection might sound like this, “Oh, Tom, I just think it cost too much” or, “The price is too high.” Well, see, with this type of thing now you have gotten an opportunity by answering that with a question. Like for example, if I had a buyer say to me, “Tom, I think it cost too much.”
I always agree in the beginning, “John, today most things do. Can you tell me about how much too much you might feel it is?”
Rod Khleif: [laughter]
Tom Hopkins: Now, I will get an amount of money that it’s too much which is now where I’ll have the ability to help them rationalize the investment, negotiate the amount of money. I think this is so important that people realize that this is just part of the darn business of investments.
And of course, you want to be careful of one thing. I always give this advice: how to avoid lowering your price in order to get sales. This is so important in negotiation.
Number one, a priced concession should always be your last option. And I say that because too many people cut or drop the price of the investment too soon without you pouring on enough value.
See, you wanna hear the buyer say something like this, “Price… We just don’t feel we can handle that much.” Then of course, you might say something to this effect, “Hey, John, I couldn’t agree more. Price is important but I think we also want the quality to be good. Would you agree with me on that?”
And he goes, “Well, of course.”
Well, then, “Why don’t we… “ Let’s stress now the importance of the quality of what we have to offer, “ because I can tell you based on all the companies in our industry our quality is superior. And I did research before joining the firm and found that to be true.”
So, the next thing we do then, Rod, is we sell value and add value. Keep the amount where it is, and offer valuable add-ons. That don’t cost the company or yourself an awful lot. And I believe, also I’ve always suggested that every company provide a list of acceptable add-ons or freebies for people that do…
Rod Khleif: And let me twist this into a conversation around… Let’s say you’re selling a multifamily property. When you go into a negotiation, you wanna think about what small concessions you can make that maybe are not priced, maybe their timing, maybe allow equipment to go with the sale or something that you don’t really care that much about. Would you agree with me, Tom, as it relates to selling something bigger?
Tom Hopkins: Definitely. And also, I will say this and of course this is not for everyone, Rod. When I was a manager, and I had 18 sales people in my office, I told the guys, especially the newer ones, I said, “Look, if you have a buyer that’s like on a clothesline to saying yes to the opportunity, and you need some help, you just say, “Hey, let me call my manager, and see if my manager can come up with something special.”
And of course, the sales person would fill me in on what’s happening. I as manager could do a what we call a drop close where we would do something special for them. In fact, many companies today that I train, they have something that’s almost like a gift to the person that says yes to the decision to go ahead.
So, all these are little game plans in the big game of selling.
Rod Khleif: I like it. Even when you’re dealing, let’s say with a seller, and you’re wanting to buy their property. Think about things that you can do that aren’t financially-driven. Like again, a quick close…
Tom Hopkins: Right.
Rod Khleif: Or some other thing that helps them or allowing them to keep something that’s on the property. Or something that you don’t really care about. A small concession that pushes that over the edge. And if you think about whatever that could be in advance of the negotiation, that can really be helpful on the buyer or the seller side.
Tom Hopkins: Oh, definitely. Right on!
Rod Khleif: I didn’t realize that you have so many wonderful quotes that you have come up with in your incredible career. Would you mind sharing a handful of those?
Tom Hopkins: Oh, I’d love to.
Rod Khleif: Maybe your favorites.
Tom Hopkins: Sure. Okay. Well I was taught five words many years ago that I started living by. The five words and the quote is, “Do what you fear most.” I found over the years, if I started doing the things I was afraid of, which is by the way what most top producers do, not only in prospecting and contacting and handle the fear of rejection and failure, but doing what you fear most, like control fear. But some of the things we’re afraid of, Rod, if we overcome that fear can become some of our biggest strengths.
Rod Khleif: I’d like to add to that. I wanna add to that because I will tell you, one of my other mentors is Tony Robbins, and he has a saying that is, “The quality of your life is in direct proportion to the amount of discomfort you can live with.”
And I can tell you in my own life, anytime I’ve stepped outside my comfort zone and done something I was afraid of, I look back on it. And those were some of the most extraordinary experiences and moments in my life. So, I love… I mean, I got goosebumps when I heard you say the quote.
Tom Hopkins: [chuckles]
Rod Khleif: “Do what you fear most,” because I totally agree with that one. That’s a beautiful one.
Tom Hopkins: And then of course, I have been teaching this little saying. It’s something I try to get all of my students that study my training to put on a wall, to put on their desk.We all have 86,400 seconds in a day. No one has any more, no one has any less but the people I’ve met are, they’re most productive, Rod. They are so careful with those seconds. I’d love to have the folks buy this little thing: I must do the most productive thing possible at every given moment.
