Real estate is a team sport. From buying and selling to replacing water heaters and HVAC systems, it is unrealistic to think one person will master every aspect of real estate ownership, maintenance, and investing. That is why you need to NETWORK.
Start Networking
My simple definition of networking is meeting people. One introduction leads to the next, which leads to yet another, and so on. In theory, networking sounds so easy! Why is it that so many of us struggle to step out of our comfort zone and introduce ourselves to more people? For many, it’s an irrational fear of rejection.
Your fear of heights, snakes or tight spaces can be rational. These are fears developed to improve your chances of survival. Your fear of rejection from a stranger is irrational. If you introduce yourself to this person and the interaction goes poorly, what have you lost? Nothing. You have neither gained nor lost a person in your circle of influence. We have nothing to lose by talking to new people! Furthermore, this fear is based purely on OUR PERCEPTION of THEIR THOUGHTS. We fear rejection and embarrassment; we are anticipating pain. Since we have never interacted with this person, there is no reason to believe our first interaction will result in pain. That is purely our limiting, irrational perception.
How to Bring Value?
I can already hear the skeptics saying, “That’s easy to say now, but harder to do in-person. What value can I bring to someone with more experience? They aren’t going to want to talk to me, anyway.”
If you have these thoughts–you aren’t alone. Many new investors, myself included, started with these limiting beliefs. The turning point for me was when I adopted the mindset that everyone, myself included, has value to offer. Someone may be an expert in real estate investing but a complete novice in parenting. They may know everything about roofs, but nothing about car transmissions. If you’re someone that knows parenting or transmissions, you can add a ton of value. In return, they may add value to your investing. It’s that simple: Just be you. You are valuable.
Don’t quite believe me? Consider the book The Go-Giver. This is one of my all-time favorite reads. In this book, the author, Bob Burg, discusses how generosity correlates with success. The people who are willing give tend to receive more in return. Think back to the last conversation you had with someone and thought, “He sure was a nice guy.” Are you more likely to do business with this person in the future? What are you going to tell your friends about that person? That is how positive word-of-mouth advertising spreads. Often it starts as one interaction and one moment where a person thinks, ‘Wow, what a great person!” As Patrick Lencioni states in “The Ideal Team Player”– “excellent team members are humble, hungry, and smart”. In other words, very few jackasses make it to the top! If you view someone as successful, approach them, and introduce yourself. It takes courage– but in the words of Rob Schneider, “you can do it!”
Taking Action
Action step for today: Introduce yourself to one new person. Need some help? I love meeting new people! My name is Travis Cripps. I’m a Pediatric Dental Resident at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in St Louis, MO. I am also a real estate investor with an emphasis on small multi-family properties. Next year, I plan to invest in commercial office space (aka my dental office and the surrounding stores). That’s a little about me, but I want to hear from you. My preferred contact methods are text or email. If you prefer to call, please leave a message. I’ll return your call as soon as I can! My email is [email protected]. My cell phone is (618) 694-2110.
If you’re looking for an additional way to network and acquire mentoring, check out our Action Taker’s Only Mastermind:
