Fundamentals of Selling

When I do sales training, I use some stock phrases like:

-selling is telling

-tell a (short) story

-the title can’t be as long as the book (from my PhD supervisor at the Australian National University in Canberra, Dr Max Neutze, may he rest in peace)

-keep it as simple as possible but no simpler (that’s borrowed from Einstein)

But today, partnership development whiz Samantha “Sam” Laprade said it better, “I’m telling them the time, not how to make a watch.”

The real reason people buy anything is because they actually like and trust the person selling it to them. That’s it, that’s all. So, a thousand word feature sheet isn’t going to sell much if anything at all. A good conversation (not presentation, a 2-way conversation) will…

Bruce M Firestone, B Eng (civil), M Eng-Sci, PhD, Ottawa Senators founder, Real Estate Investment and Business coach, ROYAL LePAGE Performance Realty broker,  1-613-762-8884 bruce.firestone@century21.ca twitter.com/ProfBruce profbruce.tumblr.com/archive brucemfirestone.com

MAKING IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE

postscript: here’s an example of how we respond to a general realtor inquiry.

I wonder if other realtors respond in this way? 

Anyway, this is how I teach folks who work with me to reply—thoughtfully… 

It also explains why it sometimes takes me so long to
reply because I take it very seriously. 

However, it starts a conversation
and that is a huge part of: a) making any sort of trade and also b) getting a
client for LIFE/becoming their real estate adviser forever…

So, note how we are trying to engage with a potential client here–

To: ‘Anna Johns’
<annajohns @ gmail.com> [not her real name or email address]

Subject: zoning

Hi Anna. Thanks for your query about starting a B&B on this lot available for sale in Greely. 

According to
the city of Ottawa, the zoning is: RR2[41r].

The permitted uses are as shown below.

A B&B is a permitted use but it’s limited to
3 guest rooms, which probably isn’t enough to make much of a living off of it.

But you might try something else…

Under a new zoning bylaw passed by the city of
Ottawa last November (2016), you can add a secondary dwelling (aka a coach
house/granny flat) in addition to your main home as long as the rural lot is a minimum of
2-acres, which this one is.

So what might work better (at least from an economic
point of view) is a main home with 3 guest bedrooms and a coach house, which is
rented out longterm or you put it on Airbnb. I think that would also meet the
zoning test… This is what is called a property’s “highest and best use” ?

Let me know if we can help further.

Best, Bruce

ps before you launch any business, you should
prepare a spreadsheet so you know what you are getting into. I can send you
some info on how to do that if you need any help with it. 

Permitted Uses

               (1)          The following uses are permitted subject to the following:

                               (a)          the provisions of subsection 225(2)
and (3);

                               (b)          a maximum of three guest bedrooms is
permitted in a bed and breakfast;

                               ©           a maximum of 10 persons are permitted
in a group home;

                               (d)          a maximum of 10 persons are permitted
in retirement home, converted;

                                               bed
and breakfast, see Part 5, Section 121

detached dwelling

group home, see Part 5, Section 125

home-based business, see Part 5, Section 127

home-based day care, see Part 5, Section 129

retirement home, converted, see Part 5, Section
122

secondary dwelling unit, see Part 5,Section 133

urban agriculture, see Part 3, Section 82
(By-law 2017-148)