Now, you might notice, it’s not “Maybe I will”. It’s “I must do the most productive thing possible at every given moment”. Now, you just dwell on that and live by that, you’ll do a thing called focus and set priorities. And you have no idea the amount of time that is wasted with people doing things that are not really to the bottom line income…
Rod Khleif: They’re doing busy work.
Tom Hopkins: That’s right.
Rod Khleif: They’re doing busy work.
Tom Hopkins: They are doing bottom line productivity.
Rod Khleif: Right.
Tom Hopkins: So, that little saying is one of my favorites as well.
Rod Khleif: Love it. I’ll tell you something; most of the things, if you’re looking at your list of tasks, there are 20% of those things that will give you 80% of the mileage. And it’s so easy for us as human beings to avoid the more difficult ones that equate to productive ones. In fact, I just gave that advice to a coaching client of mine yesterday. The exact same advice. So, that’s it. That’s fantastic.
Tom Hopkins: Let me give you another one, “work harder on yourself when you’re doing your job, to become a person people like and trust and want to listen to.”
Rod Khleif: Oh, that’s nice too. Like Socrates said, “A life unexamined is a life not worth living.” You absolutely need to work on yourselves. Love that one. Do you have one more?
Tom Hopkins: Sure.
Rod Khleif: Oh, thank you.
Tom Hopkins: Love people and use money. Never use people and love money and you’ll make all money you can ever spend.
Rod Khleif: Oh, that’s beautiful.
Tom Hopkins: [laughter]
Rod Khleif: That’s beautiful. Thank you, Tom. I have one last question because I know that you also have a lot of incredible tips for success. I would be grateful if you could rack your brain for some of your top tips for success.
Tom Hopkins: Well, I would say again, “Work harder on yourself to develop your personality with people. Learning to get along with people. Realize you’re not really in sales or investing. You’re in the people business.”
[00:30:02]
Tom Hopkins: And the more you can develop your skill of getting along with people, bringing down their defense barriers, helping them feel good about you not for just once or twice but…
My last a couple years, I have been finding homes for people I’ve found three or four homes in the past for. I think the reason for that was, Rod, I really did my best to give to people more than they expect; as to service, as to follow up, as to commitment to do a great job. And these are the things that really I can honestly point back now to the things that made the biggest difference in my life. And so, those are some tips and hopefully they will apply.
Rod Khleif: Awesome. Yeah, in anything, if you can add more value you become a success. The more value you add the more success and was more successful you become.
I know you’ve got an incredible event coming up in Honolulu, Hawaii and I am frankly very disappointed that I have to be in San Diego. I think it’s March 10th, and 11th and I’m there for those four days. And I’d love for you to tell my listeners about the event because any of you that have concerns about yourselves, or wanna be a better salesperson, this will be an incredible opportunity for you. So, please tell my listeners about this event.
Tom Hopkins: Well, I’d love to. In fact, every year I have two of these which we call the “Advanced Sales Academy.” It’s really two eight-hour days that I teach entirely. We cover the entire seven fundamentals of selling any product or service.
You’ve mentioned Tony Robbins. He was 21 when I put him through the program.
[chuckles]
Rod Khleif: That’s awesome.
Tom Hopkins: I’ve been doing it many years.
Rod Khleif: Wow.
Tom Hopkins: We’ll cover the whole seven fundamentals of the “Art of Selling”. And you’ll get a workbook and manual. And they’ll have, like I say, 16 hours that I personally teach only. And so, it’s gonna be pumped.
Rod Khleif: Wow.
Tom Hopkins: It’s at a beautiful hotel. We got great room rates, and here again, anybody that wants to look into that, they can go to my website, and they’ll have information. And they can call my customer service reps and they’ll be more than happy to give them information.
Rod Khleif: Oh, that’s awesome.
Tom Hopkins: It’s a highlight of my life. You can go to my program for an hour and get pumped and excited but when you have 16 hours, two days, and a whole evening of studying, and breaking in the roleplay groups. I think this is how you really learn.
Rod Khleif: Wow, that’s powerful… Yeah that’s how you learn to sell for sure. So, those of you that can make that happen, I don’t typically endorse events but I will for Tom because I just know how much value he adds. So, if you can make your way out to Honolulu, Hawaii for that event in March, you’ll be very, very glad you did.
Tom, I’m so grateful to have you back on the show. It’s just always such a treat. I just want to thank you for taking your valuable time to spend with us. I look forward to staying in touch.
Tom Hopkins: It’s always a pleasure, Rod. All the best to all of you. Let’s make it an unbelievably great year.
Rod Khleif: Thanks, Tom. Take care. Bye Now.
Tom Hopkins: Thank you, Bye-bye.
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