Tip: Persevere. Remember the worst thing a prospect can say is no.
When he was a kid, Matthew Garabedian loved visiting open houses and dreamed of a real estate career. Today, he’s putting in 12-hour days—and it’s paying off. His sales volume jumped to $4.7 million in 2001, an 81 percent increase from 2000.
Perhaps that’s why Garabedian, a salesperson with Kurgan-Bergen, REALTORS®, in Rutherford, N.J., was named REALTOR® Associate of the Year by the Meadowlands Board of REALTORS®.
Garabedian says his success comes from being entrepreneurial and aggressive. “Every week I go door to door, handing out information about my marketing plan and qualifications,” he says. “I select a different neighborhood each week, which gives me a chance to meet the people in the neighborhoods.”
Recently, Garabedian was named director of marketing at his company. One of his marketing hits: a new program for marketing high-end homes. The program includes special signs and refined promotional materials. “You can’t hand out photocopied flyers to someone looking for a $3 million house,” he says. “I want people to see my packet and say, ‘Wow, he knows his business.’”